Brooke Geery

Mexican

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More

Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
Read More

Carts on Foster

Location: Corner of SE 52nd and Foster Number of carts: 11 Covered: Yes Obligatory Score: 3 https://www.facebook.com/CartsOnFoster The parking lot that houses Carts on Foster has come along way since it was All Pets Playhouse - a decrepit-looking animal boarding house that I never saw open. Now it's a bustling cart pod, with a lot more carts than the one other time I awkwardly walked through and then decided to go somewhere else a few months ago. Pretty flowersss! I use the term bustling loosely, it's not that crowded which is a good thing if you hate waiting in line for food like I do. (That's one issue with food…
Read More

The Woodstock Cart Pod

Location: 45th and Woodstock Ave Number of Carts: 3 Covered Section: No Obligatory score: 5 Note:  This was supposed to be my introductory post, but I spazzily posted about Cartlandia first. I may start writing about every cart individually and inserting Jared's "spicy but not too spicy" input in each one, or more likely just highlight the ones I like, but I really want to start with the pods themselves. After all, part of dining is the experience and I don't care how good the food is if you feel icky eating there. So let's start with the neighborhood I claim to live in (even though my house is technically…
Read More

The Cart Pod Part Dos – El Brasero

12th and Hawthorne Date of visit: November 4, 2009 Price for 1: $9 I don't particularly like to eat outside. I hate eating outside. I don't care about the autumn breeze. In fact, that's part of why I hate it. My ungroomed, overly long hair ends up in my face, and there's no telling what's going to land in your food next. I tend to leave picnics to the birds, but that's just me. Now that we've gotten that part out of the way, today was likely one of the last "nice" days of the fall/winter season, and we figured hitting up Hawthorne's cart pods was best done in the…
Read More

Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
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Dingo’s

4612 SE Hawthorne http://www.dingosonline.com/ Date visited: September 22,2009 Price for 2: $25.50 If there's one thing you'll learn about me from this blog, it's that I really like Mexican food. It's cheap, quick and most importantly, comes with chips and salsa. That said, I am not a big fan or trulty authentico Mexican food, dripping in grease and containing questionable meats. For this reason Dingo's has been on the go-to list for awhile. The real prize point of the menu at Dingo's is the sour cream lime stuff that you can get in or on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Recently I discovered the lime chicken tacos are the closest thing…
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