If you had walked along Rue Prince Arthur last winter, you would have seen an almost deserted neighborhood. Nearly all of the businesses and restaurants were closed, and it seemed as though the once popular street had lost a lot of its charm. However, the walking street section of Rue Prince Arthur has rebounded immensely. The street is bustling with people and is now home to a great selection of restaurants, new and old. Some of my roommates and I were tempted by the fact that patio season was fleeting, so we decided to grab dinner outside at Cafe Mezcal. Address: 156 Rue Prince Arthur Est, Montreal, Quebex H2X 1B7
Cafe Mezcal is only months old, but they know what they’re doing. Their menu offers authentic and delicious Mexican food, and it currently has a $13 special, which includes three tacos (pork, veggie, chicken, or beef), guacamole and chips, and a drink. The rest of the menu had the typical range of Mexican food, but the options all looked great. The drink menu also had a variety of choices, and I opted for a Mexican spiced hot chocolate (despite the warm weather). It was just the right amount of sweetness, and was surprisingly a good match for my barbacoa tacos. Our waitress informed us that their liquor license was in the works, which will definitely be a good excuse for me to go back again soon.
Our waitress was pleasant and patient when we were all trying to figure out what to order, and we did not have to wait too long for our food, which is always a blessing because I tend to get hangry quite easily. The restaurant itself is quite small, but the outdoor patio gives them a lot more room in the warmer months, and the decor is extremely inviting. It’s the food, however, that makes it worth a trip to Cafe Mezcal.
First off, I highly recommend ordering the guacamole and chips to start if you don’t get the special, although next time I would want to try their nachos. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful, and the chips were the perfect salty companion for the guac. Sometimes I get serious cravings for Chipotle’s chips and guac, but I sincerely think that Cafe Mezcal’s might be better. The beef barbacoa tacos I ordered came with fresh salsa and pink pickled onions, both of which I was happy to add to my tacos. While the portions weren’t huge, the flavor of the food was impressive.
(Chipotle Chicken Tacos above, Beef Barbacoa Tacos below)
To finish off the meal, we ordered caramel and chocolate churros to share. Usually after I eat churros, I immediately regret my decision because they’re often just too fried. However, I didn’t feel this way about Cafe Mezcal’s churros, as they were rich but also fluffy and not overwhelming.
I will definitely be heading back to Cafe Mezcal for another spiced hot chocolate when the weather begins to get chilly. Once they get their liquor license and begin to procure margaritas and Coronas I’m sure there will be a wait to get in, so go now for some delicious Mexican food and desserts!