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A taste of summer

The Cabo Wabo platter, which includes three enchiladas, a crispy beef taco, chili rellenos and a homemade chicken tamale. Also pictured is the Ceviche.

River Walk Crossing’s Los Cabos Mexican Grill and Cantina transports diners to a tropical fiesta with its riverside location and coastal-inspired Tex-Mex favorites. by Larry Bartley

We were on the banks of the Arkansas, but we easily could imagine ourselves at a tropical beach resort. Los Cabos owner Jim Blacketer has spared little in creating an atmosphere that evokes one of the nicest restaurants you could find beside a body of water.

When we entered through the antique Mexican doors, we were wowed by the tropical prints in the carpet and upholstery, a bamboo ceiling, stone and spiraled wood columns, and the colorful Mexican pottery

decorating the walls. Outside was a patio for dining and the Cabana Bar, complete with a palm leaf roof.

Once seated we were served a basket of crisp tortilla chips, a mild salsa and the restaurant’s signature roasted tomato salsa. They charcoaled tomatoes to impart a wonderful smoked flavor to the salsa. We also ordered a cup of queso ($3.99; $5.99 for a bowl) and guacamole ($6.99). The queso was a pleasing blend of white cheese, rather than the typical yellow cheese, with jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro. The guacamole was made of fresh Haas avocados, nicely presented with tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese on top.

Other appetizers that looked appealing were sweet corn tamale cakes ($5.99) — topped with sour cream, chipotle crema, avocado chunks and salsa verde — and

Ceviche ($7.99), a blend of fresh gulf shrimp, baby scallops and tilapia marinated with fresh lime and lemon juice, tomatoes, green olives, garlic, yellow onions and cilantro.

The dinner selections offered a wide variety of familiar Tex-Mex and Sonoran choices, plus coastal entrées of grilled tilapia, mahi-mahi and shrimp. All entrées were served with Mexican rice and refried beans or borracho beans. Because I think that rice and refried beans are rather bland, I ordered the homemade borracho beans. Served in a cup, since they were more like a bean soup, the tasty mixture of pinto beans, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, andouille sausage and secret spices was the perfect choice.