CHOW! WINTER 2010
Veg Out
TWO NEW FOOD CARTS OFFER TASTY CHOICES EVEN MEAT LOVERS CAN ENJOY
L
isten up, food fanatics: Your vegan
and vegetarian choices can be
more exciting than you think.
Although vegan food enthusiasts in
Eugene are fairly common, a sizable
number of people cringe at any mention
of “vegan” or “vegetarian.” But there are
two unusual cafés specializing in vegan
meals that fill the belly and please the
taste buds — without any guilt. These
two food carts, the Cornbread Café and
Viva! Vegetarian Grill, serve organic,
mostly local and environmentally friend-
ly cuisine that is every bit as flavorful as
the “regular” stuff.
The Cornbread Café, owned by
Sheree Walters and Kristy Hammond,
held its grand opening Jan. 18th. It’s
located on 13th and Oak, where Briggs
Photography Studio used to be. But the
café itself sits outside in a trailer, with
wooden steps leading up to the front
window. Walters and Hammond origi-
nally intended to open a restaurant inside
the building but were deterred by the
high price of installing a septic system
and kitchen. Instead, they parked their
kitchen outside and subleased the build-
ing to nonprofits. The Hummingbird Art
Gallery and Bad Egg, a bookstore and
infoshop, occupy the interior.
Walters and Hammond do eventually
want to move towards a full-size restau-
rant, but for now, they’re happy to cook
vegan comfort food that doesn’t taste
like bland, mushy tofu. This bacon-lov-
ing writer tried out the aromatic barbe-
cue sandwich, which comes in an take-
out box with crispy fries. The sandwich,
served on a wheat bun, is slathered with
slightly tangy and sweet barbecue sauce.
It isn’t exactly like a BBQ rib sandwich
or pulled pork; it’s a little chewier with a
slightly spongy texture. Yet I enjoyed
something that was different than the
usual burger-and-fries, but still as hearty
and satisfying. Besides sandwiches,
Cornbread Café offers build-your-own
meals, each containing a main dish, a
side and a vegetable. Those on a smaller
budget can pick up a basket (basically
the main dishes, southern fried tofu or
Phish and Chips, without the side item)
or a salad and cornbread. And they have
LOOK FOR US ON TAP AND IN 22 OZ BOTTLES
BY DARCY WALLACE | PHOTOS BY TRASK BEDORTHA
kids' meals; they come with stickers!
“Vegan soul food” is truly an accurate
label for the Cornbread Café.
I
f that isn’t enough for you, scoot
over to 12th and Willamette, where
you’ll find Viva! Vegetarian
Grill. Dave Wagenheim originally start-
ed his business in the spring of 2006,
selling tofu dogs out of a cart pulled by a
tricycle. Then, he rode through Kesey
Square six days a week. Now his cart has
a home right along the bike path. His
menu specializes in Tofurkey dogs and
what he calls “soysages,” not to mention
the relatively new vegan cheesesteak
sandwich.
What makes Viva! Vegetarian Grill
unique is the menu of all-American food
items — in meatless incarnations. Among
the menu choices are the vegetarian foot-
long, the Polish soysage and a meatless
meatball sandwich. The cart also serves
Wandering Goat coffee, organic teas and
Genesis juice. The most popular item,
Wagenheim says, is the cheesesteak.
“Everywhere I have vended, people see
BIG ASS
To...
chow.eugeneweekly.com
Cornbread Café, 13th & Oak, 11 am-3 pm M-F.
Viva! Vegetarian Grill, 12th & Willamette, 11 am-4 pm
M-F. www.eugenecooks.com
Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen
Wants Yo’
it as totally unique,” he says. “Some
people don’t order anything else because
they’re so hooked on it.” If your mouth
isn’t watering yet, check out these dis-
counts: Wagenheim takes a dollar off
food items if you arrive on bicycle, you
show your student ID or it’s raining.
Viva! Vegetarian Grill not only serves
environmentally friendly foods but uses
compostable cups and locally made
ingredients. Tofurkey sausages come
from Hood River, and Wagenheim's tem-
peh is made at Surata Soyfoods, three
blocks away from his house. Dave’s
Killer Bread, which Wagenheim uses for
his veggie Reuben, is whole wheat,
organic and made in Portland.
So, readers, if you’re afraid of the
word “vegan,” I challenge you to face up
to your fears. Vegan and vegetarian food
doesn’t have to be tasteless and bland,
and these two new food carts just might
surprise you. ■
EAT
SOUL
FOOD!
400 Blair Blvd. 342-7500
CHOW! JANUARY 28, 2010 3