Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Burger at Toro - 3/29/2010
I tried the burger at Toro and I ordered it “messy” based upon the high praise I read on ChowHound. I thought it was generally a good enjoyable burger, but I felt there was some room for improvement. I the patty was great. It was nicely charred, pinky and juicy in the middle, and rich due to the fact that it was made from short ribs. I liked the pickled red onions. They added a nice tanginess and crunch to the burger. I love the lime and pepper alioli, and I thought it did a nice job of cutting the bite from the pickled onions. But ultimately I did not think all the components worked perfectly together. I felt like the use of short ribs made the burger too rich for the alioli, as some of the subtle flavors were lost. The burger had a slice of American cheese, which really did not add anything except a slight plasticy texture. I think a stronger cheese, like a sharp cheddar, would have been better. I also was not a fan of the bun. It was a simple, light, Wonderbread like bun. I get the appeal of this kind of bun if you are having a simple cheeseburger with ketchup and mustard at a cookout in the summer, but for this rich burger I would have liked something more substantial like a semolina roll. It was a good burger, but I don’t think I would go back just to have the burger. I think Toro has better options on their menu. Wild Willy’s is still my favorite burger.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Coppa – 3/20/2010
I ate dinner at Coppa last night. The dining experience was enjoyable, but the food was forgettable. The service was good. I found the staff to be friendly, welcoming and helpful with the menu. Also the mixed drinks were great. In fact the mixed drinks were the best part of my meal. They were innovative, interesting, and refreshing.
The space is very small. I read the dining room seats 40, but I would have guessed less.
None of the food was bad, but I did not taste anything that I would describe as great or memorable either. I have heard and read nothing but raves about this restaurant, and there is regularly a wait of two hours or more for dinner. I really am not sure what all the fuss is about. I'd be happy to eat at Coppa again, but I would not make a special effort. I would certainly not wait hours in line to eat there.
All that being said I thought the food was a good value. All the food listed below plus 2 mixed drinks cost $60 pre-tip.
Below are my thoughts on the specific dishes I tried.
White Bean Crostini – A white bean puree served on crostini. Perfectly adequate, but a one note dish. Not a lot of complexity. I’ve had white bean purees that come complimentary with the bread that were just as good as (if not better than) this dish. The crispy sage leaf on top was a nice touch.
Fluke Crudo / Grapefruit, cherry pepper, and perilla – This was a light, delicate, refreshing dish that worked well on a warm spring evening. I would have like more seasoning, particularly more cherry pepper.
Farro Salad with cucumber, radishes, and lemon – This dish just did not do very much for me. The main flavor component was cucumber. That should say it all. The flavor was not objectionable. Just boring.
Arrosto di Peppe / Roasted sweet peppers with Turkish spices, feta, and aged balsamic – This dish was enjoyable, but I could picture something just as good coming from the antipasto bar at Whole Foods. I really had to concentrate to find the “Turkish spices”.
Ravioli / Calves Brain ravioli with radicchio, brown butter and garlic puree – This was the most impressive dish of the night, but I’ve had much more memorable pasta in my life. The pasta itself was perfectly cooked. The filling did not bring much flavor to the dish, but it did add nice creamy texture. Most of the flavor came from the brown butter sauce and garlic puree.
The space is very small. I read the dining room seats 40, but I would have guessed less.
None of the food was bad, but I did not taste anything that I would describe as great or memorable either. I have heard and read nothing but raves about this restaurant, and there is regularly a wait of two hours or more for dinner. I really am not sure what all the fuss is about. I'd be happy to eat at Coppa again, but I would not make a special effort. I would certainly not wait hours in line to eat there.
All that being said I thought the food was a good value. All the food listed below plus 2 mixed drinks cost $60 pre-tip.
Below are my thoughts on the specific dishes I tried.
White Bean Crostini – A white bean puree served on crostini. Perfectly adequate, but a one note dish. Not a lot of complexity. I’ve had white bean purees that come complimentary with the bread that were just as good as (if not better than) this dish. The crispy sage leaf on top was a nice touch.
