Unexpectedly delicious Mexican food in downtown Cambria
We were staying in San Simeon for the night, and my daughter Camila had a hankering for Mexican food. As it happened, there was a Mexican restaurant right next to our hotel, but it got terrible reviews, so we decided to drive the few miles to Cambria. I’m so glad we did, Las Cambritas had the best Mexican food I’d had in a long time.
The restaurant itself is pretty cute. It has several dining rooms, lots of bright colors and great service. The only minus is that sound carries very easily throughout the space. It wasn’t particularly crowded, but a conversation between a cook and a waitress by the kitchen door was perfectly audible at our table quite a distance away.
Dinner started well, with crispy, tasty tortilla chips and a very fresh though very spicy salsa. Despite the spice, I ate too much of them.
I ordered the quesobirria tacos ($18) from the specials’ menu. They were excellent. The birria was very flavorful and nicely tempered by the cheese. The fried tortillas were crispy and while they were very full, making the tacos a bit unwieldy, particularly while hot, they were just delicious – both alone and dipped in the accompanying broth. The portion was generous and I was able to have the leftovers for breakfast the next day.
Camila ordered the carne asada plate ($23) and she was also quite happy. The meat itself was delicious, it had a subtle marinade and strong charbroiled flavors, without any offending liquid smoke aftertaste. We both enjoyed it. The guacamole was scant, but fresh and tasty, and the rice and refried beans were good. Camila, of course, couldn’t finish the plate either. Her grand plans for flan for dessert were quickly thwarted.
Service was very quick and friendly, and in all we had a great experience. I’ll definitely hit Las Cambritas again next time I’m in Cambria.
Las Cambritas
2336 Main St
Cambria, CA
(805) 927-0175
Daily 11:30 AM - 9 PM
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