Jose's Mexican Cantina Offers Mouthwatering Dishes, Service Leaves Much To Be Desired

Lately, I've been looking for another place to enjoy Mexican food besides Chevy's. I was drawn to because of their menu, which offers standards such as Nachos ($6.75) and Huevos Rancheros ($12.00), but also unfamiliar dishes such as Calamar in Brown Sauce ($10.75) and a Mexican stew called Puerco Guisado ($14.75).

I decided on trying something new for an Appetizer. The Ceviche ($8.95) was a tasty starter with tender morsels of shrimp and sliced crab-meat bathed in garlic and lemon. The shrimp and crab-meat were mixed into a sauce with fresh slices of tomatoes, peppers, onions and cilantro. A little bit more garlic would have made the dish even better, but the lemon taste was still refreshing. I was also relieved that they didn't overpower it with the cilantro.

The main course came with soup. I wisely chose the Gaspacho (cold tomato soup), which was delicious and surprisingly hardy with its blend of cucumbers, onions and bell peppers.

Although the waiter warned me that my main course choice of a soft shell taco dish, Jalisco Steak Tacos ($19.50), would be spicy, I decided to try it anyway. He was right about it being spicy, but it didn't leave me sweating.

The flank steak strips were tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. The onions and peppers were cooked just right and were perfect fillings. But the Refried Beans looked like one big messy glop, which gave me an instant aversion to them.

The Flan ($3.95) seemed like a good choice for a nice, light dessert, but it felt heavy after a couple of bites and was overloaded with syrup.

Jose's doesn't have a liquor license, as no restaurant within the borough does, but the restaurant will allow you to bring your own liquor or choose from their assortment of virgin cocktails. I ordered a virgin Pina Colada and found it to be just as tasty without any alcohol.

Jose's interior is very colorful, but the booths were a bit small. The service was adequate at best. The waiter seated me as soon as I walked in and took my drink order. He also brought me some chips and watery salsa, which served me well because it took him forever to come back to take my meal order.

My food was served hot, but the waiter never came back to check on me. Another waiter took my dessert order and served it to me. I also spent a lot of time waiting for the waiter to bring my check.

The waiter apologized twice after each time gap, but I was the only person there. The long waits were inexcusable.

Jose's Mexican Cantina's food was better than food I've enjoyed at other mexican restaurants like Chevy's. But the service was a disappointment, as I've had better at other restaurants that were crowded or even half-empty.

All said and done, I'll give Jose's another try again because they have entries on their menu that I'd like to try and at least one waiter that can offer decent service.

Jose's Mexican Cantina is located at 24 South St. The restaurant's hours are Monday-Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Friday-Saturday: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Dinner, 3 p.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday: Dinner, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. Visit Jose's Mexican Cantina's website for more information.