By Bella Haynie & Olivia Follman

Acadia Review- A New Orleans Bistro in Portland 

Acadia– a New Orleans Bistro is vibrant and playful: walls proudly displaying local art and lively music of the south play overhead. Staff are welcoming and unassuming, wide smiled greeting right from the get-go. Located on Fremont St. in Portland Oregon, Acadia serves high quality mouthfuls of creole with shameless pride. This was not a meal soon forgotten.

The meal started with perfectly crisp French Bread, oil and balsamic on a side plate acting as though it was butter by bringing out the complexities of such humble bread. When tearing apart the slices the satisfying symphony of crackle left everyone giggling with excitement. Yeasty, subtle, and ever so slightly sweet the bread and oil mixture was quite simply perfect.

The appetizers arrived next, first the Andouille Sausage smoky, spicy, robust, but not overpowering. Whole grain mustard provided a tang and a gentle heat on the tip of the tongue. Pickles, sweet and buttery, tender when perfectly paired with seasoned baby arugula that had peppery undertones, fresh thin sliced radish, and chilies. The andouille must first be tasted with a generous amount of whole grain mustard. If quickly followed by the remaining components of the dish, one finds the sensations and overall experience in this noteworthy Acadia dish exceptionally satisfying.

Following the sausage is a dish of simple but bold flavors: the Louisiana Barbecue Shrimp. The second the shrimp hits your tongue its all about the butter. Smooth, delicate, the butter swims on your tongue then folds to reveal a sweet white wine, which develops into a burst of pepper and lemon.

A seasonal Peach Salad generously sized comes next, sweet/savory walnuts are jacketed in vibrant vinaigrette that sends fragrant tendrils of flavor through the senses. Sweet yet subtle peach slices provide a variance of texture. Seasoned greens cleanse the palate and have a savory endnote. Every bite contained layers of well thought out flavors that allude to the hard work and dedication Acadia’s chef puts into his craft.

A spicy pair to the salad was the  Shrimp Creole, with all the right flavors: mushrooms, garlic, tomato, kale, and of course, butter. Served with a mound of perfectly cooked rice, the dish has a new flavor profile in every bite. The softness of the beans plays tenderly with the sharp crisp scallions. The kind of dish where you ask for more french bread to sop up the leftover juice.

The main course, a hickory smoked Chicken Jambalaya, had light smoky flavor and a slow burn, which enraptures the senses. Bell peppers, sweet and tender couple with scallions and crisp radish. Tomato relish soft and sweet but with a note of vinegar adds a bright acidity. Perfectly cooked shrimp pop when bitten into and release flavors of the ocean, their sweet flesh balancing the textures and acting as little packages hidden in the unctuous spoonful’s of al dente rice spiced with sensational abandon.

Acadia’s best meal, an undeniable must-try: Louisiana Rondeau Sea Bream. In a place like Acadia would you not always order the crab?  But then why is the Sea Bream catching your foodie eye? Once you take your inspiring fist bite you would never think to order anything else. The way the parsnips crunch with the pecans will having you dreaming about coming to Acadia over and over. The crab ceviche compliments the lightly battered Sea Bream and belongs all in the same bite with the creamy grits. A little bit of every part of the dish together has you closing your eyes in absolute foodie bliss.

Peach Sorbet and Bacon Ice Cream are served last to finish a special and unique eating experience at Acadia. Sweet and luxurious the sorbet tastes of the late summer weather at the height of their ripe season. Subtle and not overpowering peaches freckle the sorbet. The bacon ice cream combined with pralines was exquisite, as anything with bacon should be; the creamy sugar mixed with a confident bacon flavor was a faultless dessert.

Acadia is a home away from home kind of restaurant: no matter what you eat or what you drink (most definitely the signature gin fizz) you’re going to be happy.  If you want to feel love in every bite you take, if you want to feel laughter in every sip,  if you want walk out the front door of a restaurant knowing you left of piece of your food soul inside, go to Acadia, the place you won’t stop dreaming about.

For more Good Eats in Portland:  Pambiche- A Cuban Brunch