Preview: Cafe Burrito in Belmont

A few days ago, Joel and I had Dan from The Food in My Beard over for dinner to discuss a top secret event we're planning for the fall (more info soon!) and to force him to taste-test a recipe we're working on for a lamb contest (more on that soon too!) He told us about his latest gig, developing the menu for an upcoming burrito and coffee shop in Belmont in the space of a gelato store at which he worked until its recent closure. He encouraged us to swing by and check it out, which we promptly did the next day. I shot some interior photos and did a little write-up for Eater Boston, which you can read here. Since Eater's not really into food porn photos, I'll share those with you here.

Dan shows off his magical chili powder spice blend. It'll be available for sale in jars.

Carnitas taco with salsa, cheese, and pickled carrots and radishes (yum) 

Barbecue chicken taco with peach salsa and lettuce (more yum)

Joel tried a burrito. This is all you'll see of it because there's nothing attractive about the interior of a burrito, no matter how delicious it tastes.

I contemplated eating this entire bowl of peach salsa. Amazing. 

This is one of Cafe Burrito's "quesos a la plancha," hybrids between quesadillas and grilled cheese. This particular one is modeled after a Cuban sandwich, featuring ham, mustard, and whatever else goes into a Cuban. (Cuban sandwiches are clearly not my area of expertise.)

Just a bird's-eye view of the aforementioned sandwich

While Belmont isn't really in my usual territory, I definitely plan on going back once Cafe Burrito opens up. (The goal is August 11, currently.) Dan's ridiculously good at developing recipes, and I need to eat more of that peach salsa, or whatever other fruit he's using by then. There will always be five salsas available, all made in-house, and one will be a seasonal fruit that rotates monthly. Plus, I'm always up for awesome tacos, and these were quite good.

By the way, Cafe Burrito will also feature a wide range of tea, coffee, and smoothies, as you might have guessed from the "cafe" part of the name.

The Painted Burro

This has been a great week for tacos. First, I had a very positive experience at The Taco Truck, a new taco truck (what did you expect?) in Cambridge. Then, last night, I returned to the fairly new Davis Square Mexican hotspot, The Painted Burro, and I was pleased to find that it was much improved from my visit the day after they had opened, particularly in terms of portion size, flavor, and service.

When The Painted Burro first opened, I had just returned from Austin with a newfound love for tacos and mezcal. I knew it was risky to visit in the first few days, but I just couldn't wait. I'm a huge fan of Posto, which is under the same ownership, so I had high hopes. Not surprisingly, there were still a lot of kinks to work out on that first visit. I left disappointed but resolved to return after they'd had a couple months to settle in. I'm pleased to report that nearly all of the problems have now been resolved, and I really enjoyed my meal. (On both visits, however, the bar was almost unreasonably slow, even with the restaurant about halfway full. Fortunately the cocktails were worth the wait, but I wonder how long it'd take to get a drink when the restaurant is packed. I'm referring to sitting at a table for dinner and ordering drinks; I'm not sure if the experience sitting right at the bar and ordering from the bartender is faster.)

They did a fantastic job remodeling the old Gargoyles space; it's much brighter and feels more open now. (If I remember correctly, there was a wall or at least a heavy curtain between the dining room and the bar in the Gargoyles days, but now there is not.) The chairs appear to be made of old window shutters, and the tables are also made of reclaimed wood, or at least that's how they look and feel. The ambiance seems inspired by Dia de los Muertos with a variety of festive skeleton decorations, but it doesn't go overboard. One of my dining companions commented that it looked like a place that could be in Los Angeles, a little bit funky while still classy. On a wall near the bar, there's a gorgeous and large mural of a burro (a painted burro!) and a skeleton with a mini-me skeleton on its shoulder.

