Restaurant in Portland area that is like El Pollo Loco
April 1, 2015 5:08 PM
You move from place to place in life, and you miss the weird things you could only find in your old locations.
I miss cheap Chinese food from San Francisco, but I've found something close here. I miss In & Out, but Boardwalk Burgers is a close enough proximity to get me by.
But I miss my El Pollo Loco from my SoCal days!! There was the actual chain, and also lots of local places that sold that kind of chicken w/Mexican sides.
Is there any place like that in Portland, or Vancouver, or driving distance from either?
I miss cheap Chinese food from San Francisco, but I've found something close here. I miss In & Out, but Boardwalk Burgers is a close enough proximity to get me by.
But I miss my El Pollo Loco from my SoCal days!! There was the actual chain, and also lots of local places that sold that kind of chicken w/Mexican sides.
Is there any place like that in Portland, or Vancouver, or driving distance from either?
It looks like Pollo Loco is marinated and grilled, not rotisserie. My understanding is that style of chicken is from around Monterrey (or at least, the places serving it in my neck of the woods all advertise it as regiomontano/Monterrey-style) which might be helpful searching.
(The closest thing my googling has been able to turn up is this place in the Seattle area, which is probably too far to be useful…)
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:28 PM on April 1, 2015
(The closest thing my googling has been able to turn up is this place in the Seattle area, which is probably too far to be useful…)
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:28 PM on April 1, 2015
Sigh. I know your pain. There was an El Pollo Loco out in Gresham in a parking lot next to a Freddies. It was doomed, and I knew it at the time, but hot damn was it great when I could get out there and pick that up.
My cheating way of doing this at home is doing a whole chicken the Zuni cafe way, making some amazing salsa and serving with refried beans, rice and fresh tortillas.
(But, I make regular trips back to Southern California and Cardenas Market's chicken beats El Pollo Loco every day. It's a rotisserie chicken that's been brined ahead of time.)
However: El Inka in Gresham may serve your needs. I now need to try Pollo Norte and see if it's a comparison.
posted by msamye at 9:11 PM on April 1, 2015
My cheating way of doing this at home is doing a whole chicken the Zuni cafe way, making some amazing salsa and serving with refried beans, rice and fresh tortillas.
(But, I make regular trips back to Southern California and Cardenas Market's chicken beats El Pollo Loco every day. It's a rotisserie chicken that's been brined ahead of time.)
However: El Inka in Gresham may serve your needs. I now need to try Pollo Norte and see if it's a comparison.
posted by msamye at 9:11 PM on April 1, 2015
Thank you! It's good to know I'm not alone, and it is weird what you end up missing.
I was in Philadelphia for 9 months once, and still miss Rita's water ice. I know that doesn't exist anywhere else!
And Italian Beef Sandwiches (the Illinois way) omg, I'd pay a premium price for one of those.
posted by MoxieProxy at 8:38 AM on April 2, 2015
I was in Philadelphia for 9 months once, and still miss Rita's water ice. I know that doesn't exist anywhere else!
And Italian Beef Sandwiches (the Illinois way) omg, I'd pay a premium price for one of those.
posted by MoxieProxy at 8:38 AM on April 2, 2015
For an Italian Beef sandwich:
Michael’s Italian Beef & Sausage Co.
1111 SE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97214
posted by blob at 6:10 PM on April 2, 2015
Michael’s Italian Beef & Sausage Co.
1111 SE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97214
posted by blob at 6:10 PM on April 2, 2015
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Open Tuesday – Sunday, 11AM – 10PM | 5427 NE 42nd Ave Portland, OR 97218
503.287.0669 | info@pollonorte.com
posted by blob at 6:04 PM on April 1, 2015