Tapalaya

Closed Sat 1/21/12

2012-01-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all!

We will be hosting a private party on Saturday, January 21st and will not be offering regular dinner service on that night. We apologize for any inconvenience.

January 2012

2012-01-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

We just got in a heap of beautiful jumbo gulf prawns from Nicky USA for this month's featured dish: DRUNKEN SHRIMP!

All of you fans of our N'awlins BBQ shrimp dish will be sure to love this one just as much - maybe even more!
The head-on prawns are marinated in Bayern Pilsner before getting sauteed in a kicked-up butter sauce.
So good.

It happens to be the opinion of most folks here that everything is better with beer!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-29T20:05:00.001-08:00

New Year's Eve:
We will be open with our regular hours and menu - and happy hour too! Reservations are still available, if you like to plan ahead. Typically, we are able to accommodate walk-in groups too. So stop on by and get some grub before you ring in the new year!

New Year's Day:
We will be open and serving up all of your favorite foods guaranteed to bring luck in the new year.
Collard Greens - which look like folded dollar bills, are believed to bring money and prosperity for the New Year.
Black Eyed Peas - A common food on American tables, black-eyed peas look like little coins and are thought to bring good luck those who eat them. Another belief is that as the beans grow when they cook, those who eat them will “grow” with good fortune.
Pork - Pork signifies abundance and plenty of food. Pigs also root forward into the ground, which symbolizes progress.

Red Beans & Rice

2011-12-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

Red Beans and Rice is a staple of New Orleans cookin' both at home and in restaurants. While it's traditionally served up on Mondays (the beans simmered away while the ladies did the laundry) we think red beans & rice good enough to eat every day!

Chef John has kicked this dish up a notch by topping the classic beans and rice with a delicious hunk of seared Carlton Farms pork belly.

Stop in any day in December to try this soul-soothing take on Louisiana classic.

Closed for Thanksgiving

2011-11-17T19:23:00.001-08:00

Happy Turkey Day y'all!
Tapalaya will be closed on November 24th to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!

November's Dish: Smothered Wing!

2011-11-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

This month's special dish is all about warmth and comfort for upcoming winter months.

Chef John starts by braising Draper Valley Chicken wings till they're nice and tender. Next he's whipping up a tasty chicken, onion gravy and serving it all with a seared creamy white grit cake.

The result is savory and soothing. Come on in y'all and give it a try.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T17:06:00.001-07:00

We will be closed on Monday 10/31 so that our wonderful employees can go out and have a fun Halloween. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday!

October's Featured Dish: Fall Pork Belly!

2011-10-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

This month's featured dish has everything we love: it's sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, meaty, earthy, creamy & tangy. Whew.

We start by slowly roasting a Carlton Farms pork belly till it's juicy and tender. Next, we stuff a fresh fig with a dollop of fancy French goat cheese and top it all off with a big 'ol slab of house-made pumpkin seed brittle. Finally, the plate is finished with a drizzle of balsamic-molasses reduction.

Get ready to fall in to Autumn!

September's Featured Dish: BBQ Shrimp

2011-09-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

We dedicate this month's featured dish to Brett, who's repeated requests for our delicious BBQ Shrimp have prompted us to offer it up as a special all month long.

Unsuspecting Northerners be warned - this dish is not what you may think. There's nothing resembling traditional bar-b-que sauce anywhere near this plate.

N'awlins BBQ shrimp are jumbo gulf prawns sautéed in a kicked-up, Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce. We serve these shrimp with heads and tails on - it makes the sauce so much more delicious!

This famous recipe originated at Pascal's Manale, a 100-year-old Creole-Italian eatery located on Napoleon Avenue in New Orleans. Since then, Chef's from The Big Easy and beyond have made this classic their own. This may sound biased, but we think Chef John's the the best we have ever had!

Spring

2011-04-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! No, really. Seriously.

Our eyes and raincoats may say different, but spring has officially begun. Remember last week, there was that day when it didn't rain. It's a sign.

In New Orleans the spirits are revered, and for us the spirit of spring is alive in our hearts and resurrected in our recently revamped cocktail menu. It might take some time to warm up and dry up, but we will be prepared.

The Gris-Gris Margarita. Watch out, it's addictive. House infused cucumber tequila, a little orange liquer, a pinch of sugar, a splash of fresh lime juice and you've got sunshine in a glass to ward off the rain and summon the summer.

