This 2023 James Beard Foundation Award-winning restaurant is the most sought-after reservation in America for good reason.
What started as a small pop-up in 2020 is now the hottest restaurant in Portland and one of the best new restaurants in America. Kann is an ode to chef Gregory Gourdet's childhood growing up in Haiti. The menu highlights Haitian and Caribbean cuisine and the open fire grill pays homage to the origins of barbecue in Haiti.
Chef Gregory is incredibly humble and stays behind well after closing to help clean up and make sure everything is ready for the next day. He is a master of his craft whose passion and care for the restaurant shines through in the food and drinks. It is clear that he wants to impart his memories of Haiti and its vibrant culture unto his patrons and he does so in a way unlike anybody else. We will walk you through how to get a reservation and highlight our favorite items on the menu.
Location
548 SE Ash St, Portland, OR 97214
Website & Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 4–10 PM
Thursday: 4–10 PM
Friday 4–11 PM
Saturday: 4–11 PM
Sunday: 4–10 PM
Reservations
As we already said, reservations are incredibly difficult to come by so you need to get one when they first become available. Reservations can be made on Resy on the first day of each month at 12pm PT the month prior so on November 1 reservations open for the whole month of December. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday so don't plan on a Monday or Tuesday res! They also take a very limited amount of walk-ins every day but you would need to arrive before they open and be among the first people in to have any hope of getting a spot. For us, this was one of the hardest reservations we had to snag and we were luckily able to secure a spot on an American Express Platinum Resy Weekend.
Kann also has a bar and restaurant below the restaurant called bar sousòl that takes reservations and those are much easier to get. They serve elevated Haitian inspired bar food but both the drink and food menus are different than Kaan's. We had no problem just popping in before dinner without a reservation, but we recommend securing one just in case.
Drinks
The bar at Kann
The best cocktails at Kann highlight Caribbean rums (their selection of Clairin Haitian Rum is particularly extensive - the largest in the country). They also have an impressive non-alcoholic cocktail selection for those who are not imbibing.
A traditional daiquiri with Haitian rum
We recommend going with a traditional daiquiri or split-based daiquiri. If you aren't a rum aficionado, ask the bartender which rum(s) they recommend for it and they will come up with some incredibly unique combinations.
Pro Tip: Grab A Drink At Sousòl Before or After Dinner
The Entrance to bar sousòl
If you have time before or after dinner, check out their new addition bar sousòl (the Haitian-Creole word for basement) located beneath the restaurant. Order the Jungle Phoenix, their riff on a milk punch with Caribbean rums and Campari. It is rich, smooth and full of unique spices from the rums.
From left to right: Strawberry Rhubarb Negroni, Strawberry Rhubarb Fizz, Jungle Phoenix
Starters
Plantain Brioche Buns with Epis Butter
PSA on these: They sell out of these FAST. We actually had to come back the next day when the restaurant opened just to get them. They are incredibly unique and fluffy brioche buns made with ripe plantains and coconut oil, and come with a side of Epis butter. Epis is a Haitian blend of peppers, garlic and herbs that provides a very unique flavor to compliment the richness of the brioche and the butter.
Griyo Twice Cooked Pork
Griyo is the national dish of Haiti and Chef Greg's version is marinated pork that is braised and then fried to create a wonderful duality of crunchy exterior and soft, melt in your mouth interior. They also add a spiced reduction to add even more flavor. The pork is plated with avocado slices, fried plantains and pikliz (pickled relish) to add acidity and texture to the fried, fatty pork.
Soup Joumou, Haitian Independence Soup
Soup Joumou is so inextricable from Haitian culture that it was added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and this dish is an amazing representation of Chef Greg's Haitian identity. Kann's version of the soup includes squash, onion, garlic, carrot, turnip, cabbage, celery, potato, habanero and braised chicken marinated in epis. It is a stunning bouquet of flavors that showcases the best of Haitian cuisine.
Entrees
Glazed Duck Breast & Leg with Cane Syrup, Pineapple and Tamarind
Duck is a very flavorful and fatty poultry so the sweet cane syrup glaze compliments the rich, medium rare meat, and the slices of slightly acidic pineapple and tamarind cuts through the fat to make an elevated dish.
Bone-in Ribeye Steak with a Haitian coffee rub, charred tomatoes and a creole emulsion.
A heaping slab of bone-in ribeye covered a Haitian coffee rub and a plethora of spices and cooked to mouth watering perfection on the live fire. That alone would make this a stellar dish, but Chef Greg tops it off with a charred tomato and creole emulsion that is an explosion of flavor and enhances an already stellar dish.
Sides
Crispy Eggplant with a sugar cane chili glaze.
Every bite of these crispy eggplant balls was phenomenal. The fattiness and crunchiness of the fried exterior with the sweetness and bitterness of the eggplant made this a must order dish.
Diri Ak Sos Pwa - Jasmine Rice with a side of Red Kidney Bean Sauce
Perfectly cooked, fluffy jasmine rice and creamy red kidney bean sauce. This dish is a perfect side since it is light and flavorful, and it has the perfect amount of spices to enhance other dishes rather than overpower them.
Diri Ak Djon Djons - Haitian black mushroom rice with Lima Beans.
This was perhaps the best dish of the entire night. The black rice and red kidney beans are a fantastic pairing and the assortment of spices they use elevates this simple side dish to a rich, aromatic delicacy. After we left, we regretted not ordering more to snack on at home.
Dessert
Mango Mozayik: Chili mango curd filled tuiles with coconut-lime sherbet
Baked wafers stuffed with rich fatty mango curd on a bed of hibiscus mango sauce and topped with mint leaves. The side of pickled rhubarb sorbet brings it all together to create an incredibly decadent, tangy and wholly unique dessert that showcases the breadth of Caribbean flavors.
Kafe Chokola: Glazed chocolate mousse, hazelnut brittle, Haitian coffee ice cream
Krèm Frez: Strawberry cream, sponge cake, hibiscus, pickled rhubarb sorbet
Summary - One of the Best Restaurants in America
Overall, this was one of the best restaurants that we have ever been to and easily the best of the year. Every dish featured combinations of flavors that we had never tasted before and there was not one bad dish (we ordered all but 3 items). The restaurant is so outstanding that it is worth the trip to Portland just to experience Chef Greg and his team's masterful work.
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