Restaurants

Mention Mexican food, and many people think of greasy, cheesy, refried and unhealthy – but admittedly delicious – entrees. While this is true in a lot of downscale restaurants, there are some casual Southern California spots that focus on healthier Mexican food without losing those great Mexican flavors. Kay ‘n Dave’s Cantina is a great example of (relatively) healthy Mexican cuisine in a Los Angeles area local chain restaurant.

There are just three Kay ‘n Dave’s Cantinas, with a fourth opening soon in Culver City. All are in pretty, somewhat high-end neighborhoods of Los Angeles: Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, and Rancho Park. The original Kay ‘n Dave’s was right on the Pacific Coat Highway in Malibu (another high-end town, to be sure). The original Kay ‘n Dave’s set the tone that continues today; a friendly, informal, well-lit environment, bustling with hungry people of all ages and fresh, large portions of Cal-Mex fusion and traditional Mexican food.

For families visiting Los Angeles or looking for a fresh and healthier Mexican dining experience, I wholeheartedly recommend Kay ‘n Dave’s. The restaurants are child-friendly: You’ll see the kids’ menu includes non-spicy Mexican standards like tacos and quesadillas, along with your standard grilled cheese. Children are given crayons and paper; their scribbles and sketches are treated like art by being hung on the restaurants’ walls.

You’ve got your standard drippy, cheesy enchiladas and nachos at Kay ‘n Dave’s, of course, along with quesadillas and tacos. But the menu has much, much more, and nothing is ever cooked in lard. There are no trans fats in the fried foods, only skinless white meat is used in chicken dishes, and the salsa, sauces and soup are made from scratch, fresh daily.

Now, Kay ‘n Dave’s is not a stereotypical health food vegan restaurant by a long shot (I’ve enjoyed far too many steak fajita burritos there to even pretend this is true), but there are enough meat-free choices here to keep my vegetarian brother happy. In fact, every time he visits, Kay ‘n Dave’s Cantina is the one restaurant he looks forward to eating at, again and again. It’s his favorite great, healthy Mexican restaurant chain in Los Angeles. If it’s a casual, attitude-free lunch or dinner you want, Kay ‘n Dave’s Cantina may become yours, too.