Flavors and spice highlight Blue Habanero Mexican restaurant's extensive menu | Review

CANTON − Blue Habanero serves up its flavorful take on Mexican cuisine, including popular street tacos and tequila drinks.

Joining me for the review were two enthusiastic Canton Repository interns − Jack Solon, a third-year journalism major at Ohio University; and Janson McNair, a recent journalism graduate from Kent State University. Their energy made the review process even more enjoyable and insightful.

We started with queso ($6) and classic guacamole ($7), both served with corn chips. The queso was available with add-ins (chorizo, spinach, mushrooms or shrimp), each for an upcharge, but we settled on the traditional queso, and it did not disappoint. While the traditional queso met our expectations, the guacamole, though fresh, lacked flavor. It needed something − a touch of salt and some zing from hot sauce or lime juice.

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Blue Habanero's drink menu is impressive, especially its signature and classic margaritas. Signature options, most priced at $13, include blood orange, spicy cilantro with jalapeno, and prickly pear. A margarita flight featuring flavors like strawberry, mango, guava, and spicy mango is also available, along with other cocktails, beer, and wine.

The extensive food menu required us to ask our server, Juan, for more time to decide. He was very accommodating. On Tuesday, select tacos are on special (3 for $10), served with house-made corn or flour tortillas and a choice of sides such as sopa azteca (tortilla soup), black beans, refried beans, spicy veggies and quinoa, cilantro white rice or Mexican rice.

Solon chose Tacos de Alambre ($10 on special) in flour tortillas, filled with Angus rib-eye steak, chorizo, bacon and chihuahua cheese. He enjoyed the spiciness from the chorizo and seasonings. He said no flavors particularly stood out to him, just spice. McNair opted for a create-your-own combo ($13), which included two cheese enchiladas, refried beans, and Mexican rice. The enchiladas were tasty but small, and the greens on the plate were dressed with an overly watery dressing.

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I ordered the avocado tempura tacos ($14) in flour tortillas, served with Mexican rice. The generously sized tempura-fried avocado wedges were nestled with shredded veggies and drizzled with a light sauce. They were absolutely delicious, making it a standout dish worth returning for.

Blue Habanero's specialties are diverse, ranging from fajitas (starting at $15) to a spicy grilled burrito ($18) and a melting chimichanga with steak or chicken ($17). Seafood options include seafood al ajillo ($22) and chipotle salmon with risotto ($19).

Although we were too full for dessert, you could choose to indulge in some classics that include flan, Tres Leches cake or fried ice cream.

We all decided that Blue Habanero was worth another visit and an opportunity to enjoy its modern Mexican specialties and street-style tacos. For me, another visit would definitely include those Avocado Tempura Tacos.

If you go

WHAT – Blue Habanero

WHERE – 2234 Tuscarawas St. W, Canton

PHONE − 234-214-8363

WHEN – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Reach Bev at bshaffer@gannett.com or 330-580-8318.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Flavors and spice highlight Blue Habanero Mexican restaurant's extensive menu | Review