As a newly enthusiastic drinker of mezcal, I appreciate the large selection, as well as the tequila and mezcal cocktails. The spicy mango margarita was the biggest hit at my table, but we were all quite happy with our drinks. Mine, El Jefe, was similar to one I've enjoyed at Trina's Starlite Lounge in the past. Xoclotl Mole bitters would probably not please everyone, but they make for a smooth and subtly chocolatey flavor.

Food highlights include the pork loin "cochinita" tacos, the kale and plantain side dish, and the helados (ice cream), particularly the chipotle chocolate and the sweet corn. (Picture creamed corn, take away the actual pieces of corn, and make it into ice cream. That's what this was. It might sound weird, but I assure you that it is actually delicious.)

For a quick and cheap taco fix, I'd head back to a place like The Taco Truck, but for a nice night out with friends, I'd definitely return to The Painted Burro. It gets quite pricey, particularly if you delve into the drink menu, so don't go over there expecting tacos for a couple bucks each. It's closer in cost and feel to a place like Olé. Be sure to try the sweet corn ice cream!

The Taco Truck: First Impressions

Have my taco dreams been answered? Quite possibly.

Before going to Austin for SXSW this year, I liked tacos well enough, but I didn't crave tacos. But ever since trying some of Austin's best (The Peached Tortilla, Izzoz, Chi'lantro), I've been wondering where I could find a Boston taco to satisfy my new obsession.

Then, Eater Boston brought good news: The Taco Truck was coming. Today. Originally from New Jersey, The Taco Truck has expanded to a cozy park-side spot on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, with Boston on the way soon. With the sun shining and a morning's worth of hard work behind us, Joel and I felt that this afternoon was the perfect time for a taco expedition.

Normally I wouldn't write about a place on its opening day, but, spoiler alert: I have only good things to say. As we walked down Flagg Street, we saw the bright orange truck from afar, and our stomachs began to growl. We arrived to find a short line - the secret's not out yet - and we placed our orders and were served relatively quickly. The goods: carnitas michoacan tacos for me, pollo asado tacos for Joel, two Mexican cokes (real sugar and a glass bottle? Oh yes.), and totopos (chips and salsa) to share. It all came to just over $20; initially, it seemed pricey, but the tacos are $2.25 - $2.50 each, which is actually quite reasonable, especially considering the focus on local and organic ingredients. (The tacos come in pairs, $4.50 - $5.)

We battled high winds to cross over to the river, take photos, and devour everything, but it was well worth the effort. The tacos were stuffed with just the right amount of ingredients, everything tasted fresh and full of flavor, and the meat was perfectly juicy. The corn tortillas were excellent - and this is coming from someone who greatly prefers flour tortillas.

The chips, while a bit on the greasy side, were very good overall; we were particularly fond of the lime seasoning. (I despise the "hint of lime" flavor of commercial tortilla chips; they have a weird fake lime chemically flavor. These, though, tasted of real lime and no chemicals.) We chose the roasted red salsa to accompany them, and it proved to be a solid choice. There are three other salsa available as well: a green salsa made of tomatillo, avocado, and cilantro; a spicy tomatillo and chipotle; and a spicier jalapeno, habanero, and chile de arbol. (Can you believe it? We actually weren't in the mood for spicy today. That's a rare occurrence for us.)

The Mexican cokes were, of course, refreshing, although Joel said his was a bit on the flat side.

So, it seems that my taco dreams have been answered. These are definitely on par with many of the tacos I enjoyed in Austin and better than any Boston tacos I've had in recent memory. The downside? Rather than satisfying my craving, this has only made me crave tacos even more. I'll be back. Very soon.

Like all good food trucks, The Taco Truck is active on social media, so you'll always know where to find it. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook to stay in the loop.

Maya Sol (2 Dine For Boston)

First, let’s get this out of your system. Make sure no one’s around. Say “Maya Sol” five times fast, out loud. Giggle for a bit. Ok, moving along…

After our disappointment at Aguacate Verde, the Mexican restaurant that has replaced our beloved Tacos Lupita, we were back in the market for a new taco spot. Someone recommended another Somerville place, Maya Sol, to Joel, and unable to stop laughing at the name, he decided that he desperately wanted to try out Maya Sol.