House infused strawberry vodka. Fresh lemon juice. Fresh ginger syrup.We call it the Down River Drop and it can float you all the way to the gulf. We can just about feel the sand between our toes! ...Swear.

Some say lemonade in the shade of the porch is the best thing on a hot summer day. Some say just good ol' sweet tea.

We say lets have both together, but first lets infuse that sweet tea into some vodka!

That's our Fi-Yi-Yi Tea!

We say now how about that hot summer day!

New York has Mannhattan.

New Orlean

s has Uptown.

We have peaches infused in our bourbon.

Yeah, that'll do just fine.

The Uptown Nola is born.

St. Patty's Day

2011-03-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for Mardi Gras. What a party!

We are super excited to announce that the Milnebrug Jazz Band will now be playing at Tapalaya EVERY THURSDAY!

The fun starts this Thrusday, which also happens to be St. Pactricks Day. Chef John is tapping into his Irish heritage to come up with some delicious Cajun/Irish specials for the night – Corned Beef style Pork Belly with sweet potato collard colcannon & brown bread.

Mardi Gras

2011-02-13T18:57:00.001-08:00

Fat Tuesday is on March 8, 2011!

Join us for a night of music, food, beads, dancing, debauchery, booze & fun.

Space is limited to two seatings so call now to reserve your table!

Featuring: Reggie Houston & Friends!

MENU

Crab Cake w/red remoulade
or
Boudin Blanc Eggrolls w/red pepper jelly
…
Seafood Gumbo
or
Spring Salad
…
Steak Diane
or
Blackened Catfish w/crab Bearnaise
…
Gnocchi in Cajun Cream Sauce w/crawfish or veggies
…
King Cake
&
Mini Beignet w/cafe au Lait ice cream

$36/person
(beverages & gratuity additional)

Vegetarian menu available. Please request at time of reservation.

Call for reservations 503-232-6652

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

Nothing says "I love you" like Jambalaya!

Book your table now for Valentines Day weekend. You can make a reservation by giving us a call or by using open table online.

And don't forget Mardi Gras is just around the corner. It's on March 8th this year. We will be throwing a big party again complete with live music, great food, beads & fun. We will post the menu in the next week.

Have a happy and safe holiday y'all!

New Year's Eve

2010-12-28T20:28:00.001-08:00

New Years Eve is so much fun we will be celebrating twice. Yep, that's two nights of festivities. We're kicking off the celebration on Thursday (12/30) with the Milneburg Jazz band and a party being billed as New Year's Eve Eve (get it, it's the night before). Rick Campbell is encouraging everyone to party one day early to beat the crowds and huge cover charges (and police patrols). That Rick is a smart man!

For those of you who insist on celebrating holidays on their actual date, Tapalaya is here for you too. We will be offering our full menu at normal prices (no inflated holiday silliness). Reservations are an option, if you like to plan ahead. Otherwise, just drop on by and get some good grub in that tummy before your night of whooping it up. We know how you like to have a good time!

Winter Additions

2010-12-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

I am super excited about our new menu items!
In addition to adding fried okra to our menu (ask and ye shall receive) Chef John has created a yummy new salad and a fantastic pork dish.

The salad (pictured left) has toasty, roasted butternut squash topped with arugula tossed in a brown butter vinaigrette and sprinkled with goat cheese and Anh's crunchy pumpkin seed brittle.

The Soused Pork is just the dish to warm you up on a cold winter day: tender, pan-fried pork is topped with apples and red peppers in a rum, brown sugar and butter sauce.

Yes, folks, that's pork, booze, and butter all in the same wonderful dish! Almost too good to be true.

Happy Holidays and we hope to see you soon!

Cheers!
~ Chantal

Happy Birthday!

2010-10-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Us! Can you believe that Tapalaya is two-years-old? As they say, “time flies when you’re havin’ fun!” So, in celebration of this milestone (and 'cause we love you) we will be giving out fun prize coupons all week. Dine at Tapalaya from November 1st - 10th and pick out a mystery envelope containing a surprise discount or gift certificate for your next visit!

