El Canelo — Restaurant in Hiawatha

Just happened to be driving through town (Hiawatha KS) on I-36 and Google searched for restaurants when this hidden gem popped up. OMG. Sooo delicious. I had the Carne Asada fries 😋. (Failed to get any pics 😕). Much more food than I could finish! SO FLAVORFUL! Extensive menu. Great Hispanic music playing throughout. Very unassuming building on the west side of the main street just north of the highway. Big parking lot (my truck and trailer fit just fine). Super impressed with the wait staff. Attentive and helpful. I watched one of the waiters take the time to help an elderly couple (one in a wheelchair) out to their car and he helped them load up the wheelchair and made sure they were secure in their vehicle before he came back into the restaurant. Exemplary! You just don't see that level of care anymore (anywhere?). I was dining alone, but I saw several families eating there as well. If I lived in the area I would frequent this establishment on a regular basis. Highly...

I didn't expect a lot from El Canelo, as a person from way far away in a state that has thousands of Mexican restaurants, and that's about what I got, "not much." The service was fine though a language barrier made things awkward and even my relatively good Spanish skills failed to convey much. The margarita was ok, generous, but not tasty, the chips and salsa were ok, not great, and the entre was ok, but nothing to rave about. What was odd was that they close at 9pm and I came in a little late, like around 825pm. And by the time I was in the middle of my meal, they were putting chairs on tables and sweeping the floor. I felt like I needed to rush and get through my meal. By the time I left around 10 of 9, all the place had been prepped for the next day. I understood, sort of, that they need to get the place "put away," but then maybe the operating hours should state "to 9pm kind of maybe...

Ordered 3 tacos & full order of beef nachos. My husband doesn't usually think anything is too salty to eat as I am the one with a sensitive palette. These nachos were so salty that I wasn't able to even eat half of the beef. Customers could always add salt to their meals. That is easier then getting the salt out of the food & cheaper than throwing out an entire ruined meal. I have been leery of trying the new place, but I won't spend locally just to have to throw out salty take-out. Hopefully the competition has a different cook...