Fluke Crudo / Grapefruit, cherry pepper, and perilla – This was a light, delicate, refreshing dish that worked well on a warm spring evening. I would have like more seasoning, particularly more cherry pepper.
Farro Salad with cucumber, radishes, and lemon – This dish just did not do very much for me. The main flavor component was cucumber. That should say it all. The flavor was not objectionable. Just boring.
Arrosto di Peppe / Roasted sweet peppers with Turkish spices, feta, and aged balsamic – This dish was enjoyable, but I could picture something just as good coming from the antipasto bar at Whole Foods. I really had to concentrate to find the “Turkish spices”.
Ravioli / Calves Brain ravioli with radicchio, brown butter and garlic puree – This was the most impressive dish of the night, but I’ve had much more memorable pasta in my life. The pasta itself was perfectly cooked. The filling did not bring much flavor to the dish, but it did add nice creamy texture. Most of the flavor came from the brown butter sauce and garlic puree.
Mistral - Brunch - 3/21/2010
I just had brunch at Mistral, and I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a meal that I’d eaten in Boston. Lately I have been feeling like the Boston restaurant scene has gotten a bit tired, particularly for brunch. I’ve been to many of the highly regarded brunch places, and this morning I was struggling to think of a place that I was eager to go to for brunch. I was reviewing some of the recent Chowhound posts and saw the recommendation for Mistral. I’ve been there for dinner and always been impressed, but for some reason I’ve never gone for brunch. So I decided to check it out today and I left the meal feeling elated and rejuvenated. I now have a new favorite brunch spot. The menu had a well rounded mix of brunch classics, new innovative dishes, and some dishes that were both. And the service was excellent.
I started with Riesling Poached Seckel Pear. The pear was perfectly poached. It was soft and juicy, but not at all overcooked. It was served on top of honeyed ricotta which helped cut the sweetness of the pear and added richness and depth to the dish. The pear was topped with a ginger galette, which added a nice crunch verses the softer textures of the pear and ricotta.
For my main course I had the duck confit. It was topped with three eggs sunny-side up, served on top of small cubes of what I believe were root vegetables, and there were a few roasted cherry tomatoes on top of the eggs. This would have been the perfect dish last weekend when it was cold and raining. Nonetheless, on this sunny day it was still exceptionally good. The tomatoes were well seasoned and bursting with flavor. The egg yolks were still soft, so when I cut into them the yolks oozed out on to the duck and vegetables below. The duck was succulent, moist, and full of flavor. The seasoning on the vegetables along with their natural sweetness (carrot and possibly turnip) created a delicious sweet and salty combination that complimented the flavor of the duck perfectly. Further vegetables cut the richness of the duck and egg combination, and added a slightly crunchy texture to the dish.
I will definitely be returning to try the many other tempting dishes, including the dropped egg appetizer served on toast with asparagus and parmesan cheese.
I started with Riesling Poached Seckel Pear. The pear was perfectly poached. It was soft and juicy, but not at all overcooked. It was served on top of honeyed ricotta which helped cut the sweetness of the pear and added richness and depth to the dish. The pear was topped with a ginger galette, which added a nice crunch verses the softer textures of the pear and ricotta.
For my main course I had the duck confit. It was topped with three eggs sunny-side up, served on top of small cubes of what I believe were root vegetables, and there were a few roasted cherry tomatoes on top of the eggs. This would have been the perfect dish last weekend when it was cold and raining. Nonetheless, on this sunny day it was still exceptionally good. The tomatoes were well seasoned and bursting with flavor. The egg yolks were still soft, so when I cut into them the yolks oozed out on to the duck and vegetables below. The duck was succulent, moist, and full of flavor. The seasoning on the vegetables along with their natural sweetness (carrot and possibly turnip) created a delicious sweet and salty combination that complimented the flavor of the duck perfectly. Further vegetables cut the richness of the duck and egg combination, and added a slightly crunchy texture to the dish.
