mex food in coos bay (Portland, Eugene: sales, real estate, houses)

[lady_J_McB]

My husband and I are looking to relocate from the crazy weather of highs, lows, extreme wind, tornados, and unpredictableness to the pacific coast.
I have researched all 3 coastal states and like oregon. Oklahoma has a state income tax and sales tax, so that's not really a big deal to me. However, Oklahoma is cheap. Can I buy a decent house 3 bed, 2 bath house for 200k to 250k in the coos bay area? I have 3 kids and am wondering how the school system is too. We are also fairly conservative, but not in a pushy way. Everywhere else I have looked used conservative as a negative word in their posts; like "those conservatives." Does the area welcome conservatives?

We are going to visit coos bay this year and I am wondering what month is the best to see how regular life goes on there. Are there any good mexican restaurants? I want to open up an local authentic homestyle mexican restaurant. Oklahoma and Texas are full of them, good and crappy. Could you guys use some fresh tortillas, salsas, and mexican comfort food? Maybe there are too many places there too. Thanks for the help.

[EnricoV]

I can't answer much to Coos Bay specifically, but that never stopped me offering an opinion! But I'm going to avoid the Coos Bay specific questions.

I'd say you're going to want to visit anytime but the summer, when the weather is fine and the beaches are crowded. Summer would be an unreal picture for year-round living.

Oregon in swings liberal. But generally speaking, that's because the valley overwhelmingly does, from Portland to Eugene. And the population there is enough to cancel out whatever way the rest of the state swings, which tends to be much more conservative. In a liberal kind of way.

Mexican food. There are quite a few Mexican restaurants around, but I always hear complaints that none are "real" Mexican food. So if the food is good, and authentic, you may have a shot at making it. I checked the Yelp site, though, and there are a couple of well-reviewed "real" Mexican restaurants mentioned.

Do you know Yelp? One of the interesting things I just discovered you can do with that site is ... once I said I was looking for Mexican restaurants in Coos Bay, it gives me a little map where I can click on "redo search in map." And then, moving the map up and down the coast, you can see where any Mexican restaurants are. The largest town on the coast without a single Mexican restaurants is Tillamook. The others all seem to have a few. The quality of them, I can't say. Another place, though not in Oregon, is the Long Beach Peninsula, just across the Columbia in Washington.

I'm not sure if there's a particular reason you selected Coos Bay out of the coast, but using Yelp to narrow down where the need might be greater could give you some new locations. And then be sure to see if there's a reason those locations don't have them. Maybe they've unfriendly business climates.

[esya]

I reviewed a randomly selected Mexican restaurant in Salem and judging from that there is bad Mexican food. I'm in Colorado and there's lots of mediocre mex food here but the actually bad is rare.

The question I would ask is, can you buy the necessary food supplies to make it good? It's cooler and rainier and I don't know where your chilis would come from. There are conservatives in Coos Bay, check the local paper the WorldLink, but if they think of tex mex as comfort food or exotic food is a question I can't answer.

[tiffela74]

Hi.I live here in Coos Bay and would be happy to help out as I can. Im not really sure about the whole best month to visit....January was spectacular, with weeks in a row of blue sunny skies and I walked to work in workout pants and a tshirt. Today, it snowed. Grant you, it didnt stick and was just off and on for a few hours, but still...odd. there are more tourists in the summertime, especially around any of the dune festivals. Mainly Dune Fest.
its hard to help out on a "decent house" simply because I dont know your standards and what you concider decent. I think the little house near mine is decent, its a 3bdrm 2bth, new roof, 80s ranch house, 1400sqft in a pretty average neighborhood and its up for 139x. Id suggest going to something like Century21 real estate, or All State real estate and put in Coos Bay (zip out here is 97420) and put in your price range, it'll give you some ideas on what houses are available for what you want to spend.
Schools here have their ups and their downs. The downside is we're really really underfunded. We're in a crunch right now where theyre concidering 4day weeks. What programs can they cut now? sigh....the upside is Ive been pleased with what/how my kids have been learning. They have some unique programs here, like MARE that they dont get anywhere else. Its a coastal thing. Google Coos Bay schools and check em out, each schools website will tell you some of the programs they offer.
We have a local boys and girls club for the kids too that offer some really terrific programs.

As for Mexican food, theres a few really good resturants around here. One of them is owned/ran by a man from Peru and some of his authentic Peruvian dishes are just incredible!!! He makes a mean spanish coffee too. lol that one is our favorite!! its called La Costa. Theres a very good one in the mall, that we always enjoy, Los Dos Amigos. Another local fav. is Pureto Vallarete (spl???) I know theres a few more, but those are the main three off the top of my head that I really enjoy and hear good stuff about.
Of course, Im a lifelong Oregonian, so I might not be so good to ask about authentic Mexican food.
Personally, Id more enjoy another MORE AFFORDABLE good steakhouse. We have one here that has incredible steaks, but we have a really hard time paying 28.00 for a steak dinner. I know other places charge that and more, and Im not saying its not worth it, but like most people around here, thats a luxury thats few and far inbetween.

[lady_J_McB]

EnricoV,
Thanks for the info. I'll definately try the Yelp thing.

Esya,
I'm very resourseful and know the restaurant ropes, so I can get supplies. That or I can grow some of the more "exotic" produce myself. Peppers are very resilient. Thanks for the input!

Tiffela74,
The affordable steaks is a great idea. I'll try the places you mentioned when I visit. I live in a ranch house here aimilar to that, so that's a perfect example for me. Thanks so much.

[esya]

I want to check out La Costa the next time I am in Coos Bay.

[tiffela74]

If you ask him, Rafial (spl???) the owner, will sing to you. And play his guitar. He is awesome. We love him. He's added some authentic peruvian (spl?? again) dishes too. Few times ago, we called him up cuz my dad was coming to town and was craving a dish he'd had over at LosDosAmigos, so we called up Rafial and asked him if he had it, he didnt, but he found out what time we'd be there for dinner, and he made the dish up special for my dad. Isnt that just too cool?

[esya]

That is one of the advantages of a smaller place. You'd have to be John Elway to get that treatment here--and he has his own place!

I love live music, anytime.

[tiffela74]

I agree...you just dont find this in the larger towns really.
Whats funny too, is one of his main waiters, he's about 40yrs old, and just about eye level w/my 10yr old, speaks about 3 words of English (Okay...Okay...Okay..) and my 7yr old daughter is just in love with him. She thinks he is "Sooooo CUTE!!" and everytime we go there, he sees us, opens his arms, and my girl runs to him for hugs. The, he stands there and pats her on the head and says "Okay...Okay." and she pats his arm and grins. too funny.
Hey, if youre nice, and you ask him nicely, Rafael has even been known to give other people his mic and let them sing away. When you get to the resturant and have a good fun crowd (ya, like maybe 4 or 5 other groups lol) and Rafael is singing, passing around the mic and others are chiming in, its just a blast. Made even better by the very strong drinks he makes!!! lol

[esya]

It would take a strong drink for me to sing in public. Someone asked me once where one of my girls got her nice voice, and I was a tad offended--until I realized the only place I'd ever been singing since high school was at their bedtime or in the shower!