Cantina Mayahuel serves up great mole and great tequila in San Diego

November 8, 10:35 AMTequila ExaminerRyan Kelley

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Cantina Mayahuel in San Diego, CA

Sitting quietly in an unassuming storefront on Adams Avenue, in the University Heights area of San Diego, Cantina Mayahuel is small and easy-to-miss.

If you are in the San Diego area, make it a point to stop at this tequila bar and restaurant, which offers an excellent selection of over 100 artisanal tequilas (and mezcals) and some of the best mole in the city.

Walk inside Cantina Mayahuel (see slideshow here)and look to your right to find the tequila bar, taking up about half of the entire bar area that includes the food preparation area which stretches 3/4 of the way to the back of the restaurant. There are a few tables on the left side, but this is truly a cantina; you won't find a large dining hall. Be sure to appreciate the beautiful art that adorns the colorful yellow walls.

If the weather is right (and it often is in San Diego), make your way around the bar and outside to the patio. While the cantina is charming, rustic, and softly lit, we opted for the good sized, modestly decorated patio where there is a little more space and comfortable seating. Potted agave and other succulents surround the patio's perimeter; a beautiful multi-level fountain sits in the very center; and there's a smaller bar in the back (which was not staffed on this visit).

My friends and I happened to visit on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday for celebrating and remembering dead friends and family. The atmosphere was especially festive: the fountain was dyed neon green, candles and marigolds were everywhere, and there was a beautifully decorated altar inside.

Cantina Mayahuel's Day of the Dead altar

Mayahuel is very casual: you seat yourself in the cantina or out on the patio. Our server, Anna, greeted us warmly and gave us the lowdown on the restaurant and the daily special. Monday, the day of our visit, features 3 street tacos for $5 and shots of select tequilas (or margaritas) for $5. It's a value that simply cannot be beat. Because of the holiday, the cantina offered mole (red or black) street tacos in addition to the regular taco options of shrimp, mahi mahi, beef, and chicken. Anna also brought us another Day of the Dead special - a set of colored markers and a sugar skull to decorate so we could participate in one of the traditions of the holiday. Sugar skulls are on of the many foods offerred to the dead on the altar.

We started our meal with an aperitif of tequila (Fortaleza blanco for me, Fortaleza reposado for my friend) which is served in a caballito - a tall, traditional, hand-blown shot glass - without the accompaniment of lime or salt. My other friend decided on a Mexican Coca-Cola - a coke served in a tall bottle and made with real sugar instead of the sweeteners used in American Coca-Cola. We made quick work of our delicious tequilas, decorated our skulls, and polished off a delicious appetizer of chips served with rich, homemade salsa ($2.75).

We all decided to take advantage of the special, ordering beef, red mole, and black mole street tacos. I also ordered a margarita made from Tequila II 55 reposado. Anna delivered our food with lightning speed. There are three small tacos on each plate - a generous portion anytime, but a great value for $5. The beef street tacos featured sirloan beef marinated in lime and salt, topped with jack cheese, salsa, cabbage-carrot-cilantro mix, crema mexicana, and a dash of hot sauce. The mole street tacos were beautiful, with rich sauce generously poured over grilled chicken and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The beef was tender and flavorful, and both moles were top notch.

My favorite was the red mole, which has a great balance of spicy and savory. The black mole was bursting with a rich, smokey chocolate flavor accented by roasted peppers.
 

Freshly made margarita at Cantina Mayahuel

Anna then brought my margarita, which I could immediately see was made with fresh ingredients. (A fresh margarita has a natural lime color instead of the glowing yellowish-green that a bottled sweet and sour produces.) The fresh flavors of citrus and sweet agave nectar were really refreshing. When the sweetness passes, the wonderfully rich flavor of the rested tequila lingers and satisfies.

When we were finished enjoying out meal, Anna brought us some complimentary Pan de Muerto - a sweet bread accented with orange peel and anise seeds that is served for both the living and the dead (at the altar). This was a special treat for coming to celebrate Day of the Dead at Cantina Mayahuel. We didn't select any other desserts, but I finished my meal with a shot of Honorable añejo. I assurred Anna we would definitely be back.

The mole is not normally prepared on Mondays, but is available on Tuesdays and Fridays. Grilled halibut is the special for Wednesday, Chili Colorado on Thursday, Yucatan seafood stew on Saturday, and a "sorpresa!" (surprise!) special every Sunday. Chicken, beef, shrimp, and mahi tacos are always on the menu, in addition to appetizers, salads, and rice/bean/meat bowls. The awesome selection of tequilas, stellar service, relaxed and festive atmosphere, and friendly faces of neighborhood patrons and staff are available daily at Cantina Mayahuel.

Tequila Examiner Grade, Cantina Mayahuel: A

Cantina Mayahuel
2934 Adams Ave. (between 30th St. and Kansas St.)
San Diego CA 92116
(619) 283-6292
www.cantinamayahuel.com