I will definitely be returning to try the many other tempting dishes, including the dropped egg appetizer served on toast with asparagus and parmesan cheese.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
My Favorite Things to Eat in Boston
I got this idea from a post on Chowhound, and I thought it would make a nice addition to my blog.
Sweet/Coffee:
- Almond Croissant – Flour Bakery
- Pumpkin Pave (Fall Only) – Clear Flour
- Morning Buns with Walnuts – Clear Flour
- Peanut Butter Cupcake - Sportello
- Chocolate Chip Cookies – Rosie’s
- Éclairs – Vicki Lee’s, Belmont
- Cannolis - Modern Pastry
- Any Dessert from Troquet
- Ice cream from Christina’s in Cambridge
- Baileys Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Ice cream (Current flavor of the Month) – JP Licks
- Cappuccino - Vicki Lee’s, Belmont
Savory:
- Zucchini Flowers – Bricco
- Pulled BBQ Lamb Sandwich – Formaggio (Saturdays in the Summer)
- Fig & Prosciutto Pizza – Figs
- Butterfish – Blue Ginger
- Soup of the Day (Whatever it is) – Harvest
- Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown – All Star Sandwich Bar (Texas Ruben and Rings of Fire are good too.)
- French Onion Soup – Aquitaine
- Croque Maigret – Aquitaine Boston
- Eggs Benedict Provencal - Aquitaine Boston
- Fish Tacos – La Verdad or Dorado
- Crunchy Eggplant – Via Matta
- Osso Buco – Mamma Maria
- Fish and Chips – The Bristol
- Burger (Grass Feed) - Wild Willy’s, Watertown
- Melanzane Pizza – Regina’s North End location only
- The Maki – Oishii
- Chicken and Eggplant Parmigiana Panini – Artu North End (It’s not on the menu, but they’ll make it. Also not what people think of as a Panini. More like a chicken and eggplant parm sub)
Sweet/Coffee:
- Almond Croissant – Flour Bakery
- Pumpkin Pave (Fall Only) – Clear Flour
- Morning Buns with Walnuts – Clear Flour
- Peanut Butter Cupcake - Sportello
- Chocolate Chip Cookies – Rosie’s
- Éclairs – Vicki Lee’s, Belmont
- Cannolis - Modern Pastry
- Any Dessert from Troquet
- Ice cream from Christina’s in Cambridge
- Baileys Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Ice cream (Current flavor of the Month) – JP Licks
- Cappuccino - Vicki Lee’s, Belmont
Savory:
- Zucchini Flowers – Bricco
- Pulled BBQ Lamb Sandwich – Formaggio (Saturdays in the Summer)
- Fig & Prosciutto Pizza – Figs
- Butterfish – Blue Ginger
- Soup of the Day (Whatever it is) – Harvest
- Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown – All Star Sandwich Bar (Texas Ruben and Rings of Fire are good too.)
- French Onion Soup – Aquitaine
- Croque Maigret – Aquitaine Boston
- Eggs Benedict Provencal - Aquitaine Boston
- Fish Tacos – La Verdad or Dorado
- Crunchy Eggplant – Via Matta
- Osso Buco – Mamma Maria
- Fish and Chips – The Bristol
- Burger (Grass Feed) - Wild Willy’s, Watertown
- Melanzane Pizza – Regina’s North End location only
- The Maki – Oishii
- Chicken and Eggplant Parmigiana Panini – Artu North End (It’s not on the menu, but they’ll make it. Also not what people think of as a Panini. More like a chicken and eggplant parm sub)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Scalini Fedeli - NYC - 3/11/2010
I was in New York for a long weekend and tried Scalini Fedeli for the first time. It was fantastic. I lived in New York for a couple of years and always wanted to try this place, but I never managed to make it. I wish I had tried it earlier. I’ve been to Babbo a few times and while Babbo is a more modern restaurant the food at Scalini Fedeli was every bit as good.
