Portland, OR Restaurant Review: Tapalaya Cajun and Creole

It’s practically a shame that for this site’s very first invitation to dine at a restaurant, the experience was this good. I frankly just do not know, projecting well into the future, how the enjoyment of an evening meal, complete with several courses of Cajun and Creole-inspired small plates, will ever be bested. Fan of hyperbole? Not so much. This is the real deal, straightforward and bare-bones honest. After spending an evening with one of the restaurant’s owners Chantal Angot, and Head Chef John, consistently dropping off bite after tasty bite, I feel anxiety and incredulity at how any restaurant in the future is going to be able to surpass the bar that has been set by Tapalaya in the Northeast neighborhood of Portland. Possibly, it can be done. For now, I will relish in the night of house-made cocktail deliciousness and the roller coaster ride through heaven that my taste buds were treated to at Tapalaya.

Conceptually, the idea that underlies the cuisine at Tapalaya is anything but commonplace — combining the quantitative half of Tapas with the qualitative half of Cajun and Creole, the equation that one comes up against is slightly mind-boggling. This is one of those things that is infinitely complex in its simplicity, an idea that will leave others in the game scratching their head, thinking — Why didn’t I think of that? Well, in a word, you’re not a brilliant restaurateur. Or maybe you are, but this isn’t your bright idea — it is, however, in existence for the rest of us eager-to-be-blown-away foodies looking for an innovative, reasonably-priced, truly authentic dining experience marked by intense flavor, unique cocktails and a setting that takes you somewhere special.

Tapalaya Cajun and Creole: Breaking Down the Concept, History and Ambiance
Seated somewhere near the middle of a much appreciated and one-of-a-kind row of ethnically inspired, moderately priced restaurants of every stripe, Tapalaya makes its home in the Northeast section of Portland, on NE 28th Avenue. The restaurant itself is large, but once again, the setting inside has been created in such a way as to take a great-sized space, and reduce it to an amalgam of intimate areas. Halfway through the meal and after the band had finished up their last set of the night, my dining partner turned to me and commented on how, remarkably, she couldn’t hear anyone else’s dinner conversation, despite the fact that the restaurant was basically full.

Having come from a dining city like Los Angeles, where there seems to be some sort of premium placed by restaurants on high-volume dining rooms, we both tend to notice and prefer such details as a quiet, peaceful dinner, even though you’re in a busy, public restaurant. So it goes — while you can dine on any Thursday of the month and enjoy live jazz musical entertainment, you won’t feel like the sound is taking over your meal. Indeed, nothing is privileged with as much attention as the drinks and dishes that will arrive at your table and demand that you devour them whole. (The music calendar looks like this: 1st & 3rd Thursdays, The Milneburg Jazz Band plays traditional Dixieland Jazz; 2nd & 4th Thursdays – Gavy plays a groovy mix of Jazz, Funk & Soul. Details, here.)

In retrospect, I’m quite grateful that the plates of food were selected for us and brought out to the table, because time and again I went back to the menu, and I frankly still do not know how I would have chosen things without help. For the insiders who may have lived in Cajun Country or spent several vacations in New Orleans, the Tapalaya Jambalaya or Fried Catfish Po’ Boy is sure to satisfy, while for others who find themselves in for a Cajun spin on a dining classic, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken or the Steak Diane will delight. For this review, because we tried so many dishes, I am going to set up a small list of the plates we sampled, with pictures and descriptions below. So on with the show…

Tapalaya Cajun and Creole: Breaking Down the Dinner Menu and Flavors

We started out the night with a cocktail and a beer. The Tapalaya Hurricane (left, $6) features light and dark rum, fresh orange and lime juice, passion fruit syrup and grenadine. Half price during Happy Hour and all night Wednesday evenings for bike riders makes this just about the best drink special in all of PDX. The Abita Amber (right, $3.75), is a popular micro brew from Louisiana, another delightful taste of the south featured at Tapalaya. Both drinks matched up well with enough flavor to hold their own against the small plates seen below, but not so much that they took over the mouth — each lively beverage managed to refresh us after a few bites. Highly recommend the Hurricane, as well as the Louisiana Lemonade (a Kerr jar full of sweet, potent lemonade with fresh muddled mint and vodka), which strangely echoes a Mojito but finishes somewhere closer to a delicate citrus-y blend of lemon and lime.

