Situated in Raleigh's historic Cameron Village, Cantina 18 has been serving delicious, seasonal Southwestern fare since 2010. Chef Jason Smith is constantly searching for the freshest seasonal ingredients native to the area and sources many ingredients from local North Carolina farms—75 percent of the menu is locally-sourced. The upscale Tex-Mex restaurant is open for lunch, brunch and dinner and offers an extensive menu including impeccably-prepared classics like tacos, nachos, fajitas, quesadillas and of course, creative margaritas.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I sampled some favorites from Cantina 18’s new catering menu. The new catering menu includes quesadilla boxes, burrito boxes, taco bars and salads. The quesadilla box includes freshly-made tortilla chips, homemade salsa and the pastry chef’s dessert of the day. You can choose from marinated chicken tinga, braised beef short rib, Wanchese shrimp, black bean and avocado and four-cheese.
I sampled the Wanchese shrimp quesadillas complete with melty white cheddar cheese and grilled red onions. The locally-sourced quesadillas were perfectly crisped and were topped with fresh herbs. As a recent-born shrimp aficionado, I found the quesadillas to be extremely flavorful and light.
For the burrito boxes, you can choose from chicken tinga, Carolina classics fish, braised short rib and veggie. The taco bar is absolutely perfect for large groups and serves a minimum of 12 people. The bar comes complete with chips and salsa, wheat or corn tortillas, two side options, up to three proteins and a salad bar. Choose from proteins like grilled shrimp, pork belly carnitas, chickpea masala and more. The proteins are paired with sides like verde rice, refried beans, black beans and Southwestern slaw.
At the bar, I sampled the braised short rib and pork carnitas, topped with verde rice, black beans, grilled rainbow peppers and fresh lettuce and tomato. The meat was to-die-for—extremely melt-in-your-mouth tender and bursting with spiced flavor. On the side was a mixed greens salad crowned with red onions, queso fresco, pickled corn, jicama and a robust cilantro-lime vinaigrette—the perfect fresh accompaniment to its meatier taco counterpart.
In addition to the quesadillas and tacos, I sampled the house guacamole and goat cheese guacamole. The goat cheese guacamole was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. The tart, earthy goat cheese crumbles swirled perfectly into the creamy avocado mash and the duo was complimented with tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, black beans and cilantro.
All in all, Cantina 18 is the perfect place to get your Southwestern fix—they’ll surpass all of your expectations with local and seasonal ingredients, and an unexpected Southern flare. The new catering menu is perfect for any occasion and will leave guests feeling satisfied.
Special thanks to Tabletop Media for the delicious complimentary snacks. These reviews are entirely honest and my own.