Eating like the Three Amigos at Tasty n Sons

Last week's dinner at Tasty n Sons on North Williams street proved to be one of our favorite meals in Portland so far, which timed out well with Kimberly's visit.  Even though I've been here before with friends, Moses and Sonya, it was for brunch and I think our recent dinner was more memorable.

Atmosphere:
Located on a busy block in the burgeoning North Williams Street neighborhood of Portland, Tasty & Sons is the sister restaurant to the popular Tasty n Alder in the South West part of town.  The atmosphere is bangin' and from the minute you walk in, you're enveloped by the most delicious smells that emanate from the open kitchen.  On a random Thursday evening, it was packed to the gills, especially after 8 p.m., which is surprising for Portland.

Lucky for us, there's a nice bar out front where you can get some tasty libations and even strike up a conversations with some locals, which we did.  The vibe is communal and friendly and as you'll quickly see, sans social barriers. What a welcome change from NYC!

Food:
Since we got friendly with our bar neighbor, he explained that all entrees come with a choice of two sides, which seemed like a great deal.  Starting to formulate our strategy even before sitting down, we knew we wanted to share a few dishes and lots of sides.  Here's what we got:

Low Country Hush Puppies - These were simply calling our name from the start, as we all love a good fried cornbread.  Tasty n Sons' generous portion exceeded expectations, as these puppies were crispy and golden on the outside but soft and pillowy on the inside.  A side of whipped spice butter made for a lovely accompaniment.

Steamer Clams - The day's special, we loved their meaty quality and the slightly spicy broth in which they bathed.  My favorite part of the dish was using that beautiful rustic grilled bread you see above and dipping it into that diabolical spicy sauce.  Clam heaven!

Fried Petrale Sole - In the mood for fried fish, this was one of our entrees and it was cooked beautifully.  Not the least bit greasy but sporting a nice crunchy crust, the fish was flaky and buttery on the inside and paired nicely with a side of collard greens.

Fried Chicken - I know what you must be thinking, "fried, fried, fried." Yeah, we couldn't help it so we went big.  Dan was most enthused with this dish, as he remarked not once but many times about how moist and juicy it was on the inside.  The crust was once again prepared well and provided a nice toothsomeness with each bite.  Together with the creamy mac 'n cheese, it was hard not to devour.

Sides - Since we had a choice of four sides, we felt the world was our oyster.  Going with the gooey mac 'n cheese, the fried cauliflower, collard greens and the stuffing, there wasn't one dud in the crowd.  Amongst these dishes the collards and the mac and cheese stood out most and I'd get them again in a heartbeat.  The cauliflower was also delicious and had a unique curry spice to it, but since we got a lot of fried stuff already, I thought this was maybe one too many.

Dessert - Mustering up the courage and the room in our stomachs to order dessert, we went with the chocolate cream pie.  A total delight and one of the big standouts of the evening, the filling tasted like decadent chocolate mousse that was then topped with fluffy whipped cream that wasn't overly sweetened, providing just the right touch of luxury and indulgence.

Service and Cost:
From the helpful host to the friendly bartender and all of our nice waitresses, the service was totally on-point.  Given that it was a busy evening, we were impressed with the way things went down and we felt very accommodated and well taken care of.

Costs aren't overly expensive for a finer dining establishment, setting us back about $80 for the three of us for the aforementioned food and tip.

3 Tasty Mmmmms

Tasty n Sons - 3808 N. Williams Street, Portland OR 97227
503.621.1400
tastynsons.com