Looking to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style without ever getting in your car? Put Candelas on the Bay on your list because they have an incredible evening planned. The beautiful Mexican bayside restaurant will be flying in a renown European DJ from Amsterdam to lead a memorable Cinco de Mayo celebration.
“Candelas and the country of Mexico itself specialize in DJ lounges,” explains Melissa Gosenheim, Marketing and Special Event Promotion Coordinator for Candelas. “We have used a few different local DJs in the past at Candelas, but we want this event to be a step above our regular offerings.”
The s
taff will clear out the interior of the restaurant to host the DJ, although the patio will operate as usual. For guests 21 and older only, the restaurant will offer free entry before 8pm, and then tickets will be available for after 8pm. The party will go on until closing at 1:30am. Patrons may order food and drinks at the bar that night, or there will also be VIP seating and full menus at tables, which guests can arrange personally with the general manager.
“We specialize in Mexico City-style food,” explains Melissa. “We would love to attract young professionals and young families on the island. We want to give Coronado a different taste of Cinco de Mayo with a nice lounge and a DJ. We also want to be a great option year-round for people who are on the island, especially off season, for a beautiful and causal dinner overlooking the bay.”
My husband and I recently dined at Candelas for the first time, and we loved the food, service, and incredible views of the bay. The hostess seated us by the plate-glass window that dominates an entire wall of the restaurant, and we had front-row, heated seats to enjoy the fading evening light over the bay and twinkling lights downtown. No other restaurant in the city offers such views, and this alone will bring me back again, especially with out-of-town guests.
We both decided to try margaritas, which are excellent at Candelas, and then perused the appetizer menu. All the options looked fabulous — especially the ceviches and tacos with marinated shrimp and scallops — but I am pregnant, so we opted for the guacamole and chips. Despite reminding each other to leave room for our entrees, we wiped out that huge plate, and sheepishly accepted our waitress’s offer of more chips!
For our main dish, I was eager to try the street tacos. I’ve spent some time in Mexico City and fell in love with the street cuisine while I was there. Ultimately I couldn’t pick one, so I tried five of their six street tacos: Carne Asada, Carnitas, Ribeye, al Pastor, and Shrimp. They were all unique, with flavorings and toppings that complimented each one. The ribeye street taco is a popular item, our waitress told us, and it was my favorite by far. The whipped black beans and arroz verde on the side were also flavorful and filling.
My husband finally decided to go big and enjoy the Chef’s Special: the Placer Poblano. The dish arrived with a perfectly-grilled filet mignon resting on a generous amount of tomatillo salsa and a dollop of mashed potatoes. On the side were two mozzarella-stuffed jalapenos and homemade tlacoyos, and the filet was topped with julienne poblano chiles. My husband closed his eyes at the first bite. We both enjoyed every mouthful of that filet mignon with the unique and mildly spicy tomatillo salsa.
We couldn’t finish everything and so took home leftovers. The next day everything tasted just as flavorful and delicious, and I was already looking forward to our next visit. Both of us agreed that we’d be back for the excellent Mexican food as well as the beautiful view.
Candelas is looking for even more ways to make their patrons feel at home. “May is National Margarita Month,” says Melissa Gosenheim, “and we have a few different types of margaritas, martinis made with Mexican flavors, and different kinds of street tacos for that. We also have Wednesday salsa night, some paint nights, and other interesting events.”
More information about Candelas upcoming events can be found on their Facebook page and their website. To purchase tickets to the Cinco de Mayo event, go here. You can also win free tickets on their Facebook page if you visit and comment now!