The dining room is elegant and has an old world feel. The tables have white table clothes and long candles.
The wait staff was welcoming and attentive. Our server was knowledgeable about the food, deftly guided me through the menu and did a great job answering all my questions.
Overall the pastas and the main dishes were the stars of the menu. The salads and desserts were good, just not spectacular.
Mixed baby lettuce, roasted beets, sun dried tomato and goat cheese, dressed with an aged balsamic, pistachio vinaigrette – While it seems there is some type of beet, goat cheese and nut salad on just about every menu these days, if you can get past that, this version was quite enjoyable. The goat cheese was very good, the beets were julienned (sometimes I find when the beets are sliced larger I get too much beet in each bite), and the acid from the tomatoes juxtaposed the beets and goat cheese well.
Spaghettini “arrabiata” with mushrooms, black olives and minced Spanish anchovy in a spicy tomato sauce – This dish was good, but unspectacular. The pasta was well cooked, and it had the right amount of sauce (it was neither too wet nor too dry). While not as spicy as I expect an arrabiata to be, the sauce had good flavor. The tomato flavor did not overwhelm the dish, as the other flavor components (mushrooms and olives) were substantial in the sauce and added to its complexity.
Sauteed Ricotta Gnocchi in an arugula and sundried tomato sauce finished with grated goat cheese – This dish was heavenly. The Gnocchi were luscious pillows of ricotta goodness. They had the perfect texture. Slightly firm on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and they seemed to just melt in my mouth. The sundried tomato cream sauce had a rich tomato flavor and velvety texture. The arugula was wilted and added a slightly crunchy texture that complimented the rest of the dish well.
Duck two ways (leg confi and breast) over truffle corn risotto – This was one of the nightly specials, and the entire dish was executed well. The duck leg confi had a nice crispy skin, and the meat was delicate, succulent, and flavorful. The breast was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The risotto had a rich and creamy texture, and I really enjoyed the sweetness of the corn with the duck and the truffle flavor.
Red Snapper with a sicilian olive-tomato jus and caponata with currants – This dish was truly superb. It was among the best fish dishes I’ve ever had. The fish itself was cooked perfectly. It was moist and tender, and it melted on in my mouth. The top of the fish had a light herb or seasoning crust that added flavor and a bit of a crunchy texture. The caponata was fantastic. It had a rich tomato base and the eggplant was cooked so it was completely tender. The tomato and eggplant was juxtaposed nicely by the sweetness of the currants. I love eggplant caponata, so I was predisposed to like it. But I thought it worked wonderfully with the fish and the olive-tomato jus.
Chocolate Soufflé Tart with cappuccino gelato and caramelized orange peel – The soufflé was good. It was not a traditional French soufflé. It was more like a chocolate molten cake. It was rich and chocolaty, and had a thick liquid chocolate center.
Warm Doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and served with four sauces – The doughnuts had a slightly crispy exterior and were coated in cinnamon sugar. The interior was light and fluffy. They came with four dipping sauces including a chocolate sauce and a butter rum sauce. I believe the other two sauces were mango and raspberry, but I can’t be sure. My favorite was the butter rum.
The dining room is elegant and has an old world feel. The tables have white table clothes and long candles.
The wait staff was welcoming and attentive. Our server was knowledgeable about the food, deftly guided me through the menu and did a great job answering all my questions.
Overall the pastas and the main dishes were the stars of the menu. The salads and desserts were good, just not spectacular.
Mixed baby lettuce, roasted beets, sun dried tomato and goat cheese, dressed with an aged balsamic, pistachio vinaigrette – While it seems there is some type of beet, goat cheese and nut salad on just about every menu these days, if you can get past that, this version was quite enjoyable. The goat cheese was very good, the beets were julienned (sometimes I find when the beets are sliced larger I get too much beet in each bite), and the acid from the tomatoes juxtaposed the beets and goat cheese well.