This was the first small plate brought out — a special treat not on the menu, perhaps seasonally available — Fried Green Tomatoes, which was a tremendous opening onto the taste of Southern cooking. Coated in a crispy, cornmeal crust and topped with a red remoulade, the tomatoes inside the crust maintained a wonderfully dense texture. The remoulade was tinged with just a hint of dijon or horseradish, which quickly faded and left the mouth reveling in slightly sweet and savory tomato taste, with a nice shrimp garnish that varied just a little bit in temperature from the rest of the plate. The light chill of the garnish was an excellent way to play off the heat and mild spice of the fruit underneath.

I can’t recommend the Tapalaya Jambalaya ($8) enough, whether you’re a fan of the popular Cajun dish or not. Just enough for one person if you aren’t going to sample many dishes, or a great split with a date or friend if you are going to dive in deep. My impression was that overall, the rice component of the dish was far juicier and much more moist than I have experienced in the past, and the reason is the use of risotto, which is made first before the rest of the dish. Added to the risotto are shrimp, Andouille sausage and (mostly dark meat) chicken. The dish is very creamy, but the flavors and textures of each element maintain their autonomy throughout. Nice spicy aftertaste, with all flavors blending well in every bite. The shrimp was dense without becoming chewy, and the sausage was unique, with some hints of a flavor similar to Italian pepperoni. A very hearty dish that will undoubtedly make a fine tonic to the PDX winter.

Collard Greens ($4) can be a love it or hate it kind of dish. As for myself, I’m roundly in the Love category, and was quite anxious to see what Chef John would do with the vegetable. We opted for the bacon version, though the side is also available in a vegetarian version. There is a slight taste of vinegar here, just bitter enough to compete with the naturally strong flavor of the greens. The bacon was moist, not dry, and quite thick. Onions included in the mixture made for a nice addition. Highly recommended.

I am a Crab Cake devotee, so this was another one I wasn’t going to leave without trying. At Tapalaya, you can just plain trust what they do whenever there is frying involved, take my word. The picture above is a single mini Crab Cake, our sampler version, though diners can expect the regular dish to be much bigger for $8 (I believe there are 3 in a full order). The red remoulade sauce was the same mix that covered the Fried Green Tomatoes, and it was exquisite. Very moist, never lapsing into an overly-fishy taste, and fried without becoming too greasy. The crispy layer that topped the Crab Cake was a real experience going into the mouth, with size-able red pepper chunks throughout. A Must Order for Crab Cake lovers.

This next dish was a real winner with us — the Grilled “Sweet Blackened” Pork Tenderloin ($9), with bleu cheese fondue and toastette. A true taste and texture explosion, not to be outdone by many other dishes. A supremely rich combination of flavors, without ever going too far over the top and just becoming a buttery mess. The bleu cheese was just the right amount of kick and tang, the meat was lean and moist, and the toastette underneath it all was unaffected by the rich, creamy sauce surrounding it. Every bite that included a dollop of the buttery bleu cheese, a slice of the pork and an edge of the crispy toastette deserved a first place trophy of holy-moly. Do yourself a favor and order this one, for the love of all things food.

The Steak Diane pictured above ($7) is described on the menu as “Beef tenderloin medallions with a brandy mushroom cream sauce,” though it would be equally appropriate to call it “Everything I ever wanted for Christmas since I learned how good properly cooked beef could be.” Featuring a hint of pepper surrounding the meat, this pair of medallions was just about perfect, cooked savory and rare, with all the juices of the meat spilling out into the creamy gravy beneath after the first slice. Though most likely intended merely as garnish, the snips of parsley surrounding made for a nice hint of fresh flavor, complementing the creamy mushroom and brandy blend quite well.