Expecting a takeout joint, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Maya Sol was rather large and charming; although you order at the counter and see your food prepared at a buffet-style line, there are plenty of tables and chairs and pleasant decor for dining in. (Not to mention the fantastic Mexican soap operas playing on the large television.) From brightly colored tiles to hanging bronze suns, the interior was warm and cheerful.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

More photos:

Aguacate Verde (2 Dine For Boston)

Walking into Aguacate Verde is like walking into the Twilight Zone. For years – decades, even, I think – this spot was Tacos Lupita, the most delicious place in our neighborhood. It would frequently derail trips to Shaw’s. Why shop and cook when we can just stop right here and eat amazing, cheap tacos and burritos? But alas, it seems the owners of Tacos Lupita sold the Somerville spot to focus on a few other locations. I know of one in Lynn and a brand new one in Gloucester. How could they leave us?

When they left, a new owner came in with high hopes of connecting with the community and providing healthy Latin American food. Silvia is a lovely woman (and apparently a black belt in karate), and I want so badly to enjoy Aguacate Verde as much as I did Tacos Lupita, but something has felt off on each visit. While the menu looks largely the same, the prices have crept up ever so slightly while the portion size and taste have both decreased. The spot has been renovated, but I find it hard to appreciate the extraordinarily bright orange and bright green exterior (complete with a gigantic smiling avocado). The website even features a dancing avocado-man hybrid, and my browser requests that I download a plug-in I’ve never heard of.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

More photos:

Izzos Tacos (Fork it over, Austin! - Part 26)

Well, I think this is going to be my last Austin post! I do intend to eventually write about the massive amount of hot sauce I got at Tears of Joy (plus one from Torchy's Tacos!), but for now, I'm going to wrap this series up with my last dinner in town, Izzos Tacos. Another truck. Food trucks make me so happy.

I had first spotted Izzos earlier in the day when I ate a donut for lunch; Izzos was in the same lot, and Jodi said that I really had to try it, so I was excited that my co-workers wanted to check it out for dinner.

We started with guacamole, which I actually tried and enjoyed. (Guacamole is one of those foods that I've just always avoided. While I don't really mind the flavor of avocado, I don't like the mushy texture, so I figured I wouldn't like guacamole. Then I realized that guacamole was probably closer in texture to a chunky salsa, not mushy like the fruit itself, so I gave it a try. Turns out it's pretty good, which I'm sure you all already knew.)

Then, of course, we had tacos. And they were pretty fantastic.

I got The Padre (photo directly above): braised carnita pork, pineapple, tomatillo salsa, avocado (which I requested be held). The pineapple was a great touch, and the flour tortilla was outstanding. (I vastly prefer flour to corn tortillas, so I was thrilled that every taco I ate in Austin was in a flour tortilla. Some places offer a choice.) This was probably my second- or third-favorite taco of the trip; I liked the BBQ brisket taco at The Peached Tortilla best, and the bulgogi taco at Chi'Lantro was pretty awesome as well.

Writing this post is making me sad because I now have this newfound taco love, but I haven't found any tacos quite as delicious in Boston. Perhaps it's time for a taco quest?

After enjoying Izzos, we moved over a truck for dessert at Gourdoughs, followed by fries and cocktails back downtown at Second Bar + Kitchen. Then we packed up and got ready for the morning flight back home.

At the airport, we found breakfast tacos from heaven, or Salt Lick BBQ. It was a perfect way to wrap up the trip.



