Mystery Diner in Geneva: Sergio’s Cantina serves satisfying Mexican fare

Hungry for tostadas and burritos, we decided to check out Sergio’s Cantina, which anchors the southeast corner of State Street and Route 31 in downtown Geneva and is known for its upstairs deck for outdoor dining.

I phoned in our carryout order, which was fielded by a friendly staffer who offered curbside delivery in one of the eatery’s designated parking spaces along Route 31. I was able to prepay, and within 20 minutes, as promised, the order was whisked to my car.

I chose one of the day’s specials, the shrimp avocado tostadas. It featured two, crispy, flat tortillas topped with plentiful chunks of shrimp, plus avocado slices and pico de gallo, a nice, rough-cut salsa. While I’m a fan of Mexican food, I confess to being a wimp on the spiciness scale, so this dish was a total hit – loads of flavor without being too hot to handle. The shrimp and avocado are a great twosome, and all that was missing was the beachfront.

The dish normally comes with rice and refried beans, but I switched it to fresh grilled vegetables with garlic butter for a small up-charge, and am glad I did. The plentiful side dish turned out to be wonderful, with popping-fresh green beans paired with long strips of red bell pepper and onion, cooked to just the right point. And I was happy to still snag a portion of my dining companion’s classic staples of mashed beans and Mexican rice with a light tomato sauce and touch of corn kernels.

My companion ordered the burrito platter, which featured a large flour tortilla stuffed with carnitas, rice, beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, lettuce and cheese. For an extra charge, he super-sized it, ordering Sergio’s Ultimate Burrito.

That meant plenty to share and leftovers. His burrito was packed with tender chunks of pork and all the other trimmings, with a tasty layer of melted cheese for a terrific and substantial treat.

Our order was accompanied by light and crisp tortilla chips and salsa. We briefly heated the chips in a warm oven, which took them up another notch.

We also tried the chicken citrus salad, which featured bite-sized grilled chicken atop romaine lettuce, with cilantro, tortilla strips, and a black bean and corn pico, with honey lime dressing and mandarin orange segments to add brightness to the dish. One also can opt for steak or shrimp.

We have long been fans of Sergio’s Cantina’s newer sister establishment located upstairs, the 1910 Bar. It serves modern Mexican fusion, gleaned from the owners’ travels to such destinations as Hawaii. The tacos are award-winning, and the urban industrial space is lively with visuals, music, artisan cocktails and craft beers on tap. It also has its own deck.

We enjoyed our meal from Sergio’s Cantina, and look forward to exploring the expansive menu.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Kane County Chronicle. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff when ordering or picking up the food. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sergio’s Cantina

WHERE: 30 W. State St., Geneva

PHONE: 630-845-9200

INFORMATION: www.sergioscantina.com