Chicken and waffles straight from heaven

By Hannah Kintner

Po'Shines Café De La Soul has been one of my favorite North Portland restaurants for the past two years. The service, food and environment are outstanding.

Po'Shines was my introduction to soul food, and I immediately regretted missing out on this Southern goodness for so long. Their Southern cooking is so comforting, it feels like home. I've been to Po'Shines on N. Denver Avenue many times and have never been disappointed.

Their homemade sweet tea is the perfect mix of citrus refreshment, while their entrees leave you feeling as full as Thanksgiving dinner. The two are the perfect duo.

While I am a huge fan of Po'Shines catfish, the chicken and waffles are unbelievable. I can't even describe how good the fried chicken is. The outside is always hot and perfectly crisp while the meat is juicy and tender. As bizarre as it may sound, the syrupy cornbread waffles compliment God's-fried-chicken-gift-to-man perfectly.

This week, I tried the beignets for the first time, and once again Po'Shines delivered greatness. I had never heard of beignets, but after seeing a picture of them on their Facebook page, I had to give them a try.

According to their menu, beignets are a New Orleans favorite: pillows of fried dough topped with cinnamon sugar. Although they were fried, I was impressed that they were not greasy at all.

Besides the food, the environment is unbeatable. The area surrounding the restaurant is clean and charming, while the interior is cozy. Old church pews are used for benches and the service at Po'Shines is exceptional. The servers are always friendly and they seem to genuinely care about their customers.

In the entrance sits the largest gumball machine you'll ever see, and if you're lucky, an orange gumball will earn you a free order of hushpuppies. Those sweet-savory cornbread nuggets are delicious. And if you're one of those people who crave a good cup of coffee after dinner, Po'Shines' espresso bar will be right up your alley.

Po'Shines always seems to be the right place to eat. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, picking up food for a springtime picnic or looking to treat your family to dinner when they come to UP to visit, Po'Shines will not disappoint.

 

8139 N Denver Ave.

Mon. 7 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Tues.-Thurs. 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Fri. 7 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Sat. 8 a.m.- 10 p.m.