SEE YOU THERE! Encanto Cantina has been all the buzz since opening in mid-November.

Remember the old joke about the guy who says he’s on a seafood diet? When he sees food, he eats it! (Insert groan and/or rimshot here.) Well, if you’re on a seafood diet, Eau Claire’s newest Mexican restaurant is a must-try.

And that applies for both meanings of the pun. There’s certainly plenty to see at Encanto Cantina (2839 Mall Drive, Eau Claire), both in the bright, inviting decor and on the extensive menu. And there’s even more to see when your chosen menu items arrive at your table, as both the entrees and the dishes they’re served on pulse with color. This is not your run-of-the-mill wannabe Mexican joint where bland tacos lounge on listless beds of lettuce. Encanto Cantina is something more.

Torre Encanto (Encanto Tower).

And, as you might suspect, there’s also plenty of actual seafood to be had: The new eatery, which opened in early November, specializes in seafood dishes (a.k.a. mariscos), with a good share of the menu devoted to fish-forward food. There are citrusy ceviches, featuring a choice of fish, shrimp, or octopus and served with tostadas. There are five varieties of aguachiles – marinated seafood dishes – that meld chilled shrimp with veggies, fruits, chiles, and more. You’ll also find fresh oysters; the amazing and sharable Torre Encanto (Encanto Tower), a literal tower of seafood; and numerous other fish- and shrimp laden dishes. (If you’re looking for a cheesy delight, get the camarón poblano: a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with shrimp, cheese, and red sauce with more cheese sauce on top for good measure).

If seafood really isn’t your thing, don’t fret: Encanto Cantina’s menu overflows with other options, from more than a dozen varieties of tacos (including savory quesabirria tacos, featuring slow-cooked beef birria served with consomé on the side) as well as all the fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas, salads, and soups you might expect at any Mexican eatery worth its salsa.

On a recent visit, the cantina buzzed with a busy lunchtime crowd, and the food was fast and fresh. There’s a full bar, serving up things you might expect (margaritas and mojitos) and things you might not, including lunchtime mimosa specials and the Michelada Especial, which blends beer, michelada mix, spices, peanuts, cooked shrink, jicama, cucumber, and chamoy. (We promise we’ll try that one when we come back for dinner.)

In Spanish, the word “Encanto” means both “charm” and “spell,” and either translation applies to Encanto Cantina. We only hope that the eatery can break the spell that seems to hang over its strip-mall location, which has been home to at least three other restaurants in the past five years (mostly recently the short-lived WichCraft). With luck, Encanto Cantina will be able to maintain the magic.

Visit Encanto Cantina at 2839 Mall Dr., Eau Claire, open seven days a week from 11am-10pm each day except Sunday, when it closes at 9pm • Keep up with the eatery on Facebook