Appetizers at Kuma Cantina in Tokyo include chips with guacamole, salsa and bean dip. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
A little over an hour train ride into central Tokyo and a short walk will bring you to this authentic Mexican restaurant in Higashi-Nakano.
Kuma Cantina opened about six months ago and features a variety of traditional Mexican cuisine. The restaurant has a grown-up, nightlife vibe, but is still suitable for children.
The atmosphere is cozy in the dimly lit, two-story restaurant. There’s seating for 30, including an outdoor dining table, and a cocktail bar.
English menus are available, and you cannot go wrong with the appetizers, which include authentic, crunchy tortilla chips with guacamole, salsa and bean dip.
Another tasty starter option is the crispy tacos ahogados, or fried chicken taquitos, that come three to a plate on tomatillo salsa, covered with red cabbage and a large scoop of lemon cream.
Tacos ahogados from Kuma Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Tokyo. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
The adobo ribs, or Mexican barbecued pork, is available in a large platter meal for 4,268 yen (about $27), which I shared with my son. It featured a tender pork rib with more meat than bone and is sure to fill you up.
The preparation would take a little time in order to achieve perfection, the server warned us, which turned out to be accurate. But the end result was worth the wait. The ribs were served with flour tortillas, sweet potato puree and coleslaw.
My wife and friends sampled pollo asado, or roast chicken, for 3,850 yen, with corn tortillas, rice and marinated tomatoes. And crab and shrimp enchiladas, a seafood medley wrapped in a flour tortilla.
I capped off my meal with tres leches, a traditional dessert made with a sponge cake, saturated with three types of milk and topped with blueberries and toasted coconut.
All the food was presented exceptionally well, service was excellent and there were no complaints from our table, just satisfied appetites.
Kuma Cantina recently opened in Tokyo and offers a variety of Mexican dishes. Some feature a Japanese twist. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Kuma Cantina
Location: 3-2-7 Higashinakano, 1F, Nakano Ward, Japan, 164-0003, Tokyo
Directions: A short walk from Higashi-Nakano Station.
Hours: Open 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Prices: Expect to spend 4,000 to 5,000 yen for lunch and 6,000 to 8,000 yen for dinner, including tax.
Dress: Casual
Information: Make reservations online at linktr.ee/kumacantina or call 03-5497-8998. Credit cards accepted. Takeout is also available.
