Le Voov! Restaurant Review: Cafe Capistrano ? ?
Café Capistrano (Yucatan/Costa Maya)
523 Church St, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 (650) 726-7699
It was raining cats and dogs, but we decided we were going to trust the weather report and headed over to the coast despite the very wet conditions. The forecast was for clear skies by noon. As we approached the western edge of the North American continent, where the Pacific Ocean tickles the charming town of Half Moon Bay, the gentle rain had turned into a deluge. (I’m not complaining. We desperately need rain given the California drought of the last 4-years!)
Needless to say, a warm meal seemed like a fantastic alternative to a soaking wet saunter on the beach. We wanted to try something new and Brian remembered seeing a quaint little Mexican restaurant just off the beaten path in Half Moon Bay, opposite Cunha Middle School. When we walked in the door of Café Capistrano, we were embraced by the rich aromatic spices and the warm textures of the Yucatan.
Cumin, garlic, and spicy peppers permeated the air, while warm beaches, hot sand under-foot, humidity galore, and light, spiral curls of hair bouncing up & down on my shoulders filled my mind! (Did I mention I have naturally curly hair? Shirley Temple has nothing on me at this point…!)
‘Ah the Costa Maya, Yummm!’
Strangely, the deluge outside was all but lost on us while we enjoyed our meal at the Café Capistrano on that magnificent day….
Here’s what we ordered:
- Garlic Prawns with black beans, fresh fruit, fresh pico de gallo salsa, and purple Mexican slaw
- Poc Chuc with thinly sliced pork marinated with fresh lime and rich Mayan spices
- White Fish Tacos with black beans, lime wedges, mango salad, chunky guacamole, pico de gallo salsa, and Mexican cabbage slaw
- Cochinita Pibil slow-roasted pork wrapped in banana leaves, served with black beans, lime wedges, chunky guacamole, pico de gillo salsa, and Mexican cabbage slaw
- Huevos Rancheros with two fried eggs, Yucatan spiced house potatoes, black beans, chunky guacamole, along with fresh pico de gallo salsa
- Fish & Chips from the kid’s menu
The food was incredibly fresh and genuine to the deep flavors of the Yucatan. The portions were a perfect size and fairly priced. Each dish was beautifully presented with colorful, tasty sides like pickled onions, chunky guacamole, Mayan slaw, fresh salsa, rice, and black beans.
The garlic prawns were succulent, well seasoned and cooked perfectly. The Poc Chuc pork was tender with a delicious authentic Costa Mayan flavor. We truly enjoyed the delicate texture and spices of the white fish used in the tacos. The mango/papaya salsa and the chunky guacamole made every bite an extraordinary fusion of complimentary flavors in the mouth.
The Cochinita Pibil was packed full of earthy spices that brought me back to the beaches of the Costa Maya.
Cafe Capistrano’s Huevos Rancheros was truly exquisite. The egg was perfectly cooked and the house potatoes were the ideal comfort food for this wet, rainy day.
The Fish & Chips from the kid’s menu was generous in size, super crispy, and locally caught!
Each dish was fresh and uniquely flavorful. The staff at Cafe Capistrano was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere tropical-casual just like a brief visit to the lovely Costa Maya. What a perfect place to spend a rainy day!
Le Voov! Note: We appreciate that the food at Café Capistrano is locally sourced, which supports the local coastal farmers and fisherman. Well done!
We strongly recommend you try their home-made Habanero hot sauce if you have a healthy appreciation for a good kick of heat, the tartness of lime, and the rich, deep flavors of the Yucatan. We bought a bottle of Xni Pec Habanero Sauce (translates to something like ‘snot of the dog’) to include in our locally-made hot sauce review (coming soon so stay tuned!) We love the food and the relaxed atmosphere at Cafe Capistrano!
**Next time we’ll try: Shrimp tacos, the Yucatan Style eggs and the breakfast burrito from the breakfast menu.
