Acadia Bistro Cooks Up A Cajun Feast

In a town where nothing is as cool as what’s brand new, it’s important to take the opportunity to honor local businesses that have stood the test of time. In that spirit, Acadia: a New Orleans Bistro teamed up with Dogwood Distilling, inviting Portland’s Gold Elites to enjoy an intimate cocktail dinner.

Celebrating the restaurant’s fifteenth anniversary, chef/owner Seamus Foran told his story, describing how answering a Craigslist ad for a line cook in 2009 ultimately led to owning his own restaurant! He detailed Acadia’s history of serving regional Cajun and Creole cuisine, and how he’ll continue to honor and build on those traditions. Up next was Jasin Hope of Dogwood Distilling, who shared details of his small-batch distillary, a labor of love that produces spectacular spirits that can be found in bars all across the city. Then, it was time to eat!

And eat the Gold Elites did! Guests were welcomed with fritters made of red bean and rice, quickly followed by salads of shredded collard greens and honeycrisp apples. Jalapeño cornmeal waffles were topped with fried oysters and buttermilk dressing, and to celebrate the Treme Creole Gumbo Festival, a tasting trio of gumbos had guests asking for seconds! A smoked-bourbon braised pork cheek cassoulet was followed by a decadent bread pudding topped with sea-salt caramel, whipped cream and pecans!

Of course, cocktail dinners require drinks! The Dogwood Distilling spirits were well represented, with beverages like the New Orleans Swan and Death in the Afternoon showing off the versatility of Haint Absinthe. The Union Gin Old Fashioned was a fantastic twist on the cocktail classic, and the Million Dollar Cocktail had people asking where they could find DL Franklin Vodka. Finally, the Branch Raw Honey Rye made an appearance in both the Branch Apple Smash and the Coffee St Charles.

As the meal ended, guests slowly finished their drinks and made their way home. With that many drinks, guests were happy that Lyft offered discounted rides to and from the restaurant! As people hopped into their drivers’ cars, everybody agreed that an evening with Acadia Bistro and Dogwood Distilling is a delicious way to celebrate! To learn more about the dinner, check out the Gold Elites’ reviews and browse the photo gallery!

A special thanks to our sponsors:

Acadia: A New Orleans Bistro • Yelp • Facebook • Instragram • Twitter

Dogwood Distilling  • Facebook • Instragram • Twitter

Lyft • Facebook • Instagram • Twitter