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Acadia A New Orleans Bistro
Categories: Restaurants Cajun/Creole Restaurants Southern Cajun/Creole, Southern [Edit]
1303 NE Fremont StPortland, OR 97212
Neighborhoods: Northeast Portland, Sabin
(503) 249-5001
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
93 reviews for Acadia A New Orleans Bistro
Review Highlights
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"Never been a fan of bread pudding." In 18 reviews -
"The soft shell crab and BBQ Shrimp is TO DIE FOR." In 8 reviews -
"The best is mardi gras Monday, where they have select..." In 4 reviews
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93 reviews in English
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Review from Gehan K.
Chandler, AZ
3/22/2012
Holy cow batman! This place is stupendous. Mmmm the shrimp creole was awesome......the shrimp is sooooo tasty it made me salivate for it even now. The pate was good and the shrimp bbq.
This is a small place and of course in the weekends it gets busy. I suggest doing reservations for this place. Good atmosphere and the service was great!
Even batman approved!
This place gets G approved rating! Oh this place takes Intel vault card. -
Review from Jason G.
Portland, OR
5/8/2012
I only get to see my gal once a week at most these days, so when we get together we try to make the most of those times. This would for sure qualify as a place that could fit in the, "one night in town where do I go" category.
The space is small, but it's a great space. There are a few outdoor tables and the street isn't too busy to make them unusuable. The sun will be in your eyes in the evening though because of how the restaurant is situated. The food comes out at a reasonable rate, and the waitress that we had actually had good taste in what she suggested.
If you like pickled things, you'll be in luck here. Even if you don't, like me, you'll still be in luck. I usually continue to try things I don't like every once in a while just to make sure my tastes haven't changed, and the pickled okra I had was delicious. We were hungry, so we also had a gumbo, salad and pate.
The gumbo was good, but not great. It had been a long while since my last gumbo and while it was pleasant enough, it wasn't a wow dish. The pate was pretty good, I think it came with a relish which was delicious. The salad though was easily the best one I have ever had in my life. Ask about the freshness, but the waitress recomended the rhubarb salad and it was incredi-good. The textures blended incredibly, and the varied flavors married up perfectly. I don't usually notice salad, but this one makes me want to start a quest to find the best salad in Portland. It's inspiring.
For main dishes we had Shrimp Creole and drumfish. The sauce on the drumfish was amazing, as were its toppings. The fish itself was cooked wonderfully, as you would expect. The shrimp creole was pretty great too. Not as good as the fish, probably inline with the gumbo. I'd have a hard time not ordering the fish again, but not the creole.
We had to some nice southern drinks and a pretty good crunchy peanut brittle/ buttermilk chocolate cake to go along with the meal.
My company looked amazing, the conversation was wonderful, the salad knocked my socks off, the waitress was knowledgable about the menu, the drinks were perfect, and the entree satisfied. I felt very comfortable and happy. -
Review from Kristopher C.
Portland, OR
2/11/2012
Celebrated L's birthday here and I was very impressed! I love me some good creole food! She had a few Firesides which she quaffed! I Had the Sazerac and Leapyear, both. I was a fan of the Sazerac!
She had hushpuppies and barbeque shrimp, and I had a pork, duck, liver pate. The shrimp were large and incredible!
For our main entrees she had the goat cheese gnocchi and I had the cornmeal fried catfish and we had side orders of red beans and rice and roasted root vegetables with truffle butter. I throughly enjoyed the catfish!
Great space and service, highly recommend! -
Review from Jen P.
Petaluma, CA
5/24/2012
Great place! I make a point of stopping here every time I am in town because the food is so good. The waiters are are always willing to help with fun recommendations. If you like to eat and you like cajun food you will love this place.
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Review from E T.
Portland, OR
4/29/2012
Great food. Horrible service. We were seated about 30 minutes before we were able to flag down the hostess that then functioned as our server for the rest of the night.
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Review from Kelsey M.
4/20/2012
For me, this place is tied with Screen Door for the best Creole/Cajun food in Portland! The ideal time to come is for an early dinner (around 5 pm) on Mardi Gras Mondays, because then it'll be $20 for a 3-course meal and you won't have to wait for a table. They have some fabulous absinthe cocktails as well, if you're into that sort of thing, and the Sazerac and Leap Year are really good too. The jambalaya is spicy as hell but absolutely delicious, and I had some really rich, flavorful pasta with crawdad and shrimp as well. The desserts were soooooo good and even the salad was really tasty. I am a fan and will definitely be back!
