The Oregon Trail

If I am going to pass through Spokane again, I’d have to make it worth my while. A visit to the zombie-themed donut shop with vegan options, Dawn of the Donut, was just the trick. The shop is in a stretch of storefronts outside of downtown. It’s innocuous location is part of the charm.

Stating the obvious, the theme is a bit of a rip-off of trail blazers Voodoo Doughnut of Portland but what are you going to do? The decor inside is a mishmash of zombie-related tchotchkes. The ceiling is smeared with fake blood. I don’t know that zombies really wet the appetite but I give Dawn of the Donut an E for effort… and for their very enthusiastic counter guy. Did I mention that it’s a drive-through? 

So onward to the vegan options. Like Voodoo, Dawn of the Donut offers a host of tongue-in-cheek themed donuts…. Brain Fritter anyone? But their vegan options are not as interesting. They have simple glazes and no funny names. Why? I’m not sure. I got a salted caramel donut and a maple bar. The caramel-glazed donut was tasty and with an enhancing sprinkle of salt grains. Oh my gosh, I am never eating donuts again. I felt yucky afterwards. Hydrogenated guilt maybe? I’ll have to forgo my plans of visiting the Voodoo in Eugene.

Also in Spokane, the ABC Christian Bookstore and Vegetarian Food Outlet. I am always intrigued by Adventist vegan options. Mostly because the reporting on them is never very thorough. So I stopped in to the tucked away bookstore to see what kind of groceries they offered. It was a mock meat fest, as I expected. Early vegans rejoice!

This was the TVP section. Just add water! I’m not a big fan of this stuff either.

I felt obligated to buy something because the employee was such a sweetheart. So I bought a jar of McKay’s chicken style broth and a bag of organic flax seeds for just a couple of bucks.

I can drive all day through Oregon! And I did. And it was glorious. It was the 97-South that I really enjoyed. Spicy mustard ground with bursts of pale green low lying shrub, then enter the Cascades… spectacular snow-capped beauties. 

Though the drive was exhilarating, I arrived in Bend exhausted. And without a proper meal all day, I made a b-line to Broken Top Bottle Shop. I had their Vegan Club Sandwich: Tofurkey, smoked tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado-edamame spread and a smoked tomato aioli… with a side of Brussels. I even had a Coke. I have only a few of these in a year.