Also, we are super excited to add Reggie Houston & Janice Scroggins to our musical line-up. They will be playing Every Tuesday. Yes, that means Tapalaya now has live music two times every week! Long-time favorites the Milneburg Jazz Band and Gravy will continue to rock the house on Thursday nights. The shows are all-ages and there is never cover charge. Fun for everyone!

Boiled Crawfish

2010-09-18T16:59:00.001-07:00

We have been having a ton of fun with local crawfish this summer.

The season is almost over for these little guys who will go back into hiding until the water warms up again next spring.

Oregon crawfish are bigger and a little cleaner tasting than the ones you find down south.

We are boiling them up in the traditional Louisiana style with potatoes, corn, artichoke hearts and mushrooms.

Get them while they last!

Sunday Parkways

2010-08-13T12:44:00.001-07:00

Look for the Tapalaya crew at the Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways this Sunday (8/14).

We will be there (around the corner of Ankeny and 28th) handing out some awesome Tapalaya coupons and Party Beads - Handsomly modled by Shane & Chef John -->

And speaking of bikes: Don't forget about Two Wheeled Wednesdays.

It has been fun to see the great turnout for this night now that Summer is (finally) here.

Ride your Bike on Wednesday = Happy Hour All Night!

We love our neighborhood!

2010-07-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Tapalaya will be at the Kerns Neighborhood Picnic on Tuesday August 3rd dishing up our famous Jambalaya.

This is a super fun event put on by the Kerns Neighborhood Association and the National Night out Against Crime. And it's free! That means free Jambalaya, folks.

Come after work and enjoy fine food, live music, a lovely park and the company of neighbors. Be sure to invite your friends!

Where: Oregon Park (corner of NE 30th & Oregon St)
When: 6pm till dark

Why: Live music, delicious free dinner, raffle, displays by area businesses and organizations and entertainment for all ages. And free Jambalaya!

Hope to see you there!

Summer!

2010-07-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing says Summer quite like Fried Green Tomatoes!

The 14th annual Fried Green Tomato Festival takes place next week in Beech Island, SC. If that’s a little too far to travel you can still get your fill of the southern favorite.

These beautiful tomatoes came in just this morning. Chef John will be frying them up in a crunchy cornmeal batter and topping them with a tangy shrimp remoulade. Yum!

Also, we have added this new salad to our summer menu. It has organic baby spinach with local strawberries, goat cheese and candied pecans.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2010-05-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Tapalaya will be open on Memorial day so come on by for some tasty N'awlins treats!

LIVE MUSIC ON THURSDAYS

2010-05-15T12:35:00.001-07:00

Spring Schedule 2010
Bands play from 6-9pm

May 20th
Milneburg Jazz Band

May 27th
Gravy

June 3rd
Milneburg Jazz Band

June 10th
Gravy

June 17th
Milneburg Jazz Band

June 24th
Gravy

BIKE ECONOMICS & JAMBALAYA

2010-04-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

Chantal will be dishing out our famous Tapalaya Jambalaya at the Bike Economics fundraiser this Thursday (5/6). We were super excited to be part of the fun and hope to see everyone there!

Bike Economics: A fundraiser showcasing local, woman-owned, bicycle-oriented businesses
When: Thursday, May 6, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Where: United Bicycle Institute, 3961 N Williams Ave, Portland
Donation: $10 to $30 at the door

Come eat, drink, mingle, and learn about the role of woman entrepreneurs in Portland's burgeoning bicycle economy.The sliding scale admission includes light food and drinks, door prizes, and informal presentations by featured business owners. Money raised will go to start a scholarship fund for training and professional development for woman leaders in active transportation. More details about the event and about our excellent lineup of featured business owners at http://bikebusiness.wordpress.com. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend!

BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL

2010-04-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Tapalaya is a proud sponsor of the Bridgetown Comedy Festival. Check it out April 22-25th.

http://bridgetowncomedyfestival.com/

MARDI GRAS 2010!

2010-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again! Mardi Gras is just around the corner. This year Fat Tuesday is on February 16th.

We will be having a big bash just like last year. There will be live music by Gravy (they are a spin-off of Voodoo BBQ, for those of you who were here last year). Also, we are working on a special guest or two.

There will be two seatings and reservations are a good idea (we sold out last year). Reservation times are available between 5:30 & 6:15 then again between 7:30 & 8:15. A few later reservations are also available. Please give us a call if you would like us to save you a spot. 503-232-6652

We hope you can make it!