Thursday, August 8, 2013

PDX:  RED OR GREEN? 

THE PEPPER BOX

I have returned from a long absence with a place worthy of high praise.  A mere 10 minute stroll from the Crowne plaza in PDX, the Pepper Box is the real deal.

I had never overnighted in PDX, and I love breakfast.  I did a quick search for "best breakfast Portland Oregon" and the Pepper box was the first on the list. As it was the closest place to the hotel I decided to give it a try.

Jim, the owner and chef at the Pepper Box, is from Albuquerque and knows his stuff.   He specializes in breakfast tacos and they are some of the best tacos that I have ever had, period.

Now, I am jaded when it comes to Mexican food.  I was introduced to "New Mexico" style many years ago and I love it.  The ingredients are much the same as other Mexican food, but almost everything is smothered in either a red or green chile sauce. It's GOOD, very good.  Finding it outside of New Mexico is definitely not easy.  The Food that Jim makes is real New Mexico style.

I tried the "original".  Eggs, skin-potatoes, house-made Chorizo and Cheddar all came nestled in a Tortilla that Jim makes fresh daily. Oh and of course I chose "green"

Now Jim calls this a "taco", but it's HUGE.  It's definitely the size of a small burrito.  The taco and a coffee came to $5.  Amazing can't begin to describe the flavors.  Cheap is an understatement.  I probably shouldn't say that, Jim will raise the prices.

Even though I was quite full I decided to get another taco to bring with me on the redeye back to JFK.  Jim had a special, smoked brisket stewed in green chile sauce, pinto beans and fresh crema.



I didn't make it out of my room.  Ahhhhh, Mexican home cooking.


Check the pepper box out when you are in PDX.  To get there, take a left out of the hotel and then a quick right onto N Weidler St.  Go up to Martin Luther King Jr BLVD and make a left.  The pepper box is just past Russel St on the left.

http://pepperboxpdx.com/