San Diego Metropolitan Magazine

Todd Castner, executive chef at La Playa Cantina and Grill, samples a restaurant specialty. (photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

Jon Wingate opened En Fuego Cantina and Grill in 1995 and it soon became THE place to be seen in Del Mar. I know this because for a few years I owned a restaurant down the street from En Fuego and used to watch the constant parade of beautifully tanned, perfectly sculpted, skimpily clad women walk by every night come happy hour.

Yet it must be said that En Fuego has not made it all these years by just being a pick-up spot for singles. The restaurant has earned a strong local following for its food, thanks in part to executive chef Todd Castner, who came on board in 1999.

Late last year, Wingate took over the former Rockin’ Baja Lobster on Restaurant Row in San Marcos and after a quick remodel opened La Playa Cantina and Grill in September.

What En Fuego is for the single scene in Del Mar, La Playa is for the family scene in San Marcos. The restaurant is casual, fun and kid-friendly. (Wingate was single when he opened En Fuego but has since married and has two beautiful children.)

Castner is executive chef for both restaurants and spends his time — except when in traffic driving between the two — creating new menu items and overseeing all kitchen operations.

The dining room is open and airy. Palapa covered booths meet polished concrete floors while the walls are decorated with colored bottles, vases, shells and starfish.

Appetizers are reasonably priced: “Queso Fundido” ($4.95), “Guacamole” ($4.95) and “Nachos” ($5.95) are all well executed and offer good value. The most popular starter (and my favorite as well) is the “Rancheros Skewers” ($6.95). Chicken is skewered, painted with a pasilla barbecue sauce, grilled and drizzled with a spicy chipotle sauce. The chicken was moist and tender and the two sauces were sweet and perfectly spicy.

I absolutely loved the “Street Tacos.” Your choice of grilled chicken, carne asada or carnitas is served in mini corn tortillas (two layers) and topped with cilantro, onion and guacamole. Anyone who has had the street tacos south of the border will agree that these are authentic as well as delicious.

You’ll probably wake up in the middle of the night craving the “Mojo de Ajo” ($14.95) after you’ve had it. Six to eight large shrimp are served in a lemony scampi style sauce alongside six ounces of marinated flatiron steak. The duo is paired with nicely seasoned Mexican rice and refried beans.

Castner’s interpretation of “Carnitas” ($13.95) is a winner. The tender pork is slow roasted, then quickly sautéed in green chile sauce. The meat is accompanied by rice, beans, guacamole, shredded lettuce, cilantro and tortillas for some mighty fine tacos.

I usually skip dessert when I eat Mexican because I always eat too many chips on the front end of my meal, but my server convinced me to order the bread pudding and I’m glad she did. Heated, served á la mode and finished with a warm whiskey sauce, it was delicious.

Nightly specials offering big discounts on drinks and appetizers are available in the large bar area adjacent to the dining room. La Playa’s mango margarita is not to be missed. The fresh mango makes for an incredibly smooth and naturally sweet margarita, perfect for washing down all those spicy, salty chips.