Uninitiated Portland diners should take heed of Fermenter’s return. The vegan restaurant and kombucherie reintroduced themselves in October 2020 at Southeast 14th and Belmont, shifting into the space once held by their still-on-hiatus sister restaurant, Farm Spirit. Fermenter’s heated patio was installed in November, and in-person brunch followed this past summer. Mushrooms, smoked tempeh, and pickled veggies star alongside Fermenter’s crisp, locally sourced produce, animal-free pastries, and imaginative vinaigrettes and sauces. With their moist stacked sandwiches and restorative breakfast entrees, Fermenter’s offerings are far fresher than the restaurant’s preservative-packed name suggests on first impression, and could keep Portlanders enjoying this year’s harvest through next spring.
Fermenter owner and chef, Aaron Adams, specializes in non-dairy lactic acid and koji fermentation, as well as arranging vegan charcuterie. Chef August Winningham combines Adams’ cured veggies with non-cured, locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, while manager Maya Carlile oversees fermented drinks, such as kombucha, ginger beer, and kefir, a cultured milk drink originating from Russia’s North Caucus region that’s aged with kefir grains.
Fermenter’s vegan kefir comes out closer to a carbonated fruit juice than yogurt water. I tried raspberry hop kefir and Jupiter grape ginger beer, both house labels. Both drinks were tart, yet refreshingly bright. The Jupiter grape opened fruity, but exposed the signature spicy aftertaste of ginger beer. The kefir’s fizz activated its profile, opening even as it washes down.