Family Dining in Marin: The Cantina in Mill Valley
The Cantina, a blast from Marin's recent past, has re-opened in Mill Valley's Blithedale Plaza. If you grew up in Marin you probably spent some time at this Mexican restaurant, renowned for its margaritas and family friendly setting. I loved coming to this restauant in my younger years. The Cantina closed in 2007, and was turned into a branch of musician Carlos Santana's fancier, pricier Maria Maria. Well, Mill Valley's Maria Maria is history, and the Cantina is once more open for business. We visited a short time ago with our own kids, and are happy to say that it hasn't changed much, despite the restaurant's three-year hiatus. The Cantina's current chef was even with the restaurant way back in 1983.
Don't come here expecting to find authentic regional cuisine from Mexico. The Cantina has its feet firmly planted in the realm of Americanized Mexican food. What you will find is fresh, tasty, and reasonably healthy "Cal-Mex" dishes, friendly service, and a casual yet elegant atmosphere. Portions were generous, and we all enjoyed our meals. We agreed that as far as we could tell, the food was pretty much similar to that served at the old Cantina, although I think it's actually better. We're happy to have it back!
The new Cantina looks a lot like the old Cantina on the inside, except that it's been freshened up quite a bit with green in mind, meaning features like lots of recycled wood and eco-friendly bamboo tables. The restaurant is cosy and welcoming on a chilly day thanks to the warm fireplaces. There are also two outdoor dining areas, one on the back patio that old Cantina hands probably remember, and one on a new patio along the front of the building that boasts a fire pit, which will come in handy on those foggy Mill Valley summer evenings.
Service was friendly, and the Cantina does a lot to help keep young diners occupied—aside from scarfing the complimentary tortilla chips and salsa—while waiting for their food. As with many places, the children's menu doubles as a coloring and activity sheet for use with the accompanying crayons. But they also hand out a small pack of Wikki Stix, a cool craft toy that you can use to make all sorts of shapes and creations. They're basically strips of acrylic yarn treated with a non-toxic food-grade wax, but they kept everyone—parents included—busy for quite some time at the restaurant, and even in the car on the way home.
The Cantina is open daily for dinner starting at 5 pm. For more information or reservations, call (415) 381-1070; you can also visit them online at www.thecantina.com. The restaurant is located in Blithedale Plaza at 651 East Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley (between Lomita Drive and Camino Alto).
