Masa Taqueria + Tequila Bar | Woburn

I have always been a fan of the South End's Masa for spicy cocktails and margaritas, tasty southwestern inspired food, and their fantastic brunch.

Last Saturday I paid my first visit to their recently revamped Woburn counterpart, Masa Taquieria & Tequila Bar (formerly Masa Southwest Bar & Grill). They've updated their menu, décor and website - all that's left seems to be the outdoor signage. The interior transports diners from a typical suburban strip mall to somewhere much more sophisticated; yet the vibe still remains casual and relaxed. Comfy chocolate leather booths meet white exposed brick walls which are home to a large collection of colorful Mexican posters - notably retro travel adds, accented by rainbow painted wainscoting. Zorro chandeliers and punched metal Southwestern light sconces envelope the space in a warm glow. 

They have some new interactive touches - a Hola! sign you can clip into a memo stand if you need the waitress' attention and a mini index card of the menu to select your food. 

A tres chile margarita ($11.50) was in order first. The jalapeño infused blanco tequila + anaheim + poblanos (the thres chiles!) brought a fantastic heat. This marg was a perfect pairing with creamy guacamole (small/$5) where large slices of ripe avocado are laced with red onions, garlic + lime and served with high quality tortilla chips. 

They have a large selection of tequilas, plus tequila flights and a few mezcals, although we stuck to cocktails this evening. The high noon ($10.5) with high west bourbon, lemon, luxardo, and domaine de canton was good - definitely on the sweeter side. The habanero watermelon margarita ($12) was a favorite I recognized from the South End's menu; habanero infused resposado tequila, triple sec and watermelon puree are a winning combination. (I even replicated this at home for a fourth of july party one year - a big hit!)

Off the specials menu Bob enjoyed the Grilled Swordfish over sautéed kale and butternut squash polenta. It was juicy and tender, a well executed piece of fish. I was excited about my Small Taco Combo ($26) which included six tacos, one tamale, rice, beans and grilled mexican corn. The tacos are miniature - two or three bites worth and are also offered individually for $2.75 - $3.75. I ordered: chorizo with cranberry salsa, portobello mushroom with cotija cheese, charred shrimp with sweet pepper slaw, slow cooked chicken with roasted tomato salsa, crispy cod fish with garlic aoili and carne asada with pico de gallo. I honestly don't think they can make a bad taco! And I loved the opportunity for variety. The rice and beans were surprisingly lackluster. I liked the corn tamale and the street corn though, so overall the taco combo was solid.

The churros ($7) shaped to resemble heavy crullers were deceiving! Not to worry, the first bite revealed a light and airy, ever so slightly crisp and piping hot churro, alongside a rich, warm, bittersweet chocolate sauce for dipping. For dessert, these are a no-brainer. 

Masa Taqueria + Tequila Bar
Woburn Plaza Shopping Center

350 Cambridge Rd.

Woburn, MA 01801

*this meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own*

Staff Meal

     I had a goal this summer to visit more food trucks. 

I only made it to one. Back in early June (well before the heated Phantom Gourmet debacle) I ventured to Copley Square on one scorching hot Friday afternoon that I was not traveling, and got lunch from Staff Meal. 

The short line moved quickly and the food came out in no time. The chips ($3) are tortilla style, served hot and extra salty. Their garlicky guacamole is just how I like it, mostly creamy laced with some avocado chunks. The Judge Smails Half & Half ($3) was a refreshing blast of lemonade and iced tea.

I ordered two tacos which were piled high and wide with ingredients, quite a substantial lunch on their own. My friends Meghan and Lin each got the Beef Barbacoa ($4) with plantain chips, baja sauce and pickled slaw while I enjoyed the Chicken Paprikash ($4) and the Truck Made Chorizo ($4). The former boasted soft shredded chicken with French's Onions and bacon jam. BACON JAM. It added this incredible smokey sweet depth to the taco. The chorizo was flavorful and crispy, though could have used more of that lime crema to balance it out. Lettuce and radishes were dusted over both the tacos adding a welcome crunch.

Overall, a job well done by these guys. What food truck do I need to visit next?

