Cantina Agave, Shanghai
Cantina Agave 静安区富民路291号悟锦世纪大楼1楼01A-2室(近长乐路) 291号 Fumin Road, Xuhui, Shanghai, China 021-61701310 www.cantinaagave.com
I try to avoid certain ethnic cuisines while in Asia, Mexican being one of them. I have tried for years to try to accept Mexican foods in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and now Shanghai. Both in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with the large Asian American population, little Mexican or Tex-Mex joints pop up. The dilemma lies with authenticity of the spices and sauces, which may not appeal to the scale of the market herein it lies. The Asian American, expat and foreigner groups aren’t large enough to support it. Thus then the restauranteurs resort to modifying the taste to accommodate the local palates and tastes, often times bastardizing flavors.
The reason why Mexican is so good and authentic in Texas, Arizona, and Southern California (where I grew up), is because of the large ethic Chicano/Latino/Mexican population. They essentially “keep it real” (yes, I know it is such a bad pun). So, no offense to Miss Kelley Lee-owner of Cantina Agave and fellow SoCal Trojan, you could understand my skeptic apprehension.
So, one morning, we decided on having the Sunday Brunch at Cantina Agave, since I had heard about their great tequila selection and Margarita’s. My cohorts and I ordered a variety of tacos and burritos.
Usually I have a thick Bloody Mary for brunch, but I substituted it for a Margarita. Though I realized I wasn’t up for much drinking from the previous night’s drinking binge. One of my favorite things to eat is a breakfast burrito, in which Cantina Agave anointed as The Traditional Machaca Breakfast Burrito, featuring Shredded Beef Machaca and scrambled eggs. The gooey cheese held everything together with the salsa and sour cream. The Machaca Beef, flavored from a dry spice rub, was a actually had pretty good taste offset by the sour cream. Not something I’m used to, but pretty good.
I must compliment the salsa bar at Cantina, with the large variety of heat with the green and red salsa’s. Though it kind of reminded me of the Baja Fresh in the US, it was nonetheless required and good.
Luckily, I got to sample some of the other marinated meats from my friend’s tacos. The carnitas and carne asada were not bad. I kinda wish I had more room in my stomach to try other meats like the chicken mole and the carnitas guisado. There’s always a next time.
What to Order: Carnitas and Machaca Beef What not to Order:
Rating 2 Pigs Price Range 2 $/¥/NT
Links DianPing listing, Shanghaiist, Nileguide, Best Food in China, Friday Nite
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