Wendy B.
Yelp
This is a treasured, revered neighborhood bistro, the kind you hope to experience in Portland, with delightful ambiance.
There are no reservations here, you should plan on a substantial wait. Knowing we could wait for at least an hour for a table put me into a brief quandry. Should we wait to get a table for two nestled in the dark recesses of a snug, darkened dining area, or forgo the long wait and grab the two open seats at the counter? Maybe not as romantic, but it was obvious there was no shame in eating at the counter here. We picked the counter and I am glad we did.
I declare, we had the best seats. This was the enviable spot where you could take in everything as it happens. This gives you a fascinating and ideal view of the hustle and bustle of a finely tuned, well choreographed kitchen.
Here is where the tortilla lady rolls her eyes as she mindlessly pat, pat pats her thick, succulent corn tortillas and drops them into a container, ultimately to be baked in the industrial oven. No doubt a boring job, but hypnotic and not often seen. The end results I can imagine were tender and mouth watering. This would be one of those times I wish we were not refraining from corn and wheat products.
This is where the chefs, dashing from container and refrigerator as slabs of meat sizzle on the griddle top, compose their perfect dishes of savory food for the hungry locals.
The final touch, frenetic servers impatiently arranging the finishing touches on their plates before dashing their generous platters out with some of the finest morsels you could ever hope to put in your mouth.
Our meal was extraordinarily good.
We started with a delicious, baby greens salad that was tossed with jicama, mango, avocado, and pumpkin seeds. The citrus dressing was out of this world delicious. A perfect 5 stars.
Cochinita Pibil, a slow braised, citrus and herbed savory pork dish served over plate licking black beans, grilled vegetables and pickled red onions. Traditionally it is cooked in banana leaves and served in its wrapper, however this restaurant plated it without. Regardless, a perfect 5 stars.
Carne Asada Con Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans), beautifully marinated and grilled, large steak served over savory pinto beans. 4 1/2 stars, and only because mine was even better. I was the person with the Cochinita Pibil and who jealously coveted my prize.
This is a meal I will not forget. When in Portland, this should be put on "the list". Only open 5 nights a week, for dinner. Worth the wait, worth the cost