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Review from Lydia H.
2/2/2012
I had an amazing birthday dinner last night with the boy. As for cocktails I had a coupe of Firesides (rock candy simple syrup!) and he had a Sazerac and a Leapyear. Now on to the food, for starters we had the hushpuppies and barbeque shrimp, and he had a pork, duck, liver pate. For our main entrees I had the goat cheese gnocchi and he had the cornmeal fried catfish and we had side orders of red beans and rice and roasted root vegetables with truffle butter. The orange-horseradich marmalade with the hushpuppies cleared my sinuses! We both loved the shrimp; the highlight of our meal. Only downside to my meal was that my gnocchi had a tad too much black pepper. We left stuffed to the brim and will be enjoying our leftovers today. The waitress was friendly, attentive, and paced the arrival of our multiple dishes superbly.
Acadia had been on my radar for a long time and I was throughly impressed and will return. -
Review from Monique N.
Portland, OR
You will love this location. Its a small place but packed with full of tasty delights from the south. They even have a lot of vegan specials as well. YOu have to try the redbeans and rice and the Jambalya is killin!!
that is all.... -
Review from Lisa K.
Portland, OR
1/15/2012
What a great neighborhood restaurant! People living in the Sabin/Irvington area are lucky to have this find within walking distance. With such character, attentive staff, and good food, this is a place to be tried at least once.
Our mouths watered as we checked out what other tables had ordered. One table had 3 out of 4 people eating the shrimp creole, so my husband went with that. That was until the person sitting at the table next to us got his shrimp lafourche. Sheepishly he asked if it wasn't too late to change his order. It wasn't a problem and they didn't mind at all. He was happy with his new choice, so much so that he polished the entire dish off, along with the andouille sausage appetizer and side of cornbread.
Our favorite dish was the shredded brussel sprouts with apple and bacon. With bacon, how could it not be tasty? As for me I went with the goat cheese gnocchi. It was good but not as stellar as some other places and it's portion size paled in comparison to the other dishes.
The background noise is loud in this place. It was hard to have a conversation, trying to speak over all the noise.
We're glad we tried Acadia and can now cross it off our list of restaurants to try in Portland. Will we be back? With such a long list of top restaurants to try in Portland, probably not. But we're happy to see that there are thriving neighborhood restaurants like Acadia for people to take advantage of. -
Review from April P.
Portland, OR
4/5/2012
I went there for the first time last month and had the 3 course meal which included the blackened catfish served with mashed potatoes, salad, and bread pudding. The atmosphere was romantic and the service was prompt.
The catfish was incredible delicious! And the salad was superb. The only con was that the size of the main dish lacked quite a bit. Regardless, the meal filled me up and I left completely content. Will definitely go back and try other dishes -
Review from Stephanie A.
Portland, OR
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Highlights- Excellent Service, Unique & Delicious Menu, Comfy Atmosphere
I recommended for lunch for my work group of 12 folks. Never had I been there but had high hopes. I was pleased that the reviews were true. Everyone had something different and everyone enjoyed, prices were reasonable and portions large on the lunch entrées. I had the po-boy special and it was Amazing!. Ordered the BBQ shrimp but it took over 10-15 mins to get so I cancelled the order, staff was very nice and comped the order along with boxing it up and sending it home. Just note the BBQ shrimp take longer (they should note that on the menu)! Also checking in gave a 5% discount which they redeemed without question. Thanks Acadia I will be back -
Review from Mike N.
Portland, OR
11/26/2011
3rd visit (each time with 6+ people). 1st visit was superb. Our table loved the bbq shrimp and dipping cornbread in the sauce. Excellent drinks - the bartender even crafted a unique, tasty mocktail for me (in the midst of a 30-day break from booze). All around enjoyable time with good company, good food and drink.
But the last 2 times have been marred by our waitress. There was nothing overtly wrong with how Aimee served our table, but she made us feel uncomfortable. She consistently pushed for upsells and doubled our appetizer order without asking. A couple of guests who ordered smaller plates felt that she looked at them as cheapskates. Whether it was Acadia's policy or not, refusing to split checks is annoying from the paying customer's viewpoint, and Aimee was once again, less than helpful. We left Acadia not raving about the food but complaining about the service.
