2097 Front St.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
330.940.2000
website
While on the outset many will describe this place as a prototypical taco bar, Crave Cantina has a wider mission statement, to be “Globally Inspired.” Yes, that extensive list of tacos on the menu features many kinds that are dressed very uniquely for cuisines that come from around the world. This is anything but a run-of-the-mill shop, and to see it set up in Cuyahoga Falls between Cleveland and Akron, where so few other restaurants of these varieties tend to tread, offers a chance to try some very different things.
The menu is focused squarely on tacos. Some of the things worth trying:
- Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu: This one reminds of the taste of Nashville Hot Chicken, steadily growing in popularity as the profile of that city increases. A spicy fried tofu topped with coleslaw, pickles and radish for good measure.
- Flank Steak Banh Mi: Evoking the favored Vietnamese sandwich, the Banh Mi, this taco has
- Tuna Tartar: This one feels something like a Korean-inspired dish. Tuna and kimchi served in a wonton shell and with siracha-laced cucumbers and a thick soy sauce. Not too much, though, but the flavor is an exotic one.
- Cubano: This sandwich comes a bit closer to the source material as far as Hispanic cuisine. The roasted pork and black forest ham topped with pickles and onion with mustard like a classic Cuban sandwich, but that thick bread makes this one taste something more like a torta sandwich for that delightfully thick bread.
- Guacamole: While other dishes on the menu are unusual, this flavor is straightforward and excellent.
- Margaritas: The margarita menu has a few different options for good measure, and the best of them are tinged in unusual flavors. The Pineapple Express is a pretty good take and it’s got this unusual combination of cinnamon, pineapple puree and lemon. Surprisingly, though, the combo works. It’s worth a try.
The restaurant has sort of a reclaimed feel on the interior, where bare brick walls give way murals evoking street artwork popular around the world. Yes, this restaurant has a character that really fits in well. That is—when you get in on the inside. The new energy created by the place means you ought to plan to get a reservation to spend any time at the shop, where there are typically wait lists for the inside that can run up to an hour during prime time. But the patio is a good option too, and you’re certain to find this experience worthwhile. Make a point to stop in.
Recommendations
- The patio is a great spot to hang out. It’s also a pretty good place if you want to come in without a reservation; they’re tough to come by.
- There are a lot of tacos on the menu that are very worth a try. Give them a go too.
- The margarita menu offers some interesting unusual flavors, too.
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