la Cantina del tigre
La Cantina del Tigre has been ranked #25 out of Latin America’s top 50 restaurants for 2023. This is huge. Now, for the crucial question—does it live up to the hype? This is my review:
Vibe
This place took me by surprise. The entrance makes you think you are in a speakeasy. And all of a sudden, you enter this restaurant with such an interesting and peculiar vibe. It’s chic but also laid-back and fun. There was no need for fancy clothes or pretentious behavior; people were drinking, talking loudly, and laughing, like a good Latino does when having fun. There is an indoor area and also an outdoor terrace, which is so cute.
Drinks
The cocktail menu is extensive, with many cool options that caught my eye. One thing about me: if a drink has Tajin, I WILL need to choose that one. So I went with the michelada del tigre, which was freaking amazing. So refreshing! My mom went with a tutti-frutti mojito, which seems to be very popular. We were scared it would be too sweet, but it was absolutely perfect. Also, coming from 3 months in NYC, paying 11 dollars for a cocktail makes me want to cry with happiness.
Food
Another thing you should know about me - I love sharing plates, even entrees. I want to try as many plates as I can. Luckily, Cantina del Tigre is a good place to do that. They have a perfectly sized selection of ceviches, frituras (fried food), vegetables, and main plates. For me, a perfect size means anything that can fit on one page - I really hate scrolling through an endless menu.
What I ordered:
Ceviche de mamon chino
Croquetas de pulpo
Patacones con salsa sexy
Osobuco y arroz caldoso de maíz y plátano maduro
What I would order again:
All of them
What I wish I had tried/What I want to try in the future:
Hummus de frijol blanco con arañitas al carbón
Tamal de arroz con langosta (the waiter told me this is spectacular, but our friend is allergic to lobster)
Tiradito de pesca blanca (Leche de tigre de sandia)
Dessert - Flan de café con queso blanco
Price and Value
We paid around 100 bucks for 3 drinks, 3 small plates, and 1 large plate (including tip and tax). Do I think that’s expensive? I wouldn’t really say so. It seems like a lot of money for the amount of food, but that’s the thing—it was actually a lot of food. The portions are very generous. I'm not sure I would have been able to eat the main dish alone, even without ordering anything else. So, I think you can pay this kind of money at fancier restaurants for less food.
Service
The service was excellent. To make the reservation, you have to text through WhatsApp. They responded immediately and let us know that they had seating available. As we arrived, they took us directly to our table and were really attentive from the beginning. They gave really good recommendations for food (I always love a waiter who knows what they're talking about). Additionally, we requested to move inside after a while, and they were happy to accommodate us.
