Blue Agave opened late last year in the former home of the Bayou, bringing yet another Mexican option to downtown. I’ll probably return for happy hour when the drinks aren’t overpriced and to get more of the delicious guacamole. (more…)

Taqueria 3 Amigos is tucked away on Henry Street, so far surviving for more than a year in a spot where restaurants like Mad Dog’s and Get Some Burritos failed. Despite its name, tacos are not the specialty here.

In fact, you’ll find a surprising number of breakfast items, such as heuvos con jamon ($7.99) and brunch burritos ($7.50). In the huevos con chorizo ($8.43), you get a sizeable amount of egg and sausage, all mixed together. I really liked that the grease of the chorizo seeped into the adjacent Mexican rice to give it more flavor. The refried beans were very bland but helped by the watery but tasty hot sauce.

The rest of the hand-written menu includes staples such as quesadillas ($7), nachos ($7.25) and chimichangas ($11.25), as well as a few specialty items. For example, I ordered the chori pollo ($11), which is not seen on many Mexican menus in town. The chicken was dry, but it was saved the same aforementioned greasiness of the chorizo. It’s a pretty filling dish, especially with the sides.

Another specialty was the fajita del-mar ($16.25). All the components are freshly cooked and as a result, have a strong grilled flavor. The shrimp and small bits of scallops needed some seasoning, though. This is an ample portion that could feed two people.

You also can get the fajitas with steak, chicken or just vegetables, and you have your choice of flour or corn tortillas. All entrees include refried beans and Mexican rice.

Taqueria 3 Amigos is mostly a carryout spot, but there are a few chairs if you want to dine-in. It’s open every day for lunch and dinner, and it stays open past bar time on Fridays and Saturdays.

BelAir Cantina was a Milwaukee-area chain restaurant until it opened a location in Madison at the end of summer. It specializes in tacos and tequila.

I was excited by the choices of tacos, only to be disappointed in their execution. In fact, you’ll find much, much better tacos a block away at Canteen.

For example, there was just enough lobster that you could detect its presence in the lobster shrimp taco ($5.95), but it was altogether super bland. I had to use the salsa from the chips and salsa to get through it. Similarly, the ninja pig taco ($3.81) depended completely on the hoisin sauce for flavor. Many bits of the pork were overcooked.

Meanwhile, the lamb in the lamb barbacoa taco ($4.28) was tough, needing a lot more braising time. I think some cilantro and jalapenos would have greatly helped this barren-looking taco. Also, I did not receive the promised rice and black beans for ordering three tacos, as you can see from the photo.

At least some of the non-taco items fared better. The Triple Ceviche ($11.05), listed in the appetizers section, is very fresh. It’s a big bowl mostly filled with cucumbers, but you will receive enough pieces of lobster (mostly claw), octopus and shrimp to make this dish worthwhile. The side of chili oil adds heat and a different direction to the flavor.

Burritos include the Gringo ($10.95, includes ground beef) and the Vegurrito ($9.85, includes grilled cauliflower), and they are massive. I knew from the first bite of my spicy pollo ($9.89) that it was going to be good. The chicken was tender, and there was a ton of it inside, with a little cabbage that provides some crunch that I could have done without. Unfortunately, the burrito was not at all spicy.

You’ll find a few soups and salads on the menu, too. The broth was thin and salty in the hominy shrimp soup ($5.75). I appreciated that the garbanzo beans were cooked through, but they just served as filler to compensate for the lack of shrimp.

If you sit at the bar, you will see a large collection of tequila that rivals Pasqual’s. The BelAir margarita ($6.50) is made with Arette Blanco and went down easily. Next time I’ll probably try the kiwi margarita ($9).

BelAir Cantina is open every day for lunch and dinner, with brunch served on the weekend.

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See more photos in our Belair Cantina Flickr album.