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*

TreMonté Restaurant & Bar

Chef/Owner Anthony Contarino opened TreMonté Restaurant & Bar in the bustling downtown area of Woburn Center back in 2003. As a boy growing up in Medford with not one, but two Italian Grandmothers, his curiosity in the kitchen stemmed from a young age. Sunday mornings rolling pasta dough with his grandmothers combined with formal training from Johnson and Whales, his food is a heartwarming exemplification of both passion and technique. I arrived at the complimentary blogger dinner to a table set for ten with bread baskets and accompanying red pepper and herb infused olive oil, uncorked bottles of wine ready to be consumed and a waitress eager to take our drink order should wine not suffice. I helped myself to the bread and started with the 2009 Colterenzio Pinot Bianco Weisshaus a light bodied combination of fresh fruit with a hint of minerals that paired nicely with the array of appetizers that shortly followed. Each antipasti presented was impeccably prepared with an unmistakable Italian authenticity. I would not hesitate to recommend every single one, the only deciding factor should come down to what you're in the mood for. The Arancini ($8.99) deserves my highest compliments. Living in Boston's Little Italy, I've tasted some of the best and this is right up there with it. Melted cheese encased by ground meat cascades out of crispy fried rice balls. Flavorful marinara, fresh grated Parmesan and a chiffonade of basil prove no detail was overlooked. In the Melazana ($8.99) breaded eggplant is layered with tomato basil sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked and generously topped with a silky, creamy, basil pesto alfredo sauce. That sauce was something to appreciate! Often individual sauces are a pesto or an Alfredo, however, the combination of both, to me, felt adventurous! The egg battered Shrimp Grand Mariner ($11.99) offered something entirely different to the antipasto round up. Foregoing the typical savory sauce, the citrusy orange liqueur is reduced to a sweet glaze that complimented the well cooked, lightly battered shrimp. The next appetizer is simply labeled on the menu as Sausage ($9.99) which is a grilled garlic and cheese sausage over a bed of spinach and cannellini beans. That flavorful broth lent a comforting element to the dish, proving another worthy antipasti choice. Often the defining factor of an Italian chefs prowess, the Bolognese ($17.99) uses Chef Contarino's own special recipe combining beef, pork and veal in a white wine based sauce. When the hearty flavorful sauce meets with long flat strands of undeniably fresh homemade tagliatelle, this dish outshines even some of the most satisfactory Bolognese I've tasted in the North End. (I can't help but compare!) At this point I decided a glass of the red wine was in order. The 2006 Villa di Vetrice Chianti Rufina Riserva is a classic Italian dry red wine. It had rich red berry notes and a clean finish. For my entrée I chose the Veal Saltimbocca which was one of the evenings specials. Given a choice of homemade pasta, I chose the Fusilli at the strong urging of the waitress. Two generous slabs of breaded veal are pounded thin and topped with melted cheese and salty slices of prosciutto. Long thick grooved ribbons of al dente fusilli were tender while remaining firm, their freshness unparalleled. Bright, lemony flavors bring the dish together enhancing the veal and fusilli all the more. The entire table was equally as impressed with their entrees, many ordered the same thing as me, others the classic Chicken Parmigana and Grilled Swordfish. Preceding dessert we were offered coffee or espresso. I added a "tini" onto the latter and our waitress happily obliged. With a full bar and a lengthy martini menu to match, it only felt right to sample one at some point. The cold frothy Espresso Martini ($9) did not disappoint. Neither did dessert. Imported Italian sweets include Tiramisu ($6), Cannolis ($6) and Profiteroles ($6.50). The desserts remain traditional with exception of the profiteroles, which are filled with cappuccino gelato! (Usually its vanilla or pastry cream.) I loved this swap! Our waitresses genuine hospitality resonated throughout dinner; as well all our dishes were delivered timely and with precision. As for Chef Contarino, I could embark on a paragraph about the characteristics that make him who he is and as a result, this restaurant what it is. However, I'd simply like to let this snapshot speak for itself. If you find yourself seeking an alternative to all that city dining entails, look no further than Woburn's TreMonté Restaurant & Bar. I actually found it refreshing to experience Italian fine dining outside the confines of the North End. Serving up hearty portions of Italian cuisine from the classics to some new creations in an unpretentious space with reasonable prices to match, Tre Monté is deserving of all the praise I have to offer.

TreMonté Restaurant & Bar

397 Main Street

Woburn, MA 01801