Amy Stocklein
Tacos come the traditional way, topped with chopped onions and cilantro.
The big, bring-the-family-style of Mexican restaurant feels at times like a product of a bygone era. Most Madisonians have some sort of current or nostalgic affection for Pedro’s, Laredo’s, Chi-Chi’s or the like, but many of the national versions have closed or feel like a shadow of their former selves.
La Cantina in Stoughton is part of the wave of what I’ll call locally large Mexican restaurants. It’s a cozier, more personal take on chain Mexican dining. Like many in this style (there’s one I go to on the regular when visiting family in northeastern Wisconsin), La Cantina’s menu is long, seven very full pages. And the plates are as full of food as those pages are of content.
Folks tend to reveal their emotional investment in Mexican restaurants in terms of complimentary chips and salsa. Breathe easily, Team Free Salsa — La Cantina is on your side. The chips are thin and crisp, and I’d be happy to drink the smooth, mild salsa through a straw. You could upgrade your chip game with a dish of bean dip, which is good, but very loose and possibly more cheese than bean.
A side order of chile relleno resembles a Mexican take on eggplant parm, doused with salsa and cheese. Stuffed jalapeños sound like they might be housemade, but they are not. They’re poppers. Enjoyable poppers, but standard issue. It’s probably okay to skip to the main dishes.
An order of fajitas is an effective plan of attack, but pay attention to the description. If you don’t see veggies listed, you won’t get any. The chori fajitas (ribeye, chicken, choriqueso) is a pile of sizzling meat and cheese. The Cristoval’s Special is similarly generous. Think chicken, chorizo and rice with more of the cheese sauce, plus a tasty dollop of guacamole. There may be some fatty bits of meat with these platters, but nothing egregious, and I take it as a sign of homey preparation. Plus, La Cantina’s Spanish rice is way better than the over-puffed tomato water delivery vehicle it can be at its worst.
The rice rounds out the many combination plates, too (there are lunch combos and anytime combos, and most come with the rice). A gooey shrimp quesadilla with crispy beef taco and rice is just the kind of casual yet decadent lunch I dig. The seasoning in the taco’s beef seemed more subtle than in the puffy-shelled chalupa, an a la carte item and a steal at three bucks, but I loved them both equally.
Enchiladas supreme came with one very saucy and fresh enchilada of each type (chicken, beef, bean, and cheese). Beef flautas resembled a rolled version of the chalupa, and were not as crispy as I’m used to.
There’s no horchata on the menu, nor the beer/tomato juice hybrid known as a michelada — but the bar will happily mix one of those for you all special-like. The massive blended margaritas and daiquiris are quite big and alcoholic. A peach daiquiri was particularly refreshing, poured into a big footed goblet they call a “medium.”
La Cantina serves a sprawling footprint, with separate rooms, a bar, nooks and crannies, all that. I appreciate that one can stroll in with a party of two — or 12 — and in most circumstances be seated within 10 minutes. La Cantina wants you to come and be fed, and between the big space, the big portions, and the fast service, by god, you will be.
La Cantina
620 Nygaard St., Stoughton; 608-400-1266
facebook.com/La-cantina-111449443582710
11 am-9 pm Mon.-Thurs., 11 am-10 pm Fri., 11:30 am-10 pm Sat.; $2-$31
