Ma Cher: Duo Behind Pastificio D’Oro Explores Cajun Seafood at Their New Concordia Spot | Eater Portland

"A prix fixe residency at Killingsworth’s beloved Dame, this two-night-a-week project explores high-end “sea Cajun” cooking, pronounced as one word with a silent r. Dopson and Irwin source high-quality, sustainable seafood directly from small Louisiana producers—texting a single-boat shrimp supplier for overnight “shrimp-ments”—to build menus featuring Gulf shrimp and blue crab, with a crawfish hookup planned for spring. A recent visit brought sweet potato biscuits swimming in butter, crispy fried shrimp boulettes, and marinated crab legs; the main paired braised collards and pickled okra and beets with a crab jambalaya centerpiece, a silky bed of rice suffused with rich broth and luxuriously tender strips of crab meat, finishing with pecan pie under a dollop of buttermilk-whipped cream. Without a flashy steak-or-lobster centerpiece, the experience relies on meticulous pot watching and textural control, and in the elegant dining room the chatter fades to the clink of forks as dishes land and guests murmur “pass the butter” and “oh my gosh, try these crab legs.” The price lands in the 80s, and service is reservation-only Monday and Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m." - Ben Coleman