Date Night: Jalapeno Cantina Mexicana

Jalapeno Menu Page 1

Jalapeno Menu Page 2

We went on our regular mid-week date last week to our go-to Tex-Mex place, Jalapeno Cantina Mexicana.  Yuri and I love our Mexican food!  It's one of the biggest things I took away from my 1 1/2 years in the U.S.  That and my absurd love for Chinese buffets, pizzas, buffalo wings, and all things fried.  BUT that's another story altogether.

I used to live in Maryland near the Baltimore area and my first introduction to Tex-Mex fare was Qdoba.  Yes it might not be much to some people but Yuri took me out to lunch there on our first date after I became his girlfiriend. :-)  Sentimentality makes up for everything.

I enjoyed the food at Qdoba immensely.  I remember being shocked at the size of the burritos.  At the time, it felt like I was looking at the supersized version of the burritos I was used to seeing in the Philippines.  However, by the time I left the States I was (and still am) able to wolf down those half-pound burritos without breaking a sweat.

So there, the extent of my Tex-Mex experience was confined to Qdoba, Chipotle, and Chevy's.  A bit sad isn't it?  But hey I lived in the East Coast.  We had no Roach Coaches roaming around.  It was too cold.  Yes, that's my excuse. lol.

Back here in Manila, it's been really tough finding an authentic, affordable, and accessible Tex-Mex resto.  UNTIL we happened to stumble on Jalapeno that is.

It's located at The Foodstreet at the Ortigas Home Depot.  This place just recently boomed as an after-office hangout for yuppies.  Here you'll find a scattering of bars and resto grills known for their relatively affordable food and drink (mostly alcoholic) selections.  It's just a fun place to unwind with friends.

Jalapeno Cantina Mexicana

Jalapeno is smooshed right in the middle.  We go there for our Mexican fix at least once a month. 

2nd floor seating.

We popped in for an early dinner which is why we had the whole place to ourselves.  People don't start pouring in til about 8PM at the Home Depot area.  The mood lighting, tasteful touches of Mexican decor, and faux adobe walls tie the whole theme together.

Grilled Chicken Mexicana Php 190.00

I always end up ordering the Grilled Chicken Mexicana or the Baja Fish Fillet (Php 205.00).

For all their main courses, you get to choose between  a generous helping of Mexi-rice or 2 pieces of tortilla.  I always go for the Mexi-rice.  I'm in looooove with their rice.  It just seems to fill me up better and makes for a more interesting dish. It's simply long-grain rice cooked in chicken broth and tomato sauce.  Also, all the main courses come with a side of salsa, corn relish (corn, chopped onions, chopped, tomatoes,cilantro), and yummy refried beans.  All the elements crucial for a decent Mexican fix.

Pepper Steak Burrito Php 190.00

Yuri always goes for the Pepper Steak Burrito or the Mexican Chicken Burrito (Php 140.00) depending on his mood.    It's basically chopped steak/grilled chicken combined with Mexi-rice, refried beans, onions, cheese and then served with  a side of salsa and sour cream.

Corona with a wedge of lime would be the drink of choice for a meal like this.  It'll cap off the meal beautifully.

We also adore their Mexican Nachos (Php 175.00).  They don't scrimp on it as most restaurants do.  It's a huge pile of nachos with loads of ground chili beef, salsa, onions, sour cream, cheese sauce, and cilantro. Mmmmmm.  We usually order this when there's at least 3 of us eating.

Our verdict:

I don't know how much of a date it was because once our plates arrived all conversation between us ceased.   But we did walk out of there hand-in-hand with our bellies full and smiles on our faces.  That counts for something.  I think Jalapeno deserves 4 stars (out of 5).  It's accessible, affordable, and tasty.  Three things I'm crazy about. 



Address: The Foodstreet (right beside Buffalo Wings & Things), Ortigas Home Depot, Dona Julia Vargas Ave., Pasig City

Got any other authentic Mexican restaurants you'd like to recommend?  I'd love to hear them!

(***Just a note:  If you liked what you saw then you're going to love Ristras in San Juan too.  They're known for their awesome burritos and their cafeteria style service ala-Chipotle & Qdoba.  Their burritos rock! Their prices start at Php300.00 and up.)