La Panza Cafe

Honestly, when I heard there was a New Mexican restaurant by me, my only thought was, «but does it have the right chile?» And, to my delight, it does. Turns out the food is pretty great too! I’ve been sorely missing some New Mexican food in my life since moving, and this definitely helps fill that void. Highly recommend the green chile cheese fries for an appetizer. Only complaint was the green chile was pretty mild, but didn’t think to ask if they offered a hotter serving. Red chile had nice warmth and flavor to it too.

Amazingly nice people and great food. It doesn’t matter what meal I eat here breakfast, lunch and dinner are great. They have Christmas chilies and sopapillas… very New Mexican. Also the staff and owners are very thoughtful and incredibly nice, no disaffected hipsters serving at this great joint.

La Panza will make your day feel like Christmas. Especially if you get all of your food with both red and green sauces. Neither is to be missed. The red is rich and complex. The green is pure Hatch without being overly acidic. Brunch is a special set of treats with no wait at all (and just a few steps from the over-​crowded Broder). The perfectly seasoned beans, perfectly browned potatoes, generous garnishes of cheese, and hot homemade sauces will leave your belly full and your whole body (and heart!) happy all day. This place is a gem.
Don’t be fooled by its location in a small strip shared with a Plaid Pantry. There is ample outside seating on a relatively quiet intersection of Division. The interior is cozy and cheerful with simple yet festive décor. 90’s R&B jams keep the party going but the loudest things in the room are the margarita machine and the lively open kitchen. Piensa en La Panza next time you’re hungry!

Well, I went back again and had to wait a little while for the table and got to watch the cooks at work in the kitchen. Everything that was coming out of that kitchen looked outstanding. I was in the mood for my favorite meal which is breakfast and had the huevos rancheros. They were excellent. The horchata was good also and the service was excellent. I’ll be back to try more dishes!

Today we found a slice of New Mexico food heaven in Portland! The food was AMAZING. It was like being back home! We got the chili cheese fries and stuffed sopapilla, Christmas of course I needed to try both the red and the green! It was delicious! Andy the owner was super nice and welcoming, he came over to the table and we talked of everything New Mexico, he and I were both born and raised there! I will most definitely be returning and getting my New Mexico fix! The server was also great! The music was good and it was cozy in the restaurant! Thank you Andy!

Where’s the beef? Theres only a semblance of flavor anywhere. I guess what all the preachy folks (who are schooling us that New Mexican is NOT TexMex or Mexican) are trying to say is: «Its super great Mexican-​ish food like Olive Garden is…»
Guacamole with no zip, chipotle with no kick, Heavy chips to scoop tomato and onions (oh, thats salsa). Had the Enchiladas with both green and red chile sauce. RED as can be… NO flavor! Posole: I would have gambled real money that it was a can of Hominy with some canned Pinto beans.
Not only that, but driving up to it… bummer. Its the right half of a Plaid Pantry. Pretty chilly. The service (bless his heart for trying) was terrible. Prickly Pear Margarita… good, right? out of a frozen machine… probably from a fraternity. And the space is gross, small and I couldn’t wait to get outta there.

Will come back. I just moved here from Albuquerque and I miss the food. The place is kinda small, but very nice

I’m happy!
I’m from New Mexico. My family has been in New Mexico since Coronado came as an explorer. My family is also in the restaurant business in Albuquerque. I’m very picky with places that claim to offer authentic New Mexican food. And, I tell you what, I’m happy.
l did exactly what I always do whenever I try out a new New Mexican restaurant. I simply had cheese enchiladas with a fried egg cooked over medium and red chile. It was excellent. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t hip. It was good home cooked New Mexican food. This is exactly the type of dinner that I would make for myself. Everything was cooked perfect. This surprised me. I’ve been disappointed with New Mexican restaurants in so many other places in the country. But, I have to say, this is the best authentic traditional New Mexican restaurant outside of New Mexico that I’ve ever eaten at. In fact, it’s so good that I think it would thrive in New Mexico itself.
The only concern that I had was that the red wasn’t cooked with meat. Normally when the red chile is cooked you would brown a small amount of cubed steak in the pot before you added the liquid. This provides a depth and richness to the flavor of the red chile. Somehow, the owner/​chef has discovered a way of making his red chile taste just as good without the meat (or the lenten tricks of fried flour or potato). I don’t know how he does it. All I know is that he deserves an award for the feat. I will be going back many, many times to this restaurant. I’ll tell everyone I know about it. I want this place to be a grand success. It is deserved.

