178 Crystal Park Road
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
(719) 685-5999
http://crystalparkcantina.com/ (not working)
Attire: Casual
Company: My Husband
RATINGS
The Grub: 2 – Try It…
Service: 4 – Gotta go!
Atmosphere: 3 - Savor It…
Cost/Value: $$ - Got a few bucks / Value 2 (O.K.)
Ratings Key
General Cost/Value (based on a party of 2)
1 – No go… $ – Pinchin’ pennies (less than $10)
2 – Try it… $$ – Got a few bucks (less than $20)
3 – Savor it... $$$ – It doesn’t hurt to drop a few (less than $50)
4 – Gotta go! $$$$ – I just got a bonus ($100 +)
Nestled on the east end of Manitou Springs, right in the heart of a residential neighborhood, a great location for the locals and tourists. This Spanish style building sits on the side of Crystal Park Road, leading up to one of my favorite neighborhoods in the area. The new owners did a number on the inside of the restaurant, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, it was beautiful. I immediately funneled out to the massive patio with tons of seating to enjoy the beautiful summer weather. Although the patio does overlook the road, it was surprisingly quiet and peaceful. We were greeted right away by our server who provided excellent service and was great at exploiting the menu to its fullest. Overall, the experience was very nice. Friendly staff and beautiful atmosphere!
The Grub
Was O.K. The chips and salsa, superb! I have to give this cantina props on their salsa, it was beautifully complex and full of flavor. The chips were fresh and crispy, and the salsa added a spicy pepper flair, with a great balance of cilantro and garlic. My fish tacos were good, I was happy that I was able to get the fish grilled instead of fried. I was missing a nice fruit salsa to top the fish tacos, the cabbage with fish was somewhat bland. The tacos came with rice on the side as well as beans, and a dapple of salsa (pico) and guacamole. The beans were lacking in smokiness, but entertained a slight pork flavor. The rice, strange, to say the least…I did not find the rice drenched in butter to fit a Mexican restaurant.
So Great…
The salsa and chips, great job! Perfect balance of flavors in the salsa and the chips were hot and fresh. The service, very friendly and attentive staff and beautiful atmosphere and location!
The Bummer…
My expectations after the flavors I encountered with the salsa were high for the main course. I found the flavor combinations in the beans and rice to be strange and non-harmonious at all. I would highly recommend creating signature salsas for your dishes, especially a mango salsa for your fish tacos. Let me know when it is on the menu! J
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