What to Order at Basilisk PDX

November 18, 2016 by 6 Comments

There’s 3 things to know here about Basilisk. Order the Fried Chicken, Fried Tofu, and Dan Dan Fries.
Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce that needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together

One, their fried chicken sandwich is off the hook and has like two huge pieces stacked on top of each other, which I like eating one by itself and the other in the sandwich, perfect. Also, I am forced to do that because I can’t unhinge my jaw to take a bite when it’s double stacked chicken that is so super crispy on the outside. This Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried boneless chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage, and special sauce needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together.
Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce that needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce that needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together

Two, the fried tofu sandwich with fried super firm tofu, house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce. This is the vegetarian version of the fried chicken sandwich and on some days where I’m trying to be a little healthier, I would intentionally choose this over the fried chicken sandwich. If you’ve had fried tofu in Thai restaurants where it’s crispy on the outside but soft on the inside (usually served ins mall squares and rectangles), that is what this fried tofu sandwich’s tofu is like, but super super sized!
Basilisk vegetarian fried tofu sandwich with fried super firm tofu, house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce

Three, the vegan Dan Dan fries, a large bowl of hand cut fries covered in peanut sauce, chili oil, baby dill pickles, crushed peanuts, green onions, cilantro and lime. Enough to share for two to four, every fry is crispy (clearly an area of frying expertise at Basilisk) even when doused with all this dan dan on top!
Basilisk vegan Dan Dan fries, Dan Dan fries, a large bowl of hand cut fries covered in peanut sauce, chili oil, baby dill pickles, crushed peanuts, green onions, cilantro and lime

I mean theoretically yes, there are other things on the menu. They have a hot chicken plate where they add Nashville style Basilisk hot sauce over that fried chicken ad add Texas Toast, and you can get versions of green salad vegetarian or topped with the fried chicken or a healthier poached chicken breast. You can also get your sides of fries plain instead of dan dan style, or get mac salad or cabbage slaw. But the three I named before… those are the best things on the menu.

If you had to get something else, it would be one or two of the things I already mentioned as the 3 things you need to know… and then wrap it up with their dessert offering of their Kool Aid ice cream in a cone or cup. The Kool Aid flavor rotates. The fact that it’s Kool Aid flavor fits perfectly into the hip vibe here.
Inside of Basilisk Portland Inside of Basilisk Portland
Inside of Basilisk PortlandInside of Basilisk Portland
Basilisk PDX interior Basilisk PDX interior Basilisk PDX Business Card Holder Basilisk PDX Tip Jar

After you order at the counter, you will get a numbered table card for them to deliver the food. You bus the dishes afterwards to to a counter area a bit farther down from where their register and kitchen is, where there are water and rubber tubs with a sign reassuring you can put the trays and plates and silverware all together.
Basilisk PDX Basilisk PDX - where you bus your dishes

Basilisk is part of The Zipper concept, which offers multiple microrestaurants that each have their small restaurant space and also a larger shared common dining area. If you wanted, you could go around ordering from multiple vendors at the Zipper and gather a meal of fried chicken, falfafel, pizza and more.

Basilisk is open Monday – Sunday 11 AM – 10 PM at 820 NE 27th Avenue in
Portland.

What would you order at Basilisk? Where is your favorite fried chicken sandwich in Portland?

Basilisk Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Son of a Gun in Los Angeles

October 27, 2014 by 6 Comments

On my last trip to Los Angeles, when I had been throwing my sister’s wedding shower, we had driven by Son of a Gun on the way to Dry Bar and I vowed to return on my next visit. I made good on that promise to myself on this most recent trip to LA.

My main focus was to try the shrimp toast sandwich and their famous lobster roll. Besides anything with cheese, I would say a lobster roll tops my list that if I see it on a menu, I will order it. And, I am willing to travel and do what it takes for a good version of a lobster roll. The one at Son of a Gun has been listed as one of the top 5 lobster rolls in LA, which further fueled my motivation. The signage is not that obvious, but look for the red door.
Son of a Gun, in Los Angeles Son of a Gun, in Los Angeles

Son of a Gun is mostly a seafood restaurant, which is why the large sections of their menu are divided into Raw, Shellfish, Fish, and only 2 options for Meat and 3 seasonals which are salads. But, one of those options for meat is their famous fried chicken sandwich. The other, which we did not have room for, is the Country ham sandwich they offer.

