Dish Review

Owner and Dallas navtive Joe Esparza never intended to serve authentic Mexican food; instead, his menu was inspired by his mother's cooking. While carne asada with mashed potatoes might have tasted cutting-edge in 1990, now we have to wonder if the people who fill the tables here every night are dining on memories. Shrimp and hominy posole turns out to be two tablespoons of green chili-cumin broth barely wetting a cup crammed with hominy, yellow corn and bay shrimp that taste like freezer frost, but nopalitos fried crisp in cornmeal batter are a more earthy and succulent starter. The Annie Oakley, a dish of moist pork and mashed potatoes covered in pale gravy, has a homey goodness and looks like an illustration from a 1950s cookbook. (Originally reviewed 2/16/05.)

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.