I gotta tell you—I regret not eating at the vegan restaurant Blossoming Lotus while it was open in Irvington; it closed on Wednesday, April 3. I’d often drive by and wonder about it, but that is a moot point now (and a good reminder not to wait on these things). The news I’m sharing with you is that about two weeks after Blossoming Lotus closed, another restaurant opened at that location: Benditos Latin Fusion (“bendito” means “blessing” in Spanish).
What To Expect
On their social media, they state,”Get ready to embark on a culinary journey like no other, as we blend traditional Latin dishes with modern twists” and “Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with an unforgettable Latin culinary experience!” I commend them for their upbeat vibe. They opened Wednesday, April 17.
It really does look like they are offering dishes from myriad Latin American countries. To start, there’s the Poblano Relleno (Mexico), Costillas Salvadoreñas/Salvadorean Ribs (El Salvador), Paella Peruana (Peru). Perhaps the most intriguing dish as far as “fusion” goes is their Mexican Poke Bowl: seared tuna, black beans, jalapeño, avocado, lemon, and pickled onion all atop white rice and finished with black sesame seeds. Their menu can be seen here. I’ll also add my plea for the wonderful Colombian completo (hot dog) on the menu.
Personnel and Hours
The main individual that seems to be behind Benditos, is Edgar Segoviano out of Redmond, OR, where he has run a cleaning and housekeeping company. Kaylee Breeann Jimenez, who is also involved with Benditos, runs a detailing service. This is according to filed documents with ORSOS.
The restaurant is open 7-days a week—Mondays to Thursdays, 11am to 9pm; Fridays to Sundays, 11am to 11pm. It’s always good to know of places that are open on the later side here in Portland. And I can’t help but wonder how having Aztec Willie’s Taqueria across the street from them will affect business. Aztec Willie’s has been around “forever”—30 years. Perhaps they both will take a “community not competition” approach like Pip’s Original does. We’ll see.
I’ve reached out to the folks behind Benditos for more information and will pass that on when I get it.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Benditos Latin Fusion!
Benditos Latin Fusion [opened April 2024]
1713 NE 15th Avenue, Portland
Instagram | Facebook
Meg Cotner
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My wife and I went here on a weekday for lunch. We were expecting to go to Blossoming Lotus, but that restaurant is NO More. The cafe with a similar name across the bridge has a different owner, name (“Cafe”), and menu.
But we ended up loving the experience at Benditos Latin Fusion. The service was very personal and the food was fabulous with large portions. We took most of our plates home with us. And the Margarita was the best Margarita I have had out in Portland!