NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants and Bars
    • The Best Restaurants in Raleigh, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Durham, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Cary – Apex, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill
    • The Best Bars and Lounges in Raleigh, NC
  • News
    • Coming Soon to the Triangle – New Restaurants and Bars
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2021
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
Restaurant & Bar Reviews » Raleigh » Cantina 18, Raleigh: Delivering Southwestern Flavors in Cameron Village

April 15, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Cantina 18, Raleigh: Delivering Southwestern Flavors in Cameron Village

Front of Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When is Mexican food not Mexican food?!  When it’s Southwestern food!  That’s what Cantina 18 bills itself as, a Southwestern eatery.  But if you look at the menu you’ll find all your usual Mexican faves albeit with a twist.  Given that Cantina 18 is part of the restaurant group run/owned by Chef Jason Smith, you’ll find some gourmet touches throughout the menu.  But that’s not always a bad thing, so let’s dive into a meal at Cantina 18! It had been years since I had last been here but I’m glad I was able to get back for a re-visit…

Interior of Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Interior of Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Given that Cameron Village can be tricky to navigate, you need to keep your eyes peeled for Cantina 18’s sign sporting red and green in the middle of the plaza.  On the outside they’ve got a nice sidewalk patio like most of the Cam Village restaurants and inside it’s padded booths, a bar and some festive Mexican decor.  Tonight we’re sitting outside and thankfully Cantina 18 has a house margarita special running on Monday’s.   We start off with a nicely pan-fried chicken quesadilla that comes with some Southwestern slaw, sour cream and salsa.  Nicely done and a bit lighter made with white cheddar.  The salsa brought to the table is light, mostly pureed tomatoes and then there’s a carrier full of hot sauces to spike the salsa with some heat.  While I like the idea of DIY salsa, I actually prefer the pre-made type for easier eating.

Chicken quesadilla at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Chicken quesadilla at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

For my main I order up a couple of tacos: short rib and shrimp which comes with some beans and slaw.  Typically I pay about $3 per taco so definitely the eats here at Cantina 18 are on the high side.  But I can say that you go do get more here in terms of ingredients and presentation.  The shrimp taco is laced with mango while the short rib has a smattering of corn and chipotle cream sauce, both were delicious.  The beans were fine and while the red slaw looked interesting visually, it was not that tasty to me.  My friend’s queso with beans also looked pretty delish.

Shrimp and short rib tacos at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Shrimp and short rib tacos at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Queso with beans at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Queso with beans at Cantina 18, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Service at Cantina 18 was good and pretty deliberate.  They had a trainee on hand whom was pretty enthusiastic and attentive.  Overall I can say I enjoyed my meal at Cantina 18 and will try and get back for a second meal.  While my instincts are to do a more authentic taqueria, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the food here and its proximity to Cameron Village and home make it a no-brainer.  So rock on Cantina 18.  Even though you’re doing Southwestern eats with the emphasis on the Southern part, it tastes mostly like Mexican to me which is a good thing…

 

Cantina 18

433 Daniels Street

Raleigh, NC 27605

919.835.9911

Location on Google maps

Save

Save

Related

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Cameron - Village District Restaurants, Tex-Mex Restaurants

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

Locals Oyster Bar in Raleigh for Some of the Freshest Seafood Around

Two Roosters Lands in the Bull City and is Dishing Out Great Ice Cream

KoKyu Southpoint, Durham: A Fun Eatery for Casual Asian-Fusion Fare Loaded with Flavor

Don’t Miss

  • Coming Soon to the Triangle – New Restaurants and Bars
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2021 Edition

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • The Willard Rooftop Lounge in Raleigh for Cocktails and the Golden Hour
  • A’Verde Cocina and Tequila Library Offering Up Fruity Cocktails and Fanciful Food Presentation
  • PrimoHoagies in Raleigh for Stuffed Sandwiches with a South Philly Flair!
  • CowBar Burgers & Fries in Raleigh for Beefy Perfection at North Hills

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework