Cancun brings Mexico to the mall

Cancun Mexican Margarita Bar & Grill

Date published: 1/18/2007

By NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER and STEPHEN W. SYLVIA

For THE FREE LANCE-STAR

She: I can hear the phone call now. "U-Haul? We're moving. How much to rent a van?" "How far do you have to go?" "Oh, about 500 yards."

A van was likely unnecessary. Backpacks and walking shoes might've been all that was needed to effect the relocation from owner John Soto's previous establishment, Aztlan Mexican Restaurant in Spotsylvania Towne Center. The short move and complete name change took place last autumn when Soto and staff resettled in the former location of Ruby Tuesday in the mall.

He: Many of the architectural basics remain those of the previous tenant: the rows of booths alongside the windowed walkway on one side, the long wooden bar with brass rails opposite, the pressed-tin ceiling and the Art Deco white-and-black tile floor.

Gone are the ersatz Tiffany lamps overhead, replaced by less vivid but more restful hanging lights.

Some of the Mexican-theme wall hangings from Aztlan made the trip, and the aural attitude has shifted too, as Latin music now plays softly in the background.

She: When we arrived on a recent weekday evening, we were warmly greeted, quickly seated, and handed slick, colorful, multipage menus of the type more commonly encountered in chains than in stand-alone, family operations such as this. Several pages give a strong nod to the lunch trade, with numerous low-price and dollar-off items served until 2:30 p.m.

Lost in the labyrinth of taco-burrito-enchilada combinations, I made the only sane response. I leaned into a golden, ice-cold Pacifico Clara ($3.50).

He: They don't call it a margarita bar for nothing. Of the more than a dozen varieties described on the tabletop menu, I went for a "medium" Cancun Margarita ($8.99), a mix of Cuervo, Grand Marnier and a splash of orange juice.

The 24-ounce drink arrived in a glass the size and shape of a large-caliber artillery shell. Fortunately, it was slightly less explosive. Smooth, icy, and rimmed with turquoise salt, the drink made it clear that Cancun is serious about its 'ritas.

CANCUN MEXICAN MARGARITA BAR & GRILL Address: 625 Spotsylvania Towne Centre, next to Costco Phone: 540/548-1737 Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday- Saturday, 11 a.m.- 2 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Prices: Soups, salads and appetizers: $2.99-$8.99 Lunch specials (served until 2:30 p.m.): $4.75-$7.25 Entrees: $6.99-$13.99 Desserts: $3.50-$7.99 Children's menu: $3.95-$4.95 Full bar. Vegetarian dishes and takeout available. Atmosphere: Casual and friendly. While almost inescapably chainlike in feel due to its location, Cancun manages to impart a bit of its own personality. Smoking section available. Wheelchair accessible. Payment: Major credit cards accepted.

Date published: 1/18/2007