Do you want to know what I like about The 1 Cantina, a new Mexican cafe in Avalon Park? Every little thing.
I like the cozy and appealing house. I like the well-informed and charming team, led by the gracious house owners, Giovanni Rodriguez and Marigel Haaz.
And I particularly like the foodstuff. This is legitimate Mexican delicacies. It’s not Tex-Mex or a Floridian’s plan of what Mexican foods should really be. There is not a burrito or fajita on the menu no sides of rice or refried beans, possibly. I did not even see one particular flour tortilla. As Rodriguez points out, he wanted to existing foods of Mexico City he remembers from cantina excursions with his father. I sampled a quantity of products from the menu and there wasn’t a detail I would not purchase once more.
The Queso Costra, also identified as Chicharrón de Queso – cheese cracklings – was particularly exciting. Resembling an Indian dosa, it is cheese melted on a griddle then rolled into a tubular shape, served on a ploof of guacamole. You just tear off a bit of it, scoop up some guac and love. It’s salty and chewy and tasty. The guacamole, which options in some of the other dishes, is marvelous – chunky and creamy at the exact time. And by the way, alternatively of a bowl of tortilla chips, you are presented with some crispy chicharrones upon seating, crispy crunches that need no salsa.
I also had the Sopes Sampler, which functions 3 savory masa cake platforms, one particular with pork belly, a person with chorizo and just one with shredded hen. Each individual a single experienced a unique garnish or trendy contact, but they ended up all very good. (The chorizo was a favorite, however.)
The Ribeye Carnitas had tender hunks of meat served in a molcajete more than some of that great guac, with a basket of incredibly hot corn tortillas wrapped in a vibrant fabric.
A sampler of tacos involved a vegetarian option built with “filets” of grilled portobello mushrooms cecina, strips of salt-healed beef topped with crumbles of chorizo and steak, marinated in beer and topped with cotija cheese.
For dessert, how about a corn pie? Pay out de Elote is type of custardy cheesecake built with corn on a moist crumb crust. If you prefer anything sweeter and far more chocolatey, you will want the Choco Flan, vanilla flan on a layer of chocolate cake, served with pecan ice cream.
Or possibly you’d just like to have a Carajillo, an just after-meal cocktail produced with a shot of espresso shaken with ice and topped with Licor 43, a vanilla flavored liqueur from Spain.
Talking of cocktails, the 1 Cantina has an remarkable array of tequilas and mezcals. (If you’re a fan of spicy items, you will have to try out the Jalapeño Margarita it’s like owning hearth and ice in the same glass.)
Quite a few of the decorating touches are from Haaz, together with the handmade tiles that functionality as drink coasters. The 1 Cantina occupies a place at the Marketplace at Avalon Park that, when the market opened previous year, was selected an party house, with Rodriguez handling the scheduling. He considered it would improved serve as a cafe. It’s not a massive place but not cramped, possibly. There is a bar with seating, a banquet alongside a person wall and tan leather-based chairs at wooden-topped tables. In addition, there is ample outdoor seating on the grassy terrace.
I really do not typically have the chance (or explanation) to gush about a restaurant, but I still left The 1 Cantina comprehensively delighted with my encounter.
The 1 Cantina is at the Marketplace at Avalon Park, 3801 Avalon Park E. Blvd., Orlando (map). It is open for lunch and meal daily, brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday.
