Food fight: Local Cantina: serving up handcrafted Mexican goodness

Sheridan Hendrix
Thu, 26 Oct 2017 02:48:36 +0000
Arts & Life, Buckeye Bites, News, bottomless chips and salsa, food fight, local cantina, salsa, tacos, tortillas

Eating should be an experience and an enjoyable one at that. Whether you’re staying in or going out, the meal before you should be eaten in an environment that makes you feel welcomed and at home. That’s how I feel when I’m at Local Cantina.

Maybe it’s the Polaroid pictures of customers lining the wall behind the bar. Maybe it’s the Christmas lights strung between bottles of tequila and taps that pour local craft beers. Maybe it’s the friendly wait staff and upbeat music. Who can really say? All I know is that is not how I feel when visiting rival taco joint Condado.

Don’t get me wrong –– I am a fan of Condado. I have bought many a taco there. But the whole concept is a little overrated. Condado is loud, drafty, overpriced and crowded.

Food fight. Local Cantina battles Condado for the best taco in Columbus. | Credit: Sheridan Hendrix | Oller Reporter.

While Local Cantina is also pretty loud and sometimes there can be a wait, if it does one thing right, it’s the tacos.

One of the best things about Local Cantina is Taco Tuesday. It has been said that on the first day, God said ‘Let there be light and it was good.’ Then on the second day, God created Taco Tuesday, and it was awesome.

On Taco Tuesday, every taco on the menu ?(with the exception of a few premium options) costs only $2 — for the entire day. That’s a dollar less and eight hours longer than Condado’s happy hour. Local Cantina also has a daily happy hour on top of that, featuring discounted margaritas and beer.

Local Cantina knows a thing or two about authentic tacos. For one, tacos come on fresh corn tortillas, not some generic-brand flour pancake excuse of a shell.

As far as the menu goes, Local Cantina offers a variety of handcrafted tacos that suit any palate. From classics like roasted carnitas with mango salsa and carne asada to more creative options like chorizo and egg and tempura shrimp, you can’t go wrong.

Another thing Local Cantina gets right is the unlimited self-serve chips and salsa.

Anywhere I have to pay for chips and salsa is simply insulting. And there is no judgement for how many times you revisit the chip station because at Local Cantina, we’re all friends.

So to my fellow Local Cantina lovers, I’ll see you on Tuesday. To those who have yet to visit this North High Street gem, what are you waiting for?