International Day of the Nacho

In 1943, Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, a chef at the Victory Club in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, prepared the first plate of crunchy, spicy nachos for Texas women who were on a shopping trip. To honor Anaya and his gooey creation, the town held the first International Day of the Nacho on Oct. 21, 1995. This year, the fete falls on Friday.

"This whole story is new to me," said Rafael Bustanante, owner of Juan Colorado Mexican Restaurant off Barbur Boulevard. "I knew that they were invented at some point in northern Mexico, but I didn't know exactly where, when or who invented them."

Lisa Marshall, manager at Tualatin's Nacho Mamas, echoed the thought: "Well, we weren't planning anything, because we've never heard of it."

But eager to get onboard with the celebration of the corny snack, the restaurants will acknowledge the event with food specials. "We offer the large nacho plate for the price of the half-order of nachos for this day," Marshall said. Said Bustanante: "To recognize the day, we offer the Juan Colorado Sampler Plate ($11.95), which includes nachos, for $8.95 all day."

A variation of the snack, made with potato wedges, is served at Kells Irish Restaurant, oddly enough one of the few Portland-area restaurants aware of the nacho fete. "This will be the third year that I've been here for it," Tracey Murphy, Kells banquet coordinator, said. "We usually celebrate it by offering our Irish Nachos, 'invented' by our owner, Lucille McAleese, for $3 all day."

Can't get out to indulge in International Day of the Nacho? You can catch some of last year's celebratory footage from Piedras Negras on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-_3OvOQxM.

Juan Colorado, 10075 S.W. Barbur Blvd., 503-244-4360; Nacho Mamas, 17935 S.W. Pacific Highway, 503-612-7848; Kells Irish Restaurant, 112 S.W. Second Ave.; 503-227-4057