xxx

I'll be staying up in the Pacific Northwest (splitting time between Seattle & Portland) for the summer. Does any one have any recommendations for good Mexican restaurants? Thanks for any insight on this matter.

Topper

Doesn't anyone have any favorites up that direction? Or should I plan on steering clear of the Mexican food and just dream of having at good taco dinner when I get home to San Diego at the end of the summer?

Christie

I'm from Texas, and I love Mexican food, but as a general rule, I don't eat it north of the Mason-Dixon line. The only exception I've found yet is a good Mexican place in Lexington, KY.

How about trying some regional cuisine, such as salmon, while you're up there?

xxx

Christie - Thanks for your suggestion, but I'm highly allergic to shellfish and don't care for salmon. I was just hoping to be able to find a decent place to cure my cravings for tacos and enchiladas while up in that region.

John

For years Seattle and Portland were Mexican food challenged (I recall that there was precisely one decent Mexican restaurant in Seattle up to the mid-1970s.) The situation in Seattle has improved somewhat, but there's still nowhere the choice or quality one can expect reliably in the SW or California. The exceptions are some taquerias in various places, especially in the agricultural areas of eastern Washington, and a few places scattered around the bigger towns. In Seattle we like Beso del Sol in the Wallingford neighborhood and Rosita's at Greenlake. El Camino, near the Lenin statue in Fremont, is trendy and pretty and a little self conscious, but okay IMO. It's not Mexican, but Copacabana at the Pike Market is a landmark serving wonderful Bolivian food with a view over the tops of the shoppers in Pike Place below.

Can't speak for Portland. How about a nice steak at the Ringside?