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If you're from L.A. or Mexico, "Chalino" means only one thing: Chalino Sanchez, the famed narcocorrido singer who immortalized the tragic and brutal lives of drug dealers and the desperate poor in song, before dying like men in his own songs, with two bullets to the back of his head.
In Portland, it may soon mean elotes and ceviche.
Xico sous chef David Haddow has filed a liquor license with partner Johnny Leach—Momofuku and Stray Dogs alum, and briefly exec chef at Clyde Common —for a new spot called Chalino on the corner of Fremont Street and Williams Avenue, near the New Seasons.
Related: WW's Bougie Taco Crawl Through Southeast Portland
Haddow tells WW he's not yet making any official announcements about Chalino for a couple more weeks, but his Instagram tells a pretty compelling story already in a series of posts marked "#chalino" in which he shows creamy-topped elotes, grilled chicken, very fancy guacamole, ceviche, sliders, salad and a rich-looking stew or two.
Which is to say, it looks like he's picking up where he left off. We'll add more details as they arrive. Here are the pics, all posted here.
#chalino A photo posted by David Haddow (@loosecannondolph) on
#chalino A photo posted by David Haddow (@loosecannondolph) on
We'll look forward to more details as they emerge.
Oh, but just for fun? Here's Haddow's idea board for the restaurant on Pinterest. (You'd be surprised how many restaurants exist in idea form as Pinterest collections.)
Willamette Week