Unlike the shrimp toast sandwich and lobster roll, this thing is massive, served with a buttery roll and spicy b&b pickle slaw and rooster aioli.
Son of a Gun, fried chicken sandwich, spicy b&b pickle slaw, rooster aioli Son of a Gun, fried chicken sandwich, spicy b&b pickle slaw, rooster aioli

Meanwhile, the shrimp toast sandwich and lobster roll are more palm sized, so like me, you can order 1 of each. The shrimp toast sandwich with herbs and sriracha mayo is small for the price tag, as is the lobster roll, but are intense in flavor. The shrimp toast sandwich you can conceivably cut in half to share a taste as it is a bit greasy, but you will want to eat that lobster roll, with its very buttery roll that is melt in your mouth, all by yourself.
Son of a Gun, Shrimp Toast Sandwich with herbs, sriracha mayo Son of a Gun, Shrimp Toast Sandwich with herbs, sriracha mayo

Remember, the lobster roll is only palm sized, unlike many other lobster rolls that are hoagie sized, so set your expectations accordingly.
Son of a Gun, Lobster Roll with celery, lemon aioli Son of a Gun, Lobster Roll with celery, lemon aioli Son of a Gun, Lobster Roll with celery, lemon aioli

One disappointment during our visit was that service was slow. We arrived there a bit later to avoid the lunch rush, around 1:45 pm. It took almost 10 minutes before someone finally took our order and bring our waters, and so we didn’t see any food until 2:10 pm (verified by the timestamp on my pictures). Only shortly after receiving our food, while still eating, the waitress came over to ask if us if we wanted dessert or anything else as they were closing the kitchen (the restaurant closes at 2:30 to complete lunch service), not that they had the menu in hand when they asked so we could look. There were literally only a handful of tables occupied in the restaurant, so I’m not quite sure why they were slow to get to us. We paid cash in order to get out of there quickly. Hopefully, this was just a one-off experience on a waitress’ bad day.

 

Similar to how I will journey to find a good lobster roll, is there certain food you will go out of your way for when you travel?

 

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Lardo and Irving St Kitchen Chefwich

April 7, 2014 by 8 Comments

I’ve written about the Lardo and various restaurant collaboration chefwiches so much that I’ll be brief for a change for this blog post. The next chefwich that is up until mid-April is one by Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen, with proceeds to benefit Share Our Strength. This non-profit endeavors to end childhood hunger in America- I have another post coming up next about the Taste of the Nation in Portland (of which Sarah/Irving St Kitchen as well as Lardo are also participating) so you will hear more details about this soon.
Lardo Chefwich #5 of 2014, a collaboration with Sarah Schafer of Irving St Kitchen. Fried chicken, tasso bacon, padron pepper relish, buttermilk slaw, cajun mayo. Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength to fight childhood hunger. Until mid April 2014 only.

You can get this chefwich at any of the THREE Lardo locations. 

This chefwich, #5 in the series, is a sandwich of Fried chicken, tasso bacon, padron pepper relish, buttermilk slaw, cajun mayo.

Go get this chefwich.
Lardo Chefwich #5 of 2014, a collaboration with Sarah Schafer of Irving St Kitchen. Fried chicken, tasso bacon, padron pepper relish, buttermilk slaw, cajun mayo. Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength to fight childhood hunger. Until mid April 2014 only.
It is delicious. It is spicy, so make sure you order a nice cider or beer to wash it down with. Really, you will need it. It is an intense explosion of flavors in your mouth.

Lardo Chefwich #5 of 2014, a collaboration with Sarah Schafer of Irving St Kitchen. Fried chicken, tasso bacon, padron pepper relish, buttermilk slaw, cajun mayo. Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength to fight childhood hunger. Until mid April 2014 only.

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