Black Cat Cantina

ATTENTION: YOU MUST READ THIS BEFORE YOU DINE HERE!!!
Let me say that this is my first review ever. I normally would never write reviews, but I was outraged by my experience here. And withholding my opinions and feelings on this place, would lead to others being taken advantage of too. I was robbed of my experience and wallet. I will explain for my negative review.
So on a Saturday evening, my brother went on Unilocal and discovered the Black Cat Cantina. It had decent reviews and had a Unilocal Deal, which sold us. When we arrived at the place, it was deserted. Fast-​forward, to the food. The food was visually appealing, but when you first take a bite, it leaves you feeling unsatisfied like the chips were cold and stale and the entrees tasting bland. I was left feeling hungry afterwards.
HERE is what really cut a nerve on my experience. My dad received the bill. He paid a $ 9 tip. Several weeks later when he checked his bank statement, the total bill was altered by placing a one in front of the $ 9 tip to make it as $ 19 tip. It’s absurd. It amazes me that they have the audacity to commit this unspeakable crime.
Even IF the food was good, I would never come to this place again due to values they stand by. It is morally unacceptable to deceive and cheat innocent paying customers.
DINE HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK! YOU“VE BEEN WARNED!!!

Was there on a Thursday night and was looking forward to it but was let down
Walked in and there was two tables. Waited, waited, waited until the couple at the first table suggested we seat ourselves. Grabbed menus went to a booth. Waitress showed up and was sweet about it.
Chips and salsa came but I felt that they were stale or day old. Ordered an appetizer and entrees. The entrees were served but the appetizer was forgotten. The rice also tasted day old and the chicken was dry. Felt like we were being served leftovers.
Brought this up with the waitress and was given a couple 2 for 1 coupons.
I believe the great reviews but this week night visit showed that they may be cutting corner a bit

4÷26÷2014
Back again and was not disappointed. Enjoyed the Ceviche de Camarón which is laden with mango, strawberries, onion, cilantro and Serrano chile and Mexican shrimp… Sweet and tart and savory and a little heat for the finish. Best Ceviche ever! The main course was the Churrasco Steak… Wow. DELICIOUS, tender and juicy. Sensational steak… And I don’t eat steak in Portland because I either don’t want to be disappointed or spend $ 100. Also tried the Cochinita Pibil. Slowed roasted pork with achiote and citrus… Served with pickled red onion, a tomatillo habanero ‘ish’ salsa with fresh homemade corn tortilla. Amazing amazing amazing. I can’t get over how much I love the food here. I’m not a foodie nor pretentious about food but wow this place blows my mind. Try it, Black Cat Cantina will not disappoint. Oh I almost forgot… Never been a fan of Key Lime pie but it’s The Best!

I had the camarones con mango. It was delicious! The best Mexican food I’ve had here in Portland. A little unexpected for Rockwood. The flan for dessert was amazing as well! The staff was very friendly and made us feel at home. The décor was nice and very clean. We will make this a regular spot for us!

The food is very good, the portions are plentiful, and the choices are vast.
They are clearly a new business and they are figuring things out, but they are erring on the side of great service, so I’m definitely not complaining about that.
Can’t wait to see how this place evolves. We’ll be going semi-​regularly to enjoy it as it does.
Winslow and Becca

Last night with friends I experienced el Gato negro in Gresham. I was surprised and very happy to find this place!
Atmosphere is fantastic!
Staff are friendly and just the right amount of attentiveness!
Food… So good. Best retried beans I’ve had in ages. And enchiladas mole… Amazing!

Overpriced. Its meant to be a sit down place. I know that I’m americanized with my standards and everything — but the lady basically scoffed at me asking about a burrito. My black bean purée shrimp and cheese enchiladas would have been better without the black bean purée.
My salsa was okayish at best. I did enjoy the guacamole (it was expensive for no reason though) I went during the late afternoon and the place was totally dead which leads me to believe that this place likely flourishes as a bar/​lounge more so than a restaurant.

La pera, a cocktail that is super delicious. I got the mole enchiladas based on reviews and they it was the best mole sauce ever. Definitely check this place out.

Cultural experience for me. There was live music. Lots of Spanish speaking. Raffle drawings going on. Everyone who could understand the language seemed to be having a great time. That was the best part of this experience. It was fun, I just wish everything else was as good as the entertainment.
The food was terrible. The service was terrible.
There was a new waitress there. As she was clearing dishes from our table, she sat her tray down on our table (with dirty dishes on it) picked up food from the dirty plates on her try and put them on our plates so she could stack the plates. Then she took dirty glasses off her tray, put them on our table and combined the water in the 2 glasses so she could stack the glasses! I sat in total disbelief.
This is not a place I will ever go back to or would recommend to anyone.

