18 — Wednesdzy, February 15, 1959 - North Shore News

Great Mexican food served

for Norte Shore gringos

CAFE NORTE, 3108 EDGEMONT BOULEVARD, NORTH VAN-
COUVER, 255-1188. VISA AND MASTERCARD ACCEPTED.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.
THE EDGEMONT Boule-

vard strip has witnessed a
minor Mexican revolution.

Cafe Norte, a new purveyor of
bright Southwestern, Mexican and
Californian-Mexican cuisine
recently ousted F/ Meson, the orig-
inal Spanish jandlord of the
Edgemont location.

But fans of the original E/ Meson,
though understandably downcast
at the foss of that classic Spanish
restaurant, should not despaiv.

El Meson served an elegant and
authentic Spanish cuisine within
its whitewashed walls to the occa-
sionally spirited accompaniment of
live Spanish guitar and the restau-
rant’s cosy central fireplace.

tt was ar. »<<ellent dining expe-
rience.

Cafe Norte is not El Meson, but
it does offer a dining experience
every bit as rich and perhaps more
exciting than its predecessor.

For Norte Shore Mexican food
fans, Cafe Norte will be a culinary
bonanza.

Its food, according to its menu
and street awning, is classic and
unclassic Mexican. The
gastronome well-versed in the
semantic arts is welcome to gra
ple with the subtleties of what ot that
description might mean; the rest of
us will merely shrug shoulders and
wade into the menu with pistols
blazing and teeth gnashing.

Cafe Norte’s menu mercifully
departs somewhat from the now
traditional Mexican selection of-
fered in countless Mexican,
near-Mexican and not-even-Mex-
ican-at-all restaurants.

And while the Mexican food fan
will find all his favorites (Burritos,
$7.50 to $8 for chicken, beef and
pork; Enchiladas, $5 to $8 for
Pollo, Colorado, Rancheras; and
Quesadillas, $6 to $8, including a
vegetarian selection), there are
also a welcome number of detours
to the fess known but equally in-
teresting back country of Mexican
and Southwestern cuisine (Turtle
Bean Dip, $4, black beans with

VANCOUVER’S
LARGEST

hot and spicy chipotle — a red
tomato salsa spiced with dried and
smoked jalapeno peppers — an-
cho chilis all topped with melted
jack cheese; Sante Fe Pizza, $7,
featuring crisp flour tortilla
beneath spicy black beans,
chicken salsa chipotle and, again,
jack cheese; and Tacos Pescado,
$7, lime-marinated baby shrimp
and white fish, salsa verde, cheesy
alt foided into corn tortillas and
served with pico de gallo (avocado
and tomato relish).

TIMOTHY
;RENSHAW

table hopping

For margarita fans, Cafe Norte
serves the original classic: a gold
tequila, triple sec and lime juice
concoction straight up like a Mex-
ican martini — something Pancho
Villa might have enjoyed after a
day of revolutionary activities.

Of course, for those who enjoy
the rainbow of colors and sweet
flavors that have adulterated the
original to fit Pepsi-generation
tastes, the Californian-style
margarita is also available.

Our own revolutionary party
started with a complimentary bowl
of nachos, which came in blue
and standard, with a good and
brash salsa sauce. The nachos
were heated as were the sounds of
Los Lobos that filled the Norte.

Chicken Fajita ($8.50) arrived
surrounded by a hissing ovation
aboard a hot iron skillet.

The traditional Mexican restau-
rant dish features the chosen meat
marinated in complex Mexican
mole sauce with bell peppers and
onions. It also came with pico de
gallo and ample portions of sour

cream, jack cheese and salsa (from

February 18 & 19
Saturday & Sunday
10:00-4:00 p.m.
HELD INDOORS
NO PRESALE
AT

UONS
GATE
BRIDGE

DON’T

3711 Deibrock Ave., North Vancouver

mild to hot, depending upon your
palate) and deep black refried
beans.

The accompanying salsa sauce
was bright and had good strong
flavors of cilantro and various

peppers.

Warm tortillas were provided to °

wrap around the above ingre-
dients crepe-style or to use simply
as an edible mop for the dish’s
various sauces.

It was a delicious meal and pro-
vided a good visual and aural din-
ing experience.

| tried Duck Tamales ($8.25)
from Norte’s Specials menu. The
dish featured duck meat wrapped
in warm corn masa, steamed and
presented with an orange verde
sauce atop singed corn husks.

The serving was vast and the
presentation colorful, but, while |
applauded the imaginative use of
food textures and the interesting
use of duck, | found the tamales to
have an odd bitter aftertaste.

Entree accompaniments were
similar to those of the Fajita. The
beans were a standout — rich,
deep black and rib-sticking.

For dessert, we tested a Norte
flan ($3). Made with a touch of
chicory that gave it a slight coffee
kick, it was very good.

Service throughout the meal was
efficient and attentive. Waiters
were also knowledgeable about
the food they were serving, which
is extremely welcome when you
are navigating unknown or unfa-
miliar culinary waters.

Cafe Norte’s new decor includes
striking turquoise, blue and terra-
cotta colors along with ample cacti
and Mexican wall hangings that
have been added to the austere
original white of E/ Meson.

Soundtrack has gone from live
classical guitar and Spanish vocals
to Los Lobos and other more con-
temporary Tex-Mex sounds.

Overall, the Cafe Norte is a
first-class Mexican food restaurant
that is warm and intimate, lively
and friendly.

Open every day for dinner, with
lunch available during the week
and brunch available on the
weekend.

Delbrook Plaza

MISS IT!

“HEWS phelo Mio Walofickd
CAFE NORTE owner Philip Mitchell presents one of the restaurant's
interesting Mexican specialities amidst rich Norte flora.

The new
Edgement Boulevard restaurant serves exceilent Mexican food in lively
and warm surroundings.

MI YO Oe

Siusical com *

directed by
James Doyle

Performance Dates — KC
February 3,4,5.8,9,10,11, a4
12,15,16,17,18

Curtain 8:00—tickets $6 $c

Act 1/ Scene 1 x

Booking Info: on K
985-2932 & 983-2040 a

WED. NIGHT

Scandais Restaurant
2 FOR 1 127 Lonsdale Ave, N. Van.
2h Mh OM A OL OK a Ok og Ok Oe og Ok

FORO Ik