Spaghettini “arrabiata” with mushrooms, black olives and minced Spanish anchovy in a spicy tomato sauce – This dish was good, but unspectacular. The pasta was well cooked, and it had the right amount of sauce (it was neither too wet nor too dry). While not as spicy as I expect an arrabiata to be, the sauce had good flavor. The tomato flavor did not overwhelm the dish, as the other flavor components (mushrooms and olives) were substantial in the sauce and added to its complexity.
Sauteed Ricotta Gnocchi in an arugula and sundried tomato sauce finished with grated goat cheese – This dish was heavenly. The Gnocchi were luscious pillows of ricotta goodness. They had the perfect texture. Slightly firm on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and they seemed to just melt in my mouth. The sundried tomato cream sauce had a rich tomato flavor and velvety texture. The arugula was wilted and added a slightly crunchy texture that complimented the rest of the dish well.
Duck two ways (leg confi and breast) over truffle corn risotto – This was one of the nightly specials, and the entire dish was executed well. The duck leg confi had a nice crispy skin, and the meat was delicate, succulent, and flavorful. The breast was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The risotto had a rich and creamy texture, and I really enjoyed the sweetness of the corn with the duck and the truffle flavor.
Red Snapper with a sicilian olive-tomato jus and caponata with currants – This dish was truly superb. It was among the best fish dishes I’ve ever had. The fish itself was cooked perfectly. It was moist and tender, and it melted on in my mouth. The top of the fish had a light herb or seasoning crust that added flavor and a bit of a crunchy texture. The caponata was fantastic. It had a rich tomato base and the eggplant was cooked so it was completely tender. The tomato and eggplant was juxtaposed nicely by the sweetness of the currants. I love eggplant caponata, so I was predisposed to like it. But I thought it worked wonderfully with the fish and the olive-tomato jus.
Chocolate Soufflé Tart with cappuccino gelato and caramelized orange peel – The soufflé was good. It was not a traditional French soufflé. It was more like a chocolate molten cake. It was rich and chocolaty, and had a thick liquid chocolate center.
Warm Doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and served with four sauces – The doughnuts had a slightly crispy exterior and were coated in cinnamon sugar. The interior was light and fluffy. They came with four dipping sauces including a chocolate sauce and a butter rum sauce. I believe the other two sauces were mango and raspberry, but I can’t be sure. My favorite was the butter rum.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
erbaluce - 3/6/2010
I went to erbaluce for dinner for the first time last night.
For an elegant restaurant I thought the dining room had a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. It could even be described as cozy, although I would have preferred a little more room between tables. Also, as the dining room filled-up it did get a little noisy.
When we arrived we received a warm greeting from the hostess, and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and was able to provide us with insightful answers to all our questions.
Overall I thought the food was good, although the pasta did not quite live up to my high expectations. Further, I thought the restaurant was a good value as it is priced a little lower than some of the other high end Italian restaurants in Boston.
Radicchio Salad – This salad came topped with a nice portion of burrata and a pistachio dressing. The burrata was the star of this dish. It was locally made. It had a very creamy texture and was not as tangy as most burratas that I’ve had in the past. The nuttiness of the pistachio dressing worked well with the burrata. My one criticism would be that I thought the radicchio was slightly too bitter for the delicate nature of the cheese, but overall I thought this was a good dish.
Roasted Cauliflower – This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The cauliflower came roasted with raisins and capers, and topped with taleggio cheese. The combination was fantastic. The capers and raisins added a great salty and sweet element to the more mild cauliflower, and the richness of the taleggio gave the dish great depth and really made it a comfort food.
Mushroom Ricotta Lasagnette – I expected great things from this dish, as it had many elements that I love, but it did not live up to my lofty expectations. I heard the pastas at erbaluce are stars of the menu, and I love lasagna, mushrooms and ricotta. But this dish lacked the creaminess that I associate with lasagna and ricotta, and it lacked the richness and depth of flavor that I expect from a mushroom pasta dish. The dish was fine. It just did not blow me away.
