Madras, Oregon

Madras is a town of about 6,000 people, located in the middle of vast fields grazed by cattle, alpaca, sheep, and some horses. The composition of the town is about 40% Latino, 10% Native American, and the rest people of mixed European ancestry, and it boasts more than ten Mexican restaurants. This one is called Rio, and it's the tastiest Mexican food I've had in many years. I had a vegetarian chili relleno in a tenderly pungent tomatillo cream sauce; Sue had the tortilla soup you see here and a couple of enchiladas de puerco, the puerco marinated in orange and served in a corn tortilla dressed with a smoky chili sauce. This is my first food blip and worth every pixel. 

The only claim Madras has to fame is that River Phoenix was born here, pretty much by accident as his hippie parents were passing through. He came to a sad end at the age of 23 but did some remarkable acting in My Own Private Idaho.


I love this little town. It's almost like a visit to a town in Mexico.