We had an excellent first meal. We were in Mexico two months ago and it felt like we’d walked right back in to it (minus the cold and fog outside). The inside is newly painted and spotlessly clean and airy with a tall fountain gently trickling in the middle. There are nice colorful and whimsical painting around the perimeter of the atrium.
We started with the Tiradito, marinated fish with avocado. It had an amazing lime flavor and garnished with red onions. My Cadillac Margarita was also delicious.
For entrees we had the steelhead with tamarind/​orange sauce and a wild garlic shrimp special not on the menu, both were quite good. The flan was one of the best I’d ever had, it tasted somewhat like a thick cheesecake with coconut and a delicious pineapple sauce.
We loved the combination of Mexican and Peruvian food, and the Unilocal discount. We also really appreciated that they denote which dishes are gluten-​free, we’ll be back.

Wow. Get the shrimp with mango sauce on mashed potatoes. Sounds a bit funny, but it is really amazing. This place is in a bad part of town but really stands out for high quality food. Excellent service as well. Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Great food — fresh and flavorful. Pleasant ambiance complete with a running fountain, a sports lounge area, and nice open/​tall ceilings. Outstanding service. Very tasty blended salsa and made-​to-​order guacamole. Clean, well-​lit restrooms. Ample parking. Highly recommend. Would go again.

The canary yellow building next door that houses a strip club is a good visual book-​marker for Black Cat Catina’s relatively modest building alongside. We drove by in times past without noticing Black Cat until Unilocal friends Sherry S, Douglas C and Sandra W wrote reviews to tip me off to the Latin food delights, welcoming interior and friendly service. Open for lunch now and a convenient stop in traveling from Portland to Bend, we went in to find we were the only two diners in the place for the entire hour we were there. Have to wonder what’s up with that for this top notch place. If it were in Portland proper rather than the cusp of Gresham it might be full of people. We loved lunch and sometime when we’re back in the area we will be eager to try dinner.
MENU /​PRICES
The two sided lunch menu is abbreviated from the larger dinner menu and some items find a different format at lunch. As example mole enchiladas at dinner are mole sandwich at lunch. Prices run from about $ 6 for appetizers to $ 10 for lunch entrees. Not only are prices reasonable, the serving sizes are very generous. We had leftovers to take away and reheat at home. We wanted to save room for dessert, all made in house by the talented chef and only $ 6 to $ 8 in price.
FOOD
There are probably as many mole poblano negros as there are Abuelas and the version made by the chef here was delicious. A perfect balance of toasted chiles, chocolate and maybe a touch more pronounced in cinnamon flavors than some others. It had the kind of subtle chile heat that makes your temperature rise as you eat it and as a big fan of moles, I mean that as high praise. Offered on the menu as sandwich filling, I asked if I could get tortillas instead and the kitchen was happy to oblige with the mole served in a bowl and a basket of tortillas to let me «roll my own».
The tortillas were so good, a bit yellower and coarser textured than most. I asked the server if they were house-​made and was almost disappointed to have him answer that they were. Had they been purchased elsewhere I would have been wanting to know where so I could buy them in bulk to take home. Excellent.
My husband was delighted with his choice of braised and shredded pork tacos (de Conchinita) in a spicy and barely sweet sauce similar to barbecue and with pickled red onion. Three to the order, they were served with a green habanero salsa on the side. The server cautioned restraint with the habanero salsa and good thing hubby took the advice seriously. Wonderful salsa but even for a heat seeking demon like my spouse, a little was enough.
Black bean and chorizo soup is available by the bowl and only two bucks if ordered with an entrée. We shared a bowl of this soup and it was outstanding for Latin flavors and seemed to have just a hint of lime and a sprinkle of cilantro stems on top, in sort of Cuban fashion.
We opted for two of the house-​made desserts. One to share there, a key lime pie that was delicious and served on a graham cracker and ground nut crust, and Alfajores, Peruvian cookie sandwiched with dulce de leche, to take home. Comparing the cookies to those at Andina, which may be the best Alfajores we’ve ever had, these were bulkier and less our preference. There was also a unique panna cotta on the menu served with caramelized peanuts and a dense chocolate cake served with vanilla bean ice cream, both of which would be options for us next time.
VALUE
Lunch for two including two entrees, a bowl of soup and two desserts was under $ 35, with enough to take away to be dinner that evening. Great value.
SERVICE /​AMBIANCE
Service was top notch. The server knew the menu, could answer questions and make recommendations and extended warm hospitality to make us feel like welcome guests. Charming. The ambiance is bright and sparkling clean with a fountain in the middle of the room and theme appropriate Latin music on the sound system at the right level to support conversation. Seating at booths or standard height tables. Lovely.
THIS N THAT:
1) ACCESSIBILITY: Accessible parking. Level in entry and throughout. Lots of standard height table seating.
2) PARKING: Large lot with more than ample parking. Try finding that in Portland restaurants!
What are you waiting for to try this place? Go.