Authentic New Mexican cuisine outside NM! The tacos are delightful as are the blue corn pinion pancakes. Highly recommend a trip to this ace if you need a green chile fix, or are curious what great NM good tastes like.

Hit this place just once for brunch, but left very satisfied. The green sauce they have here is so tasty, a deep burn that you feel in your mouth for a while in a very special way. I had the enchiladas with two eggs, it also had great pintos and an excellent warmed tortilla to feast on the goods with, which i certainly enjoyed a bunch, but oh man if you like spicy in your food, that green sauce on top is so good. Coffee is lovely as well.

Based off other reviews, I may need to give La Panza a second chance. Came here over the summer and service was great, outdoor seating, busy little spot, but the food was bland. The plates were big portions, and SO vibrant that it looked like it would be bursting w/​flavor, but both of our dishes were really bland. We asked for salsa and dumped that on it to add some spice and flavor. Was kind of a bummer and also seemed so strange considering how busy they were, the reviews and how colorful the plates where. We both ordered enchiladas, one w/​green sauce, and other w/​red.

Hooray green chili! Yes, it’s Hatch, yes it’s New Mexican — no it’s not Tex-​Mex, or «Mexican», it’s NEW Mexican — and folks there is a difference.
As any of the New Mexico transplants will tell you — this is the real deal. Finally, I can have the one thing I miss about NM (the food), right here in the Pacific NW. YIPPEE!!!
Green chili cheese fries are a must. Posole with a vegetarian option (yippee!!)
A few notes: The red AND green chili are vegetarian (that is something you don’t always have an option for in NM). Always order «Christmas» (both red and green chili), and a puffy sopapilla comes along for the ride. Can not wait to go back.

I spent two years living in New Mexico, when I left they said I would never get the taste of Green Chile out of me. It’s true. I went here for dinner trying to satisfy my cravings. The good was really good! I don’t eat meat, and I was pleased to see that they had vegetarian options on the menu inclouding pozole. They also had the best Green Chile Cheese Fries I have ever had! Instead of melted cheese they used a cheese sauce that was great! It didn’t taste like fake plasticity cheese at all. The green chile was good and spicy, and the red had great flavor (pro tip, red is the mild one).
The cocktails were standard and overpriced. I would skip those next time. However the server was very friendly and took time to chat with us! I can’t wait to back!

If you are a fan of New Mexican food, this is the closest you will come to finding it. They have authentic red and green chili and the enchiladas are fantastic. Service was great and very friendly!

La Panza is home cookin’ right out of northern New Mexico! Enchiladas, tacos, burritos, and sopapillas (if you don’t know what these are or have never tried them-​go get some at La Panza), and of course, flan for dessert! Red or green chile spells yummy!
A small hole in the wall, with just a few tables, but quaint. And, the owner is actually the chef behind the grill! What more could you ask for! You won’t be disappointed, so put it on your list of places to eat!

Went here for breakfast and we were excited to try something different. The place is quite small but fairly comfortable. If you don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, sit outside. There was one waitress doing it all and she was very busy. She did a great job considering the circumstances. I have to say though, the food what mediocre, at best, and the portions were small. It wasn’t a disappointment necessarily, but I can’t see us going back.

We had dinner the other night at La Panza (on National Tequila Day as it happens, although or server didn’t know…). It’s around the corner and we had heard a lot about it. Finally found the time to go.
First of all, the building is a tough spot for a restaurant. In a small (50’s?) strip paired with a Plaid Pantry, La Panza is stuck back in the corner with the dumpsters in front in the parking lot. They have done a nice job of trying to create some outdoor seating with plants and a screen to hide the dumpsters. But it doesn’t look inviting from a distance.
The Menu is small, with a few select entrees and salads. There are plenty of ways to make a meal though since all of their sides are available ala carte. We each had a margarita (NTD!) and while I liked the Tamarind that my wife ordered, the bright fuschia color and sweetness of the Prickly Pear didn’t do it for me. The La Panza Gold was good though; tasted just like the fresh squeezed lime of the margs we make at home.
The food was fine if unexciting. The beans had a nice bite to them, obviously not from a can. But they lacked flavor. I had the New Mexcan Burrito with both sauces and again, while it was good, it lacked a certain vitality. I’ve had better from carts around town. My wife had the enchiladas which she ate, but didn’t comment on. Usually a sign that something is just Meh.
I would say that if you don’t want to wait in line at Por Que No and Los Gorditos or Lindo Michoacan are too far away, La Panza is a good fall back when you need a chile fix.

