Dine at T9

taqueria nueve

“Anyone know a good HVAC professional that would enjoy trading some expertise for delicious tacos and margaritas?”

Back in July, on a particularly hot night, the air conditioning unit at Portland’s Taqueria Nueve decided to give out. It was Saturday night and the customers were sweating alongside their margaritas- the owners were forced to shut their doors early, and they needed help quick. They reached out on Facebook, asking their friends and followers “Anyone know a good HVAC professional that would enjoy trading some expertise for delicious tacos and margaritas?” Julie, who was hip to the fact that “T9” (as the cool kids call it) pumps out some delicious fare, jumped right on the opportunity and messaged them Rick’s cell phone number. They gave Rick a call and he went out there Sunday morning, having the AC unit up and running before the taco hungry crowds rolled in, oblivious to the whole debacle.

Since then, the Wiggins family have become even bigger fans of Taqueria Nueve, having sampled most of their menu which reaches far beyond tacos and margaritas (though I still don’t suggest missing out on either of those things).  The freshness and flavor of their meat and seafood heavy menu is unmatched in this town by a Mexican restaurant in this price range. While elsewhere you might end up stuffing yourself with tortilla chips and guacamole, T9 encourages patrons to accompany their entrees with more interesting and delicious things, like their yucca root fritters, which come with an awesome dipping sauce, or their Caesar con Ceviche, which is an immensely popular caesar salad topped with lime-marinated seafood.

Whether you go for the margs or the meats, the salad or the seafood, you’ll feel welcomed and have a great time. And don’t forget to save room for dessert, as their tres leches cake is unbelievable. Taqueria Nueve is located at 727 Southeast Washington Street in Portland. They are open 5-10 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9 pm Sunday and closed Monday.