According to an article from Oregon Live, La Leñadora will be the second concept to take over what was Woodsman Tavern at 4537 SE Division Street.
A representative of La Leñadora was not immediately available for commentary upon What Now Portland’s request.
According to Oregon Live’s article, La Leñadora will be a full-service restaurant poised to serve up delectable dishes such as lamb shank birria, Oregon albacore fajitas, and an array of Mexican seafood.
The restaurant is said to draw inspiration from Fausto’s previous culinary endeavor, Paradise Mariscos, a 2022 pop-up. With a fresh paint job, infusing “yellows, teals, and whites” to infuse the dark tavern space with a brighter ambiance, La Leñadora is slated to make its grand entrance early next year, with a potential preview event on New Year’s Eve.
At La Leñadora, authenticity is said to be the key. The restaurant plans to nixtamalize its own corn for crafting fresh masa, ensuring house-made corn tortillas alongside a menu that will be rich in vegetables sourced from Mexican-owned farms. That’s not all; seafood dishes inspired by the Mexico City restaurant, Mi Compa Chava, and Onda-style carne asada cooked over mesquite in a Josper oven left over from The Woodsman’s days, are set to be on the menu.
The bar is set to host a “really aggressive agave program,” boasting a selection of tequila, mezcal, sotol, and raicilla, totaling around 150 bottles. The creative minds behind the bar are already conjuring up over a dozen cocktails, including an Oaxacan old-fashioned, a martini featuring Mexican gin, a Paloma variant with Old Bay Seasoning, and a classic margarita with two distinct frozen variations.
The beverage menu will also include 13 beer taps, with a focus on Mexican and Mexican-American brewers and cider makers, according to Oregon Live’s article that was previously mentioned.