I would definitely recommend the food at Acadia. Even the leftovers were amazing, but I don't foresee us returning anytime soon. -
Review from Clare S.
Portland, OR
11/12/2011
Had an amazing dinner here last night that was 5 starts from service all the way through the drinks and food.
Met a good friend at Acadia that I hadn't seen in awhile, so we let our waitress know that it was going to be a pretty long and drawn out dinner because we hadn't seen each other in awhile. She was more then happy to oblige, and seemed happy that we let her know (this is not always the case when we go to restaurants...I will also give the disclaimer that with this, we order a lot and tip well).
A couple hours later, we each had a couple drinks:
- The Hurricane, about as authentic as you can get...it has 151 in it...be careful if having more then one. :)
- Pear. A champagne drink with pear in it. Delicious!
Appetizers:
- Shrimp in some sort of bbq gravy sauce...of my goodness...so good that we were practically licking the bowl. Our waitress was nice enough to bring us extra (and then more and more and more) bread to scoop up all the yummyness.
-Crispy Pork Belly. So delicious and indulgent. Cooked perfectly.
-Oysters. We went with the breaded version. Perfectly cooked in an amazing sauce. Comes with three so beware...if there are only two of you, you will definitely both eye that last one until one of you swoops in the fork.
Entrees:
I went for the soft shell crab with a sort of crawfish etoufee rice dish on the side. Delicious! I ordered this on the recommendation of our waitress and she was spot on.
The food was delicious on all accounts. We had amazing service from the hostess, our waitress, the bar tender who came over to check on our drinks, and even the busser who collected our plates. Our check ended up being $105 which I thought was extremely reasonable for each of us having 2 drinks, 3 shared apps, and 2 entrees.
Will definitely be back! -
Review from Tim B.
Portland, OR
11/1/2011
I am on a quest to try the top rated restaurants on Portland, next on the list was Acadia, My wife and I are both from the South and frequented NO in our youth, we were excited to try some New Orleans food.
We arrived to our reservations and strangely on a Friday night, the place had lots of empty tables. We were seated and our waitress stopped by to give us menus and water. We pursued the cocktail and menu, and the waitress returned. As usual, my wife was not ready to order, so we ordered some cocktails. I am a home mixologist, so I always like to try drinks. I find that mixed drinks are lacking at most places until you get into the high end. I started with the Sazerac and my wife, the Hurricane. Hints of the lackluster service started to show. It took a while for drinks to come out, and the waitress did not return to take out order for some time, despite a mostly empty dining room. Eventually the waitress returned to take our order.
The drinks came out, and my wife's Hurricane was good, if not spot on to the Hurricane's you get in NO. My Sazerac was good, a little on the bitter side, however that is the point. Overall I was not blown away by the first round of drinks like I was at Bamboo Sushi. Soon after ordering, the bread arrived at our table. When the first morsel of food to touch the customer's mouth is a tough, cold slice of $1 Baguette, well it does not bode well for the meal. We had opted to start with the Hush Puppies since my wife loves them, and I do to. They were good solid hush puppies, tasty, but not rising to the level of best hush puppies ever. The orange marmalade was an interesting flavor twist.
Next up was the Arugula and Butter Lettuce salad that we split. The flavors were went together well, though a little on the small side. I had finished my drink, but the waitress never stopped by. Sigh, I finally had to flag her down, which is really lame. This time I went with a Louisiana Julep. The Julep arrived and I sampled it and commented to my wife that it needed more sugar syrup. Later when I reached the end of my drink, I learned where all the sugar syrup was, at the bottom of my glass. I was disappointed that my drink has not been properly mixed, and therefore was ruined.
Our entrees arrived; my wife had ordered the cornmeal fried catfish while I had selected the Shrimp Lafourche. The entrees were definitely the highlight of the meal, and saved Acadia from a 1 star rating. Expertly prepared, the shrimp were perfectly cooked with the tomatoes, onions and bourbon blending for a very tasty dish. The spices and sauce were spot on Creole cooking. Note that this is not a Po' Boy on the street kind of New Orleans, but high end. My wife enjoyed her catfish, but not as much as I liked my shrimp. I sampled the catfish and it was properly prepared and represents the southern way of cooking catfish that is mostly lacking in the NW, from my experience.