Other posts in the Fork it over, Austin! series:
Part 1: Whip In
Part 2: Foreign & Domestic
Part 3: Caffe Medici
Part 4: Walking Along SoCo and Lunching at Chi'Lantro
Part 5: The Capitol, UT Austin, and Lunching (Again) at Torchy's Tacos
Part 6: Museum of the Weird
Part 7: Uchi
Part 8: East Side King at The Grackle
Part 9: Franklin Barbecue
Part 10: Flagship Whole Foods and My First Green Smoothie
Part 11: Late Night Pizza at Via 313
Part 12: Kebabalicious
Part 13: My Robotic Kitchen Planned This Dinner Party
Part 14: Papi Tino's
Part 15: Annie's Cafe & Bar
Part 16: The Peached Tortilla
Part 17: Cupcake Quest: Hey Cupcake!
Part 18: Arancini
Part 19: The DeLorean, Boxing Robots, and Roller Derby Pillow Fights
Part 20: Second Bar + Kitchen
Part 21: Tia Kelly's Navajo Tacos
Part 22: Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Part 23: Gourdough's
Part 24: The Ice Cream Social
Part 25: Walking to Barton Springs

I'm also posting daily recaps on the Tasted Menu blog, FOOD=LOVE:
Day 1: A First Taste of Austin
Day 2: Tons of Tacos, Sushi at Uchi, and a Late Night Trip to East Side King
Day 3: Early Morning Barbecue and Late Night Pizza
Day 4: Globetrotting: Kebabs, Enchiladas, Pommes Frites
Day 5-6: Meeting and Eating

Tia Kelly's Navajo Tacos (Fork it over, Austin! - Part 21)

On the sixth day of the trip, I started off with a breakfast of hamentashen (my mom sent two dozen to the hotel as a Purim surprise) and hot chocolate from the Patika Coffee truck.

Then I attended what I found to be the most memorable panel of SXSWi, Jeffrey Tambor's acting workshop. (For inquiring minds, he did confirm that the Arrested Development movie is happening, along with ten new Netflix-exclusive episodes.)

I grabbed lunch outside of the Convention Center at a truck called Tia Kelly's Navajo Tacos, and it was the most disappointing taco of the trip. I was intrigued by the fact that it was wrapped in Navajo fry bread, a delicious fried dough I first encountered in New Mexico, but it was more than twice as expensive as almost every other taco I ate ($6.75), and it was bland and boring. Taco fail.

Normally I'd hate to rip a small truck apart so angrily, but as it turns out, it's not really a small business at all. It's actually an "Aramark concept," which I guess explains why it was parked right outside the Convention Center and why it was obnoxiously overpriced and not good. Wasted meal.

I headed back inside for a panel featuring a bunch of the Funny or Die guys, and it wasn't nearly as funny as I'd expected.

...and then dinner was somewhat disappointing as well (more on that in the next post). Maybe it's just that everything felt like a letdown after the awesome Tambor session.

Other posts in the Fork it over, Austin! series:
Part 1: Whip In
Part 2: Foreign & Domestic
Part 3: Caffe Medici
Part 4: Walking Along SoCo and Lunching at Chi'Lantro
Part 5: The Capitol, UT Austin, and Lunching (Again) at Torchy's Tacos
Part 6: Museum of the Weird
Part 7: Uchi
Part 8: East Side King at The Grackle
Part 9: Franklin Barbecue
Part 10: Flagship Whole Foods and My First Green Smoothie
Part 11: Late Night Pizza at Via 313
Part 12: Kebabalicious
Part 13: My Robotic Kitchen Planned This Dinner Party
Part 14: Papi Tino's
Part 15: Annie's Cafe & Bar
Part 16: The Peached Tortilla
Part 17: Cupcake Quest: Hey Cupcake!
Part 18: Arancini
Part 19: The DeLorean, Boxing Robots, and Roller Derby Pillow Fights
Part 20: Second Bar + Kitchen
Part 22: Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Part 23: Gourdough's
Part 24: The Ice Cream Social
Part 25: Walking to Barton Springs
Part 26: Izzos Tacos

