The menu for Cal Mex Cantina, which sits adjacent to an El Torito (of all things) on the land side of the Redondo Beach Pier, calls itself “The original Mextropub” — a phrase that does not flow easily off the tongue.
It’s a play on the more familiar “gastropub,” which was coined in the UK back in the 1990s to describe a pub that served elevated grub, something more than fish and chips, and bangers and mash. In other words, they had bigger menus, for those who want something more than the same old same old.
And that’s what they do at Cal Mex — which also describes itself as a “cantina” — a 19th-century word that describes a saloon with a Mexican theme.
Our use of language is sufficiently befuddled these days, given that Cal Mex manages to be both a cantina for drinks and a gastropub for food. But, more notably, it’s a fine spot to go for live music on the pier, and a view that — were it not for Palos Verdes Peninsula being in the way — would probably stretch all the way out to Catalina Island and Orange County to the south.
It’s a comfortable place to bend an elbow, at the bar or a table (outdoors, if the evening is clement), and consider what makes this cantina “gastro.”
Certainly, the drink menu alone is quirky enough to make it a gastrobar. There are 10 margaritas — one of which (El Hombre Grande) is made with a choice of three different peppered tequilas. The Spicy Piña mixes Corralejo Reposado Tequila with Crater Lake Hatch Green Chile Vodka. And there’s a creation called Espresso Libre, crafted from Selvarey chocolate rum, caffe Borghetti espresso liqueur, Di Sarronno velvet liqueur … topped with Cardi B’s Mocha Whipshots. Which is way out of my beer-drinking league.
Thankfully, the food doesn’t try to compete with all that eccentric mixology. But it does give it a bit of a run for the roses.
It is more than a bit unexpected to find hummus on the menu at a Mexican cantina. And in this case, the hummus is made from avocado, topped with fried garbanzo beans. It’s sort of a sideways vision of guacamole.
Though for the record, there is a proper guac on the menu as well, sitting atop a bed of queso fresco. Different, but not bad. I must try that at home.
There’s more. The Brussels sprouts — once again, not a typical cantina dish — are tossed with crispy pork belly, Thai chili sauce and shaved coconut (a dish with ancestral roots all over the map).
The Cal Mex fries are waffle fries, nice and messy with a chipotle cheese sauce, avocado salsa — and come with the option of adding chicken, beef birria, pork belly, mushroom-adobado, chimichurri steak or shrimp. That turns fries from a side dish into the main course. Add on some chipotle barbecue chicken wings, and you shouldn’t need much more.
But of course, there is much more. That’s what makes the place “gastro.” You can go old school with any of the seven tacos — including cochinita pibil and chicken, up to octopus and pork belly. (And yes, they’ve got a thing for pork belly at Cal Mex. There are worse culinary obsessions than that!)
You’ll also find the pork belly in the sliders. But not in the Flamin’ Hot Street Dog — an oversized hot dog buried under chipotle cheese sauce, thick-cut bacon and — yes! — Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Everyone’s favorite orange food.
The handful of entrées is calm by comparison: A sandwich of birria under grilled cheese on sourdough. A bigger burger than the sliders. A chile relleno burrito. And, out of the blue, a grilled branzino for two, served with tortillas. No enchiladas. Just one burrito. No taquitos. But no sushi either. So I guess they don’t go that far into the weeds. And anyway, El Torito is next door if you need more standard-issue dishes.
Get a seat with a view. Grab something cold to drink. And don’t forget to feed the parking meters up the Strand. “Mextropub” is a silly name, but there’s nothing silly about the place. On a rainy night, it’s a good cantina in which to find shelter from the storm.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.