Midtown's newest restaurant by day and bar by night will ensure that no UF student needs travel to Tijuana in search of satisfying Mexican cuisine or top-shelf tequila. The recently opened 101 Cantina, a kind of "Southwestern sibling" to 101 Management Group's 101 Downtown, is situated at a premier University Avenue location right alongside The Swamp and Ben & Jerry's.
101 Cantina is (refreshingly) unlike anything else offered on the alcohol-fueled Midtown scene. While the graffiti-stamped walls of Balls are alright for a drunken Wednesday bender, 101 Cantina's lavish glass doors and facade invite a sense of style that is more in sync with an urban environment. Once inside, diners are greeted by an elongated bar, wooden tables and murals that imitate a contemporary Mexican atmosphere. Though the interior dining area is cramped and reflects 101 Cantina's undersized exterior, the back patio is the restaurant's true allure.
Making one's way through the restaurant, patrons find a hidden oasis in the outdoor patio. The terrace- 101 Cantina's largest and most impressive asset- is so reminiscent of southern borders that even my Miami-native date couldn't help but feel as if she were back in South Beach. Tables and bar stools provide seating, vibrant flower-and-vine-covered arbors afford closure and an exotic tiki bar supplies the focal point and ingredients for a staggering collection of cocktails.
The drink menu boasts cervezas, tequila flights and a list of 27 exclusive margaritas. Despite being somewhat watered down, the margaritas will invite more than a slight buzz and include such unconventional selections as the Black Raspberry Margarita, Hypnotiq Margarita, and (if you're real brave) the Jagerita.
The cuisine, a blend of authentic Mexican and modern Tex-Mex, is equally striking. Executive chef Corby Richardson has helped to envision a culinary palate not limited to citrus poached lobster guacamole, five distinctive blends of queso, quesadillas filled with mojo shrimp and caramelized onions, chicken poblano pasta, shredded beef chimichangas and cinnamon tempura plantains. The food is artfully presented on plates and is brought out by attentive and sociable servers.
Diners will likely find no barriers to getting seated for lunch or dinner. 101 Cantina- similar in execution to 101 Downtown- injects Gainesville with an energizing dose of aesthetics and substance.
However, unlike its downtown counterpart, the Southwestern flavors of 101 Cantina draw predominantly Greek and Midtown-driven partiers during the midnight hours.
With a price range that is certainly not Gainesville's cheapest, yet is on par with the likes of Chili's and the now-defunct On the Border, 101 Cantina is worth an excursion. So the next time you're in misery at Library West, instead of taking a siesta, stop by Gainesville's newest hot spot for a well-deserved margarita. Just don't get too Sauza'd up.