Hello and good salutations! Tonight I traveled to Latin America to indulge at La Panza Café, located in the SE right on the corner of 26^th and division.
The restaurant has a small feel, with limited space on the inside and a cool yet awkward dining area on the outside. (Right next to plaid pantry).
My appetizer was chips and salsa with chipotle, tomatillo, pico, and guacamole sauce. All very fresh and robust flavors to dive into and savor. Next I kept it light with the NW Chop salad. This dish consisted of of finely shredded lettuce, corn, tomato, green chilí and, homemade corn tortilla flakes for a solid crunch. Drizzled with a lime vinaigrette the salad with just sub-​par in my review.
As for overall the La Panza Café gets three stars for my my review. The ingredients were basic, but very well put together.
#CheapEats2015

It was a Friday night and Sue, myself and a friend were looking to go out for dinner. I was tasked in finding the place to go. Cheap Eats guide from the Willamette helped me out and Unilocal sealed the deal. La Panza Café and some New Mexican cuisine would be our final destination.
The Stuffed Sopaipilla ($ 11.25) is one of the best things I have put into my mouth in Portland in a long time. Sopaipilla filled with chile, cheese and your choice of beans, calabacitas, carne asada or chicken. Topped with red or green chile. Served with pork posole and pinto beans.
I had the carne asada and my chile went Christmas style (red and green is the way to go). I paired that with a Prickly Pear Margarita and that meal was just phenomenal.
There are a few things that weren’t quite right, but that doesn’t deter from my 4 star review as I’m not from NM and I have only been there once. My co-​worker has spent significant time there (he lived there, but isn’t from there) and was disappointed that this place charges you for chips and salsa (it’s a Portland thing, I know) and they also don’t offer carne adovada.
I was quite happy with my meal and I know we will be back.

The panda was quite ecstatic when discovering that the owner was from Santa Fe. Although there have been other places in the past (namely Pepper Box) that have served New Mexican cuisine, very few places overall have brought real New Mexico red and green chile to Portland.
Many of the dishes come with your choice of New Mexico green chile or red chile. If you can’t decide, get both (dubbed «Christmas» style). I wonder if this place will get fresh pods when pod season goes in full swing.
I started my fluffy panda adventure with Mexican hot chocolate ($ 4). Rich and delicious, fresh whipped cream on top.
For breakfast, I got the breakfast burrito, Christmas style, with bacon. Because bacon makes everything better. The breakfast burrito otherwise just contains scrambled eggs and cheese. Pinto beans and hash browns on the side. Very good, colorful presentation.
Sopaipillas are large pillows of dough, a larger version of beignets from New Orleans (without a ton of powdered sugar on them).
For lunch, Green Chile Cheeseburger all the way ($ 10.95). The beef is 100% ground chuck and cooked to your liking (for me, it was cooked medium). The burger has the usual toppings and uses a sesame seed bun. The burger comes with a side of fries.
The burger is served open-​faced so that the mound of green chiles stare right at you. People around me raved about the burger and wanted one of their own. Pandas love to hypnotize others with food porn.
Excellent burger. The beef patty was wonderfully delicate overall and extremely juicy. The bun felt like it had been toasted ever so slightly, a nice plus if so. In hindsight, I probably would have asked for mustard or hot sauce to bring everything together.
On the other hand, the fries were limp and only slightly crunchy. Maybe make smaller batches or hotter oil? I dunno.
At the end of the day, I consider myself more of a green chile fan.
Good coffee here. It’s $ 3, but free refills. The panda got his share of liquid caffeine and walked out very energetic.
Need more of these places in PDX!