We had also ordered the corn bread, which was better than most I have had. I dislike sweet cornbread, and Acadia did not fall into that trap at least. Served with butter and honey, the cornbread was good if not out of this world. The main issue is that you get two small pieces of cornbread for $4, which is steep.
Once again, we sat for quite some time after finishing before the waitress returned or our table was bussed. My wife really wanted to try the bread pudding because she loves bread pudding, and I ordered a glass of port. The bread pudding came out, and much to our disappointment, the middle was too squishy (overcooked) while the bread on top was rubbery (undercooked). The flavors were good, but it was a big thumbs down.
We waited a lot on the waitress, which was made more annoying by the fact that the waitress took very good care of a table of 6 near us. I guess our tip was not worth the effort.
So to recap, the dining room feels like an $8 a plate kind of place, the service was lackluster, the drinks are lazily mixed and overpriced for what you get, the appetizers and salads were good but not terribly memorable, the entrees were excellent, and the only 4-5 start portion of the meal. Dessert was poorly executed at best.
Acadia is celebrating their ten year anniversary, and I have to believe that Acadia is a legacy restaurant, born and established when the Portland restaurant scene had much less to offer. I would not rank Acadia in the top Portland restaurant, and I would not return. Given the sheer number and quality of Portland restaurants that offer better experience in a similar price range, I would recommend going somewhere else. We did not feel like we go our monies worth at Acadia. -
Review from B R.
Portland, OR
Updated - 3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good atmosphere but food is heavy....
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2011
Good meal overall, very different from normal dishes. I would add some more pasta in the jambalaya… Read more »
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Review from Fraz A.
Tempe, AZ
3/1/2012
The bar-b-q shrimp are to die for. Every meal I've had here leaves me speechless. If you enjoy your food, this place is a must.
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Review from JS U.
Portland, OR
4/5/2012
I have been to Acadia twice - Once when I introduced my girlfriend to my step-mom and more recently for my girlfriend's birthday. Both times the experience was superb, not just because of the creative Creole fare but in very large part because of the magical (yes, I used the word magical) service. I always try to make every meal out with my girlfriend a memorable event. So when I called AANOB to book a reservation I mentioned it was her birthday and I'd like to do something special. The restaurant manager called me back and we discussed a game plan, which included simple little details such as printing a happy birthday wish on the dessert menu (she loved it) and adding my own selection of flowers to our table for the evening. Bo, our server, was the Harry Potter of Acadia! Not only was he gracefully professional, he made a great wine recommendation and surprised us both when our desserts arrived by pulling two complimentary flutes of Champagne out of his magic hat. The only thing keeping me from giving 5 stars is the restaurant is maybe a little too dark if you are not sitting near a window, the acoustics needs some working on to deaden the cacophony of conversations and the menu could be expanded slightly to offer a little more variety. With that said, those are minor concerns contrasted to EXCEPTIONAL service and wonderfully delicious food. Love ya Acadia!
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Review from Jessica B.
Portland, OR
11/15/2011
Acadia is Amazing! My family and i had the most delicious dinner.
Need to Be Eaten-
Oyster Shooters
Roast Duck Salad
Fried Soft Shell Crab and Crawfish Etoufee
Cornmeal Fried Catfish (with fried green tomatoes)
There was also a delicious cocktail with rosemary but i forget the name. I actually loved Acadia so much my friend and i went back that week on Wednesday for their Po Boy lunch. I highly recommend this restaurant if your looking to leave a restaurant totally satisfied. YUM! -
Review from Jack D.
Portland, OR
4/12/2012
I've walked by Acadia for a while now and finally found the occasion to eat there. It won't take long to go back! The hush puppies and their featured shrimp for appetizers were excellent. The pasta jambalaya was out of this world and my wife's catfish was perfect. Start if off with a great martini and finish with absinthe. Service was just right. A grand dinner! The only change I suggest is to lose the jars for water glasses (they don't use them for drinks). I don't need to feel like I'm waiting for a frog to jump across the table.
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Review from D B.
Portland, OR
9/24/2011
Jambalaya and the battle of the beers. Erred in picking IPA's but I didn't see Jax, Falstaff (my US Army companion), Dixie, or Lone Star on the list, so I went PNW. The food was fabulous, the noise level mighty high, and still I couldn't hear the music. I have no idea how to make the music louder and deal with Acadia already being loud. Ya think it could be me starting to lose it? Yeah, I know, probably is me.
The service in the evening is incredible, yet humble.
