Restauranteur Michael Versaci has opened an interesting Mexican restaurant in Rochester.  Miguel’s Cantina is a hybrid of authentic Mexican & Tex-Mex with the focus being squarely on authenticity. Michael has brought in a head chef from Mexico & has a menu that boasts from scratch cooking, fresh ingredients, & a refreshing lack of ground beef.

For a limited time and if you are VERY hungry, order the Two Hungry Dudes platter for an opportunity to try some of Miguel’s best offerings.

Salsa

Once seated at Miguel’s, fresh salsa is made table side for all guests.  Molcajete (mortar & pestle) salsa is a rarity in Mexican restaurants.  Miguel’s version has fire roasted tomatoes, roasted serrano chiles, garlic, cilantro, onion, salt & pepper.  The heat is customizable.  This salsa is refreshing & great change of pace from usual restaurant salsa.

 Entrees 

Carne Asada

Grilled skirt steak with salsa verde, pico de gallo, & tortillas.  Cebollitas (grilled green onions), rice, & refried beans are on the side.

Steak is seasoned simply with salt & pepper and has a nice charred flavor.  The refried beans have a rich texture and creaminess.  Guacamole and cebollitas add freshness to the dish.

Carnitas Taco

Slow cooked in pork fat with clove, cinnamon, oranges, onion, salt, & pepper, these carnitas are tender and slightly spicy with a subtle orange flavor.  Every so often, you’ll bite into a bit of crisp skin, which adds texture.  Tacos are served on Detroit made corn tortillas topped with cilantro, onions, and salsa verde.

Chile Relleno

Poblano pepper stuffed with monterey jack cheese & enveloped in an egg batter then deep fried.  A deeply comforting dish.  The tomato sauce atop the pepper helps to cut the richness of the cheese and egg.  The pepper has a moderate spiciness and is very tender.

Enchiladas de Mole

Chicken enchiladas smothered in a homemade mole sauce.  Miguel’s mole has deep flavor.  Smoky, chocolatey, notes of cinnamon, and a mild spiciness.  The onions are nice touch and add a little crunch to the plate.  There is a slight sweetness as well - a balanced dish with a lot of flavor.

Dessert

Flan Mexicano

Flan is a traditional Mexican dessert.  A decadent dessert that is eggy and well textured.  Vanilla & almond are the dominate flavors with some bitterness coming through from the caramelized sugar.  The homemade caramel sauce is thin and not overly sweet.  

Miguel’s Cantina on the web:

Twitter

EatatMiguels.com

More photos of Miguel’s:

Strawberry Margarita

Tacos Mexicanos

Pacifico