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Cancun is just south of the (Fairfield) border

Murals, hospitality makes dinner a mini-vacation

A Cancun Fajita

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By Sue Perine O'Reilly, Contributing Writer Updated 2:00 PM Wednesday, March 25, 2009

At first glance, after driving to a small strip mall in Fairfield, the Cancun Mexican Restaurant and Cantina appears small.

But take a second glance, go inside and any customer can see that appearances can be deceiving.

This festive, authentic Mexican restaurant boasts a large bar room and two dining rooms that seat 204. Most of the time, all of the seats are full at this family-oriented cantina — one that has island murals painted on the walls, murals that make one feel like they could be in Cancun, Mexico — or in Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville."

So the atmosphere is great, relaxed — but it's the very friendly service, as well as the delicious, freshly-prepared Mexican food, that draws in the crowd and keeps them coming back for more.

"This restaurant is for everyone. Single people can come in here alone and we talk with them, get to know them and we make them feel like family. We want them to feel like they are at home. Some restaurants don't take the time to do that," said manager Sergio DeLaPaz. "We want everyone to feel like family, here. We even have a kids menu, called 'Children's Plates,' with chicken fingers and fries, and a cheeseburger that we call a 'Mexican double-whopper' — things we know kids will pick up and eat."

In addition, DeLaPaz said that everything is cooked with 100 per cent vegetable oil, so the dishes are healthy.

"But Mexican food is good only when prepared with fresh ingredients and served hot, so that's why we serve customers homemade chips and salsa as soon as they are seated. Customers can still eat something and that gives us time to prepare the food right," added DeLaPaz.

A "must try" at the restaurant are the fajitas, which range in price from $10.95 to $16. The Parrillada a la Cancun ($16) is the best and largest fajita this reviewer has tasted. It easily serves two. It's a delicious combination of steak, shrimp, chicken, steak ribs and chorizo (Mexican sausage) that's grilled to perfection with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and zucchini. It's delivered to the customers' table on a sizzling skillet with rice, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and warm, soft flour tortillas.

The best-selling appetizer is the Cancun quesadilla for $5.75. It's a folded flour tortilla filled with cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and chicken or beef.

Cancun, which opened in 1994 at this location, is a reasonably-priced restaurant that's open seven days a week.

As stated on the menu: "It's never too soon to visit Cancun."

Cancun Mexican Restaurant and Cantina

WHERE: 11930 Hamilton Avenue, just south of Fairfield; Cancun has another location at 6385 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati.
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
COST: Jalapeno bean soup $3.25, cheese nachos appetizers $3.50, Lunch chalupas $3.99, Combination dinners $6.75 to $7.50, Parrillada a la Cancun $16.00, Children's cheeseburger and fries $3.75. Carry-out available. Party room seats 90, when planned ahead.
MORE INFO: (513) 851-6310
CRITIC'S CHOICE: Parrillada a la Cancun or any fajita, soup and salad, chimichangas, burritos, Moreliana dessert — vanilla and chocolate around flan on a flour tortilla, deep-fried to a golden brown and topped with honey and cinnamon

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