chelo
Restaurant · Concordia
2930 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97211, USA
Highlights
Vegetable-forward Mexican fare with layered flavors and seasonal produce
Vegetable-forward Mexican fare with layered flavors and seasonal produce
"Acclaimed chef Luna Contreras has been running Chelo for so long it’s sort of shocking that it hasn’t been a brick-and-mortar restaurant. On January 3, that changed, when Dame — the space that had been hosting Chelo — evolved into being simply Chelo’s permanent home. The food hasn’t changed, thankfully, with seasonal produce anchoring playful, inventive dishes like a duck leg confit smothered in mole served with Asian pears, grits, and escabeche. Head to Resy to book a table." - Zoe Baillargeon
"The bar at Chelo, a Mexican restaurant focusing on vegetable-packed dishes, is made for midsummer dates. Kick the night off with mezcal cocktails and local oysters livened up with sangrita, add a fiery tuna and shrimp coctel to the mix, and wait for romance to blossom." - krista garcia
"This Mexican spot in Portland is a destination restaurant in disguise. There’s low-key energy and plenty of natural wine to fuel an evening of impressive, seasonal vegetable-packed dishes—think foie gras paired with kumquat-serrano jam, halibut tostadas topped with crispy leeks and smoked trout roe, and a juicy T-bone steak sitting over charred greens." - team infatuation
"Chef Luna Contreras, known for her produce-forward Mexican pop-ups and collabs, has landed permanently at Concordia’s Dame, Thursday to Sunday. While the latest incarnation feels like a neighborhood joint, it’s a destination restaurant in disguise. You could stop in on the early side (they take walk-ins at the bar) for a glass of rosé and a wild halibut tostada topped with crispy leeks and smoked trout roe and imagine you’re in a Mexico City wine bar. You could also feel good about spending your tax refund, tiny or not, on a full-blown dinner, complete with foie gras paired with kumquat-serrano jam and a carne asada, presented as a T-bone steak served with roasted potatoes, charred greens, and delightfully chewy blue corn tortillas. Everything on the menu goes with Chelo’s bottled chipotle and habanero salsas, labeled with a cartoon version of the restaurant’s fox logo." - Krista Garcia
"Chef Luna Contreras serves Mexican snacks and tlayudas with Pacific Northwestern produce Thursdays through Sundays at its new home in the Dame space. The menu is super seasonal, which means the tacos on the menu change very frequently; however, they’re often some of the best available in town, whether they’re filled with grilled wild steelhead and tobiko or slow-braised barbacoa goat with juicy yu choy. The salsas are always designed specifically for the tacos, with things like peanut-nutty salsa macha; Contreras also has her own line of hot sauces, with flavors like fiery chipotle. Reservations can be made via Resy." - Nathan Williams
