Not for Purists: Agave Mexicana Cantina

The best experience I’ve had of eating Mexican food is at Mañana in Boracay. Nothing beats having the Boracay sunset as the backdrop while indulging in a taco or two. It’s not every day, however, that one could fly to Boracay for a blissful Mexican fix. We city folks have to make do with the crop of Mexican options available in Manila.

One of the more established Mexican inspired haunts here is Agave Mexicana Cantina. It’s a good place for decent Mexican influenced dishes whenever a craving hits and it’s exactly at Agave's Bonifacio High Street branch that I found myself one Saturday for Wamie’s birthday celebration and surprise announcement. I shared orders with my friend Dramin since both of us wanted light meals that night.

Burger ala Mexicana with Cheese (250php++)

The burger was a bit dried out but the big flavors of the patty were more than enough to compensate for its dryness. The burger tasted as if it were cooked on an actual grill giving it an authentic beef flavor. It also didn’t hurt that the fries on the side were made from real potatoes. I must say though that Agave didn’t attempt to give this undeniably American classic, a Mexican spin. Those who expect to have a little taste of Mexico with this burger will be sorely disappointed.

Shrimp and Crab Enchiladas (350php)

Agave’s version of enchilada was stuffed with only cheese, sautéed onions, and meat (crabs and shrimps in our case). Foodies who are familiar with Mexican cuisine might raise an eyebrow with Agave’s take on this popular Mexican specialty as enchiladas are commonly known to be filled with just about everything. I didn’t mind the lack of authenticity though since one bite of Agave’s enchilada and I knew that we had a winner! The enchilada had the perfect balance of sweet (shrimps and crabs) and salty (cheese) giving it a good solid taste. I was able to devour my share of enchilada in no time and its scrumptiousness also made me forget about the lackluster Mexican red rice that came with the dish.

While you won’t find authentic Mexican flavours in Agave Mexicana Cantina, it’s a place that I would still recommend to no fuss eaters who simply appreciate good food.

Agave Mexicana Cantina is located at Bonifacio Hight Street (near Nike) Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Visit www.agavecantina.com for more information and locations.