Jul 12, 2017

HMSHost Brings Local Favorite Tamale Boy to Portland International Airport

Beloved restaurant joins the dining lineup for Portland travelers

PORTLAND, OR — Tamale Boy is not only a local staple in the Portland dining scene, but has become a popular destination for visiting food lovers as well. Now, global restaurateur HMSHost and Jaime Soltero Jr. have brought one of Portlanders favorite food trucks turned restaurants to Portland International Airport’s D Concourse with the opening of Tamale Boy.

“HMSHost brings travelers the most sought after dining choices in the industry that represent the region’s leading chefs and flavors. We are thrilled to introduce Tamale Boy’s delicious cuisine to the thousands of local and tourist travelers that go through Portland International Airport each day,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Amy Dunne. “We’re thankful for a great partnership with Tamale Boy founder Jaime Soltero Jr. and the Port of Portland on making this opening a success.”

Tamales are the star of the menu with not only their mouthwatering flavors, but their convenient portability that is ideal for travelers on the move. Tamale Boy makes its tamales from a recipe and technique that has been passed down in their family for years. They use local, sustainable and organic ingredients wherever possible. Whether you are a meat lover or vegan, Tamale Boy has you covered. Choose from a variety of Norteño (cornhusk wrapped) tamales with fillings from chile verde to vegetarian and gluten-friendly.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with HMSHost by adding another home-grown Portland brand with exciting new flavors to the expanding concessions assortment at PDX,” said Shane Andreasen, Port of Portland senior manager, concessions development. “Tamale Boy is a wonderful example of our region’s celebrated culinary community and furthers the sense of place that PDX guests continue to enjoy.”

In addition to the signature tamales, Tamale Boy creates its own twist on traditional Mexican street food flavors bringing travelers a selection of burritos, tacos, bowls, and salads. Refreshers include a variety of housemade aguas frescas, domestic, imported, and Mexican beers.

Morning travelers will delight in authentic breakfast options including chilaquiles, a dish consisting of crispy tortillas sautéed with salsa roja or green tomatillo sauce served with over easy eggs, pickled onions, and crema. A dedicated grab-and-go section is available for travelers in a hurry.

“Our Tamale Boy airport restaurant has a similar appeal and blend of our other two Portland locations. We are thrilled to be part of the great restaurant lineup at PDX and are looking forward to introducing out of town travelers to Tamale Boy. We feel our restaurant is an ideal stop for travelers looking for a place to grab one of our Tamale Boy favorites, or try new menu items,” Soltero Jr. said.

While dining on Tamale Boy food and drinks, travelers can relax in a dedicated seating area with windows that overlook the tarmac. The restaurant’s welcoming environment mirrors that of Tamale Boy’s NE Portland location with pendant lighting, wood wall paneling, and Tamale Boy’s turquoise color palette. A vibrant pink and aqua colored mural adds further familiarity to those who have dined at the NE Portland location before.

Tamale Boy is frequently named among the best places to dine in Portland. Already a hometown favorite from operating out of a truck for years, Tamale Boy became further embedded into the vivid Portland food scene, opening its first brick-and-mortar location in 2014 and a second location in 2016.

Tamale Boy joins other HMSHost-operated food and beverage locations at Portland International Airport including Rogue Ales Pub, Rose’s Deli, and Starbucks® coffee. A full list of HMSHost locations at Portland International Airport is available on the HMSHost location finder map.