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S outhern C omfort
New Orleans bistro keeps it all in the family by Rachel Lane
Fine A m e ric a n C raft
Downtown Portland
Portland Airport
901 SW Yamhill
503.284.9929
Washington Square
503.223.9510
503.620.2243
www.therealmothergoose.com
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3811 N . M i s s i s s i p p i Ave.
P o r t l a n d , Oregon
503- 288-4889
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M th a nta With A Cmudenca
W E D - S A T 10-6
IMO'
Gerard Lillie «5934 N E. Halsey
po’
S U N 10-5
w e ll-sto c k e d
rosewood bar
divides
the
% room
into
A
J L roughly equal
halves. Artwork mounted on
the walls suggests the bitter-
sweet piquancy of New
Orleans life. Welcome to
Acadia, the latest in a series of
restaurants opened by Rob
Adams and Bud Deslatte.
Adams, co-owner, floor
manager, bookkeeper and
Webmaster, grew up in Michi
gan and Illinois and earned a
bachelors degree in econom
ics from Rice University in
Texas. He spent 10 years in
retail before a friend intro
duced him to New Orleans
chef-entrepreneur Deslatte in
1989.
Deslatte recently had
opened the Bayou Bar and
Grill in San Diego’s burgeon
ing Gaslamp Quarter. The
two became friends, lovers
and business partners— more
or less in that order— and now
have envisioned, built and, in
time, bequeathed two still-
Bud Deslatte (left) cooks the beans while Rob Adams counts them
flourishing California restau
Acadia cuisine is based on tried-and-true
rants to former employees. Acadia: A New
classic recipes Deslatte has developed during the
Orleans Bistro, which opened in October 2001,
is their third restaurant together and Deslatte’s past 20 years. Signature entrees include seafood
gumbo; barbecued fresh-flown Gulf shrimp in a
seventh.
light, zesty sauce of butter, rosemary lemon juice
Deslatte’s art d’cuisine is self-taught. He grew
and pepper; and “The Big Easy,” which is
up in New Orleans and worked in the corporate
Louisiana drum (aka redfish) complemented
sector for years. He threw dinner parties for
with a touch of Dijon mustard and hollandaise
friends and family, and soon these devotees
sauce.
encouraged him to open his first restaurant,
There are two keys to Deslatte’s success.
Feelings Café, in the early ’80s.
First, his recipes are personal and authentic and
In short order, the eatery won attention as
have
found fans in his native Louisiana, Geor
one of the city’s top restaurants. Deslatte’s
gia, California— north and south— and now
authentic Creole/Cajun fare garnered praise
Portland. Second, a g<xxl recipe is only as good
from fans including Bon Appetit magazine and
as the experience, skill and Zen-like nonattach-
singer Johnny Mathis, who raved, “It’s not just a
ment of its creator.
restaurant, it’s a Moment!”
“Chef de Cuisine” Adam Higgs, formerly of
His next venture took him to Atlanta, where
Portland’s L’Auberge, came to Acadia with little
he opened A Taste of New Orleans to critical
praise. The Journal-Constitution named it one of previous experience in New Orleans cooking.
But that didn’t matter to the owners, who were
the city’s top 10 of 1987, and Esquire magazine
impressed with his openness and enthusiasm to
rated it as one of the country’s 50 finest new
learn a new style.
restaurants.
“I brought Adam on board not just because
“We have been nomadic by choice,” Deslat
he had the ability and professionalism that I
te says. The pair, who are quite fond of Oregon,
also have a plan on the boards to open a lunch require,” Deslatte explains, “but because of what
I believed that Adam himself could eventually
eonette in Portland.
bring to my recipes, our menu.”
Deslatte says he finds the greatest pleasure in
Simmons adds: “Deslatte and Adams never
starting and developing restaurants, working to
make them successful, then moving on. All of let ego get in the way of creativity, of quality and
good working relationships. Working for Bud
his six previous establishments continue to
thrive in the hands of former employees. In Sep and Rob was like family.”
tember 2000, waitress Robin Simmons and sous-
Now, if that is not a secret for success in any
chef Edwin Caba bought CreoLa, his highly suc business— much less one of the most risky
cessful restaurant in San Carlos, Calif.
around— who knows what is. j n
“ Bud could have sold our restaurant to
other people for a lot more money,” she says.
A cadia : A N ew O rleans B istro is open from
“ Bud and Rob went out o f their way to help
5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at
1303 N .E . Fremont St. For more information call
my partner, Edwin, and I to find the funding
and other necessary resources to not only buy 503-249-5001 or visit wuw.creolapdx.com.
this restaurant but to maintain the high stan
dards that Bud always advocated. Two words
RACHEL L a n e is an actress , director and writer who
describe Bud and Rob,” she concludes, “gen can be seen daily at Portland parks accompanied by
Mac, her handsome German shorthaired pointer.
erosity and love.”
PHOTO BY
CONTEMPORARY
ORIGINALS