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Garmer grindage - Dingos on Hawthorne
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No gaming lifestyle column would be complete without offering information on the various food options available in town.Evey gamer knows you have to keep up your energy when dungeon delving, fighting crime, or just amassing loot. Here in Portland, gamers are very lucky to have such a huge variety of places to get food before, during, after gaming or the occasional non gaming day. The stereotypical gamer 'meal' consists of high caffeine sodas, sugary snacks and cheesy puffs. After all, how many folks have old character sheets with orange fingerprints?
At 4612 SE Hawthorne Blvd you will find a little place named Dingos. Is your first thought 'Dingos ate my baby' which is a name of a band from a rather popular TV series?
Dingos here in Portland means a little Mexican restaurant on Hawthorne Blvd that has excellent food, but the service depends greatly on your server. 
Last week a group of 10 folks went to the restaurant to give it a try and do some celebrating. The happy hour was going to last until 9 instead of the normal 3-6pm, so the gang looked with anticipation to the good food, good company and good service.
Two out of three isn't bad I suppose, unless you get stuck with a 18% gratuity for a server that couldn't even understand the concept of 10 people need more than 2 napkins.
But let me start with the good. Several folks ordered the cheesy bean dip and chips, chicken fajitas, burritos and a plethora of other assorted appetizers. The food was fantastic! The cheesy bean dip was a big favorite. Especially for the price of only $3 you can try several things and still not break your wallet.
The Happy Hour menu consists of 2 parts:
The $3:
2 Black Bean Tacos
1 Tofu Taco
1 Chicken Taco
1 Steak Taco
1 BBQ Pork Taco
3 Mini Carnitas Platter
Cheesy Bean Dip w/ black beans
1 Tofu Taco
1 Chicken Taco
1 Steak Taco
1 BBQ Pork Taco
3 Mini Carnitas Platter
Cheesy Bean Dip w/ black beans
And:
$3 Draft
$2.50 Well Drinks
$1 off Margaritas
$2.50 Well Drinks
$1 off Margaritas
However, if you are planning on getting a drink other than beer or those listed on the happy hour, plan on watching your total or pay as you go. Mixed drinks range from $5.50 to $7 with beer $3.50 and up. Shots average between $7 to $8. But the really nice offering is the Tequila Samplers. For between $8.50 and $12 you can get a sampling of 3 types of tequila which is a nice deal if you aren't sure what you might like. The Lady Di includes Cazadores Reposado, Herradura Anejo and Corazon Silver for $10 while The Sammy offers Cabo Wabo Añejo, Cabo Wabo Reposado and Cabo Wabo Blanco for $11.75. Each sampler is served with Sangrita, the traditional tequila chaser on a custom place mat.
Now the service. The bartender was wonderful and tried her best to make up for the server, and a few others come out to gather dirty dishes, but the two servers were just atrocious. When the waiter brought out the wrong drink, he made the lady feel like it was her fault and that she was a huge inconvenience. When they asked the other server about the two baskets of chips that never arrived with the cheesy bean dip they were told 'I'm not your server'. So the group although they spent well over $200 got 5 sets of silverware and not even all the food they ordered.
Over all, the bartender is always on the money so some of our group will go back once more to see if maybe it was just a bad night. After all, the food was wonderful. But the service was just so bad, I just can't in good conscience recommend it at this time. Unless that is, you go sit at the bar, and then you'll be well taken care of.
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