by MARK SLUTSKY

I’ve used this space in the past to grumble about the availability of good, authentic Mexican cuisine in this city (even though I must admit to being a big fan of the non-authentic stuff). But that’s not what I’m going to do in this column, because things have been looking up lately, with the opening of two notable Mexican joints in the last couple of months alone. There’s the simple, inexpensive and tasty fare offered by Mex-I, a new tacqueria on St-Laurent just above Pine, which I’ll get to at some future date, and the varied menu and charming atmosphere of Maria Bonita, hidden away in the shmata district north of Laurier and east of St-Laurent.

Maria Bonita is a warm place with friendly service and minimal décor. During the day they offer inexpensive lunch specials like pretty much every other restaurant in the neighbourhood, with a full-service menu for dinner. While they serve lots of appetizers and a full list of main courses, my eyes were immediately drawn to the cazuelitas, two menu pages of small dishes in the $4–$5 range. Sort of a Mexican tapas, these are meant to be rolled up in tortillas, DIY-style. This idea held great appeal for me, especially as the cazuelitas were the most interesting-looking dishes on the menu.

Through careful experimentation it was determined that two to three cazuelitas per person made for an optimal eating experience. Don’t miss the mole poblano ($4.75), a chicken mole dish made with chocolate (of course) and hot peppers. The sauce was spicy and delicious, some of the best of its kind I’ve ever had (though quality seemed to waver a bit from night to night—the first time I had it was a revelation, the second was more average). The lomo en salsa de cachuate ($4.75) was a filet of pork in a thick peanut sauce. The sauce is very different from its Asian counterpart—it’s drier and grainier, more of a paste than a sauce, actually.

If you’re a cactus fan, “prick” your appetite (sorry) with the nopales gratinados ($4.50), consisting of, as the name suggests, tender strips of cactus covered in melted cheese. Incidentally, quite a few of the cazuelitas come gratiné, and this is actually a bit of a problem, as the cheese solidifies and makes it hard to remove a taco-sized portion from the bowl without taking the entirety of the cheese with it, much to your companions’ dismay. Use a knife! Also in that category is the chorizo sausage ($4.75), which, interestingly enough, was served ground up into what was almost a paste. That might not sound appetizing, but the meat was so savoury and tender that it was almost irresistible.

But my favourite of these small dishes was probably the cochinita pibil ($4.75). Pork marinated in achiote (a seasoning made from the seeds of the annatto plant), wrapped in a banana leaf and oven-baked, it was obscenely tender and delicious. I’d order several of these, actually. They’re that good.

Of course, you might not feel like going the tapas tacos route, in which case you can get a variety of quesadillas ($2.50-$2.75) in pork, chicken, cheese, or mushroom formats, straight-up tacos, or even more conventional main dishes. The marinated chicken abodabo ($9.50) was terrific, and the highlight of the plate was the homemade guacamole—thick, creamy and fresh. I should also mention the delightful, spicy red salsa that came with the complimentary chips that arrived before the meal—the stuff was smoky and hot, flavoured with chipotle peppers.

It’s also worth trying some of Maria Bonita’s homemade drinks (all in the $2–$2.50 range). The lemonade and orangeade were both tasty and refreshing, but the highlights were undoubtedly the celery juice, which was so unexpected and good—a perfect summer drink—and the sweet, cinnamon-flavoured ice water, which was like candy in a glass. A fine end to a filling meal.

Tips? Comments? Questions? eattothebeat@gmail.com

Maria Bonita
ADDRESS: 5269 Casgrain (at Maguire)
PHONE: 807-4377
HOURS: Mon 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Tue–Fri 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 4–10 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: The menu of small dishes used to roll
your own tacos in various delicious ways
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $10–$20 per person, before tax, booze or tip
RATING: *** out of ****