El Cantinero Mexican Restaurant, New York, N.Y. (Manhattan)

The night of the Great Pre-Christmas Blizzard, Ian and I were out walking around Manhattan when we decided that 1) it was snowing hard, 2) the wind was blowing those snowflake at high speed and they were attacking our faces like knives, 3) it was cold out, and 4) we were hungry, so we dashed into El Cantinero Mexican Restaurant down in the Village.  It was late enough and the weather was getting sufficiently inclement that we were able to get immediate seating.

We stayed simple and hearty with our food choices.  Ian got the chicken burrito and cheese enchilada platter, bare.  I got the beef chimichanga and beef enchilada platter, and had the waitress give me Ian's unwanted guacamole and crema.  Both platters came with rice, cheese-covered refried beans, shredded lettuce, and large slices of cucumber.

The waiter kept the free chips and salsa coming throughout the meal.

Ian wanted dessert, so I agreed to split a dessert burrito with him.  They wrapped a banana in a flour tortilla,  deep-fried it, and served it covered with vanilla ice cream, copious quantities of whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and a maraschino cherry on top.  I'm glad we split it, since it was way more than I would have wanted to eat by myself.

I thought they did a pretty good job with the basic Mexican food at El Cantinero.  One never knows how the Mexican food will be when one is not in Mexico or the American Southwest, so this was a pleasant surprise, especially since I've yet to find an adequate Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C.

My only criticism of the place, and a major black mark in my book, is they served me a piña colada glass full of ice with some light tan liquid in it garnished with a lime wedge, charged me $5, and called it iced tea.  Then, they wanted to charge me for refills!  Needless to say, I stuck to water the rest of the meal.