El Cazador in North Las Vegas offers traditional, surprisingly healthful options

With staple ingredients such as cheese, pork and avocado, Mexican food isn’t a popular option for the diet-conscious.

And while El Cazador in North Las Vegas doesn’t advertise its low-calorie options, they’re among its selling points. Menu item 16, the grilled chicken breast, is an example; there was no grease or butter to be found on a plate of pollo with a side of steamed vegetables.

As a result, the chicken was a bit dry, but a coating of hot sauce offset that. Bottles of three types of hot sauce sit at each of the restaurant’s tables, the most comfortable of which include high-backed booth seating. Another diner’s cheese enchiladas accompanied by beans and rice made for a heartier and tastier, albeit less healthful, meal.

El Cazador’s large jukebox is among its interior’s most distinctive features. If you’re familiar with Mexican popular music, you’ll likely find some favorites on it; if not, you’ll be lost. The music wasn’t overly loud on a Tuesday afternoon, as it can be at some Las Vegas Valley restaurants.

Between 12:30 and 1 p.m., the crowd grew from about seven diners to more than 15. El Cazador appeared to be a popular draw for workers from North Las Vegas City Hall, a half-mile away.

Service was above average, with a waitress refilling diners’ cups of water several times. And the water tasted fine; that can’t be said for all restaurants in the desert.

For the curious, El Cazador roughly translates to “The Hunter” in Spanish. It was the name of a treasure ship that sank off the Louisiana coast in 1784, according to The New York Times and other sources. Thousands of silver coins since have been recovered from the wreckage.