Papi Chulo's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Papi Chulo's |
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Interior of Papi Chulo's in January 2021
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | December 7, 2019 |
| Current owner(s) | Ramzy Hattar |
| Head chef | Antonio Javier Palma Caceres |
| Food type | Mexican |
| Street address | 611 Northwest 13th Avenue |
| City | Portland |
| County | Multnomah |
| State | Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′39″N 122°41′04″W / 45.5275°N 122.6844°W |
Papi Chulo's is a popular Mexican restaurant in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon. It's known as a taqueria, which means it specializes in delicious tacos.
The restaurant was opened in December 2019 by restaurateur (a person who owns or manages restaurants) Ramzy Hattar. He worked with chef Antonio Javier Palma Caceres and Davide Bricca, who created the drinks. This team had already worked together at other nearby places owned by Hattar. Papi Chulo's serves many Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, nachos, and birria (a savory meat stew). They also have popular drinks like margaritas and micheladas (a beer cocktail).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Papi Chulo's kept serving customers through delivery and takeout. In 2020, they even announced plans to open a second restaurant in northeast Portland.
What Papi Chulo's Looks Like
Papi Chulo's is located on 13th Avenue in northwest Portland. It's described as a "colorful counter-service spot" with a fun design. The restaurant's look reminds people of similar places in California and Mexico.
Inside, you can see the kitchen because it has an "open-format" design. There are cool paintings on the walls, including one of the restaurant's name and another of a Corona bottle with a lime. Above the ordering counter, there's even a mounted marlin fish! Before the pandemic, Papi Chulo's was a popular spot for people looking for a late-night snack after visiting clubs and bars.
Tasty Food and Drinks on the Menu
Papi Chulo's offers a variety of Mexican dishes from different regions. Their menu includes:
- Tacos: They have many kinds, like Baja fish tacos (made with cod) and Yucatecan cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork).
- Other Dishes: You can also find burritos, nachos, and birria made with beef. They even have lengua (beef tongue) with spicy habanero peppers.
- Fresh Ingredients: Many dishes use special ingredients like chile de árbol (a type of chili pepper), consommé (a clear broth), queso blanco (white cheese), and salsa made with guajillo chili. Their tortillas are made fresh from "locally nixtamalized" (a special way to prepare corn) masa (corn dough).
For drinks, Papi Chulo's has:
- Margaritas: They serve margaritas right from a tap! One special margarita has a syrup made from five different types of peppers, including habaneros and poblanos. Another, called "Princesa," has strawberry syrup and lime juice.
- Micheladas and Bloody Marys: These drinks come with Tajín seasoning on the rim, which is a yummy chili-lime spice.
- Palomas: This popular Mexican drink, made with tequila and grapefruit soda, is also on the menu.
How Papi Chulo's Started
Papi Chulo's first opened its doors on December 7, 2019. It took over the spot where another restaurant called PBJ's Grilled used to be. Ramzy Hattar, the owner, also owns two other places nearby: River Pig Saloon and Two Wrongs.
Hattar decided to open a taco restaurant after another chain changed its plans to open in Portland. He announced the new restaurant, Papi Chulo's, in July 2019. The opening was a little delayed, as it was first planned for October 23.
Hattar opened Papi Chulo's with Antonio Javier Palma Caceres, who grew up in Yucatán and was the chef at River Pig. Davide Bricca, who managed drinks for River Pig and Two Wrongs, also joined the team. By February 2020, you could even order food from Papi Chulo's at Two Wrongs!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Papi Chulo's, River Pig, and Two Wrongs set up decorated and heated tents outside for customers. The street outside, NW 13th Avenue, was even closed to traffic to create a special outdoor dining area. Papi Chulo's also focused on delivery and takeout services. They hired their own staff for deliveries instead of using outside food delivery companies.
In October 2020, someone broke into the restaurant and took a safe.
Good news for taco lovers! In November 2020, plans were confirmed for a second Papi Chulo's. This new location will be in northeast Portland in a new area called Alberta Alley. It will have a similar menu and a shared courtyard for dining with other businesses.
