Portobello Vegan's "Meat"balls Rank in the Nation's Top Ten (says PETA)

PETA has finally said something with which we can all agree. The normally dissident organization compiled a list of the country's best faux-meat spaghetti toppers and listed Southeast Portland's own Portobello Vegan Trattoria as one of the best. As reported only a few weeks ago, WW fully agrees.

The restaurant's zucchini noodles in a tomato-basil sauce topped with a giant meat-free ball of vegetable protein showcases "all the flavor of traditional meatballs" without any of the "cruelty or cholesterol" of its swiney, beefy cousins, says PETA vegan campaign coordinator Kate Brindle. Brindle further praised the restaurant, saying "This eatery is a great example of the growing number of restaurants that are satisfying America's hunger for healthy and humane cuisine."

Unfortunately for us, the dish is not currently on the menu–Portobello's selection changes weekly. One can only hope that it will grace the menu again soon.

Other high-ranking contenders came from as close as Seattle (Ike's Place's Vegan Meatless Mike and Not So Sloppy Ike) and as far away as Ashbury Park, New Jersey (Twisted Tree Cafe's baked tofu meatball wrap). For a full list of all the winners, check out PETA's VegCookingBlog.

Image: Portobello's Chef Aaron Adams in the kitchen by Darryl James.