Heat from the Heart of Jalisco

There’s something exciting about a taco truck, especially a taco truck with a line eight diners deep at four o’clock in the afternoon. Named for a town in the Mexican state of Jalisco, family-owned Tacos Pihuamo has held court in Bend for the past decade, building a loyal following. “It’s simple, good food,” said owner and chef Elizabeth Lara.

Why the loyalty? Perhaps it’s the perfectly spiced birria — slow-stewed beef with chilis, and the sizzle of its adovada — pork braised tender with chilis and vinegar. Generations-old recipes for pollo, carne asada and carnitas are the bedrock of the menu, as well as homemade salsas — verde, creamy avocado, red and a pore-opening habañero. Authenticity does not preclude the occasional tweak — by ramping up the heat in a salsa, fine-tuning a braise or adjusting the sweetness of their fresh limeade. “We’re always perfecting the way we do things,” Lara said.

Patrons enjoy tall, cold bottles of Jarritos soda under a tent while waiting for their takeout. “It’s a meeting spot,” explained Lara. “Whether people meet up at the cart or run into each other, it’s a community.” A community in the making for more than a decade, regulars of Tacos Pihuamo gather during its limited opening hours, weekdays only from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., to enjoy the flavors of Mexico with new friends and old. 

FIND: 950 SE 3rd St, Bend | (541) 390-9992
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Photography by Arian Stevens