Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Avalon Theatre, a second-run-movie house and mini-arcade on SE Belmont Street
BACK STORY: GARDENBURGER
Given Portland's image in the popular imagination, it's probably not a
huge
surprise that the Gardenburger was invented here. (Well, strictly speaking, it
happened in Gresham, but let's not quibble.) The meatless patty is the
brainchild of Paul Wenner, who (after becoming concerned about what his
lousy diet was doing to his mood, energy levels, and physical well-being)
opened a vegetarian restaurant in 1981 called The Gardenhouse. Looking for
something to do with all the leftovers one night, he made a probably not
enormous intuitive leap and came up with the “Gardenloaf Sandwich.” A little
more fine-tuning (slice and fry, basically) converted the loafwich into an early
version of the Gardenburger.