Here’s another side you might consider ordering for a take out, and then eat it for breakfast the next day, of course, only if you run out of room at dinner. The Corn Bread with Sweet Butter ($2) is now served in an individually wrapped loaf, after first trying out the recipe in larger forms back in the Tapalaya kitchen. Apparently, the bread didn’t maintain its moistness, and after some inconsistency, the decision was made to opt for a single serving size. Excellent choice. I, for one, appreciate a moist but flaky style of Corn Bread, and this one was like a perfectly-baked biscuit. The butter was sweetened with honey and viscous like molasses, a heart attack on a knife but worth every bite.

This next pair of pictures should read like the before and after of plastic surgery, only it’s a beautiful human going under the knife to become even prettier. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($6) comes paired with a serving of Bourbon pecan syrup, and you must immediately dump it right over the top, as we both did.

Candied pecans that are drunk on their own Bourbon syrup are like elves that have been charged with lifelong service at the North Pole — they are happy and they belong with their fried chicken. The thigh is first braised, which locks in the flavor and allows for an amplified moistness. I haven’t enjoyed fried chicken like this in many years, and was so grateful that I had any room left at this point. A slight sweetness — almost reminiscent of a caramel-y, balsamic flavor — graced the chicken, and the smell of sweet potatoes in the syrup was ideally suited to the combo. Don’t let the double batter fool you. This chicken is a must try.

Major caveat — I’m not a fan of liver, but I am a fan of trying everything. Which brings me to the Poor Man’s Foie Gras, which consisted of fried chicken livers with a red pepper jelly. Again, they’re fried, so we know Tapalaya has that aspect nailed. For myself, I could tell that something was being done right here, though my taste buds weren’t buying it. My dining partner was floored and ate up every last morsel, so perhaps if you are a lover of liver, then this will be your slice of heaven. ($5 for the pair).

Tapalaya Cajun and Creole: Breaking Down the Dessert Menu

The Salty Bourbon Pecan Bar ($7) is served with Buttermilk Ice Cream. This is one of those sorts of dishes where adding any more descriptives onto the title itself will only take away from what you might already be imagining. Amazing? Yes. The desserts, unlike many other restaurants, are equally matched with the main courses at Tapalaya, which I consider an unbelievable feat and something not to be under-stressed. I don’t think it would be at all out of the question to drop by Tapalaya for the dessert and a fine bourbon at the end of your evening. Or have the fried chicken for dessert, and do the right thing for a change. In all seriousness, the buttermilk ice cream is made right there from scratch, and its slight hint of tangy-ness plays off the salty flavor of the pecan bar so well we almost died. The slivers are just about the perfect size if you’ve already loaded up on dinner, and just want a smidge of dessert.

The second dessert plate was another special, and I’ll just keep my fingers crossed it’s still available for those of you reading this and getting your hopes up high. The Banana Walnut Bread is prepared like a French toast, or pain perdu, with crispy edges holding together against the savory, maple-y flavor of the house made bacon ice cream. Think about the logistics of making ice cream out of meat. OK. Now stop thinking about it before you blow a gasket. Ice cream and meat? It’s basically like an extrapolation of the moment you first discovered your bacon slices tasted even better when they soaked up some syrup from your pancake breakfast. Only it’s ice cream. Correct. Be careful. You just might overdose on this one.

About halfway through the meal, an idea kept coming to me. Bear with me here for a second. I noticed in dish after dish, moist, tender, dense pieces of meat or seafood, all of which had been loaded with flavor of a variety that only comes through intense cooking. It was as if I were eating a gumbo or a goulash that had been cooked down over a period of several hours — but those kinds of dishes tend to have a stew-like, soft and mushy quality, with all the physical parts blending together in order to get the flavors to do the same thing. The dishes at Tapalaya are anything but “soft” and “mushy” — instead, the meat remains dense and in tact, while the symphony of flavors swirls around it. Each part of any given dish somehow retains its integrity, though all the flavors conspire to create the whole of the dish.

