For my next Portland Dining Month 2019 recap after my visit to Kachinka, this time I am sharing the goodness of my visit for Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX. Tapalaya is one of my top picks among all the restaurants offering dining deals during this month of March with its unique viewpoint of Cajun Creole Vietnamese food that she grew up with in New Orleans. For my other Portland Dining Month picks see my full list here.
For those of you who prefer the savory over the sweet, you are in luck- the 3 courses for $33 at Tapalaya are all savory, with 2 options for each course.
My first recommendation is to please make a reservation via OpenTable at the Portland Dining Month Travel Portland website. That is because by doing so, OpenTable will support the Oregon Food Bank. That means you will be doing good just by making a reservation!
Another recommendation is if you can, come on Tuesday like I did to enjoy the live music they offer. However, they background music they play even on the other days is lively and classic New Orleans, so understandable if you need to come on what works with your schedule. The Reggie Houston Trio that has been playing on Tuesdays for years will take you back to NOLA even if you have never been!
Just FYI, they have live music on Tuesday evenings even if it is not Portland Dining Month. You can also find live music during their brunch service on the weekends.
Not onto the Portland Dining Month menu at Tapalaya. For starters, you have the choice of Creole Caesar with radicchio, parmesan, crispy cornbread crumbs, Caesar dressing or the Crawfish Etouffee Nachos with cheddar, cotija, green onions, cilantro, Anh Luu’s 5-spice wonton chips
Next, more savory small dishes for your second course. You can choose from Grilled Pork Belly Skewers basted with soy and brown sugar BBQ, or the Blackened Octopus with fried potatoes, arugula, Thai basil sauce, crispy shallots
Finally, for the third main course, you have a choice of two smaller versions of entrees normally on her dinner menu. The first is the Steak Diane with beef medallions in a brandy mushroom cream sauce with pickled onions.
My preferred dish though is the Crawfish Anh Luu, a dish inspired by Chef Anh Luu’s past in New Orleans helping out at a favorite food booth at Jazz Fest. Her take (swapping out the inspiration’s name for own) for the Crawfish Anh Luu is crawfish in a Cajun cream sauce, over Bob’s Red Mill Grits. This is a staple on her menu.
As an extra, I like getting some of their Toasted Vietnamese Baguette with charred green onion butter and parmesan to wipe up sauces as I go. Chef Anh Luu’s sauces on her dishes are all too fantastic to leave behind.
There’s plenty of the menu for any of you who are gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan – all are clearly labeled. The dishes include a Blackened Tofu with Thai basil emulsion and warm potato salad, Veggie Jambalaya with vegetables from Imperfect Produce ™ served with edamame caviar and braised greens. She also has a kid friendly menu.
For beverages, you might want to consider the classic Hurricane with light & dark rum with passion, orange juice, lime juice & grenadine. I also like the refreshing Tamarind Tea with Earl grey infused vodka, tamarind syrup, Pimms No.1, lemon juice, soda. Chef Anh Luu’s drink of choice is the Gris Gris Margarita
Have you been to Tapalaya yet? What was your recommended dish – or if you were going to go again or for the first time, what would you order?
Where have you been for Portland Dining Month so far?
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