Mexican Handcrafted Cantina, a modern and upscale Mexican restaurant and bar, is coming to Clifton.

The owners have more than 20 years of experience running and opening restaurants throughout New York and New Jersey. Julieta Vallesteros, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, is helming the kitchen. She studied at The French Culinary Institute and spent time as Executive chef of Mexicana Mama, Los Feliz and La Loteria.  She has been a guest consulting chef on Gordon Ramsey’s “Kitchen Nightmares”, Iron Chef America, Beat Bobby Flay and Latin Food Network “ The Best Food I Ever Ate in Spanish”.

The menu (View Dinner Menu) includes “authentic traditional flavors” from many “different regions of Mexico”.  Among some of the unique offerings will be steak on a lava stone at the table and a special nixtamalization process that is being used in the preparation of maize, where the corn is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution – improving nutritional value, flavor and aroma.

The approximately 2000 square foot space has about 70 seats and will be open seven days a week once they open on April 1st. Hours are expected to be Monday through Thursday from 4-10pm, Friday through Saturday from 4-11pm and Sunday from 3-9 pm.

Bitol Mexican Handcrafted Cantina
1061 Bloomfield Avenue
Clifton, NJ
Website

[photo source: Bitol]