Restaurant Recommendation of the Week
The Velvet Cantina – 23rd, between Bartlett and Mission
My date and I wanted to go somewhere in San Francisco for dinner. Immediately, I thought the Mission, and consequently, Mexican food. From that point on, the choice was easy - The Velvet Cantina, on 23rd, between Bartlett and Mission. I had been there a few times before; once for dinner, but most of the time for some pregame tequila shots with the boys. It has a dark, but lively ambiance, casual setting, good food and friendly service. The perfect place for some dinner and drinks before a night out. It was a Friday night, and we walked into a full restaurant with no reservations. I walked over to the host/manager, (I had met him once before), and inquired about a table for two. They were completely booked; however, the owner made me a deal. Apparently, there was a 9 o'clock reservation for two, and it was 8:10, which gave us 50 minutes to eat, drink, and get out of there before the reservation showed up. We were starving so the time limit just meant we'd get our food quickly. We were in. I ordered the shrimp enchiladas dinner with black beans. The enchiladas themselves were filled with baby shrimp and slices of avocado in a light, slightly spicy cream sauce. They tasted great, and the black beans and Spanish rice complemented them quintessentially. I didn't try my date's steak tacos, but she enjoyed them. She also likes vegan food, so we'll give the tacos a comparative benefit of the doubt here. Our server knew the deal, so our service was swift and accurate, although we didn't feel rushed at all because we had a mutual respect for the time constraint. I was even able to order a mixed drink with some of their well, reposado tequila, and finish it with my meal. I paced myself a little, but as my good friend says, "if you drink too slow, you're just an asshole." 40 minutes into dinner, we had eaten light yet satisfying meals, drank, and had good conversation. Including both dinners and my drink, our bill was around $37. We put down an even $50 because they were able to accommodate us immediately without a reservation, and 5 minutes later we were on the way to our next destination