I like the wine list too! A wine list for Cajun food? Amazin'!
Here's the deal, Acadia, as soon as you bring in the keeeerect beer to match the cuisine I'll give ya 6 stars, and learn how to cook that jambalaya! -
Review from Kat A.
Portland, OR
8/7/2011
Acadia, sweet Acadia, oh how I dream of your aged, smokey, perfectly seasoned rare steak.
Went here on the search for hearty New Orleans food and was not disappointed!
Hands down, BEST steak in Portland. I crave it so bad sometimes I wake up gnawing on my arm or pillow in fits of sweet dreams about eating that steak.
Tried both the Steak and fresh made Gnocci. Steak came with succulent firm vegetables and heavenly mashed potatoes. Gnocci was hot, perfectly cooked and had more morel mushrooms than any dish I've had out at a restaurant (those little buggers are expensive, and Acadia gives you a heaping pile of them!)
Their drinks are generously boozy and the food is tops! -
Review from dan h.
4/14/2011 2 photos
The bathroom smells like baby powder.
Why would anyone start out a review like that? Why wouldn't anyone start out a review like that? I think that is the better question.
A celebration for a friends birthday was in order and she decided she wanted to do it here. Acadia is another on that never-ending list of restaurants that I've wanted to try. A call was made to me asking if I wanted to join and I gave a rousing yes.
Immediately upon entering the establishment I knew I was going to like this place. I just got that feeling. I wasn't wrong.
Trying to stay on a budget, I decided against getting a drink. The place isn't inexpensive, but it shouldn't break the bank either. If you do it right, you can eat here for under $30 including tip and be very satisfied.
We started out with a few appetizers that the 3 of us split. First up were the green onion hushpuppies with orange-horseradish marmalade ($4). The sauce on these was pretty damned amazing. I considered putting some behind my ears for later, but thought better of that. Citrus and spice. My oh my. Next up was the crispy confit pork belly with chile infused cane syrup and bread & butter pickle relish ($6). Pork belly might be the best thing ever. It is the second time I've had pork belly in the last week and if I didn't think it would kill me right here on this spot, I'd eat it everyday for the rest of my (short) life. The description of this dish alone will tell you more than any words I might have for it could.
Moving onto our main dishes, I had the Pasta Jambalaya! House made andouille sausage , tasso ham , gulf shrimp and smoked duck in a smoked tomato and duck stock reduction with fettuccine ($18). This dish is a tad spicy. Not overly spicy though. Just about perfect. The smoked flavor coming off of the sausage in particular was phenomenal. It tasted like I was eating a campfire in a very very good way. The duck was nice and tender and the gulf shrimp were huge. They do not skimp on the meat or seafood in this dish.
Not close enough to food coma yet, we did have dessert. I was thinking most of the night that I wanted bread pudding. Mind you, I had not yet seen the dessert menu here. Sure enough the first item was bread pudding. Done and done. With a caramel sauce and pecans, how could one go wrong? With this dessert you most certainly can't go wrong.
A very good meal.
One more thing to note. The service here was really really good. We never had to ask for our waters to be refilled and the servers were around and very free with the bread service. -
Review from Gary S.
Thousand Oaks, CA
7/15/2011
Excellent Cajun cooking combined into a mixologist's paradise. I had the soft-shell crab and crawfish étouffée which was perfectly seasoned and had generous portions of crab. The Louisiana BBQ shrimp appetizer is a must have as the shrimp are tender and served in a Cajun reduction roux which is out of this world. Bread dipping is a must!
Another highlight is the amazing unconventional libations. We ended up trying 3 unique drinks: St Charles, grapefruit juice with black pepper infused vodka; Spicy Patch: strawberry puree, tequila and muddled jalapeño; Rockmelon Daquiri: cantaloupe puree, lemon, and rum. Each drink was refreshing, and simply amazing. The hard part is which drink to choose out of the libations list.
A special shoutout goes out to Sarah, our wonderful server, and Beth, the mixologist extraordinaire!
Acadia was a splendid atmosphere to enjoy a nice evening with friends or family, providing excellent savory food to nourish your soul. -
Review from devon d.