Gnocchi – I thought there were elements of this dish that were successful and elements that were less successful. The gnocchi came topped with parmesan and shaved parsnips, and with a poached duck egg in the middle of the plate. The texture of the gnocchi was silky and soft and as I bit into them I discovered a creamy center that reminded me of cheese fondue. As much as I loved the texture of this dish, I found it lacking in flavor. I thought it could have used a richer sauce. The duck egg did add some richness, but it still needed more seasoning. I actually forgot the parsnips were part of this dish, until I looked at the menu to remind myself of all the elements.
Fettuccini With Veal Ragu – I found that this dish just fell flat. It could have used more seasoning or a richer ragu. Generally I just found the dish to be boring.
Braised Beef – I really enjoyed this dish. The beef was fork tender. It had a great richness and depth of flavor, as did the sauce it was plated with. It was plated atop some wilted greens and root vegetables that were perfectly cooked and flavorful. The beef was accompanied by a pear compote that was good in its own right, although for me it was a bit too sweet for the beef.
Caramelized Orange Chocolate Tart – This desert was enjoyable, but not spectacular. It came topped with a large portion of whipped cream which masked some of the subtle flavors of the tart. The tart has a very nice crust which was rich and flavorful, but the chocolate filling was light and actually got a little lost between the crust and the cream. The dessert was topped with pieces of candied orange, which I really enjoyed.
Panna Cotta With Cherry Topping – This was one of the best panna cottas I have ever had. It was rich and creamy. It actually reminded me a little of rich, high quality, soft serve vanilla ice cream. The cherry topping added a nice tartness that worked well with the richness of the panna cotta.
For an elegant restaurant I thought the dining room had a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. It could even be described as cozy, although I would have preferred a little more room between tables. Also, as the dining room filled-up it did get a little noisy.
When we arrived we received a warm greeting from the hostess, and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and was able to provide us with insightful answers to all our questions.
Overall I thought the food was good, although the pasta did not quite live up to my high expectations. Further, I thought the restaurant was a good value as it is priced a little lower than some of the other high end Italian restaurants in Boston.
Radicchio Salad – This salad came topped with a nice portion of burrata and a pistachio dressing. The burrata was the star of this dish. It was locally made. It had a very creamy texture and was not as tangy as most burratas that I’ve had in the past. The nuttiness of the pistachio dressing worked well with the burrata. My one criticism would be that I thought the radicchio was slightly too bitter for the delicate nature of the cheese, but overall I thought this was a good dish.
Roasted Cauliflower – This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The cauliflower came roasted with raisins and capers, and topped with taleggio cheese. The combination was fantastic. The capers and raisins added a great salty and sweet element to the more mild cauliflower, and the richness of the taleggio gave the dish great depth and really made it a comfort food.
Mushroom Ricotta Lasagnette – I expected great things from this dish, as it had many elements that I love, but it did not live up to my lofty expectations. I heard the pastas at erbaluce are stars of the menu, and I love lasagna, mushrooms and ricotta. But this dish lacked the creaminess that I associate with lasagna and ricotta, and it lacked the richness and depth of flavor that I expect from a mushroom pasta dish. The dish was fine. It just did not blow me away.
Gnocchi – I thought there were elements of this dish that were successful and elements that were less successful. The gnocchi came topped with parmesan and shaved parsnips, and with a poached duck egg in the middle of the plate. The texture of the gnocchi was silky and soft and as I bit into them I discovered a creamy center that reminded me of cheese fondue. As much as I loved the texture of this dish, I found it lacking in flavor. I thought it could have used a richer sauce. The duck egg did add some richness, but it still needed more seasoning. I actually forgot the parsnips were part of this dish, until I looked at the menu to remind myself of all the elements.
Fettuccini With Veal Ragu – I found that this dish just fell flat. It could have used more seasoning or a richer ragu. Generally I just found the dish to be boring.
