Downtown Woodburn is well known for its Mexican restaurants, but one offers a little something different than the classic menu of tacos and burritos. Enter Paleteria Y Neveria El Paisanito and you’re met with an all-snack menu that transforms a humble bag of corn chips into a tostiloco, a decadent snack topped with cueritos (pickled pig skins), cucumber, jicama, chamoy and hot sauce.
It’s the sort of street snack that begs to be eaten messily and is sure to make you crave it again, which is why in Spanish these types of snacks are called antojitos, literally “little cravings.” These popular street snacks have found their way into several shops in Oregon that cater exclusively to these treats.
As a Salvadoran American, I know the powerful attraction to anything dusted with Tajín, a chili-lime seasoning popular in Latino snack culture. While I wasn’t exposed to tostilocos in my youth, I was never shy to ask my parents for the dollar or two needed to get a Mexican paleta (popsicle) or fruit cups sprinkled with Tajín.
Today I don’t have to wait for the paletero (ice cream man) to come around to get my snack fix. Oregon has endless options to satisfy your cravings for creamy and refreshing popsicles, chili-lime-dusted elotes, bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dogs, and so much more.
“We try to make sure that people feel that closeness to Mexico,” says Esmeralda Rios, daughter of the owners of El Paisanito, “even though we’re almost 2,000 miles away.”
Here’s where to enjoy these tasty snacks across Oregon.
Icy Treats With Spicy Twists
El Paisanito is a mainstay of Woodburn’s Mexican community. The family-run business started with a dream and a small storefront in Hubbard, just a few miles from Woodburn in 2006. With her husband and seven children, Bertha Gomez would take a weekly expedition to a Mexican paleteria four hours away to purchase and stock her store. When that became too much, she took to the drawing board — coming up with her own recipes for popsicles and ice cream flavors. Through trial and error, the recipes came to life.
These imaginative creations take many forms these days, all still made in-house by the family. The expansive menu offers ice cream scoops and sundaes with flavors like cheese curd and arroz con leche (rice pudding) and classic icy treats like mangonadas, a slushy mango treat topped with ribbons of spicy chewy candy, Tajín, chamoy and a tamarind stick. The popsicles are a refreshing treat on a hot day. Try a water-based flavor packed with chunks of fresh fruit like strawberry-kiwi or lime, or opt for a creamy version like a walnut-packed popsicle.
For more frosty creations, travel south to Salem to try shaved ice at Loncheria Y Antojitos El Perico. Broaden your horizons with a diablito, a shaved-ice treat with many of the same toppings as a mangonada, or order El Hulk, a variation of the diablito infused with tamarind and an energy drink and topped with fresh watermelon and watermelon string candy. Fruit lovers will want to try the Unicorn, a blend of frozen mango, vanilla ice cream and strawberry shaved ice, topped with a popsicle, fresh fruit, a chocolate bar, whipped cream and gummy worms. Alcoholic versions are available for an extra kick.
Not looking for spice? La Michoacana Plus in Medford serves refreshing ice cream flavors like cucumber, tres leches and Gansito, the popular cake snack (think Mexican Twinkie). Also try its fresas con crema, or strawberries with cream, which is exactly as it sounds — fresh strawberries mixed into a sweet and milky sauce.
Savory Snacks From Mexican Hot Dogs to Roasted Corn
If you’re looking to shake up your hot dog game, look for the Sonoran hot dog, the Mexican twist on the quintessential American dog. Originating in Sonora, Mexico, it has found popularity in the U.S., typically sold outside stadiums and venues by dogueros, or hot dog stands. They are a rarity to find in Portland, but if you’ve ever stepped out of a game at the Moda Center or a concert at the Roseland Theater, you’ve likely been tempted by the smells of grilled, bacon-wrapped hot dogs.
Luckily, ¡Chayo! has these doggies on the menu year-round at its food truck located on Southeast Division, so you don’t have to wait to find a freestanding doguero to get your fix. Its classic Sonoran is topped with caramelized and raw onions, pickled jalapeños, diced tomatoes, mustard and, finally, crema. Take more of a meaty bite with their Ay Chihuahua, which adds carne asada and some avocado salsa.
Travel 23 miles west from Portland to Hillsboro on a weekend afternoon and head to the M&M Marketplace, one of the area’s largest flea markets, to try its selection of food vendors offering fresh fruit cups — with and without chili-lime flavoring — and spiralized fried-potato sticks. Roasted corn served on the cob (elotes) or in a cup (esquite-style) come complete with all the fixings of mayonnaise, cotija cheese and hot sauce. Go with the flow or browse the directory to see more info on the food vendors.
Imaginative and Tempting Sweet Snacks
If something sweet is more your vibe, Don Bigote in Salem pays homage to the tantalizing churro in various forms. Stay true to the classic or order it stuffed with chocolate, strawberry or caramel. Opt for a churro sandwich, akin to an ice cream sandwich, or a churro lollipop if you don’t want your hands full of cinnamon-sugar goodness. Don’t overlook its crepe menu: Creations include La Bigote, a strawberry-banana-Nutella-filled crepe topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
In Southeast Portland, Pica Drip offers mini pancakes hot off the griddle — order in 15 or 40 bite-size pieces — topped with a variety of flavors like strawberry tres leches and banana dulce de leche. Freshly made aguas frescas (fruit juices) are a must-try, as well. Keep an eye on Instagram for special weekly flavors from cucumber lime or strawberry hibiscus to the more daring pickled sangria, topped with — you guessed it — fresh pickles.
For a serving of fresh fruit, order the Bionico at El Limoncito Antojitos Mexicanos in Astoria on the Oregon Coast. This popular fruit dessert — just one of many on the menu — consists of myriad fresh fruits drizzled with sweet condensed milk, granola and shredded coconut. It’s refreshing after street tacos or Maruchan Preparadas, a cup of ramen noodles with melted cheese, Takis, corn and more.
If you’re still thinking about tostilocos, head to Hood River’s TropiCali Fruit for a version with a fruit base instead of chips. Their sandias lokas (literally “crazy watermelons”) layer fresh fruit and cucumber drenched in sweet and spicy chamoy sauce, Japanese peanuts and tamarind candy in a scooped-out watermelon bowl.
Beyond Mexico to More Latin American Snacks
Though the majority of Oregon’s Latino population is of Mexican descent, I’d be remiss not to include some equally delicious food carts and restaurants from other Latino cultures to showcase their nationality’s own treats in Oregon.
In Portland head to downtown’s Midtown Beer Garden food-cart pod, where El Pilón offers Colombian bites like yuca fries and pandebono, a popular cheesy bread. In the Springwater food-cart pod in Southeast Portland, La Migueleña serves traditional Salvadoran empanadas, a version made of fried plantains rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with a sweet milk filling.
Heading to Troutdale? Tita’s Kitchen has a menu full of Peruvian delights. If you’re just feeling snackish, order the small salchipapa plate. This perfect nibble is french fries mixed with sliced sausages and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard and special sauce. Cuban flavors take over at Cuban Kitchen in Bend. Start with an appetizer before your meal with fried sweet plantains, smashed into tostones for a crispier bite.
