It all started with a little neighborhood restaurant tucked away on NW Thurman Street called Tapeo back in the Fall of 1996.  Needless to say there was not much going on in Portland at the time in terms of tapas.  With a successful eight year run there and after a year break to travel and rejeuvenate, Ricardo Segura continues what started with Tapeo; bringing his Spanish roots and exciting Iberian flavors to the Portland dining scene while using fresh, seasonal, local products to produce his authentic dishes.  

Ricardo's roots come from Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura - the land of the famous Iberico ham, or Pata Negra.  His ancestral village of that region, Losar de la Vera, boasts the famous Spanish paprika also known as Pimentón de la Vera, its wonderful smokiness found in several of his dishes.   While Ricardo spent every summer in Spain his upbringing was in the outskirts of Paris, France.  Growing up in two amazing culinary environments brings a deeper understanding to the vision that he has created.

Still just off NW Thurman Street but a bit further east, this time with a bigger space, a small bar, paella and of course tapas, Patanegra opened in the Spring of 2005. Having basically introduced  the small-plate dining scene to the area more than 15 years ago, what started then continues to shine today as a great way to share and enjoy these fabulous flavors.  Combining this with an extensive award-winning Spanish wine list, Patanegra still brings a bit of Iberian sun to shine bright in Portland.