Los Portales Mexican Grill has been open on North Green River Road since 2007, but in September, former chef Mario Jacobo bought the restaurant with co-owner Alex Quiroz.
“Mario and I went together to buy the restaurant,” said Quiroz. Jacobo, nephew of the former owner, Melvin Ortez, who owns other Mexican restaurants in the area. “The business stayed in the same family,” said Quiroz. The menu remains the same as well.
The interior of Los Portales is very bright and open with its vibrantly colored walls. The hand-painted murals depict traditional Mexican foods being grown and harvested.
The full bar that sparkles in one corner is one feature that sets Los Portales apart from most local Mexican eateries.
Another difference is that the fish dishes are prepared with basa catfish, a firm, white fish that resembles flounder, rather than the more common tilapia. I prefer basa and can’t wait to return to Los Portales to try the fish tacos.
A final difference is the mixed fresh vegetables available as a side item in addition to the more common beans, rice, and salad.
I began my visit munching on chips and salsa as I waited for my entrée to arrive. The mild salsa had a smooth texture and was flavorful with a bit of fresh cilantro and an interesting bite of black pepper. I requested a bowl of hot salsa made with dried chilies, and my server brought it to me promptly. It was by far the hottest salsa I’ve had in Evansville. I finished the bowl of salsa with my chips, but it nearly did me in. On the upside, it inspired me to order a frozen margarita (the daily special was $5.99), which was very good with a decent amount of tequila.
I judge Mexican restaurants mainly on two things—their hot salsa and the chile verde, my favorite Mexican dish of slow-cooked pork shoulder in a tangy green tomatillo sauce. Until now, my favorite chili verde has been from Los Bravos. I like the meat soft and shredded, not in cubes, which tend to be chewy and less flavorful in my opinion. So I was absolutely thrilled with Los Portales’s chile verde ($8.99) was a pile of large, shredded chunks of non-fatty pork that had been browned until nice and crispy around the edges and was topped with just the right amount of fresh green salsa. It was the best chile verde I have ever tasted.
The beans and rice that accompanied the dish were of average good quality, but the rice held the added interest of bits of corn, peas, and carrots scattered throughout.
I was too stuffed for dessert, but the gentleman sitting at the table next to me said he was from Brazil and suggested I try Los Portales magnificent tres leches cake, a moist dessert of white cake doused with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. I’ll have to save that to top off my fish tacos during my next visit.
Los Portales is located 3339 Green River Road, in the Schnuck’s shopping center. They can be reached at (812) 475-0566. Their hours are Mon.–Thu. 11:00 a.m. –9:30 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 11:00 a.m. –10:00 p.m.; and Sun. 11:00 a.m. –9:00 p.m.
