Akadi - Review - Hosford-Abernethy - Portland, OR - The Infatuation
"Blandness is banished the second you enter Akadi (2.0), the Ladd’s Addition West African restaurant that’s been winning accolades since reopening in 2022. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve had the punchy sauces and nutty spice blends cooked up by chef and owner Fatou Ouattara—you’ll leave each meal eager to plan your next visit, especially so you can get your hands on their incredible fufu, jollof, and suya. It’s always good energy and smiles all around inside the industrial space with high ceilings bolstered by wooden beams and plenty of hanging greenery. That’s why Akadi is great to have in your back pocket when showing visitors there’s more to Portland than microbrews (try a Star Beer instead) and stunt food designed to satisfy late-night munchies. Food Rundown photo credit: Pualani kalalau (@_nanik) Suya Wings Bound to make best-of lists, these crispy twice-fried wings use suya, a Nigerian blend of ginger, dried habaneros, and crushed peanuts as both a wet rub and crust. If that’s not enough, dip your wings into the curry-spiked dijon and Akadi’s smoky tomato-garlic-ginger sauce that’s sold by the bottle. Attieke Poisson Attieke, a fluffy couscous made from grated, fermented cassava is a wonderfully tangy accompaniment for the whole-fried fish of the day (it could be yellow croaker). Get a forkful of tender flesh and crispy skin, topped with a heap of chunky tomato-onion relish, enlivened with vinegar and jalapeño. Oxtail Stew You won’t want to waste a drop of this piquant tomato-based braise that renders the meaty oxtails tender enough to nearly fall off the bone. That’s where fufu, a silky blob of steamed cassava, comes in. Tear off a piece, roll it into a little ball and soak up the glorious sauce in a move that might garner an approving nod from a friendly server." - Krista Garcia