11/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
HOLY-MOLY Acadia crushed the PDX Creole competition! Don't skip the oyster shooters to start (for $3, they literally come in a shot-glass with spicy-yum juice--house bloody & jalapeño vodka). "Mardi Gras Monday" may seem kitchy, but the $10 entree menu will soothe any concern. Our waiter had warned that the Mardi Gras menu portions would be smaller, but we finished totally stuffed with left-overs in hand. I highly recommend the blackend catfish and anything featuring shrimp. Good cocktails, great bottled beer, rocking' food--can't wait to return!
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Review from cheryl w.
Las Vegas, NV
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Incredible food!! I've never had grits before... They are delicious! My pork tenderloin was laid on a bed of white creamy grits-- YUM!! topped with a corn relish and arugala... My Honee had the jambalaya and was in heaven! Cornbread with warmed honey and soft butter...
This place is totally off the beaten path as far as tourists are concerned, but thanks to yelp, we found another winner!!!
Oh my gosh.... The appetizers are out of this world! -
Review from Sherry J.
Beaverton, OR
12/11/2011
The first 15 minutes was rocky. We arrived early and had to find a place to stand. The bar was full and there was no where to wait without being in the way. That's and the fact that it is full of boisterous diners enjoying their evening were the only downside. A little shouting to converse with our friends quickly faded - the food was amazing! The cosmo was the best I ever tasted and the staff was more than accommodating. They were knowledgeable, frendly and didn't mind giving you a recommendation between two dishes (I am sure they were both great.) The catfish and fried green tomatoes is as good as anything you will find on the LA bayou!
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Review from Lisa G.
Portland, OR
2/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dear Acadia: Salt should be used to promote your ingredients, not overwhelm them.
I'm giving you a three because my blueberry tea and hushpuppies were excellent, even if the brussel sprouts and the gnocchi were too salty to taste. -
Review from Peter T.
12/25/2010 4 photos
We have met the god of New Orleans cooking in PDX, and on their best nites, New Orleans legends like Commander's or Galatoire's aspire to present a meal as fantastic as Acadia did tonight.
Mrs. BurgerDogBoy and I headed out to savor the special reveillon dinner at Acadia. In French culture, the reveillon is a long meal traditionally held on Christmas Eve or New Year's Day.
Acadia's reveillon was not particularly long lasting timewise, but it was long on flavor, cuisine steeped in Acadiana (Louisiana Franchophone) culture, and the first meal we've had in our three years in Portland that has left us wanting nothing at the end of each course.
As there were two of us, and the menu offered a choice of two different selections for each course, we were able to sample everything on the menu.
After a pair of special cocktails from the reveillon menu, Huckleberry Bounce, or Acadian Eggnog (whew!), our starters included chef/owner Adam Higg's interpretation of a regional Acadiana specialty, the Natchitoches meat pie, which was a mixture of spiced minced beef and vegetables in a crescent moon shaped flaky crust. This is similar to a pasty or empanada. We had the spiced seckel pear salad with Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam cheese, a creamy offering, with flavors reminiscent of mushrooms and butter.
The server also presented us with a plate of a variety of breads they had prepared, as well as small ramekins of honey and butter to go with them. I could love on this butter, all by itself. Mmmmm.
As an additional starter, I asked for a serving of their BBQ shrimp, which is a New Orleans (and personal) favorite, and has nothing to do with "BBQ". The entire crustacean at Acadian is floating in an oil-butter sauce, which, if no one was looking, you'd pick up the bowl and drink. I'm not saying Mrs. BurgerDogBoy actually did this, but......
There are two distinct approaches to BBQ shrimp in New Orleans, a sweetened version served by Emeril (ewww, how does anyone eat ANYTHING with his name on it?), or the more traditional savory version, closer to Acadia's. The dish was purportedly invented at Pascal's Manale, a favorite of any one who has ever dined in New Orleans.
The blackstrap (molasses) country-cured ham tasted exactly like ham is SUPPOSED to taste, but seldom does, anymore, and was fabulous with braised red cabbage and roasted turnips.
One doesn't usually think "trout" when they think of New Orleans cooking, but it is a specialty there and served at many fine restaurants. My favorite "(tr)outlet" in the Crescent City is an old timer, the Bon Ton, where I would treat myself to a special meal on personally significant occasions.
Acadia takes New Orleans' trout to a new level, with a macadamia nut butter, and a mandarin orange and squash brulee.
Dessert? Why yes, please. Two choices tonight: eggnog bread pudding with dark rum caramel sauce, or a bourbon, fig and spice cake with brown sugar ice cream.
