As a parent with three children under ten, the thought of dinner with the kids at a
nice restaurant typically sends a shiver up my spine. Will my kids find anything on the menu they'll actually eat? Or, more importantly, will they cause a ruckus and get us thrown out? Will the other patrons glare at us?
But, when I heard that a
nice new critically-acclaimed Mexican restaurant in Fort Washington had just introduced a new prix fixe menu intended for young families (and others who like to get an early start on the evening), I had to learn more.
For one thing, I
love Mexican food. Secondly, I love...not cooking! But, having grown up in Southern California, I am very particular about my Mexican food. I can scarcely count the number of disappointments I have had over poor imitations of things as simple as guacamole and tortilla chips. Would a meal at this new place leave me longing for another trip back to California just as so many other restaurants had?
Getting to Cantina Feliz proved to be surprisingly easy. From Lansdale, the drive took only about twenty minutes at around 5:00pm on a weekday. We picked my husband up from the Fort Washington train station which was right across the street and headed inside. (Before I continue, I must point out what a fun trip it would be to take the train there! Whether catching a ride down for the prix fixe with our kids, or even making a date night out of it, the location is really a nice bonus!)
All five of us were immediately impressed by the decor. The colors were bright, modern and fresh, which, as it turns out, where a perfect match for the food we were about to enjoy. We settled into a roomy booth under a gorgeous light fixture (see photo) and perused our menus. Our friendly and attentive server, Leigh, brought us some homemade tortilla chips and guacamole that passed my test with flying colors. We were off to a great start!
The kids had their choice from the Little Amigos menu and all three of them unanimously opted for the Mac 'n Cheese tacos. Now, normally, I am staunchly opposed to letting my kids order macaroni and cheese when we are at a restaurant. There surely is nothing more annoying than seeing a plate come to the table and realizing that you've just paid good money for that instant mac 'n cheese that moments before was in a packet you could have easily nuked yourself at home for less than a buck. But...since I knew that everything at Cantina Feliz is made from scratch on the premises, I obliged.
My husband chose the Camarones a la Mexicana (deliciously seasoned shrimp) for his first course and I chose the Chorizo Fundido. They were incredible. For our second course, he had the fish tacos and I could not resist the Beef Alambres (a hanger steak with a side of borracho beans). I haven't often met a steak that I didn't enjoy at least a bit.
I wanted to marry this one.
Honest to goodness, that may have been the best steak I ever had. Perfectly tender and juicy and seasoned with a tasty combination of Mexican seasonings. Ah. I'm getting hungry as I type.
Now, about those Mac 'n Cheese tacos the kids ordered. My kids virtually inhaled their dinners, but I did get to sample the homemade (yay for homemade!) meal myself and they were very tasty. If I hadn't known that the owners of Cantina Feliz had children of their own, I would have suspected it when I tried the mac 'n cheese tacos. As a mom of three picky children, I feel I should have asked "How did you make this so flavorful without any visual cues of seasoning in there??". My children shrink away at the sight of mere pepper in their food, but there was nothing at all to fear here. The elbow macaroni looked playful on the mini tortillas and the kids had great fun picking them up to eat them.
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| Stuffed bellies checking out the view. |
Our bellies were stuffed and everyone was happy. (I must mention that Cantina Feliz makes a fantastic 100% Agave margarita, too!) Now it was time for some homemade ice cream and sorbet for each of us. We all shared and had trouble deciding which was best. We tried coconut, chocolate, vanilla, and passion fruit, and every flavor was delicious. My personal favorite was the chocolate because of the unique combination of flavors in it.
We hope to return sometime soon, for sure! Thankfully, the new prix fixe menu will make taking our kids out for a quality, delicious meal much easier on our wallets!
Cantina Feliz is located at 424 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Please be aware that our meal was paid for by Cantina Feliz in order to facilitate this review. However, what you have read is my utmost, honest opinion. (Including that part about the steak! Mm!!!)