Braised Beef – I really enjoyed this dish. The beef was fork tender. It had a great richness and depth of flavor, as did the sauce it was plated with. It was plated atop some wilted greens and root vegetables that were perfectly cooked and flavorful. The beef was accompanied by a pear compote that was good in its own right, although for me it was a bit too sweet for the beef.
Caramelized Orange Chocolate Tart – This desert was enjoyable, but not spectacular. It came topped with a large portion of whipped cream which masked some of the subtle flavors of the tart. The tart has a very nice crust which was rich and flavorful, but the chocolate filling was light and actually got a little lost between the crust and the cream. The dessert was topped with pieces of candied orange, which I really enjoyed.
Panna Cotta With Cherry Topping – This was one of the best panna cottas I have ever had. It was rich and creamy. It actually reminded me a little of rich, high quality, soft serve vanilla ice cream. The cherry topping added a nice tartness that worked well with the richness of the panna cotta.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Toro - 3/4/2010
Went to Toro today for lunch.
Relaxed atmosphere. The dinning room is casual, with a couple of large high top tables in the middle (presumably for sharing) with stools. There are also individual low top tables available. Above the bar there is a big chalkboard that lists the drink specials.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the food.
Generally I thought all the food was very good. On the one hand the food was straight forward and not overly complicated, yet it still had interesting flavor combinations.
Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija - I loved this dish. It is the house special grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper and aged cheese. The corn was perfectly grilled so the kernels were lightly charred, firm yet tender, and bursting with flavor. The alioli with the pepper gave the corn a nice kick, and the lime was perfect the note of citrus to go with this combination.
Anna’s Empanadas - While it was not bad, I was a little disappointed with this dish. The texture of the empanada shell was nice and crisp, and the filling had a pillowy soft texture that complimented the exterior well. But ultimately I felt let down by the flavor of this dish. It just was missing something. It could have used more seasoning of some kind. Possibly more salt and some spice. The dish came plated with a sauce, but it did not add much flavor. Also I would have like a little more chicken in the filling.
Ensalada Cortada - This was a good chopped salad. There was nothing extraordinary about about this salad, but it was good for what it was without trying to do too much. It was appropriately dressed, and the olives and cornichons added a nice salty dimension. Also it was larger than I expected at a tapas restaurant, as it was easily enough for two people who were sharing other dishes.
Milanesa Bocadillo - I really enjoyed this sandwich. The chicken was breaded and fried, making it crispy but not greasy. The avocado and Oaxaca cheese added a nice creaminess, and the chipotle mayo gave it some spice.
Relaxed atmosphere. The dinning room is casual, with a couple of large high top tables in the middle (presumably for sharing) with stools. There are also individual low top tables available. Above the bar there is a big chalkboard that lists the drink specials.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the food.
Generally I thought all the food was very good. On the one hand the food was straight forward and not overly complicated, yet it still had interesting flavor combinations.
Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija - I loved this dish. It is the house special grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper and aged cheese. The corn was perfectly grilled so the kernels were lightly charred, firm yet tender, and bursting with flavor. The alioli with the pepper gave the corn a nice kick, and the lime was perfect the note of citrus to go with this combination.
Anna’s Empanadas - While it was not bad, I was a little disappointed with this dish. The texture of the empanada shell was nice and crisp, and the filling had a pillowy soft texture that complimented the exterior well. But ultimately I felt let down by the flavor of this dish. It just was missing something. It could have used more seasoning of some kind. Possibly more salt and some spice. The dish came plated with a sauce, but it did not add much flavor. Also I would have like a little more chicken in the filling.
Ensalada Cortada - This was a good chopped salad. There was nothing extraordinary about about this salad, but it was good for what it was without trying to do too much. It was appropriately dressed, and the olives and cornichons added a nice salty dimension. Also it was larger than I expected at a tapas restaurant, as it was easily enough for two people who were sharing other dishes.
Milanesa Bocadillo - I really enjoyed this sandwich. The chicken was breaded and fried, making it crispy but not greasy. The avocado and Oaxaca cheese added a nice creaminess, and the chipotle mayo gave it some spice.
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