¿Por Qué No?

¿Por Qué No? has two locations in Portland, though the one I visited is located on SE Hawthorne Boulevard, which is a 21-minute drive from La Salle.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, I was worried by the line that stretched out the door. This being said, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the line progressed.

As the line moved along, a server came to us and asked what we would like to drink. A few moments later, the server reappeared with the drinks we ordered so that we could sip on our beverages while we looked at the menu.

I ordered the pineapple lemonade to drink. I enjoyed the lemonade a lot because it didn’t taste like it was made from powder and I could tell real pineapple was used to make it.

After ordering we chose to sit inside, though the restaurant has patio seating available as well. 

The decorations inside were very rustic. There were also many brightly colored paintings and decorations hanging around the restaurant.

Almost immediately after we sat down a server came to give us the chips, salsa, and guacamole we ordered. The warm tortilla chips and salsa were a crowd pleaser for my family.

Shortly after, our food was served.

My family was all happy with the food they ordered, but my carnitas tamale left something to be desired. 

I’m not someone who handles spicy sauces very well. When my tamale came out, it was covered in a spicy salsa that ended up being the only thing I could taste in my first bite. 

After the initial bite, I ended up scraping off the salsa as best I could to actually taste my food. When I did this, I actually enjoyed the tamale and discovered its great flavor.

The tamale also came with beans and rice.

I liked the rice a lot and it ended up being my favorite part of the dish. The beans, on the other hand, had a slightly funky taste to them that I did not enjoy.

Of everything I ate, I would recommend getting the chips and salsa, the pineapple lemonade, and the tamale, with the knowledge that it will come out with a spicy salsa on it. I would not recommend the beans.

All in all, I enjoyed the food enough to visit again, but I felt it lacked a sense of homeyness I often enjoy in restaurants.

La Costita Mexican Restaurant

La Costita is located on SE Sunnyside Road and is a 12-minute drive from La Salle.

This restaurant was decorated with soft colors and lots of mosaics and other tiles.

The restaurant was not crowded and we got seated immediately. I liked this because it didn’t feel as though we were bumping elbows with the other customers around us.

While we were looking over the menu, our server brought us complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa was mild enough for me to enjoy, and we went through three baskets of warm tortilla chips.

The server we had was extremely kind and very attentive. She checked on us multiple times to refill the chips and ask us if we needed anything else.

I was unimpressed with the lemonade I ordered, as it was just a regular fountain drink.

While looking through the menu, the prices of their food struck me as slightly expensive. The steak fajitas I ordered were $20.

This being said, the portions were fairly large and I ended up taking home about half of the steak, rice, and refried beans. The leftovers warmed up well and made a good lunch the next day.

My favorite part about ordering fajitas is that you get to build them yourself, and the meat and peppers were served on a sizzling skillet. The restaurant did not disappoint in this aspect.

This being said, the pepper to steak ratio was a little off; I got lots of steak with a very minimal amount of pepper slices, which was a bummer.

I also felt that the amount of guacamole and pico de gallo that came with the fajitas was quite small. I thought that they both tasted really good and wished that I had gotten just a little more of each.

Overall, the food was average as far as traditional Mexican food goes, and the atmosphere of the restaurant felt as though you were eating over at a friend’s house.

El Zalsoso

Out of all the restaurants I visited, I would say that this is the one most worth visiting. 

El Zalsoso is located on SE 82nd Avenue, and is a quick three-minute drive from La Salle.

When you walk into the restaurant, you are immediately immersed in its vibrant, upbeat environment. 

The walls of the small restaurant are decorated in colorful murals with papel picado, which are colorful paper banners strung from the ceiling. The decorations along with the upbeat Hispanic music playing at all times create a positive atmosphere that makes you want to spend as much time there as possible. 

When ordering food, you walk straight to the counter on the back wall of the restaurant where the owner takes your order with a welcoming smile. The owner was happy to answer my questions about the menu and recommend his favorite dishes.

The restaurant hand makes their corn tortillas and makes their refried beans and Mexican rice fresh in the restaurant.

I ordered the carne asada street taco combo along with a coconut horchata. If you’re a fan of tacos, I recommend getting this meal. The steak in the tacos was tender with lots of flavor and the rice and beans that come with the meal are some of the best I’ve had.

Made with real coconut and the perfect sweetness, the coconut horchata was worth the purchase.

I also appreciated the fact that they had a range of spice levels for their salsas. The mild salsa is perfect for those who like the flavor of salsa but can’t handle the burning sensation of spicy ones. The medium is perfect for those who enjoy something with a little spice without being excessive, and the hot salsa had enough of a kick to satisfy my father who is always saying salsas aren’t spicy enough for him.

For the upcoming holiday season, the restaurant will be adding tamales to its menu. They will also be adding fish tacos and enchiladas to the regular menu as they have had many requests to do so.

Because of the quality food, the quick service, and the welcoming environment, this restaurant will be my go-to for traditional Mexican food in the future.