Johnny Leach’s Chalino Opens March 8 in the North Williams Neighborhood

The hotly anticipated Mexican-inspired restaurant Chalino will fire up the grills at 5 p.m. on March 8, The O reports. Chalino is helmed by a duo of chefs: Beaverton-born Johnny Leach (Momofuku, Clyde Common), who launched the Stray Cats/Stray Dogs pop-up series with Han Oak’s Peter Cho, and Dave Haddow (Xico, Donald Link).

When word of Chalino first dropped in October 2016, Leach and Haddow described their food as “inauthentic Mexican,” and the dishes will be inspired by Mexico and Mexico City but often veer away from tradition, such as the tostadas, featuring things like beef tartare and carnitas bolstered with Vietnamese spices.

Located just off North Williams Avenue at 1 N Fremont St., Chalino will seat 50 indoors, including a six-seat chef’s counter, and 50 more on an outdoor patio, once the weather warms up. The beverage program touts Mexican wines—a growing trend in the Portland area, as Mexican wines continue to be difficult to reliably source—as well as tequila and other spirits. Starting March 8, Chalino will be open for dinner Monday through Saturday, from 5 to 10 p.m.

• Chalino [Official Site]
• First look: Chalino's 'inauthentic Mexican' menu revealed [Oregonian]
• All Previous Chalino Coverage [EPDX]