Tico | Back Bay

Tico is Back Bays newest venue serving Latin American inspired food from renowned Boston chef Michael Schlow. Already a fan of his French American cuisine at Radius the opening of Tico garnered much buzz and curiosity. Would it live up to the hype?! Justin, Megan, Michelle, Tania, Meghan and I decided to find out. I arrived first and grabbed a corner window seat in the dark tequila bar where a waiter approached me right away. Tico boasts a full wine and tequila list, the beer and cocktail menus are still non existent in printed form. However, a plethora of bottled and draft beer options are available. I began the evening with a draft Negra Modelo ($6), a robust Mexican lager that hit the spot. We settled into our spacious table for six in a window front alcove over looking St. James Street and decided on eight small plates and three taco dishes. The dishes were delivered promptly to start and well paced throughout, lending aesthetically pleasing presentations with food that was for the most part, well flavored and incredibly tasty. Once I finished my cerveza I ordered a Margarita ($10) deciding that I should honor National Margarita Day (how fitting!) while I had the chance. This one definitely honored the day, it was strong and brightly flavored. Tico also offers blood orange and pomegranate margaritas that were well received by my dining companions. 

Crispy Fried Manchego Cheese ($9) was a warm gooey-meets-crispy bite served with a spicy pomegranate honey sauce. A play on a classic mozzarella stick, this small plate was an instant winner.

Tico ups the ante with a Brussels Sprouts ($8) dish incorporating bacon, kumquats, mint and jalapenos. I adored this combination.
The first batch of tacos up were the Crunchy Fried Chicken ($10) with fennel slaw & spicy buttermilk dressing.These were an excellent choice, the chicken is indeed perfectly crunchy and the generous toppings add layers of flavor.
The Shrimp Toast ($8) with avocado, pickled jalapeños and lime were intriguing as described, the plate boasting attractive looking rectangles of crispy fried shrimp.
Greasy little morsels they were! As eye-catching as they sat, glistening with oil, the greasiness ended up overpowering the minimal dollop of avocado and pickled jalapeño. Perhaps adding more of the toppings would elevate the taste.The Crispy Sweetbreads ($8) tasted rather bland, although I have to admit this is my first time trying them. The masa harissa, endive, blood orange and hazelnuts somehow weren't enough to boost the sweatbreads to a memorable status in my eyes. All was forgiven when the Creamy Gigante Beans ($10) with chorizo and green onion graced the table.Also new to me, but far more exciting and flavorful than the Sweatbreads were these tender smooth disks, flatter and larger than your average white bean - it's a Gigante Bean!Up next were the Crispy Fish Tacos ($9) served with pickled onions & red jalapeno. They were good, but not great. Standard, but no wow factor. That spicy buttermilk dressing on the chicken taco is a tough act to follow. I loved the next dish of Octopus ($11) with yellow peppers, citrus, and Aleppo pepper. This dish had an energetic presentation with bright flavors to match. The Snap Peas ($8) with orange zest, Tabasco butter and “crunchies” brought a good amount of heat. The pea pods themselves were crisp and fresh. This is definitely a winning plate.Close up, oh snap!The Spicy Shrimp ($12) rounded out the taco plates in fine form topped with bacon and avocado. Keeping it simple, these tacos succeed. The final small plate was one amazing dish of "Creamed" Corn ($8) with bacon, chilis and thai basil.A lingering heat from the chilis marked this as the spiciest dish of the evening and left my palate extremely satisfied. Tico is also doing desserts. And doing them well. We went ahead and ordered the first three on the menu, beginning with a decadent and rich Super Delicious Chocolate Tart ($10) with tres leche ice cream. I can't argue with their description on that one! 

With a refreshing bite of citrus fruit custard, whipped cream and sweet sugary strawberries the Lemon Sabayon Tart ($10) was terrific. 

My favorite, though, was the Chocolate Gelato Peanut Butter Mousse-Over The Top-Caramelized Banana Split ($10) with Mexican chocolate sauce and crushed peanuts. Chocolate and Peanut butter always wins! The caramelized banana took it over the top for me.
Tico's breakout on the culinary scene brings enthusiasts something new. Its not a traditional tapas bar, its not your standard Mexican fare, its American food with Latin and Spanish influenced flavor profiles showcased in beautiful plates of food. Well done, Chef Schlow!

Tico

222 Berkeley Street

Boston, MA 02116