Nubian Twist
2719 NE 7th 449-8306
There are two poles of good soul-food eating in Portland: The South Pole–the drink-centric Delta Café–and the North Pole–the low on ambiance/high on taste Yam Yam’s. I prefer the former if I’m out with a fancy lad (known in some circles as a “dandy”), the latter if I just want to chow down (Yam Yam’s serves up more food than you can eat in a sitting). Nubian Twist, however, resides in the middle–a relatively new, quiet soul food joint tucked in between a convenience store and a hair salon.
Taking over the spot that used to be the clothing store Velvet Jesus, Nubian Twist doesn’t exactly have the ambiance of a restaurant. There are tables and chairs, for sure, but the lighting is dim, the walls are bare, and on the day I went, there was no music, making it uncomfortably quiet, much like a doctor’s office.
I’d brought my friend Dave along with me, because he’s from the South and loves soul food. He did not, however, love the fact that Nubian Twist was out of fried chicken. He also didn’t like it when they were out of mac and cheese, as well as red beans and rice. Frustrated, he muttered, “Do you want to just go?” which sent me into a panic attack, because of course the owner–and only other person in the joint–could hear every syllable. I persuaded him to stay and he ordered the breaded catfish and jambalaya.
Despite the kinks, the food at Nubian Twist is quite good. The catfish was crispy, earthy, and delicious, although the portions are considerably smaller than what you’ll find at Yam Yam’s or Soup and Soap. The jambalaya was salty, stewy and loaded with crawfish and chicken. Sides like the meaty baked beans and yams were outstanding; obviously cooked all day, and teeming with addictive sweetness. The greens were tender and tart, and cooked with salty pork.
Unfortunately, in addition to Nubian Twist’s small dinner portions, you only get one side dish. I love soul food for the sides, and in fact I always want so many sides that I rarely order an entrée. But with only one side and a tiny serving of catfish, you still might leave hungry. You need at least two sides if you’re going to feel satisfied, or at the very least, dessert, which is no problem since Nubian Twist’s sweet potato pie and sweet potato cheesecake both get rave reviews.
I would recommend Nubian Twist as a caterer; I don’t doubt they’d do a wonderful job. The slipshod operations of the restaurant, however, make it an awkward eating experience. But if you live in the neighborhood, why not try them for take out? That way you can call ahead and make sure they’ve got what you want, and as an added bonus, not have to spend your whole meal whispering complaints.