Tasty, Unique Dishes In A Quaint Atmosphere At Mole Cantina Mexicana Authentic Mexican

The Mexican cuisine is as diverse as the sauce behind the name at one of Wellington’s newest restaurants, Mole Cantina Mexicana on State Road 7.

“It’s a melting pot,” owner Nick Cervera said. “Mole is a special sauce. It has got a chocolate base and is made with about 30 different ingredients. It’s used primarily for very special events. It’s got dried chillies, nuts, dried banana, spices and it comes in a paste form. It’s a very complicated sauce — an ancient sauce that originated in Puebla.”

It’s that integration of ingredients that served as inspiration for Cervera and his wife Maria Elizalde, who is the chef and creator of the cantina’s cuisine.

“We opened our first location back in 1991 in New York City, where I’m from. We were first dating. She’s Mexican, I’m Italian American. It was like a metaphor for New York — a melting pot of many different ingredients. It was a ‘mole’ of sorts,” Cervera recalled.

Three New York locations later and now one in Florida, the duo brings with them a broad range of cuisine, much based on their travels throughout Mexico, as well as Elizalde’s native Mexico City. Her mother creates the blend for their unique mole sauce and ships it to the restaurant, where it’s then completed, homemade in-house.

Their specialty Enchiladas De Mole Poblano is one of those dishes with the sweet, nutty, yet subtly spicy delicacy. It’s made with three shredded chicken enchiladas smothered in the artisanal homemade mole poblano sauce topped with melted cheese, sesame seeds and avocado slices. It’s hugely popular, as are a number of other authentic dishes.

“We have different dishes from all different regions, like the Cochinita Pibil. That is a dish from the Yucatan and the surrounding regions. We have carnitas, which is from Michoacán,” Cervera said. “Sometimes we do barbacoa, which is from Hidalgo. So, all the dishes come from different regions. We also do beautiful nightly specials, and not something that is leftover. They’re specials because we want to show the regionality of the food that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”

The two do all their own shopping locally and base their specials on what they find. “If we’re at the market and find a nice piece of meat, we’ll do, for instance, a prime New York strip steak grilled. So, we’ll do steak fajitas. We also found oysters, so we did oyster tacos Baja-style from the west coast of Mexico,” Cervera said.

Their ceviche is a delicacy dripping with freshness, served cocktail style. “There’s the shrimp ceviche, or ceviche Campuzano served with shrimp and octopus. Our ceviches are phenomenal,” Cervera said.

Another favorite appetizer is the Queso Fundido, a fondue made with Chihuahua cheese that comes out on a sizzling, cast-iron plate. “We also do the Americanized version of Mexican food, like burritos and hard-shell tacos and chimichangas,” Cervera added.

The cantina truly is a unique blend with all the feelings of Mexico and a design Cervera created for each of his restaurants with the intent to bring customers on a trip with him.

Warm golden walls surround the dining area. Black and white photos tell unique stories of roads less traveled. Bold chandeliers create a subtle elegance, as do petite, colorful papier-mâché flower centerpieces dotting every table. Each table is also unique, handcrafted with 200-year-old reclaimed wood.

The open kitchen and serving area archway is filled with authentic Mexican tiles. “That’s our look. It’s designed from an ancient tile from Puebla, Mexico,” Cervera said.

Those tiles can also be seen at the bar, which offers 125 different tequilas and mezcals. They’re housed overhead in unique tequila cages.

“Our margaritas — we use a fresh squeezer. We don’t mix, and we use 100 percent pure lime juice. We offer our tequilas and mezcals by the glass. You can make it into a margarita or have it on the rocks,” Cervera said.

There’s also a wide variety of beer, as well a scotch and bourbon list. Cervera even has his own brand of tequila, “Don Reyes,” which is a tribute to Elizalde’s father. “It has a creamy, caramelly nose with a strong agave finish,” he explained.

The bar extends to the outdoor patio, creating an open-air space connecting the two. “The bar is set up so you can sit outside or inside,” he said. “The back bar and cabinetry behind the bar is made from centuries-old white pine, all brought down from New York.”

In all, there is seating for 130 between both the dining room and 12 outdoor tables. It’s a perfect atmosphere night or day, including weekends for Mexican brunch, which includes a variety of huevos dishes, Bloody Mary specialty drinks and mimosas.

Opening in early February, they’ve been working hard on their labor of love through the pandemic. As restrictions are lifted, Cervera plans to add entertainment, like a salsa night. He’s also an avid car collector and hopes to host a car event, as well as tequila tastings.

For now, they’re focused on filling their customers with their unique cuisine. “My portions are huge,” Cervera said. “No one has ever complained in my restaurant in 30 years that my portions are small.”

It’s that spirit of fulfillment and diversity of flavor that they hope will keep their customers coming back and bring new ones to explore Mexican culture through their cuisine. “Who else has mole made by hand?” Cervera asked.

Mole Cantina Mexicana is located at 2557 S. State Road 7, Suite 150, near Whole Foods Market in Wellington Green Commons. Hours are Monday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m., Friday noon to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Carryout and delivery are available.

For more info., call (561) 355-5322 or visit www.molecantinamexicana.com.