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Name: Andrew Jankowski
Job title: Interim Arts & Culture Editor
The meal: Fried chicken sandwich ($16) at Canary
What was so good about it: After helping a friend move, we wanted food from the geographically closest spot possible. The Arbor Lodge neighborhood bar is as blue collar as they come in suburban-adjacent North Portland, but its fried chicken sandwich blew away admittedly low expectations to secure this month’s win. The cut of chicken was juicy yet encrusted with a satisfyingly crunchy fried-batter skin. What really put it over the top was verdant Brussels sprout cole slaw, pleasantly crisp without being outright raw. Sriracha gives it enough heat to keep diners on their toes without overwhelming the sandwich with spice. Fair warning: If you go on a slow enough night, there might be a wait if Canary is understaffed, so expect the unexpected if this isn’t your usual watering hole. A recent dinnertime visit to re-create the magic resulted in a fruitless 20-minute wait that ended with the drive-thru at Victorico’s, so be prepared to wait or have a backup plan if you make a special trip.
TRY IT: Canary, 3416 N Lombard St., 503-265-8288, canarypdx.com. 3 pm–2:30 am Monday–Friday, 10–2:30 am Saturday–Sunday.
