By Janessa Mejias ‘19

For our last review of the year we decided to keep things here in our hometown, Passaic. What’s special about this particular place is that it’s sort of a “Mom and Pop Shop.”.It’s family owned by our own PHS senior, Laisha Calalpa.

Calalpa’s family worked really hard to get this far. Her father once worked at a place in Montclair NJ called ‘Tinga Taqueria’ for 15 years, after a while he figured it was time to have his own place and become his own boss. Habanero was then born just a month and a half ago. A great thing about this restaurant is that it’s very close to home!

Atmosphere: Habanero was a very casual hang out spot. It’s a great place to meet up with friends and get a quick bite to eat. The interior design, created by the family themselves, was absolutely stunning. One wall was made of brick which made it feel rustic and comfortable whereas the bright orange gave it a more modern and happy vibe. They also played subtle music from the Mexican culture, it was quite nice.

Food: Our team tried as many things as our stomachs could handle! We tried steak tacos, french fries, BBQ chicken taco bites, Tortas de Milanesa de Res (breaded steak sandwiches) and the best part – Deep Fried Cheesecake! The food was above our expectations. It’s classic Tex-Mex with the homiest feel ever. The cheesecake is worth a try, it sounds different but it satisfies any dessert craving.

Staff: Our waitress was Laisha Calalpa herself. She was very friendly and full of enthusiasm. She dealt with our messiness and indecisiveness and was patient. Laisha actually recommended the fried cheesecake to our team. She was very open to discussing how her family came about the business. The chef and meal preppers, although we had no interaction, seemed excited to see customers come into their lovely eatery.

I recommend Habanero’s if you’d like a relaxing dinner, or to even sit there and do work. It’s like a cafe feel with the rush of a restaurant.

Rating: 5 Stars