A few months ago, I found out Nostronos closed down when our CEO wanted to have dinner there with the management team from my workplace. I was disappointed to hear it closed and was curious what opened in its place. I was pleasantly surprised that a taqueria had replaced it when I stopped there late one night after a dinner date. Although we did not eat there, the creative cocktails were worth the stop. The Spicy Margarita immediately caught my eye because of my love for spicy food, and boy did I have to sip on it since I didn’t want it to upset my stomach especially while on a date. The drink menu excited my date as he chose a margarita made with mezcal because of its smoky flavor.

A couple weeks later, I met friends for dinner but the restaurant we had planned on eating at was not able to accommodate our party. We decided to try out Canteen. We were served duritos, which I am not a huge fan of, but my friends could not stop eating them. They are puffed wheat made in the shape of a spoke wheel flavored with chili and lime. My friends ordered the nachos and raved about how good it was with its freshly made tortilla chips. My friend ordered Creamy Horchata and I really like how refreshing it tasted. I ended up ordered two tacos: Pork Belly and Carne Asada. I wanted to love the tacos but found the meat dry, which took away from the flavor of the tacos.

Last week, I decided to give Canteen another try, and went with my brother and a friend for lunch. This is when I notice how extensive the list of the tequilas and mezcal was. We decided to order the Añejo Flight and were able to pick the three Añejos. Of the three I enjoyed the Herradura because of its lightness and smooth taste, which is sometimes hard to find in tequila.

We went on to order two appetizers. I had to order the Nachos because I only had a bite previously but was disappointed by it. It didn’t live up to the hype my friends had claimed the last time I was there. I found the chorizo to be oily and lacking in flavor, and the cheese too mild. The second appetizer we ordered was the Ceviche. I enjoyed this dish but wished it had more citrus. It was topped over guacamole, which was under seasoned and could have benefited from some salt and garlic.

We all ordered tacos for our main entrees. I chose two different tacos this time. I ordered the Barbacoa Beef Brisket and Grilled Farmers Cheese. The beef was juicy but the ratio of the beef to toppings made the taco taste bland. If there was less meat I think the taco would have been tasted better. I really enjoyed the Grilled Farmers Cheese. This is a good option for a vegetarian. I thought the flavors went well together and really liked the combination of the beans, salsa, and avocado. If you are looking for gooey cheese when biting into this taco, you will be disappointed as the cheese is dense.

We decided to go all out and ordered dessert. The Choco Taco excited us but it did not live up to our expectations. The wafer shell was soft and the quality of the ice cream did not make up for it. Additionally, the sunflower seeds did not go well on the Choco Taco. We also ordered the Strawberries and Cream Paleta. I enjoyed the paleta but I expected more based on what we paid for the dessert.

Overall, I believe Canteen is worth trying out but it does have a couple misses. What makes up for the misses is the different kind of tequilas it carries and the tacos are decently priced. I don’t believe you will be wowed by everything on the menu but I would definitely say it is not horrible. Located in one of the corner buildings of the capitol square, it is a great place to stop by if you’re looking for something quick and light.

http://canteentaco.com