Mis Tacones Serves Up Vegan Tacos and Community Vibes for Queer and Trans People of Color
Let the Walter Mercado Instagram posts draw you in for seitan tacos on hand-pressed tortillas twice a month at Local Lounge.
By
Tuck Woodstock
6/3/2021 at 12:30am
Polo Abram Bañuelos (left) and Carlos Reynoso of Mis Tacones
Whatâs the best way to make connections in a new city? Some people join clubs or sports teams. Others scroll through Tinder and Instagram. When Carlos Reynoso and Polo Abram Bañuelos moved to Portland from Los Angeles six years ago, they made tacos.Â
âWe were looking for other brown queer individuals who could relate to us and make friends,â Bañuelos explains. âGrowing up in the kitchen with my aunt and momâeveryone just laughing and jokingâthat s the feeling I want to give people when they come to visit us.âÂ
This Pearl District Mexican restaurant is known for its handmade corn tortillas, lovingly made by Janet Vargas, or Doña Chapis as sheâs known to the kitchen staff. Vargas combines multiple colors of Three Sisters Nixtamal masaâblue, green, white, yellowâto create multicolored tortillas. Then, she nestles queso oaxaca from Salemâs Don Froylan Creamery inside the tortilla, plus your optional choice of guisado: piquant pollo enchilado, rich cochinita pibil, or earthy champiñones. Dip each bite in nutty, toasty salsa macha (an oil-based blend of peanuts, sesame, garlic, and chileâsee the recipe here) or salsa de aguacate (think a light, creamy, mildly spicy guacamole). Enjoy your quesadillas on Repúblicaâs airy patio, or take them to go.Â
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