Some Autumn flavors happening here now. as well as they are now doing lunches!
They did my martini up right and so I had 2.
I was craving their awesome mole so that’s what I had. I don’t do pollo so they worked around it and gave me the white shrimp. Every bite I had of my 3– count em– enchiladas had shrimp. I can’t lose here.
Did you say you had a new dessert and it’s flan? On it! And we split it and I regretted sharing since he had the fork to fight me off and I only had the spoon. Dang it!

The FOOD. OH, THE FOOD.
The boyfriend and I were on our way to our usual phở spot after work tonight, and we were stopped in some slow moving post-​181^st Burnside traffic. I happened to mention Black Cat, since there were some cars outside. We ended up turning in there, as I told him casually that I thought it was a Mexican restaurant, like its predecessor Tacho’s. Well, was I ever wrong.
I spent time abroad in Spain, and never encountered the variety of flavors that I experienced in a 3-​course meal at Black Cat. Our waitress, Lizouli (Liz?), was as empassioned about their food as they come. We ignored the menu at first as she regaled us with vivid descriptions of the ingredients and textures and flavors of each dish. She loved the food, and she knew it. It was like she was talking about a familiar place, and we desperately wanted to go there. We ended up going with her recommendations, and damn — she knew what she was talking about.
We shared the Shrimp Ceviche, which is NOT something my boyfriend would typically order on his own or try. He loved it. I was IN love with it. The flavors, the fresh fruit, the tangy lime, the cilantro… my tastebuds are going crazy right now just thinking about it.
Second course was the Panuchos… fall-​apart tender marinated pork atop perfectly fried mini corn tortillas, with a refried black bean layer and a habanero sauce that was too spicy for even me. The flavors, again, assailed my senses and it turned out to be the kind of meal that I assessed with my eyes open at first — appreciated its colors, its textures — then closed my eyes and let my other senses do the rest.
The third course was a particularly delectable Argentinian sandwich, with tender steak, ham, fried egg, cheese, all atop a delicious moist bun. The little potato «chips» were the best fries I’ve had in a while. You can tell they’re done with love in a pan, with fresh oil, instead of in a stale deep fryer. All of these ingredients, we were told, are organic, GMO-​free, and many gluten-​free. You can truly taste the difference. I have e-​mailed Willamette Week to get their attention, because I’m desperately afraid that we’ll lose Black Cat to Rockwood’s (deservedly) bad reputation and its cursed building. I know I’ll be back…

Meowza! This is some high quality food! Definitely not the typical Mexican place with burritos and beans plastered to the plate. Black Cat Cantina has a nice selection of dishes from Latin America. Yes, some are from Mexico, but even those are taken to the next level.
When we were there, the place was empty. What a shame! I’m hoping they get busier at later hours, but when we were there around 6pm, we were the only customers. Service was friendly and helpful in making suggestions.
We had the Enchiladas Mole — 3 chicken enchiladas in a complex mole sauce. It was sweet, yet not, and there wasn’t a single spice note that overpowered — it was a great, rich blend.
The fish tacos were filled with grilled fish. Hubby enjoyed them. Son ordered the Fettucine Argentine, but without the tomato sauce. Even without the sauce, the flavor from the sliced chorizo transferred to the pasta, and the parmesan and basil rounded out the flavors. Son kept gushing how much he loved it — from that picky boy, that’s a huge compliment.
The Black Cat also offers a Sunday brunch, but we haven’t tried it yet. The owner brought us some 2-​for-​1 coupons to try it, so we just might make the trek out there. The food is really good, and worth the drive!

