Restaurant Listing: Directions, review, more

Cabo Flats Cantina & Tequila Bar does California Mex in all its grand, funky glory. From the chandeliers made of Mexican punched-tin star lanterns to the wild, lime-frame garage doors, this new spot at Downtown at the Gardens is hot in a big way.

The crowd of tequila-shooting revelers spills out around the indoor-outdoor bar on weekends, when the music’s live, the impromptu bar-top dancers are lively and the rough-hewn tables are laden with all things crunchy and spicy.

What attracts such crowds goes beyond the festivities — this is clear after just a few nibbles of your appetizer, a sip of Dos Equis Ambar and a glance around at the space formerly occupied by Rosa Mexicano:

Not only is the décor sizzling, with a mix of rustic and more stylized pieces set against a bright palette of Cabo colors, the food is caliente — and not just in temperature and spice factor.

I have to confess here that I loved this place before stepping foot in it. As a Rosa Mexicano fan, heartbroken at its demise, I was delighted to see another establishment venture into the space, a space too fabulous to waste. But when I glimpsed the swelling bar scene one night, I wondered if the food would be worth braving such crowds.

Short answer: Yes! What restaurateur Paul Ardaji has done here is far more significant than simply replacing one Mexican restaurant with another. He has conjured a place that is neither Mexico nor L.A., a capsule of cool that combines touches of both to forge a unique identity. Unlike Rosa, which aimed for the upscale, Cabo is unabashedly casual.

That’s not to say it’s less exquisite.

My first visit was on a Saturday night on the early side (just past 7 p.m.) and, while the place was bustling, the wait wasn’t bad at all. Even better, we scored a fabulous booth in the back, away from where the live band would set up a little later.

Perhaps it was the déjà vu of the space where I had tasted some pretty outstanding tableside-fresh guacamole, but after indulging in a handful of warm, crisp tortilla chips and bright-flavored salsa fresca, I had to settle my craving for smashed avocado. The Cabo Flats version, Guacamole El Cabo ($8), was not prepared tableside, but it arrived in an authentic volcanic-stone molcajete (mortar) and it proved to be fresh, creamy and light, perhaps a little too light for my taste. I like mine with a little more onion and cilantro. (Cabo also offers a version with rock crab and shrimp for $11.)

But whatever minor flavor the guac was missing was more than made up for by the next two appetizers we sampled: the Rock Shrimp Popcorn “Tempura Style” ($9) and the Tuna Chile Rub Tostadas ($8).

The popcorn shrimp, crunchy, flavorful nuggets enhanced with an orange habanero aioli, proved outstanding. As did the tuna tostadas, with a hint of jalapeño-lime aioli — crisp, fresh and delivering a range of flavor notes, this dish is heavenly. (I loved it so much I may order it as my main course next time.) These two dishes alone are worth a return trip to Cabo Flats, I thought as we polished off the appetizers. Less stellar was the Queso Fundido, or melted cheeses in a cast iron skillet ($6) we sampled on a return visit, though we did not try the versions containing chorizo ($7.50) or rock crab and shrimp ($9.50.)

Then came the tacos: Steak “Al Carbon” ($3.50) and Ground Beef ($3). Cabo also offers Baja Fish tacos ($3.50) and Chicken “Al Carbon” tacos ($3). Served in a soft tortilla, the tacos are fresh, flavorful and served a la carte, individually, so you can mix it up and sample the lot. We ordered rice and two bean dishes (black beans and “charro,” or cowboy-style pintos) on the side. These were the only misses of the evening, as the beans lacked depth of flavor and the rice lacked flavor, period.

But, hey, you don’t go to Cabo Flats for the beans and rice. You go for the wow factor. And I found this when I returned a few nights later and ordered one of Cabo’s signature plates, the Filet Mignon Tiaquepaque, a buttery filet in a Roquefort blue cheese sauce and chipotle chile ($24). Equally wowing were the chicken enchiladas (a plate of three for $12), which were offered with either a ranchero or a tomatillo cream sauce. I opted for the tomatillo cream, a sauce that struck the ideal balance of creaminess and zing, keeping this normally over-sauced dish perfectly light.

That evening brought us another terrific sauce in the Chicken Mole ($15), also a Cabo Flats signature dish. Rich, sweet and smoky, this mole sends a happy hum on the palate. The chicken, however, was not as moist as it could have been.

On a future visit, I’d like to try one of the burritos bearing the names of music legends Bob Marley, the Doors and the Beach Boys (ranging from $9 to $14). We simply had no room for anything the menu calls “ginormous.” Nor did we have room for dessert (all $8), although on both my visits our very efficient servers raved about Cabo Crunch Fried Ice Cream. I don’t know — I may have to try the Mango Bread Pudding as well.

In any case, the good folks at Cabo Flats made sure we didn’t leave the place without a sweet finish — they brought us some free cotton candy. It arrived at the end of our dinner — a pink, sugary bundle atop a long, retro-style paper cone. How appropriate it was, this bright pink, Cali-Mex exclamation point that punctuated a couple of fabulous meals.

R E V I E W

Cabo Flats Cantina & Tequila Bar

FOOD: A-

SERVICE: A-

ADDRESS: 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave. (in Downtown at the Gardens), Palm Beach Gardens

TELEPHONE: (561) 624-0024

WEB SITE: caboflats.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

HOURS: Open daily at 11:30 a.m. for lunch, dinner and late night meals to 2 a.m.

CREDIT CARDS: AmEx, Visa, MC

RESERVATIONS: Yes, but walk-ins are welcome

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A