I'm also posting daily recaps on the Tasted Menu blog, FOOD=LOVE:
Day 1: A First Taste of Austin
Day 2: Tons of Tacos, Sushi at Uchi, and a Late Night Trip to East Side King
Day 3: Early Morning Barbecue and Late Night Pizza
Day 4: Globetrotting: Kebabs, Enchiladas, Pommes Frites
Day 5-6: Meeting and Eating

The Peached Tortilla (Fork it over, Austin! - Part 16)

It's hard to say for sure, because I ate a lot of tacos while in Austin, but I think this was my favorite - the BBQ brisket taco from The Peached Tortilla (dry-rubbed brisket, creamy apple slaw, and smoky roasted peach BBQ sauce).

The truck was parked at the Foodspotting SXSW Street Food Fest. The sun came out just in time for us to swing by for lunch. Apparently, champion eater Kobayashi was also at the fest, but I didn't see him. Later in the week, he set a new grilled cheese record.

I was sad that I only got one of these tacos - such juicy beef, such a soft tortilla - but I was balancing a box of two dozen hamentashen on one arm and a heavy camera on the other, and I didn't feel like hopping back in line. The banh mi taco (Vietnamese-braised pork belly, pickled daikon and carrot salad, sriracha mayo, cilantro) also received high marks from one of my colleagues.

I wish I had tried more items from the truck, and not just the tacos. (How did I miss the Maker's & Coke cake pops?) This truck has a seemingly rabid legion of fans, and an Austin food blogger who recently moved to Boston even mentioned to us that they'll actually be catering her wedding.



Other posts in the Fork it over, Austin! series:
Part 1: Whip In
Part 2: Foreign & Domestic
Part 3: Caffe Medici
Part 4: Walking Along SoCo and Lunching at Chi'Lantro
Part 5: The Capitol, UT Austin, and Lunching (Again) at Torchy's Tacos
Part 6: Museum of the Weird
Part 7: Uchi
Part 8: East Side King at The Grackle
Part 9: Franklin Barbecue
Part 10: Flagship Whole Foods and My First Green Smoothie
Part 11: Late Night Pizza at Via 313
Part 12: Kebabalicious
Part 13: My Robotic Kitchen Planned This Dinner Party
Part 14: Papi Tino's
Part 15: Annie's Cafe & Bar
Part 17: Cupcake Quest: Hey Cupcake!
Part 18: Arancini
Part 19: The DeLorean, Boxing Robots, and Roller Derby Pillow Fights
Part 20: Second Bar + Kitchen
Part 21: Tia Kelly's Navajo Tacos
Part 22: Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Part 23: Gourdough's
Part 24: The Ice Cream Social
Part 25: Walking to Barton Springs
Part 26: Izzos Tacos

I'm also posting daily recaps on the Tasted Menu blog, FOOD=LOVE:
Day 1: A First Taste of Austin
Day 2: Tons of Tacos, Sushi at Uchi, and a Late Night Trip to East Side King
Day 3: Early Morning Barbecue and Late Night Pizza
Day 4: Globetrotting: Kebabs, Enchiladas, Pommes Frites
Day 5-6: Meeting and Eating

Papi Tino's (Fork it over, Austin! - Part 14)

The rest of the Tasted Menu team arrived last night, and we planned a group dinner at Papi Tino's, a Mexican cantina that had been featured in the recent New York Times article, "36 Hours in Austin, Tex." (What's with the old school three-letter abbreviation for Texas? The NYT style guide is weird sometimes.)

It was just a little bit further down 6th Street in East Austin, a block or so past my new favorite pizza. We tried to find it on foot in the rain - too many people vying for taxis now - and after initially passing it, we finally found the small white house. I didn't notice any signage. If it hadn't been raining, it would have been absolutely lovely to dine outside at one of the small tables scattered around the front yard. The interior ambiance was not disappointing in the least, though. From the gorgeous wooden walls to the live music to the candlelight, the ambiance was intimate and romantic. No offense to my colleagues, but I would have preferred to go here for a nice date night with Joel, who is sadly back in Boston (although apparently enjoying better weather!) There were several other large groups as well, but the noise level and tiny round tables lend themselves better to smaller groups.

