Last week, we ate at El Local and as soon as we published our review, Chef Alberto Cansino contacted me to tell me about what he has been up to lately. It turns out that Chef Cansino is now in charge of Antojo, which translates to "craving", a small restaurant/bar located in Colonia Cacho in Tijuana.
At first glance, Antojo looks like an expensive place, but when I saw the menu I was pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices, especially considering its great location. Chef Cansino told me that this is one of the main goals of Antojo: to offer great food at affordable prices. They also have a house wine and a great variety of craft beer.
As soon as we sat down, we were offered a basket of bread with two delicious, yet spicey, sauces. After that, our first course came out with delicious ribeye tacos. The meat was well served and was tender, served with avocado and onion and paired with an IPA named Agua Mala.
Out next came beef raviolis in meat sauce with mushrooms, served with dried wild flowers on top. The sauce was so great and combined perfectly with the cheese, and the best part of all was the bread I used to mop up the last of it.
The third dish, octopus tacos served similar to the ribeye. I have to be honest, I love octopus, but if it weren't for the sauces I wouldn't have thought much of this meal and I would have liked a bit more flavor.
My favorite dish of all was definitely the seared beef with wild carrots, doused with meat sauce. Just thinking about it makes me lick my lips and I will absolutely be back again for more. The texture of the meat, the flavor, and aroma makes this an item I would recommend to all. Perfectly paired with house wine.
Finally, out came desert, a spiced sponge cake served with homemade vanilla ice cream and a citrus cream sauce which tastes like nothing else on earth. The perfect way to end a meat filled meal, so succulent that even the stingiest eater would love the balance of flavors.
Antojo is undergoing a transformation, and will now have two different sections. One will be a more formal restaurant and a small bar with its own menu. There will also be a daily menu that will vary according to seasonal local ingredients, which will be customizable so that the client can create a three-course meal. Another plus is that there is a vegan and vegetarian menu.
Antojo sis located on Colombia Street, #9232, Colonia Cacho 22040 Tijuana, Baja California. Click for directions.
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