Cactus Grill -- Genuine Oaxacan Food on Sudley Road in Manassas

[Kibbee Nayee]

Daughter's weeding approaches, and she is scouring the area for catering options. She and my future son-in-law have zeroed in on tacos and related treats as the wedding reception fare, which I applaud. So it was off to Manassas to try a tasting menu of options at Cactus Grill. 

And it was, in a word or two, muy delicioso.

Out came the platters for tasting. First was the dips -- queso, guacamole, and salsa, with house-made chips. The queso was different than most of the velveeta-forward quesos you might be used to, with a white tint and a decidedly Mexican flavor. The guacamole was chunky and obviously freshly made, on a bed of shredded lettuce that actually enhanced it with a extra crunch. The brownish salsa was delectable.

Next came the platter of soft tacos, with birria, chicken, carne asada, al pastor -- credit to Lebanese immigrants for that one -- and I added lengua (tongue) and tripa (tripe). All were delicious, and I will return for the tongue and tripe tacos with the missus. They were spectacular. The carne asada and birria were also and will be on offer at the wedding. Three house-made sauces accompanied the platter, and added nice notes of heat and flavor to the tacos.

Next came the fajitas, but we were almost too stuffed to enjoy them. Yes, they're more Texan than Mexican, but the wedding guests will have varying tastes and we are trying to accommodate the mean. And yes, there were even some desserts to sample with the churros being decadent and the xangas being obscene. The latter was pretty much a fried cheese cake, and it was ridiculous.

The ownership is from Oaxaca, and the genuine side of the menu is authentic and quite good. We didn't try the vast array of dishes like mole negro or menudo, but what we tried led us to believe that the Mexican part of the menu would be worthy of its lineage. Yes, there is also a portion of the menu catering to the local Tex-Mex tastes, like fajitas and chimichangas and the like, but when you come here, focus on the Oaxacan fare and you'll be uplifted.