Squirrel’s Vegan Kitchen

Yes, oh yes, I am so excited to have this new, delicious Vietnamese restaurant in town! I enjoy Bay Leaf alright, but otherwise the Asian cuisine in Portland is scarce, not like Seattle. But now with Nhut Quang, I am quite the happy camper. Let me show you why:

(This was take out, hence my own dishes.)

One of the yummiest creations in all the world: BBQ steamed bun. A rice flour bun filled with deliciously marinated seitan-style meat, steamed to perfection. I can taste it just thinking about it.

Vietnamese dumplings. These were filled with mung beans and spices. They were okay, but not what I was expecting. I think I was moreso just put off by the surprise of it being different than I was expecting. Served with a light sweet and sour sauce.

Yellow curry. One of the best curries I’ve ever had. Rather than just relying on heat and turmeric to make you feel like you’re eating curry, the folks at Nhut Quang craft a very complex yellow curry with coconut overtones that is very satisfying. The night I had it, it had broccoli in it, Jim’s had celery this night, with faux chicken.

Flat rice noodles, sauteed in a brown Saigon sauce with veggies, tofu and faux chicken. This meal was one of those perfect ones that just hit the spot. Not overly complicated, just flavorful and comforting with wide rice noodles, sauteed veggies, crisp bean sprouts and a delicious sauce. This is one of my favorite meals there so far.

If you come to town, it’s worth stopping by. It’s rather unassuming, in a little strip attached to a Shell station, but as we all know, sometimes the most understated things are the best.

Around this time, the end of December, it’s always time for some reflection. Time to think about where you are, your goals, etc. Time to start making resolutions, taking stock of things, etc. Naturally, I’ve been doing my fair share of this sort of pondering, for a few months now.

And. I have a little thing to announce. This might be a surprise to some people. I have decided to stop blogging. I have decided to stop Squirrel’s Vegan Kitchen and Damn Tasty Vegan, everything. This has nothing to do with my commitment to veganism, which is very strong. I have met so many amazing people in my nearly 2 years of blogging. I have made friends all over the world and the cookbook has certainly been an experience! But like all good things, it has run its course. I have had a very complicated year this last year. I have a lot of other interests and hobbies that I want to devote myself to. The past months have seen my cooking and blogging dwindling. It has been great and I appreciate you all so much, taking the time to read about my silly life and sharing yours with me. But I’m ready to move on now, to other things and other elements of my life.

This is why we have been having our sale, to help move some of the book related stuff. Thanks to everyone who has purchased stuff! I am going to continue posting this month, but on December 31st I plan to stop blogging and DTV will stop being available. I will keep this blog up and available, however, for whoever comes across it.

Thanks to everyone for your support and I really appreciate each and every one of you.