Upon arrival, staff seemed a little disgruntled. We were pointed in the vague direction of the stairs and then left to wander around a bit before arriving in the bar, where we dithered for a while, unsure of whether this was an establishment where one simply sits, or where one is sat. Whilst the shadowy, stylised room could have provided the perfect setting for this to feel like thematically-inkeeping chaos, in fact it all just felt like a bit of a muddle.
Once food and drink started flowing, the evening found its rhythm. First and foremost, this is a cocktail bar. I was lucky enough to sample a range of Margaritas: the Cavita Margarita, in which the watermelon flavouring took centre-stage, the staff-recommended spicy Margarita, and the overpoweringly pink Hibiscus Margarita. Whilst these were all built on a basis of Tequila and lime, and thus, undeniably, technically Margaritas, none quite had that classic Margarita blend of sweetness and refreshing acidity.
My more adventurous dining partner tried a Paloma, a Golden Honeybee and a Tepache. Across the Margaritas and the Paloma, Cavita’s penchant for taking a salt-lined rim and raising you a glass half-coated in a relevant garnish became apparent and somewhat inconvenient. Alternatively, for the Golden Honeybee and the Tepache, Cavita branched into chunky ceramics: slightly incongruent with the space, but adding a satisfying heft to the drinks.
Despite it being a bar, it was Cavita’s Mexican street food menu that we enjoyed most. We began with the Sikil Pak & Botana, a bowl of Totopos accompanied by three dips: the Guacasalsa, made of avocado, jalapeño, coriander and lime, the Morita, made of chard grilled tomatoes, onion, garlic and dry morita chille, and the Habanero. After the first tastes of each individual dip, the trio was best characterised by a general, heady spiciness, which flattened the palate somewhat. After this, a glorious heap of plates arrived, though this moment was somewhat undercut by the light conditions which reduced the varied colours and textures of the dishes to a indiscriminately muted mass. This became a theme: dishes were good, and the food was flavourful and moreish, but El Bar de Cavita painted with a broad culinary brush that eventually became quite homogenous.
However, the Hamachi Tostada, sashimi grade Yellow Tail in a soy & ginger dressing with sesame seeds and avocado puree on a heirloom corn tostada, was a standout dish, where the crunch of the tostada and the silkiness of the fish found perfect harmony. The Mooli Ceviche Tostada was also a delight, with the pomegranate seeds adding some delicious, juicy sweetness.
Both taco dishes - the tacos de hongos, and the classic tacos de pastor - were very tasty, with the more ambitious and exciting former dish, made with tempura enoki mushroom, coming out on top. The Quesabirria came highly recommended, and did not disappoint: the smoked beef in cheese tortillas was the ultimate comfort food option. Whilst each dish was undeniably enjoyable, though, the general flavour profile of the meal as a whole did not have a huge amount of variety: the tastes were broad and strong and powerful enough to linger through the whole journey home.
El Bar de Cavita is a great spot to know about — perfect for showing off your London knowledge with somewhere both central and secluded, or for getting away with not looking your best on a first date. Whilst the menu was not as nuanced as it could have been, it certainly offered plenty of tasty options, and we had a very happy evening.
