Basilisk is a “micro-restaurant” or “food stall” located in the Zipper on NE Sandy & 28th that serves the best fried chicken sandwich in town. Nobody ever came up with a good name for what to call this restaurant concept. “Micro-restaurant” was the original term back when they opened in 2016 and it was a fairly new concept. The new Hollywood Q refers to them as “food stalls” which is a better descriptor I think. Semantics aside, all you need to know is that Basilisk serves THE BEST fried chicken sandwich (amongst other things) in town. So says I and other fried chicken aficionados. Started by Jason Myer ten years ago after transitioning from his former cart Rua (which I enjoyed and still remember), sold at some point to a different owner but the quality never changed. Looking back at their opening has me shed a tear for food prices. $8 chicken sandwich! $1 slaw! 2016 prices were bonkers. I loved being able to eat AND tip for $10. This is a day one spot for me and I have been eating here for 10 years!! So this is a long overdue post. Anywho, enough nostalgia, let’s get into the food.

The classic fried chicken sandwich. Yes it is that tall! Not my best pic but have to start with the classic and not one of their specials. Pearl Bakery bun, fried chicken thigh, cabbage slaw with mayo/buttermilk sauce, house-pickled cucumbers. They stack up 2 large pieces of fried chicken thigh atop one another. Oh where to start if you’ve never experienced this before? First off, it is a subtle fried chicken sandwich, not always a hallmark of the genre. The slaw is subtle, the cucumbers are subtle and they compliment the chicken in the best way possible. The fry on the chicken is perfection every time. No variation, just perfection. I don’t know how they do it. I don’t exaggerate when I say that this is not only the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever had in Portland, it’s the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve eaten anywhere in my life!

El Chupacabra, a special they ran May of 2025. It’s their standard fried chicken sandwich but with a Habanero-Ghost Chili sauce. This was spicy! Definitely not for spice cowards. It was one step hotter than their Nashville hot sauce (which is also super spicy!). This is also a way better pic. You can get much more of a sense of the perfect fry on the chicken and how tall it stacks up! They don’t do specials often, so I always go them when they do.

Fried Chicken Salad. This is one of the best dishes in town honestly. You can also get it with poached chicken, or fried tofu, or on its own. I think it is best with the fried chicken both because their fried chicken is a marvel to behold and because of the texture contrast you get. Fried chicken thigh, spring mix greens, ginger/garlic marinated noodles, spicy radish medley, soft-boiled egg sprinkled with sea salt, sesame vinaigrette (on the side). This is a perfect and complete meal, as healthy as can be with fried chicken, and a great value at $15. Every component is on point from the greens to the marinade on the noodles, to the spicy radish to the soft-boiled egg. Mixing your bites is pure heaven. This is the second thing I tell people to order after the sandwich.

Dandan Fries. This dish is a revelation, a real stunner! This could be a meal in itself or split between a few folks. Fries, house-made Szechuan peanut sauce, chili oil, baby dill pickles, crushed peanuts, green onions, cilantro, lime. Just the right amount of heat and tingle without dominating the other flavors. I hadn’t ordered this in years and I forgot how incredible it is. Honestly this is one of the best dishes in town. Super inventive, perfectly executed and a great value at $10. You get every component in each bite which is nice. A very crave-able dish.

I’m going to end with pictures of three specials they ran in the last year or so. A collab with Mustard Mike’s from 10/6 (one day only), a Mama Lil’s Honey Mustard Jalapeño special from last July and a Habanero Honey Fried Chicken special from February 2025. They use sauces so well! And they are on my wavelength in terms of flavor profiles and heat. Happy eating.