Portage Grill & Conference Center — Restaurant in The Dalles

So, since me and my family stayed at Shilo inn it seemed appropriate to eat at the Portage-grill. As we walked in we let them know there was a Large group of us. No problem right? The waitress was nice and sat us at the back. It was NOT busy at all so we got right in. All of is got water right away but no menu. When my wife asked for a drink menu the waitress had a blank stare and said I think we do but I have to look for it with a look of disdain. After bringing back one drink menu with scotch tape on almost half of it we ordered drinks that were on the tape. Almost 10 minutes later she came back and told us that drink was no longer served. Ok no problem we ordered something else off the menu still didn't have the second choice, so finally we got a drink ordered. So after the drink fiasco still no menu for food after my wife asks for menu waitress proceeds to get our menus. Large menu with lots of options we ordered jambayla with blackened catfish and hush puppies to share. The other people in our group ordered there food. The appetizers were quick but the main course took over an hour and a half to get there! After one of our friends asked again were was our food was she the waitress said she'd check still no food. By this time we were getting ready to leave and order pizza. Finally! Our food arrives. Food was warm and tasted ok. But our hush puppies were over cooked and un editable. At the end they compt our drinks and took off 20% not a good place...

Wow, who knew that the great Mississippi was a tributary to the Columbia river, via The Dalles, Ore? - until now: It seems like that's the case at the new & improved Portage Grill restaurant, with their fantastic Cajon Creole menu (+ n.w. fav's) featuring tasty gator tail, andouille sausage and hush puppies, to name just a few! We found out that owner Mike was born and raised in New Orleans and somehow, lucky for us, landed here in The Dalles Oregon along with an amazing Cajon style cooking talent! We ate at the Portage for the first time last night to celebrate my wife’s birthday: I had the crawfish and andouille sausage fettuccine, cooked to order, spicy! in my case, with a side of hush pups,,, wow and yum, the real deal – delicious, rich... new Orleans style! Great thanks to you Mike for landing here in The Dalles Ore, on the shores of the Columbia! ...

As someone who lived in South Louisiana for 12 years, I approach places that advertise Cajun cuisine outside Cajun country with a mixture of hope and trepidation. There are authentic Cajun people making authentic Cajun food in probably every state, unfortunately, this was not one of those instances. The chicken and sausage "gumbo", while it did have chicken and sausage, and was not at all bad, was not gumbo but rather (as a Cajun friend said of my wife's first attempt at gumbo) "a nice soup". The red beans and rice, however, was a total disappointment. Bland, brown and mostly rice. Also, my steak came out medium, rather than medium rare.

While I would recommend this place in general, I strongly advise against ordering anything allegedly Cajun, at least if you have any acquaintance with actual...