Kachina Cantina has always been one of our go-to places when we’re downtown because we know we can count on the food and drink to be strong. The restaurant, and its sister business Poka Lola Social Club, have a new Executive Chef with a new menu launching April 21, 2024. See what they are serving up.
Long a favorite of ours, Kachina Cantina consistently delivers great food with Mexican and southwest U.S. influences. The LoDo room’s vibe is an energetic groovy blend of 70’s Denver (the massive cool AF mural), contemporary Denver chic, with just the right nods to the southwest. Lively, bright, with friendly service – Kachina consistently delivers a good time.
A new Executive Chef, Carlos Fierro, has taken over and seeks to refresh the menu, while not abandoning the best of what Kachina has offered. That can be a tough balance.
Chef Carlos who opened Water Grill in Downtown Denver, joined Sage Hospitality in 2023 to be the corporate “bench chef” working in restaurants in Chicago, Houston, Los Angels and others prior to joining Kachina Cantina and Poka Lola in 2024.
He says the new menu draws from his seafood background while incorporating the bold flavors of the Southwest. Growing up cooking seafood, he says he developed a deep respect for the ocean’s bounty and its ability to offer both simplicity and complexity.
We were invited to a special media tasting of the new menu, and it looks like Chef Fierro has hit the sweet spot.
Highlights of the food deluge from their refreshed menu…
Cheers!
To start, I chose a Smoky Spicey cocktail – mescal brought the smoke offset with a touch of sweet.
Let’s eat!
Chips and Tres Salsa
I really hate it when a restaurant drops a bowl of dry tasteless chips and tomato pulp on the table as an appetizer. It speaks volumes to me about WHO is in the kitchen and their objective. At Kachina, this unassuming starter shines. The chips arrive warm and crispy with just enough salt. The three salsas were each vibrant with color and taste. The hottest offered just the right heat – not the scalding intensity that scorches your taste buds. I took this as Chef’s dedication to do things right – from start to finish.
Shrimp & Scallop Aguachile
I must admit my ignorance about aguachile – turns out, it is a Mexican version of Ceviche. Kachina’s version is a very light green chile mixture with fresh seafood, topped with slices of cucumber and red chiles. It’s a delicate, fresh palate cleanser plate to start the meal.
Crispy Pork Belly Bibb Wedge
This salad pairs tender bibb lettuce leaves with cubes of pork belly lardons, tied together with a vibrant green cilantro/poblano dressing. Everyone at our table raved over this salad. I enjoyed it but would have liked a teensy bit more heat in the dressing and a bit more crispness on the lardons.
Cauliflower Mole Verde Taco
Scanning the menu, I barely glanced at this – such an unassuming plate – I thought “Ah, that’s the obligatory non-meat item to punish those who don’t want to eat meat”… How wrong I was! This unassuming little morsel was full of flavor and deliciously satisfying. Who knew cauliflower was capable of being all that? In the hands of a master, there you go. I would return to eat a plate of these alone! (Well, with the chips and tres salsas!)
Chicken Mole Negro
This is the dish I was most excited for – and it delivered. Moles are rich, complex, and never the same twice. Half a chicken was served, draped in velvety cascades of gorgeous brown mole – my taste buds reeled in the depths. Am I being over the top? Sorry, but this dish really pulls out the poet in me! Another dark horse shared the plate was a small bowl of charro beans. Honestly, this simple dish was one of the favorite parts of the meal – so flavorful and satisfying.
Fried Snapper
Fried whole fish scares me when they land on the table. Seriously! This had its small mouth open with rows of tiny sharp teeth, tail flopped off the other end of the plate. I mean, what are we supposed to do with this? Once I figured out how to tackle the fish, it was flaky and delicious. Some parts of the fish were a bit overdone, common to fried whole fish and its different thicknesses. Topped with delicate garnishes, pepitas, and sauces, it was a riot of color spooned over the fish, a veritable Carnivale parade float on the plate – what a beautiful celebratory way to go! The dish is not for the faint-hearted who freak out if their food watches them, or for whom fish fingers are all the seafood they can handle.
But wait- there’s more!
Side dishes…
Charred Brussels & Chorizo
Brussels have had their moment and should go, right? Before you answer, try this dish. Browned butter, almonds, and yummy chorizo chunks partner beautifully with these cruciferous veggies. Our table was unanimous – Brussels’ 15 minutes of fame has been extended!
Hatch Green Chile Baked Hominy
Aspiring to be a new take on Mac and Cheese, replacing the pasta with hominy, the beefy white corn kernels used in Posole or fried hard to make CornNuts, really seemed to disappear – which is ok. This is all about the cheese. My companion diners raved over this dish. I enjoyed the blend of cheeses and Hatch green chile that brought flavor without much heat (I would have liked more thunder!). Call me a party pooper but for me, a little of this was enough. Maybe if I had dipped some chips and dabbed on a bit of the spicy salsas? Darn, why didn’t I think of that before?!
Happy Ending!
Dessert came on two platters…
XoCo Taco
What a crowd pleaser – a stone plank with three chocolate dipped “tacos” perched on top of orange-kissed mascarpone and dabbled with compote. Inside each taco was vanilla ice cream. The table raved! It was tasty fun and I can imagine kids losing their minds when it hits the table.
Coconut Rum Flan
This dessert was a revelation – a flan unlike any other I have tasted. In my experience, most flans are a bit Jell-O like, kind of slimy and overly “eggy”. This flan’s texture was closer to an elegant mousse, with just the right touch of Rum, not overpowering. The mascarpone and berry compote on the side was a wonderful pairing – all presented with style that pleased the eye.
Kachina Cantina’s new chef is in town – and Carlos Fierro delivers where it matters most: attention to detail, excellent preparation, delicious/ inspired flavors, with joyous plating.
Kachina Cantina is located at 1890 Wazee Street in Denver. Visit their website, here.
-Story and photos by Jimmy McDonough
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