Blossoming Lotus is a counter-service[1] vegan restaurant in Portland, Oregon, US. It was founded in Kapa'a, Hawaii in 2002. At its peak the company had three restaurants, but now only operates a single location in Portland.
| Blossoming Lotus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 2002 |
| City | Portland |
| State | Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Other information | Hawaii |
History
editBlossoming Lotus opened in 2002, with Mark Reinfeld as chef, with financial backing from Bo Rinaldi.[2] In 2006 Blossoming Lotus moved to a larger location at the Dragon Building in downtown Kapaʻa. The original location was transformed into "The Lotus Root: a juice bar and bakery".
The original Blossoming Lotus Cafe in Portland, Oregon opened on July 29, 2009, in the Northeast Irvington neighborhood,[3][4] and was followed by the closure of their Pearl District location.[5] A fourth location was planned for Mountain View, California, but never came to fruition.[2]
Both Kauai locations closed in 2008 because of debt[6] and a sharp downturn in tourism, a catastrophic flood that hit the island, and the closure of two budget airlines servicing the island.[citation needed]
The Blossoming Lotus style of international vegan cuisine was popularized in the 2004 Vegan World Fusion Cuisine Cookbook, written by founder and executive chef Mark Reinfeld and owner Bo Rinaldi. The book contains an introduction by Jane Goodall and 200 vegan recipes.[7]
In April 2024, Blossoming Lotus announced that their main location in Irvington would close on April 4, 2024.[8] The restaurant was closed a day early on April 3 after running out of food due to an influx of customers.[8]
Awards and recognition
editRestaurant
edit- Food Network named them one of the top 20 vegan restaurants in the United States.[9]
- Restaurant of the Month (August 2004) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals[7]
- 'Ilima Award for Best Kaua'i Restaurant, Critics' Choice (2006) - The Honolulu Advertiser[10]
- Top Chef in Live Food, Platinum Carrot Chef Award (2006) - Aspen Center for Integral Health[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Review: Blossoming Lotus". Portland Food & Drink. 4 July 2007. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ a b Yang, Jeff (2006-07-06). "Viva Las Vegans". Asian Pop. San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
- ^ "Latest News". Blossoming Lotus Portland. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
- ^ "Blossoming Lotus Irvington – Restaurant Grand Opening". Food Fight! Grocery. Facebook. 2009. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
- ^ Butler, Grant (2010-05-12). "Plant yourself at Portland's standout vegan restaurants". OregonLive.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
- ^ "Kauai's Blossoming Lotus to close". www.bizjournals.com. December 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-04-17. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
- ^ a b Chang, Lester (2006-07-06). "Volleyball Stars: Kapa'a restaurant wins PETA award". The Garden Island. Archived from the original on 2004-12-17. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b Russell, Michael (April 4, 2024). "One of Portland's oldest vegan restaurants has closed for good". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ Ventiera, Sara (22 January 2020). "Veg Out: 20 Top Vegan Restaurants from Coast to Coast". Food Network. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
- ^ Adams, Wanda A. (2006-10-10). "Alan Wong's repeats win of 'Ilima's Best Restaurant honor". Ilma Awards 2006 Winners. The Honolulu Advertiser.
- ^ "Past Programs and Events". 2006 Platinum Carrot Chef Award Winners. Aspen Center for Integral Health. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-10-21. Retrieved 2007-11-14.