Located at 621 East Bay Avenue in Manahawkin, New Jersey, La Cabañita offers their customers Mexican cuisine packed with flavor. Their literature says it all by stating that they want you to get an authentic experience as if you were in Mexico City. The atmosphere inside is absolutely breathtaking between the actual vibe and the decorations around the restaurant. I happened to be seated in front of one of their television monitors advertising their daily specials and showcasing some of their dishes. If I wasn't tremendously hungry when I walked in, I definitely was now after viewing some really special dishes.
I was in there on a Tuesday which, like many restaurants of this cuisine, was Taco Tuesday. Because I am not a big fan of tacos, I went right to the menu and chose a Huarache. As the menu informed me this is a long thick handmade corn tortilla. On top of the tortilla was fried beans, lettuce, onions, tomato, avocado, sour cream and cheese. I chose the Al Pastor variety, which is seasoned pork with pineapple.
The flavors of the toppings and the tortilla blended so well together that I tried to get a little bit of everything on my fork before bringing my utensil to my lips. It had a nice kick to it! The spiciness was just the right amount that I didn't need to reach for the bottle of hot sauce on the table. I also enjoyed the little garnish of cucumber and radish that bookended my meal. I drank Orange Fanta soda and even though I love the soda, I should have asked about Mexican Coke. This is after finding out that they did carry it, even though I didn't see it on the menu. That would have erased the High Fructose Corn Syrup that I ended up having.
The service was great and very helpful leading me and my better half to thoroughly enjoy the experience. La Cabañita will be added to my list of places to eat out from now on!