Mis Tacones
Mis Tacones is a Chicano and queer-owned vegan taquería in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Description
Michael Russell of The Oregonian has described Mis Tacones as a "Chicano and queer-owned vegan taco pop-up". He wrote in 2022, "The colorful new restaurant serves nourishing tacos, tortas, French fry nachos, burritos and chimichangas made with house-made seitan instead of meat, plus delightfully rainbow-hued conchas from vegan bakery La Casa De Mamá. Mis Tacones remains focused on Portland's LGBTQ community, including by offering free meals to trans people of color." The owners were inspired to provide free food to trans people of color after visiting Gay4U, a vegan restaurant run by Cellphone in Oakland, California.According to Waz Wu of Eater Portland, Mis Tacones' tortillas are "hand-pressed to order, then filled with extra juicy al pastor, asada, and cilantro-lime-marinated house-made seitan, dressed with chipotle crema and salsas". The menu also includes empanadas and meatless asada.
History
Mis Tacones launched as a vegan pop-up restaurant in 2016. Carlos Reynoso and Polo Abram Bañuelos began making tacos in Portland after relocating from Los Angeles. Inspired by street food in Baja California and Los Angeles, the duo made seitan tacos and other foods at private dinners, Saturday markets, and queer dance events. The operation was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the business operated at the gay bar Local Lounge, which was hosting outdoor drag shows.In January 2022, the owners announced plans to open a brick and mortar restaurant on Killingsworth Street in northeast Portland's Vernon neighborhood in February. The duo had launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the initial $50,000 needed to run a larger operation.
Reception
Waz Wu included Mis Tacones in Eater PortlandMis Tacones was a runner-up in the Best Mexican Restaurant and ranked second in the Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant category of Willamette Week annual 'Best of Portland' readers' poll in 2024.