Never been a fan of bread pudding.........until tonight. We brought home a half-serving of each of the desserts, when we returned hours ago. Think they are awol at the moment.
Acadia is probably Portland's most exquisite and delicious Louisiana cooking outlet. You should try it. If you have, you should go back. We sure will. Got my heart set on a catfish poboy or the entree version of the BBQ shrimp. While dinner is available Monday-Saturday nites, lunch is only offered on Wednesdays -
Review from Al D.
Honolulu, HI
11/19/2011
Big disappointment. The shrimp tasted fishy and still had their excrement veins in them. Hush puppies were burnt and I felt sick after the meal. At least I only paid $10 for my entree.
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Review from Dave R.
Irvine, CA
10/29/2011
Went to this little gem and from the moment I walked through the door, it was great. Full house ( only seats about 25 people ) , warm temp on a cool night, great smells, and good service. The food was prepared perfect, and the wine was great. I will be back!
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Review from Jihae H.
8/30/2011
I heart this place from the bottom of my stomach! The triple thick cut pork chop looms massive in my dreams and is just as big in person - everything I've ever had has been exceptional and perfectly executed. I am a big fan of southern food and this place represents!!! Cornbread is out of this world good, the bbq shrimp appetizer is so good I end up eating with my hands every time, dipping the bread in the sauce and licking the plate clean. It's that good. This place is an experience...make sure you have plenty of time, as they are little slower and make sure you wear stretchy pants!!!
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Review from Bryan F.
Portland, OR
2/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food, good cocktails, and good atmosphere. The BBQ shrimp were so outstanding I couldn't believe it, and the soft shell crab was fantastic...
That said, I don't think it will be worth the trip back for a few great items. Portland is thick with great cuisine, and I'm just not sure Acadia is worthy of skipping another new great Portland eatery.... -
Review from A C.
Portland, OR
2/19/2012
I could rehash a lot of what's been said in the vein of 'this was once a great restaurant.' But I'll just keep it short: my sazerac had about 4 tablespoons of extra sugar, our table was not ready on time, and the waitress corrected my (correct) pronunciation of 'lafourche.'
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Review from Ryan G.
Portland, OR
11/30/2010
This place....whoa. If you haven't gone you're probably not cool, so you you'll want to change that immediately.
One of the few restaurants that I drag people to because it is so damn good. Here is a list of things that make it rock:
1) PORK CHOP!
2) PECAN PIE!
3) PORK CHOP + PECAN PIE = FOOD OWNAGE!
Anyways, save your pennies and go there. NOW. -
Review from Tyler L.
Portland, OR
12/11/2010
The high chairs are this place are very interesting. They bolted onto the table and allowed me to swing my legs, which was quite enjoyable.
There was no children's menu, which was fin because most food on a children's menu is a little bland. (I tend to spit out most mac and cheese after sucking the cheese off the noodles.) I enjoyed the middle of the pumpkin hush puppies. THey were better with a touch of the orange horse radish marmalade, but I needed a drink of water afterwards.
The butternut squash soup was as always a favorite of mine. I would recommend having your parents order it with the condiments on the side. Since I am only 10 months old, I'm not supposed to eat nuts and I'm not sure about shrimp. The soup was a little peppery. I liked it, but I like spicy food. It might be a little much for more delicate palates.
I found the Christmas decorations very enjoyable. After begging my mom for 10 minutes she finally let me touch the glittery star and make it spin. I smiled and clapped my hands. The lights were also very interesting, but not NEARLY as interesting as the bartender. When he shook that martini up, it made a great rattling noise that made me turn my head.
The curtains by the door were fun to play with for a few minutes, but not nearly as fun as the ornaments. I tried to ask my parents why we didn't hang ornaments in our windows, but I think they didn't get it.
Mom seemed to enjoy the black drum and yam sausage cakes. Because it was covered in pecans, she didn't give me any. Dad liked his plate of sausages with a side of pork tenderloin. He gave me a piece of potato. It was ok. Grandpa didn't share his jambalaya, but he made funny faces and held me for a while so I forgive him. He seemed to like it though. -
Review from Tiffany T.
Beaverton, OR
7/16/2011
Husband took me here as a surprise last week. It was a bit overpriced and over fancy for southern food for my taste. Do I need pork belly mixed with the grits under my fried catfish not really. The creamy sauce the put over the fried catfish was unexpected and not all together pleasant. It wasn't bad just wasn't as amazing as the screen door.