This place should be way more crowded. It’s well-​crafted food, much better than the many «hot plate» restaurants that are out there. Better try it before it gets popular.
The Enchiladas Mole were excellent — aromatic and well spiced.
Fish Tacos had tasty pieces of grilled fish. Beans and pico de gallo were on the side. I recommend the hard shell version, hands down better than the soft tacos.
Our Pasta Argentine was ordered without tomatoes. It still had a great flavor with their flavorful chorizo.
Service was prompt and pleasant. The décor is very tasteful. It’s a comfortable place to eat. We drove 40 minutes to get there and would come back.
(My first mobile review, thanks Unilocal!)

We’ve been driving passed this place, which once was a Mexican restaurant with a well deserved bad reputation and now boarded up, for years, hoping it wouldn’t become another flea market, hookah lounge, pay-​day loans, or rehab center. Slowly it was transformed — new paint, landscaping, signs, even a nice awning over the entrance — into the Black Cat Cantina.
Gresham is full of Taquerias and Pupuserias, some of them really good and others .not so much, so we decided to drop into the Black Cat and see which category it fell into.
I’ll cut to the chase: This place is in its own category. It’s in the «Oh my God, I can believe it opened here and not in the Pearl or down on South East 26^th» category. This is a fine Latin American restaurant with a chief who’s worked in both Spain and Latin America. Everything is made from scratch — everything. She uses only local, organic ingredients when she can. The menu is rich in Seafood. Their fish comes straight off the boat at Garibaldi.
The staff is very friendly and the service is top notch. This is easily the best Latin American food in town. I’ve been there twice — this week.

This is what sets this place apart: Not one little detail has been left unexamined; from the beautiful traditional setting, to the artful presentation of each dish, to the flawless and attentive service. Each and every person we encountered was totally, 100% dedicated to delivering the perfect experience for its patrons. Our dinner at the Black Cat Cantina this evening was a treat, a pleasant surprise in every way possible.
We walked in to an immense, immaculately clean, fresh and beautifully decorated dining room, which has both tables and booths. There is a beautiful fountain in the middle of the dining room and modern Latino art decorating the walls. It’s a treat for the eyes, ears and senses from the very beginning of the experience.
Our polite, gracious and knowledgeable server, Liz, took great care to explain the concept of the cuisine. She was attentive and anticipated our every need with perfect timing. She began the service by bringing us chips and salsa, which was excellent.
We started with an order of guacamole and we both agreed it was the best guacamole we’ve had in the Portland area. For our main course, I had the Enchiladas Mole Poblano, and Hubs had the cochinita gorditas. Everything was beautifully presented and exquisite. The flavor combinations in the mole were the perfect balance of chocolate, poblano and cinnamon. I tried a bite of the tender cochinita, and found its sweetness perfectly balanced by the tangy pico de gallo accompaniment.
The chef came to our table while we were finishing our dessert and asked for feedback and told us a little bit about her background. Her name is Montserrat and she studied in Mexico and Spain. This is her first professional stint in the U.S. We were given two «BOGO» vouchers for their Sunday brunch, and I plan to pass these along to some of my professional chef colleagues who are much more qualified to give her feedback than I am – not that I think she needs to do anything differently. My husband is hoping she will add a chile relleno to the menu at some point.
If I had to compare it to any other place, I would say to expect something like Oba’s food, but without the hefty prices and swanky Pearl District vibe. We’ll definitely be back. Next time, I plan to make a meal out of the many tapas choices. Well done, Black Cat Cantina!

I’ve eaten at Black Cat Cantina 2 times now and I am going back again very soon. The food here is not only fresh fresh fresh but there is a huge variety of things on the menu. This is not a standard Mexican restaurant (where you get cheese smothered enchiladas and burritos), this is a Latin food experience!
They have incredible delicately prepared fish (steelhead) which is cooked with great precision (not overdone and perfectly moist). My favorite dish so far is the mango spicy shrimp with creamy mashed potato. It’s to die for and I almost ordered a second serving. I have also tried the fettuccine with spicy argentinian sausage, chicken mole and the pork carnitas gorditas which are fantastic. The pork is tender and sits atop perfectly round bite sized gorditas. As for appetizers, the shrimp ceviche is awesome and you get quite a bit with the order. Great guacamole too.
The dessert is also quite tasty. I’ve tried the Panna Cotta with fresh guava sauce. It was so yummy. There are candied nuts on top and you can really taste the flavor of the guava. I also had their key lime pie which has a wonderful pop of flavor and tartness.
Black Cat Cantina also has a full bar (it’s quite a large space) and make a load of specialty drinks. There is a huge flat screen tv in the bar/​lounge area and even a dance area. The lounge/​bar is nicely separated from the main dining area.
All in all a fantastic experience and I am going to be brining friends for sure.