For our first round of drinks, I went for something called, if I remember correctly, the Devil's Bowtie, a girly pink drink made 'a la diabla' with the addition of habanero-infused tequila. It had just enough spice to keep me on my toes. The interesting part about a spicy drink is the painful cycle of drinking, feeling the heat and seeking refreshment by taking another big sip, and then remembering that that's the thing that caused the pain in the first place. And so on.

Then, we ordered enough appetizers - botanitas - to cover every available centimeter of our little table.

guacamole topped with panela cheese

ceviche con mango

champiñon relleno: large portabella mushroom stuffed with chopped seasonal vegetables in a Mexican crema fresca with a hat of queso gratinado 

chilaquiles:  totopos with salsa verde, tossed with shredded chicken, melted cheese, and crema fresca

betabel rasurado:  thinly sliced steamed beets with mango, blue cheese, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar

The chilaquiles were the table favorite due the amazingly delicious salsa verde; the other dishes ranged from acceptable to pretty good.

Most of the table ordered enchiladas for the main course, while Jen ordered an eggplant dish and I got camarones a la diabla (to go with my drink!): grilled shrimp in a spicy peanut salsa on a bed of mango and avocado.

At this point, people were moving on to second drinks (including a michelada, which we all determined we definitely didn't like), so I decided to venture into the extensive mezcal selection. I've never had mezcal before, so I settled on the Monte Alban (described as having hints of white pepper, jicama, and pineapple) and hoped for the best.

...and then my legs stopped existing and my brain went to another dimension. Mezcal yields a pretty amazing state of intoxication. It's immediately calming and mellowing. I was instructed to wait until morning before writing a daily recap post for the company blog.

We ended with some desserts, which were mostly unnecessary, although I did enjoy the house-made peanut ice cream. Everything was topped with Hershey's chocolate syrup and strawberries, though, and all three dishes seemed like an afterthought.

Although none of the individual dishes really blew me away, this was actually one of my favorite meals of the trip. The overall experience, particularly the ambiance (and probably the mezcal), was memorable, and I'd definitely make a point to come back here on a future visit.

Other posts in the Fork it over, Austin! series:
Part 1: Whip In
Part 2: Foreign & Domestic
Part 3: Caffe Medici
Part 4: Walking Along SoCo and Lunching at Chi'Lantro
Part 5: The Capitol, UT Austin, and Lunching (Again) at Torchy's Tacos
Part 6: Museum of the Weird
Part 7: Uchi
Part 8: East Side King at The Grackle
Part 9: Franklin Barbecue
Part 10: Flagship Whole Foods and My First Green Smoothie
Part 11: Late Night Pizza at Via 313
Part 12: Kebabalicious
Part 13: My Robotic Kitchen Planned This Dinner Party
Part 15: Annie's Cafe & Bar
Part 16: The Peached Tortilla
Part 17: Cupcake Quest: Hey Cupcake!
Part 18: Arancini
Part 19: The DeLorean, Boxing Robots, and Roller Derby Pillow Fights
Part 20: Second Bar + Kitchen
Part 21: Tia Kelly's Navajo Tacos
Part 22: Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Part 23: Gourdough's
Part 24: The Ice Cream Social
Part 25: Walking to Barton Springs
Part 26: Izzos Tacos

I'm also posting daily recaps on the Tasted Menu blog, FOOD=LOVE:
Day 1: A First Taste of Austin
Day 2: Tons of Tacos, Sushi at Uchi, and a Late Night Trip to East Side King
Day 3: Early Morning Barbecue and Late Night Pizza
Day 4: Globetrotting: Kebabs, Enchiladas, Pommes Frites
Day 5-6: Meeting and Eating