By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

What made the Chili Cheese Pana Tots special was the ample topping of spiced beef chili, Monterey jack cheese and green onions. The Barbacoa Beef Brisket Bowl was served a bed of Mexican rice topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, tarragon cabbage slaw, salsa, pickled onion and lime creme fraiche. The large serving of beef was tender with a meaty chew.

The Orange Chili Pork was tender and on the sweeter side. Spice came from the braise and the chipotle salsa. Creamy guacamole helped cool the spice while diced white onions and corn added crunch. The lime added the necessary acidity. The Crispy Coconut Cauliflower taco was one of my favourites. The cauliflower was the right texture while the crunch of the deep fried was uniform. Underneath was a substantial amount of guacamole, crunchy and creamy tarragon cabbage slaw and tangy honey-dijon dressing. There was a wealth of flavours.

The Crispy Fried Cod and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken both featured large pieces of protein and could easily be enough for lunch. The cod was moist and flaky with a crunchy tempura coating. It was dressed in mango-mint mojo and lime crema. It came with romaine lettuce and toasted coconut. This was light-tasting, but the flavours could've been more impactful. The chicken was super crunchy with moist juicy meat. The grape tomato salad added a burst of sweet tang. A spicy Caesar dressing added creaminess and some heat.

Overall, we enjoyed the eats at Cantina Pana where the portions were large and the prices were fair.

Cantina Pana

1941 Cornwall Ave, Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• Reasonable pricing

• Large portions

• Overall well-executed

The Bad:

• Yes, it is more along the lines of California-style, but they don't pretend to be something they are not

• Small place, not a place to linger

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.