Located at
370 East Main Street in Carrboro, Calavera Empanada and Tequila Bar features
empanadas, nachos, tequilas, and cocktails. The restaurant is open from 11:30
a.m. (noon on weekends) until 2 a.m. seven days a week. Limited outdoor seating
is available as are vegetarian options.
My wife
and I have enjoyed our visits to Calavera’s sister restaurant, the neighboring
meatball Shoppe, so we were looking forward to seeing what the other side of
the door had to offer. In terms of variety, décor, and service, Calavera did
not disappoint, but unfortunately, the food could not keep pace.
Aesthetically,
Calavera makes quite an impression. The light-laden red walls, stars hanging
from the ceiling, and tropical-printed tabletops add vibrancy without
gaudiness. This visual appeal is matched by an enticing menu. While there are a
few apps (street corn and two kinds of guacamole) and nachos, empanadas are the
star. The fillings range from traditional to vegetarian to Southern-style, and
at $3.50 a piece, the pricing is certainly reasonable (at least as far as the empanadas
go – the same cannot be said for ambitiously priced $9 margaritas).
The
execution, however, proved to be uneven. The four empanadas that my wife and I shared
arrived golden brown and accompanied by red and green salsas. So far, so good.
The style of empanada here is thick and a bit doughy, good for keeping
everything together but a shock if you are expecting a lighter, flakier
offering. The fillings varied considerably. The pineapple in the Al Pastor
(marinated pork) delivered a welcome citrus note, and the braised mushroom
blend (Portobello, shitake, and cremini) in The Champ was wonderfully earthy.
On the other hand, the Picadillo (ground beef, potato, onion, and tomato)
proved to be rather salty.
The
bartender on duty for our visit proved to be an excellent server, keeping watch
over tables inside and out and answering questions with ease. He even talked us
into a dessert empanada, the King of Kong (a banana and Nutella filled empanada
with sweet cream), which proved to be delectably sweet.
All told, Calavera
is a fun spot that is well worth trying for a light bite or a drink, but the
food could benefit from more consistency.
7.75/10
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