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Review from Mikel P.
Seattle, WA
3/2/2011
Having read the reviews of Acadia here on Yelp, I decided to give it a try. So glad I did!! I found one of my new fave spots to eat when I'm in town.
The drum fish was perfectly prepared and seasoned well. Loved it! And the cornbread was a treat. The portions were enough that (sadly) I didn't have the opportunity to try dessert, but I certainly will next time!
I had an excellent Manhattan from the friendly bar manager-- great job! And the wait staff was friendly and informative.
I enjoyed the ambience and intimate feel of the place. It wasn't too busy (a Wed evening) but I wasn't the only person there either.
Absolutely had a fantastic meal and will definitely be back! -
Review from Bob K.
Portland, OR
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow... our first dinner restaurant in Portland that deserves 5 starts. Nice atmosphere ( a little noisy), great service, and wonderful food. We split a simple green salad...Mmmmmm. I had the pork chop on scrabble (fried ground pork) with roasted peaches. Mmmmmmm. My wife had the special lamp chops (with lots of meat) with lamb sausage with mint sauce. The sauce was wonderful and the lamb and sausage was Mmmmm. The only problem is that we were too full for dessert. We saw on the table next to us a bread pudding with hard sauce that looked Really good. We will be back.
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Review from Reney O.
Updated - 9/17/2010
Oh holy jesus.....WOW. Acadia, you have really outdone yourself this time! A new menu with probably the most delicious concoctions I've ever tasted in my life! Their corn and onion bisque with their shrimp rockafeller. If I die, I want it to be from an overdose from these two dishes please! :)
The bisque just engulfs you in flavorful goodness that you'd want to drown in it. The croquettes that rest like islands in the sea of soup were perfectly tasty with a little crunch on the outside and soft on the inside, cooked all the way through and served delightfully hot and ready to eat. The flavors in the bisque mix together so perfectly, not one ingredient in particular is overpowering. It was heaven! My boyfriend and I tore up pieces of bread to sop up what was left of that amazing Acadian creation, then sadly waved goodbye as the dish was cleared away. Ah but there was dinner!
The shrimp rockafeller was wonderful! Because I'm in a bit of a food coma, I can't remember what exactly was in this dish, Acadia's menu gives the full list of ingredients so you can check there. Anyhow, to my surprise the shrimp wasn't the star of this dish. Nope, it was aaaall about the spinach-Parmesan rice mound that it rested on. Now THAT was something so fantastical the shrimp and accompanying sauce weren't really needed. The tomatoes and pomme frites complimented the spinach creation very nicely :)
Service, as always, was wonderful and well deserving of a great tip. These ladies are always very attentive, courteous, and friendly. And our food came out VERY quick and freshly cooked, so bravo to the chef and cooks in the Acadian kitchen! Very happy, and beyond satisfied.
And of course I must give my shout out to their stab-worthy bread pudding. Stab-worthy? My bf and I ALWAYS fight for the last morsel....ummm...I cheated and poked his hand with my fork, thus stunning the poor dear and I snagged it :) Reney for the win! Haha. In short, the bread pudding is warm, melts in your mouth, and tastes pleasantly sweet. SO worth fighting for.
Aacadia, you are great and I love you.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2009
Haha, I'm excited, we're going here for lunch today ^^ It's always a treat to dine at Acadia. I… Read more »
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Review from Brad W.
Beaverton, OR
3/23/2008
I took my girlfiend here for Valentine's Day and had a wonderful, if not wildly expensive, dinner.
When I made the reservation, the hostess let me know they had a special menu that night, $89 for a 5 course meal. Hmm, sounds good, but after the diamond gift already wrapped, $200 for dinner was out of the question.
Well, turns out, the $89 5 course meal was all they had that night, and since I didn't figure it out until I ordered the $12 Sazerac and she had a Martini on the way, it was too late to walk out.
The meal was spectacular and completely worth the price (some would argue no meal is worth $100 per person, but I disagree)
The meal included Beet Puree (Surprisingly delicious), a succulent soup, perfect mid meal salad, and I finished with the Seared Scallops. Hands down, the best I've ever had (right up there with Portland Grill's scallops).
The lady had Lobster and Fillet Mignon to finish, which she loved.
I would love to go back and try some of their regular dishes, that range from $15 - $20 some time.
Not a negative thing to say about this one.
I fully recommend it!
