If you’re looking for a place to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, you might like The Cantina at El Torito Grill in Irvine! A few weeks ago, I went to a tasting of the new Cantina Plates featured menu by Chef Johannes Bernau. Everything was delicious and great to share! For example, their APPLE & BRIE QUESADILLA comes with melted brie, sliced granny smith apples, toasted walnuts, wild arugula, and fig jam. They were my favorite!

Their CHARCUTERIE was a beautiful arrangement of cured chorizo, aged manchego cheese, tortilla crisps, pumpkin seeds, green apple slices, pickled red onions, and a spreadable fig jam. If you like ceviche, they have a trio – TRES CEVICHE which includes salmon, shrimp, and mahi mahi.

If you have steak on your mind, they’ve got ’em! Select between MESQUITE-GRILLED STEAK SLIDERS which are grilled skirt steak, chipotle aioli, pickled red onions that comes with fries, OR FILET MIGNON ASADA TACOS which include filet mignon, bacon, chipotle slaw, pickled red onions, jalapeño, and cotija. Also available as SHRIMP & CHORIZO TACOS.

Last but not least, BLUE CORN NACHOS are on the menu with mesquite-grilled chicken, black beans, melted jack cheese, salsa machucada, pico de gallo, and sour cream as well as FISH & CHIPS (not pictured) which comes with yucca fries.

Everything was tasty, and I want to come back with my friends. The Cantina Plates Menu is available at El Torito Grill, 1910 Main Street, Irvine, CA. For more information, please visit their website at www.etgrill.com. My drink of the night was a yummy PICA DE SANDIA which includes libre red pepper tequila, watermelon puree, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and a Tajin chile rim. I would like another please!