bayou kitchen

dining date: 04.22.07
eatery: bayou kitchen in woodfords corner
pricing category: very reasonably priced -- especially for the quality of food
guest critic: none
overall grade: A

the lowdown:
- tucked away in it's own little spot, this place is a diamond in the rough.
- warm, diner-but-classy atmosphere.
- service was superb.
- bathroom was excellent, good lock, very clean and fun cause you get to go downstairs.
- seating is a tough commodity at bayou, with 6 tables, a counter and no place to wait, be prepared to amuse yourself for a bit if you go on a busy sunday.
- the stools at the counter could have used some sort of foot bar or step for those of us who are shorter and don't have legs that easily reach the floor.
- good, classic music playing.

the food

the benny girl
- the "mudbug something or other" omelette (but a scramble instead), homies, blueberry cornbread, and 1/3 of a ginger chocolate chip pancake, and tea.
- grade: A+

"i really love the bayou kitchen. this portland legend is tucked into woodfords corner, and is well worth the trip to the deering highlands of portland. plus, it's just a really unique place-- i wouldn't go so far as to say that you feel like you've been transported to louisiana when you walk in, but it's definitely unlike any other place in portland. when i first looked at the menu, i was feeling pretty unadventurous and was just going to get the usual. but then i decided that if i'm going to eat a cajun breakfast, then i need to be a little crazy. so i ordered a scramble with crayfish, cheddar, and salsa. instead of toast i opted for the blueberry cornbread based on our server's recommendation. all i have to say is that everything i ate was amazing. i wish i had a rumen like a cow so i could've eaten everything on my plate. there were a TON of little crayfish tails in my scramble. the homemade salsa was delicious and added the perfect flavor to the eggs-- slightly spicy with a ton of garlic. the homies were made with all red potatoes (a huge plus) and were seasoned with cajun goodness-- they had some spice, but not too much. i know this contradicts my review of local 188, but the spiciness just worked better at bayou. i can't really explain it. it was just the right flavor, without overpowering the food. the blueberry cornbread was delicious-- buttered and grilled. m'm, m'm! although i was too full to eat a lot of it, the ginger chocolate chip pancake was great and the perfect way to end the meal. when i ordered tea, the server brought me a mug, a pot of hot water, and a basket of tea to choose from. LOVE IT! speaking of our server, the service was great overall. we sat at the counter, so we had a front row seat for 'behind the scenes at the bayou kitchen' and got to watch the laid-back, down-to-earth staff. they had great 'diner attitudes' and enjoyed bantering with us. in fact, they said 'fuck' twice in conversation with us. they were friendly, funny and real. i.e. they were totally themselves-- not kissing our asses just to get the 20%. in fact, we all liked them so much, we gave 30%. so, moral of the story: next sunday, venture off the peninsula, sit at the counter at the bayou, and be daring when you order. i guarantee you won't regret it."

the usual
- "the swamp" omelette (broc, peppers, onions, toms, mushrooms, ched) homies, blueberry cornbread, coffee, ginger chocolate chip pancake
- grade: A

"the bayou is tiny and therefore difficult to get a table without the exact right timing. with all of the 6 tables filled when we arrived, we decided the counter would be fine. and although my butt was killing me from the stool that was too tall for me, it was totally worth it. after perusing the menu for quite some time, we ordered, though not without the help of our wonderful server. she recommended the blueberry cornbread (the plain was a little dry that day) and helped us choose from the wide variety of pancake options. as we waited, our coffee was refilled almost as fast as we could drink it and we were entertained by the staff behind the counter as we watched them seasoning homefries and cutting cornbread. our food arrived in lightning speed. my swamp omelette was one of the most gigantic i've had, more like a burrito, with no skimping on fillings. perfect ratios of egg, cheese and veggies pleased my tastebuds awake as i chowed down on the swamp. add a little homemade salsa for spice and i was pleased as a pickle. the cornbread was phenomenal, with or without butter. the homefries were dare-i-say perfect. they use red potatoes which hold their form better and look pretty on the plate, a rare but delicious change. they didn't even need salt or pepper. wow. impressive. this is one of the few breakfasts that i couldn't finish due to its humongous size. the small amount of pancake i had was fantastic-- full of ginger and amply sprinkled with chocolate chips. and really there isn't much more to say-- the bayou doesn't skimp on anything: flavor, portion, or service, making it a front-runner in the race for the best of the best in portland. and did i mention that it was delicious?"

wild toast
-huevos rancheros, homies, coffee, communal pancake
-grade: A

"arriving on time, two of us waited at the bar for benny girl to show. offered coffee for the wait, a friendly waitress brought a couple mugs on over. hoping to get a true table we kept our eyes peeled for one of the three tables large enough for 3 dining adults to empty. it didn't happen but we found it quite entertaining to chat with the stellar wait staff and cook as they enjoyed their busy mornings. continued top-offs of our coffee set the stilt-village reminiscent fare in a good light. our friendly benny girl showed up and we looked over the menus. with options ranging from granola pancakes to crawfish and kielbasa i asked our very attentive waitress for a recommendation. the jovial cook leaned over and requested at least a little bit of a challenge, so i tried. the best i could do was the huevos rancheros. our meals arrived and i was quickly satisfied as i dove into my black bean-filled quesadilla with sour cream and salsa and two over-easy eggs perched on top. mmm...very tasty bites for sure. as it was a huge meal and we had ordered a chocolate chip and ginger pancake for dessert, there was no chance of me taking the whole meal down. ice water and coffee remained a constant and once finished i felt very full and good. i would definitely like try some of the more 'bayou' type selections, that is why we have a next time. i thought for the bang of one's buck this great little joint was awesome. the service was fun and the whole experience a treat!"