Babalu

July 25, 2016

Background: Babalu is opening in Dilworth TODAY in the old Cantina 1511 spot. This tacos and tapas joint is a chain located in several southeastern cities, and now Charlotte is getting in on the party. Owners Bill Latham and Al Roberts named their restaurant after Ricky Ricardo's number one jam, so we were predisposed to like this place.

Eat This: Scallionpancake (plus Adam, aka A-Dizzle) was able to get the inside scoop this Saturday (#fancy #bigstars #thepress). We were ordering from a limited menu, but everything we tried was pretty darn good!

Adam "don't put me on the internet" Ackerman

The table side guacamole is the jam. Do you want them to add jalapeños and bacon? You bet your sweet behind you do. Bacon is an excellent addition to guacamole and we are gutted to have not heard of this one day sooner.

To round out our starters, we also ordered the Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche. This was fresh and citrusy--ceviche high fives all around.

For entrees, you can choose from tapas, tortas, or tacos (alliteration station). We tried two of the tacos and two of the tapas options--but the Torta Cubana kept going by our table and we had some major ordering regret--next time, for sure.

For the tacos, we tried the Carne de Cerdo (pork belly) and the Ostra (fried gulf oysters). They serve these babies on your choice of blue corn or flour tortillas. The blue corn was a nice touch, but the Brothers Ackerman both proclaimed their tacos a bit on the dry side.

PSA: Things that are from the gulf are [probably] cool to eat now!

Under the tapas section, we sampled the Costillas--smoked baby back ribs with a sweet pepper glaze served atop a cilantro vinegar slaw. This dish was the winner of the afternoon. The ribs were seasoned and cooked perfectly, and the slaw lightened up the flavor profile.

Right before we left, the servers offered an orphaned Seared Sesame Crusted Tuna served on a jicama round, which we were more than happy to take off their hands. This was a lovely little dish--the tuna had great flavor and the jicama kept it light and healthy.

Babalu is not really Mexican--it has shades of Mexican, along with Cuban, Spanish, and Southern elements. The menu has a lot to offer--but not so much that you are overwhelmed.

Desserts: All of the dessert options looked baller, but we could only choose one. I made the executive decision (bossy) and chose the Spicy Mexican Fudge. These are served in three, perfectly bite-sized pieces and are dusted with cayenne, crushed pepitas, tajin (chili powder, lime and salt seasoning), and powdered sugar. Yum.

Drink: Adam and I each tried a cocktail--he got their signature Baba-rita (a margarita made with POM juice) and I tried the Mojarita (a margarita with mint). There was nothing about these that was offensive, but we didn't love either of them. Too sweet, not strong enough. Ricky Ricardo would have made his displeasure with such a drink known, for sure (AY YI YI).

Atmosphere: For anyone who had been in the old Cantina 1511 space, you will be blown away by the changes they have made to the interior. They took a poorly lit and awkwardly laid out space and made it light, bright, and fun. They have a mix of bar seating, high tops, and booths, and they project a film on one of their walls (on Saturday it was a black and white Western--a super fun touch). They also have colorful concert posters lining the walls along the ceiling.

One of the best parts about Cantina 1511 was their patio, and Babalu has only made it better--the patio will be open year-round, rain or shine, thanks to a retractable roof and sides.

Mexi-Cuban Southern Hospitality: The service we received was top notch! I hope it stays that way past the soft opening. Everyone was exceedingly friendly and the food came out quickly.

Frankie's Notes: Jason feels really cool and a little embarrassed going places with our big, fancy camera; Yay for Kid Cashew not being the only thing people are talking about on East Boulevard; Do you think that Johnny from Lebowski's trivia will go to Babalu with us one day? Asking for Jason & Daniela; Ricky Ricardo's best song was far and away "Cuban Pete"--no disagreements allowed; Ricky would have thrown a weak, sugary drink right in Lucy's face, both because they had a violent relationship and because the 50s were a bad time for women in America; But seriously: why couldn't Lucy be in the show?