Por Que No
¿Por Qué No? Taqueria | |
---|---|
Restaurant information | |
Established | 2004[1] |
Owner(s) | Bryan Steelman |
Chef | Mark Saldaña (2005)[2][3] |
Food type | Mexican |
Street address | 3524 N. Mississippi Avenue |
City | Portland |
County | Multnomah |
State | Oregon |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 45°32′54″N 122°40′31″W / 45.5482°N 122.6754°W |
Other locations | 4635 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 45°30′44″N 122°36′51″W / 45.5122°N 122.6143°W |
Website | www |
¿Por Qué No? Taqueria, commonly referred to as Por Que No and sometimes stylized as ¿Por Que No?, is a small taqueria chain owned by Bryan Steelman with two locations in Portland, Oregon, United States. The restaurant is known for its Mexican-style tacos, but also serves a variety of entrées including enchiladas, quesadillas, rice bowls, salads, and tamales.
Description
¿Por Qué No? (English: Why not?)
Menu
The chain is known for its Mexican-style tacos with recipes originating from across the country, from the Oaxaca region to the Pacific Coast,[8] and for its sustainable practices and seasonal ingredients.[11] Por Que No is considered local food, with line-caught fish, pork by Oregon-based Carlton Farms, and tortillas handmade and chips fried on-site.[8]
Taco filling options include
History
In 2009, Steelman received a grant from the
As part of the
Community
Por Que No has contributed to a variety of charitable organizations and fundraising campaigns, including the annual dine-out for Raphael House (which supports victims of domestic abuse),[18] "Dining with Dignity" for Sisters of the Road,[19] "Make It Pop" for the non-profit local summer music festival PDX Pop Now!,[20] and Willamette Week's giving program "Give!Guide".[21][22] In 2011, the restaurant donated food to Occupy Portland demonstrators.[23]
The restaurant has also taken political stances. In 2013, it joined a handful of other restaurants in supporting City Commissioner
Reception
In 2005, Willamette Week's Seth Lorinczi disagreed with locals who criticized the original restaurant's high prices, saying, "you get what you pay for, and ¿Por Qué No? delivers the goods and then some. And in a neighborhood not known for its Mexican food, it fills a niche."[2] Furthermore, he said the "folksy knickknacks and distressed tables fulfill the decorative requirements without veering into pastiche, and the effect is charming".[2] Lorinczi complimented chef Mark Saldaña, whose "treatments border on the reverential... The effect is akin to watching high-definition television: One recognizes familiar flavors and textures, but they're startlingly detailed and fully realized."[2] He ended his review by saying the restaurant's "upscale street food isn't for everyone... But I do know great cooking when I taste it, and ¿Por Que No?'s got it in spades."[2] Since then, the restaurant has been included in several Willamette Week lists. It was runner-up for "Best Mexican Restaurant" in the annual "Readers Poll" in 2007,[26] and has also been included in the newspaper's "Eat Cheap" (2008),[27] "Restaurant Guide" (2013), and "Cheap Eats" (2014) lists.[28][29]
See also
- Hispanics and Latinos in Portland, Oregon
- List of restaurant chains in the United States
- Mexican street food
References
- ^ a b Steelman, Bryan. "Mythology". ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lorinczi, Seth (November 9, 2005). "The $2.50 Taco". Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Crain, Liz (May 7, 2008). "Good Neighbor Pizza". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Smith, Julian. "Por Que No?". Frommer's. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ a b "Restaurant Guide 2013: Counter Attack". Willamette Week. October 16, 2013. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Mississippi/Williams dining". Travel Portland. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Queue lines:
- Singer, Matthew; Cizmar, Martin (May 7, 2014). "Portland Horror Stories". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- Geery, Brooke (October 15, 2014). "Wong's King Seafood Restaurant: Restaurant Guide 2014". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ Latin (October 15, 2014). "Counter Attack: Latin". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Fox News Channel. June 30, 2014. Archivedfrom the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ Crain, Liz (June 3, 2009). "Beyond Vanilla". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "SolPops frozen fruit treats take Portland tastebuds by storm". The Oregonian. July 23, 2010. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Final Report: Ecoroof Project" (PDF). City of Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Syed, Moiz; Willis, Derek (7 July 2020). "PQN HAWTHORNE, INC - Coronavirus Bailouts - ProPublica". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Raphael House Dine-out Fundraiser". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Clarke, Kelly. "Dining With Dignity for Sisters of the Road". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Singer, Matthew (May 7, 2013). "Win Tickets to Make It Pop!". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Meeker, Richard H. (January 16, 2013). "Give!Guide 2012 Results". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Meeker, Richard (December 2, 2014). "Give!Guide Giving Tuesday: Chance at a Free Electra Commuter Bike". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Green, Emily (October 20, 2011). "Occupier of the Day: Deb Reitenour". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- The Portland Mercury. Portland, Oregon: Index Publishing. Archivedfrom the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ Mesh, Aaron (October 17, 2014). "Portland's Top Restaurants Donating to Pass Driver's Card Measure 88". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ Waterhouse, Ben (July 25, 2007). "Readers Poll". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Best Place to Eat Cheap". Willamette Week. July 23, 2008. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Restaurant Guide 2013: Restaurant Index by Location". Willamette Week. October 16, 2013. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Cheap Eats 2014: Mexican Food". Willamette Week. February 19, 2014. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Jensen, Emily (July 13, 2009). "When Worlds Converge: Mississippi Street Fair". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
External links
- ¿Por Que No? Taqueria at Mississippi Ave, Historic Mississippi Avenue Business Association (HMBA)
- ¿Por Que No? at Zagat
- Por Que No Hawthorne at Orange PDX
- Portland kicks it on bike commute rates by Wendy Culverwell (May 8, 2014), Portland Business Journal