Which got me to thinking — isn’t this exactly how it should be an a Southern-inspired restaurant taking its cues from contemporary Louisiana (specifically New Orleans) culture? I mean, Creole, in the Louisiana of now (I say this because the term itself, through many years of history, has come to represent several things to different peoples), refers to a person of mixed colonial French, African-American, Spanish and Native American ancestry. To these four groups, a person defined as Creole might have additional ethnic elements — presumably maintaining some degree of independence from each other, though all combine to make up the whole of the individual. Somehow, the very essence of what makes Creole, well, Creole, has been bound up in just about every dish that is served as Tapalaya. And this, my friends, is nothing short of an epicurean miracle.

Tapalaya itself was the brainchild of co-owner and husband of Chantal Angot, Seth Matasar, who is a graduate of Tulane University and bona fide lover of all things New Orleans. As is the case in many corners of culture these days, the story has it that Seth was sparked by what he has come to recognize as a slipping away of traditional New Orleans-inspired culture, namely the recipes and food that so many people have come to love. And he wanted to do something about it, so Tapalaya was born out of an idea to make delicious, authentic Creole and Cajun cuisine available to people well outside of Louisiana, and to do it by offering them appetizer-sized portions. My take is thank goodness, because it allows patrons of the restaurant to try out more dishes than they would if plates were traditionally arranged, with a meat, starch and vegetable kind of set-up. With Tapas-like organization guiding the form part of Tapalaya, hungry and curious diners are welcome to put their own special emphasis on the Creole- and Cajun-content aspect of the place. And that’s where the real magic happens.

There are more treats to be shared at Tapalaya, as a final thought. Chantal, Seth and Chef John have gone a long way to integrating the restaurant into the NE neighborhood and local culture of Portland-at-large, offering a really interesting all-night Happy Hour Wednesday, for patrons who manage to bike it over to the restaurant. Food specials and fantastic $3 Hurricanes are available to those who make the trek on two wheels, a truly nice treat for anyone doing their part to stay out of the car and help out the environment in the process. Free jazz every Thursday night does wonders to extend the feel of New Orleans inside the well-decorated and spacious dining room. Make sure to ask about the evening Specials, as they appear to exist at just about every level of the menu, from the drinks, to the dishes, to the desserts. And if you’re too full by the time you make it to dessert, there’s even a Root Beer Float selection, where you can pair up any one of Tapalaya’s house-made ice cream flavors (Molasses, Buttermilk, Sweet Potato, Milk Chocolate or Bacon), with your favorite root beer (Jack Black’s, Thomas Kemper, Barq’s, Abita, IBC, Sparky’s or Waialua). Mmmmm-mmm. Not to be missed.

Tapalaya Cajun and Creole, NE Portland Pictures

Portland, OR Restaurant Details: Tapalaya Cajun and Creole
Tapalaya Cajun and Creole: Small Plates and Big Fun
28 NE 28th Avenue (just north of E. Burnside St., on the east side of NE 28th Ave)
Portland, OR 97232
Northeast
(503) 232-6652
Hours: Mon-Thurs 4:30-9:30pm; Fri & Sat 4:30-10:30pm; Sun 4:30-9pm
Happy Hour: Daily, 4:30-6pm, with $2 Martinis and $3 Hurricanes
Disclaimer: The kind and generous owners of Tapalaya provided PRR with a beautiful, multi-course dinner so that we might effectively get to know the restaurant for the purposes of this review.

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Tapalaya Cajun and Creole on NE 28th Ave.
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Tapalaya Cajun and Creole on NE 28th Ave. at E Burnside St., 9.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings

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