On Mar. 3, a new burger joint opened in Portland. But this was no ordinary restaurant. Face Plant is bringing an entirely plant-based menu combined with fast-food service, a first for the city. They offer burgers, fries, “chicken” nuggets and milkshakes, all vegan.
The burger patties are based on the Impossible Foods meat that you can buy at grocery stores but with added “culinary science.” They developed the flavor profile by adding on top of the preexisting impossible patty that can be bought anywhere. Upon trying one of the burgers, I noticed it looked and tasted different from regular Impossible burgers. So at least you’re getting something different from the Impossible burgers you can get at other fast food restaurants like Burger King and SuperDeluxe.
On the menu are four different types of burgers. First of all, the burgers in the images on the menu appear much taller than the ones you’ll actually hold in your hand. There are two base varieties, the Red & Yellow, and the Fancy, and double patty versions of each. The Red & Yellow gets its name from the ketchup and mustard on it, and it doesn’t have much else besides cheese and pickles. The Fancy gets a special sauce instead of the ketchup and mustard, as well as lettuce, tomato and white onion. There is also an upgraded bun made with different ingredients.
I got the double Red & Yellow, and it was very enjoyable for what it was. The mustard wasn’t very spicy, but maybe I’m just used to the jarred dijon at home. When I went there, my parents got the single Fancy burger and complained of the special sauce making the eating experience messy, while I did fine eating my double Red & Yellow. I would compare the Red & Yellow to the double Impossible smash burger at Sure Shot, a food cart I go to one or two times a month. I prefer the plain Impossible patty on the smash burger, but it’s also double the price at $7 for single and $11 for double. It does get onions and a better special sauce on top but has less expensive American cheese. Considering the value for money, I would take the Face Plant burger most days.
The one thing missing from the menu is milkshakes. Head of customer experience Will Young said shakes would be available “within the week” when I visited on Mar. 11. They were working on getting the shake machine up and running. Also, coming soon as of the eleventh is cold brew coffee. As of Apr. 10, milkshakes aren’t offered on the menu, according to reviewers on Google Maps.
I also got the five-piece nuggets, which offered good value for money at $4 as well as a meaty taste and complex texture. Like the burger patty, they were a noticeable upgrade from the Impossible Foods base version. They came with just one sauce option, a sort of honey mustard sauce that offered a solid balance of flavor profiles.
Overall, Face Plant offers a simple but well-executed alternative to other burger places that offer plant-based options. The difference with Face Plant that really sets it apart is the fact that everything is vegan, and that the prices are amazing. So good in fact, that it can even be compared to traditional fast food with meat: the Double Red & Yellow at Face Plant is comparable in price to the Big Mac from McDonald’s at the Big Mac’s current price of $5.29! This bucks the trend of the assumption that meat and cheese alternatives are more expensive than the real thing.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone who doesn’t eat meat or wants to start cutting meat from their diet, and even to true omnivores! The recipe will undoubtedly change or be tweaked over time as feedback comes in. I really want to go back once they finally come out with the milkshakes.
If you want to visit, their sole location is at 3110 North Going Street.
