Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Geneva is a little piece of Mexico, and we do mean little. We received an email recommending this restaurant from a Mr. Pon, first name Grou. It was a Groupon, get it? We crack ourselves up! The name of this place is Sergio’s Cantina.
Sergio’s Cantina
30 W. Main Street
Geneva 60134
(630) 845-9200
www.sergioscantina.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 South to Rte. 38 East to restaurant.
Estimated Travel Time: 39 minutes
Walking in, we were invited to pick any available seat from their six booths and 12 tables. This cantina has a clay tile awning in the kitchen area, Mexican frescoes on the walls, and last but not least, Mariachi music blaring from the kitchen. How much more atmosphere could you ask for? They even have a decent size bar where you can sit and sip a Margarita or two.
After we found a table, our waitress brought over a basket of warm tortilla chips with a bowl of salsa for us to munch on while we were gazing at the menu. This salsa was the best we’ve ever had because it wasn’t the usual diced up version; it was pureed and had just enough kick to make it interesting.
We started the evening off with the Shrimp and Chorizo Queso Fundido ($8.99). This was melted cheese with poblano peppers, onions, Mexican sausage, and shrimp served with four flour tortillas. This was a very flavorful dish packed with meat and gooey cheese. What’s not to like?
You know the saying, “When in Mexico, do as the Mexican’s do…” We decided to order from the Sergio’s Family Recipes section on the menu. All of these dinners came with rice and black beans. If you wanted to substitute fresh grilled vegetables with garlic butter or a side salad, add 99¢.
Nancy went with her favorite Mexican dish, Chile Rellenos ($11.99), which was two fried poblano peppers stuffed with cheese and topped with a tomato sauce and sour cream. These mild peppers were lightly battered so that you can really appreciate the taste of the pepper and cheese. She substituted the side salad in place of the black beans, which was a tasty bargain.
Jim wanted to order the Carne Asada ($14.99), which was a 10 oz. Marinated skirt steak served with cactus salad, sautéed corn, and poblano peppers. Our waitress suggested the Carne Asada Combo for $1 more, which added two beef enchiladas. Of course, Jim jumped at the chance like a Mexican jumping bean! The skirt steak was tender and juicy and even I liked it.
Now for el Desserto. We chose the Dessert Nachos for $5.99. They were crispy flour tortilla wedges in a cinnamon sugar mixture, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate, caramel, and raspberry sauces then topped with whipped cream. We couldn’t figure out how they could make these flour tortilla wedges so light, airy, and crispy. We’re still wondering since we’ve never had anything like it. They were to die for!!!
We both came to a unanimous decision that this is now our favorite Mexican restaurant. It serves authentic food in an authentic Mexican setting.
FYI: Handicap accessible.
The price for our dinner fiesta was $50.20, olé!
Jim’s take: Everything I had was freshly made and delicious. Their entrees don’t have a lot of heat, which is good for us old folks. I never ate cactus before, and probably never will again…
Nancy’s take: From the salted homemade tortilla chips, to the best Chile Rellenos and the most delectable dessert I’ve ever had from a Mexican restaurant, this place is my #1 go-to cantina.
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com
