Stanford's; Portland, OR

In such a veg-friendly city as Portland, Stanford's offering disappoints. I suppose that any restaurant attached to a mall can't be held by too high of standards, but Stanford's veggie burger can best be described as grease on top of oil on marinated in fat. The patty is a jumbo, oblong, commercial gardenburger (automatic minus points) that is soggy yet crispy at the same time because it is saturated with oil. It is topped by sauteed mushrooms, peppers and onion, which are delicious yet provide a hefty dose of their own greasiness. I asked for no aoili, but the garlicky buttered bun on its own further contributes to the mess: imagine if it had come with mayo too! If that isn't enough to harden your arteries, the meal comes with a surprise deep-fried pickle on the side and the choice of chips, fries, or salad. Go with the salad, because adding one more unhealthy element to the meal will guarantee tingling in your left arm. This isn't to say that the food didn't taste good. I love the combination of sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, and I will grudgingly admit that the deep-fried pickle was freakin' awesome. The bread of the bun was soft and chewy (I took it off and ate around the butter), and the whole thing may have been good if I had been in the mood for greasy food.