Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro

Green Elephant in 2018

The Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro is a vegetarian restaurant serving Thai cuisine in Portland, Maine, that opened in 2007 in the city's Arts District.[1] A second Green Elephant restaurant is located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.[2] Both have received critical attention for their vegetarian dishes.

History[edit]

The restaurant was opened by chef Danai “Dan” Sriprasert and business partner Bob Wongsaichua at 608 Congress Street across from the State Theatre building. Sriprasert and Wongsaichua also own Boda, a Thai restaurant that serves some meat dishes. The restaurant is named as green represents vegetarian cooking and elephants are considered lucky.[3]

A 2011 The Maine Magazine review by Joe Ricchio reported: "Sriprasert’s mother, who owned a restaurant in Thailand, taught him how to cook from a very early age ... His mother never used written recipes, and by cooking alongside her he began to develop his own personal style."[4]

In 2015, a second Green Elephant opened at 35 Portwalk Place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the Portland restaurant closed for a month and a half before reopening.[5]

Menu[edit]

The menu is appetizers, stir fries, curries, noodle dishes and desserts. All the food is vegetarian and most is vegan. The crispy duck, the char guay teow[4] and the chocolate orange mousse pie[6] have been mentioned by food reviewers.

Reception[edit]

The restaurant does not take reservations.[7] In 2012, The Boston Globe travel writer Hilary Nangle said the restaurant "has persuaded many carnivores that going veggie does not mean sacrificing flavor."[8] In 2013, Travel + Leisure named the restaurant to its list of the "Best Vegetarian Restaurants in the U.S."[9]

In 2016, the Maine Sunday Telegram's restaurant reviewer James H. Schwartz gave the restaurant three stars and wrote: "It’s fun, congenial and healthful, an easy place for vegetarians, dedicated carnivores – and the rest of us – to enjoy."[10] In 2016, Guy Fieri ate at the Portsmouth location and called the food "one of the best vegetarian meals I've had in a long time."[11] In 2016, the Green Elephant in Portsmouth was named Best Vegan Restaurant in the state by New Hampshire Magazine.[12]

In 2019, The Daily Meal named the restaurant to its list of "The Most Vegan-Friendly Restaurant in Every State."[13] In 2020, the Portland Press Herald's vegan food writer Avery Yale Kamila called the restaurant Maine's "reigning vegetarian restaurant queen."[14]

In 2021, Yelp released a list naming the best vegetarian restaurant in each state and Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro was listed as the best vegetarian restaurant in Maine.[15] In 2023, a The Boston Globe travel review about traveling to Portland with children said the restaurant has "kid-friendly bites like crunchy edamame and veggie dumplings with two kinds of dip."[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Brian, Kevin (June 8, 2015). "Maine's Best Restaurants for Vegetarians". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  2. ^ Miller, Kristyn Lak (January 10, 2017). "Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro & Bar". Taste of the Seacoast. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  3. ^ Anderson, Amy K. (September 20, 2012). "Green Elephant, Portland". The Maine Mag. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Ricchio, Joe (April 7, 2011). "EAT-April 2011: Green Elephant". The Maine Mag. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  5. ^ Kamila, Avery Yale (May 10, 2020). "Vegan Kitchen: Are your favorite vegetarian or vegan restaurants open for takeout?". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  6. ^ Rusley, Erika Blauch (August 30, 2013). "Good Eats | The best of Maine's healthy & vegetarian dining". The Sunrise Guide. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Axelrod, Susan (July 31, 2014). "DINING GUIDE: 5 NOTABLE MAINE RESTAURANTS FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS". MaineToday.
  8. ^ Nangle, Hilary (April 29, 2012). "10 Maine restaurants where vegetarians reign". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Sarah L., Stewart (August 10, 2013). "Best Vegetarian Restaurants in the U.S." Travel + Leisure. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  10. ^ Schwartz, James H. (January 24, 2016). "Dine Out Maine: Green Elephant in Portland". Press Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  11. ^ Battle, Marquaysa (August 2, 2016). "Guy Fieri May Write A Vegetarian Cookbook". PEOPLE. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  12. ^ "New Hampshire Magazine's 2016 Best of NH Winners in Vegan|!!| Vegetarian|!!| Gluten Free|!!| Outdoor Dining". New Hampshire Magazine. June 16, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  13. ^ Rock, Taylor (November 19, 2019). "The most vegan-friendly restaurant in every state". The Daily Meal. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  14. ^ Kamila, Avery Yale (January 19, 2020). "Vegan Kitchen: Portland's vegan restaurant scene is red-hot". Press Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  15. ^ Doolin, Hannah (January 26, 2021). "The Best Vegetarian Restaurant In Every State". MSN. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  16. ^ Bair, Diane (February 16, 2023). "Portland with the kids? We put it to the test. - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
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