Mark Campos / Staff Photographer. According to Diablitos’ menu, the Baja Fish Tacos (pictured above) “put the B.A. in Baja! Rich and buttery Baja battered tilapia with cilantro cabbage slaw, lime and jalapeno tarter sauce.”

New cantina adds zest, dinosaurs to local restaurant scene

By now you may have noticed that the once-vacant building on Laclede that formerly housed Iggy’s is vibrant and alive again.  From the creators of Café Ventana and Chuy’s comes Diablitos Cantina, the newest restaurant near SLU’s main campus.

The atmosphere

Upon entering the restaurant, one cannot help but notice the copious amounts of lanterns and rustic artwork everywhere. They have everything from fake shutters to depictions of the Virgin Mary. Even the chairs are decorated with little suns and flowers, and are covered in vibrant colors.
Add a canopy section outside, and we are talking about the full dining experience here. The owners have done a stunning job of making this an attractive eatery.

There is a full bar with lots of drinks to choose from, including eight tequila cocktails alone. Other selections include sangria, the house margarita, wine and more than 20 beers on tap or in bottles. With two big screens, this is a great place to watch your favorite sports team and grab some drinks with your buddies.

On to the meat of the review: the food (pun intended.) Those expecting upscale fast food will be disappointed. This is a full-blown restaurant, and you will have to sit down in order to be served by a waiter or waitress. That being said, the food is worth the wait.

Mark Campos / Staff Photographer. Diablitos, a Mexican street-vendor-themed cantina, opened in December. The restaurant, located on Laclede Street, was home to Iggy’s Mexican Cantina.

Appetizers and drinks

Our waitress sat us down immediately, and started us off with water to drink. One special touch is that drinking water is served in empty tequila bottles. So, if a full bottle makes its way onto your table, remember not to act too excited.

The first option, before any food is delivered, is the salsa bar. Four cups for a buffet of salsas to choose from and a bag of chips runs for only $2. Varieties of salsa include, but are not limited to, the house salsa, mango salsa, watermelon salsa (not sure if that was ever a good idea) and roasted vegetable salsa. These salsas are not anything to write home about, because they lack flavor and the chips are paper thin, but, for $2, they are certainly worth a try.

Entrées

The main menu is small, but has many options. The menu includes most of what you would expect from a Mexican restaurant, including enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, quesadillas and, of course, tacos. Almost everything has a vegetarian option, for those who prefer no meat. My table ordered a burrito, fajitas and a quesadilla. I thoroughly enjoyed my food. The burrito came filled with beans, lettuce, pico de gallo and green rice, wrapped up and placed in an “ocean” of queso blanco.

Needless to say, I left nothing on my plate. It was a nice blend of tender meat and crisp, spicy veggies. The rice and tortilla were a great base to bring it all together, combining the flavors in one easy-to-eat pouch.

The verdict

The food was full of flavor, but was not overwhelming. It seems Diablitos is comfortable with what they are making, and I would not have been surprised if I had been told they had been open for several years.

These guys are ready for the long haul, and with a great drink menu and the late hours that the SLU campus is desperate for, it should be a hot spot for years to come.

Important things to remember:

1. This is a sit-down restaurant, so plan your time and budget accordingly (approximately an hour and fifteen minutes and $12, without drinks).

2. This place has a full bar, so take advantage of it. Look for weekly drink specials in the near future

3. If you’re looking for something late, don’t forget about Diablitos. It is a great change of pace from chain fast food restaurants. Best of all: they do carry out.