What’s the best dish in Portland?

Meet me through three meals 

Portland is home to an incredibly diverse and competitive food scene, filled with constant openings, closings, and pop-ups. The nature of the food scene in Portland means the decision of where to go for a meal can be truly overwhelming, so it’s my goal to help with that decision. I aim to be a guide for anyone who wants a break from Commons but has absolutely no idea what to do. There’s no better way to work towards this goal than just talking about some of my favorite foods in the city, starting with the best dish in Portland.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of exceptional cuisine in Portland is Akadi. Chef Fatou Ouattara has crafted a near-perfect menu at what has become Portland’s premiere destination for West African cuisine, meaning it’s only natural that it would hold the best dish in the city. Yet, the quality of each option on the menu meant it was difficult to identify a single dish to put on this list. However, after much deliberation, I went with the best wings I’ve ever had. Ouattara’s wings are perfect by the standard metrics; there's an abundance of meat in each wing, and each bite brings a satisfying crispness. What truly sets the dish apart, though, is the green sauce that coats every inch of the wings. The leafy sauce goes perfectly with the salty chicken; you’ll end up licking down your fingers as my friends and I have every time we’ve ordered the dish.