Bar Cala
Bar · Concordia
2703 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211, USA
Highlights
Latin-inspired bar with pink decor, tacos, Pisco Sours
Latin-inspired bar with pink decor, tacos, Pisco Sours
"Just off the Park Blocks in Northwest Portland, Comala not only offers a staggering selection of rare, distinctive mezcals, served in an alley of a bar evocative of 1800s Mexico; the menu itself tells stories of Mexico’s colonization and contemporary culture, incorporating Spanish, Italian, and Caribbean spirits as well as distinctive house infusions. The bar’s take on a martini, bolstered with espadín mezcal, folds in a nice toasty earthiness with sesame-infused vodka and cumin bitters; it’s unlike any martini in town." - Rebecca Roland
"Bar Cala is another small food and beverage business the duo assisted with branding and design, reflecting their ongoing commitment to empowering local hospitality ventures." - Janey Wong
"Bar Cala, known for its super-solid burger and dorados." - Eater Staff
"The millennial-pink-hued, summery-year-round Bar Cala spikes Old Fashioneds with banana liqueur and leans heavily on Latin American cocktail traditions. The food menu similarly travels throughout the Americas with its dishes, which range from Argentinian skirt steak with chimichurri to Baja-style fish tacos. While the queso fundido here was a strong contender for this map, it’s extremely hard to beat the house burger, accompanied by a caramelized pineapple relish for a gentle sweetness. It’s best with the addition of queso Oaxaca." - Alex Frane
"On the corner of 27th and Alberta, a tall concrete and stucco building has stood for more than 90 years, once home to an electrical substation; throughout the pandemic, it has sat vacant, a quiet landmark on a busy street. Today, it looks far different than it did even a few months ago: Its walls now sport a lovely shade of bubblegum pink, its tall wooden doors a Florida lagoon teal. Palm trees — a rarity in Portland — flank the sides of its concrete steps. Above the door, in neon cursive, a sign reads “Bar Cala.” Bar Cala, which opened in late June, comes from Victor Daniel Cerda Zamorano, an Alberta neighborhood resident and Mi Mero Mole alum. For years, Zamorano has walked past the building, back when it was still the Station bar, and felt a twinge to do something with it. Burned out on the restaurant industry during the pandemic, he told himself that he wouldn’t return to food service unless he owned his own place. So when his college friend Fernando Damas — of Damas Painting and Construction — offered to go in on a place with him, they jumped on the Alberta building. And when they tried to figure out a concept for the bar, Zamorano wanted to do something that honored his Chilean heritage and offered something somewhat distinct to the area. The bar serves a variety of Latin American dishes and cocktails with a design inspired by Palm Springs." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
