Besito Mexican Restaurant | Burlington, MA

I am spoiled by living in Somerville. I can literally walk or bike to a large variety of different restaurants and bars anytime I wish (even though I always find myself going to the same few places).

With that being said, it's rare for me to venture out (to the 'burbs, no less!) for a meal. And if I do, that meal better be damn good.

Thankfully, my recent meal at Besito Mexican Restaurant was well worth the short trip over to Burlington.

Besito Mexican might be in the Burlington Mall, but after walking in, you'll forget you're in a mall at all. The setting is borderline stunning, with fabulous lighting and decorative touches throughout. I also immediately appreciated how flawlessly clean and wonderfully quiet the restaurant was.

My cousin and I were seated right away in a comfy booth. We decided to start our meal with some tableside guacamole ($11.95) (made mild, medium, or spicy - we went for spicy) and a round of margaritas (when in Rome, right?).

My cousin ordered the first margarita pictured, the Pepino Margarita ($11), made with Avion blanco tequila, cucumber, jalapeno, Cointreau, agave nectar, and fresh-squeezed lime. I went for the Classic Margarita ($9), made with Blue Agave blanco tequila, triple sec, and lime. Both drinks were spot-on in terms of flavor, and I loved how they both had a nice kick of booze without being overly strong (or worse, too sweet). The tableside guac was plenty to feed two people, and I loved the kick of spice from the jalapenos. (The complimentary chips and salsa here are also super fresh and delicious).

For an appetizer, my cousin and I both enjoyed a Taquitas de Camarones ($11.95), made with crispy shrimp, shredded organic romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, chipotle cream salsa, cilantro, and queso fresco. 

This appetizer is SO worth ordering. The plump shrimp was cooked well, and the accompanying vegetables and sauces blended beautifully with the flavor from the shrimp. This was an ideal way to kick off the rest of our meal.

For entrees, Besito has a large variety of Mexican dishes, including tacos, enchiladas, and "main course" entrees. I went with one of the main course dishes: the Pescado Con Pipian y Atole ($23.95), which featured pan-seared mahi mahi with a blue corn and crab crust, pumpkin seed pipian, sweet corn atole, cilantro, and chayote salad. 

The sauce underneath the mahi mahi was wonderfully silky and well-seasoned, and I adored the crust on the well-cooked fish. 

As a side dish, we got the Platanos con Crema ($4.95), which were fried sweet plantains with crema and queso fresco. They were indulgent and delicious, without being overly greasy or heavy.

All in all, we had a fantastic meal at Besito Mexican. I'll definitely be venturing out of my Somerville bubble again soon to have another meal (and margarita) here!

Have you been to Besito Mexican Restaurant yet? If so, what's your review?

This dinner was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

The Painted Burro in Somerville

Davis Square is probably one of my favorite neighborhoods in Somerville, and we're lucky to live right outside of it. Davis is full of great craft beer, delicious food, and even has a movie theatre where you can drink beer while watching a film. Yeah, Davis is pretty much the coolest.

One of Z and I's favorite restaurants in Davis is The Painted Burro (brought to you by the same folks behind Posto and the soon-to-be Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar). The Painted Burro consistently has delicious, innovative Mexican food and fantastic margaritas, which both pair well with the fun atmosphere and the friendly waitstaff. (Remember when I helped judge their Guac Off?).

I returned to The Painted Burro on a recent humid night for drinks and dinner, and the Pineapple Habanero margarita was an ideal way to kick off the evening. (I didn't mark down the price, but it's probably around $10-$11).

This refreshing margarita on the rocks was slightly sweet with a kick of subtle spice. It really hit the spot on such a hot evening. 

A meal at The Painted Burro always begins with complimentary chips and salsa, but I highly recommend ordering some Mango Guacamole ($10) to help use up your chips with. 

This fun take on traditional guacamole adds juicy mango and serrano chile to the mix for a sweet-and-spicy flavor. The guac was obviously fresh, and borderline addicting (as most guacs are).

Another appetizer worth getting here is the "Cholo" Corn Cob ($6).

Perfectly split between three people, the grilled corn is smothered in garlic mojo mayonnaise, cotija cheese, and cayenne. I loved the flavors in this corn, and the cayenne was present without being overwhelmingly fiery. The corn's definitely messy to eat, but isn't that the fun of eating corn on the cob anyway?

For our entrees, everyone at the table ordered tacos, and I went with the one vegetarian taco option (that's on the summer menu): Grilled Summer Squash ($7).

The summer squash tacos were piled high with fire-roasted tomato salsa, basil puree, and cotija cheese. I originally thought a summer squash taco sounded kind of boring, but the abundant, flavorful toppings really made this taco delicious and surprisingly filling. 

The Painted Burro also has a few fish tacos on their menu right now, which always remind me of summer. One of my dining companions ordered the Mahi Mahi a la Plancha taco ($7.50), served with avocado, jicama, pineapple and serrano salsa, and frisee, and she highly recommended it.

Overall, I had another great meal at The Painted Burro, and I love how they tweak their menus with the seasons (especially considering how often I go there). If you haven't been yet, I definitely recommend checking them out for the consistently good food, strong drinks, and inviting atmosphere. (They also apparently have a great brunch, which I need to check out soon).

What's one of your go-to restaurants? 

This meal was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Drink This: Night Shift Brewing Viva Habanera

Two things I love about living in Somerville/the Boston area: Night Shift beer and The Painted Burro.

Z and I have become regulars at Night Shift's tap room in Everett, and we've more recently discovered the beauty that is The Painted Burro. This Davis Square gem serves up some delicious Mexican food, with reasonable prices and friendly service to boot.

Last weekend, I got to combine both of my local loves at The Painted Burro's 2nd Annual Guac Off, where I was one of three judges (along with Jen Che of Tiny Urban Kitchen and Jay McKenzie, Somerville firefighter and winner of The Painted Burro’s Burro Churro Challenge). I'm the dorky one in the glasses in the picture below.

Source: Marlo Marketing/Communications

During the Guac Off, we had to sample 12 different types of guacamole - the competitors really made some interesting guac creations. Some had booze in them, others had fruit, and one had ghost peppers - grown right in the competitor's backyard. They were all really interesting and creative, but the winning guac went to Somerville local Issac Hendrickson (pictured above, with the giant check). Isaac walked away with a $150 gift card to The Painted Burro, as well as the honor of having his recipe for Granada Guacamole with pomegranate seeds featured on the restaurant’s menu.

While I was eating my body weight in guac, I enjoyed one of my favorite brews to order when I'm at The Painted Burro (and Night Shift's brewery): Viva Habanera.

Night Shift's Viva Habanera is just the right combination of sweet and spicy. This rye ale is brewed with agave nectar, which helps to tame down the spice from the habanero peppers that this beer's aged on. The habanero peppers are present in the back of your throat, but not overwhelmingly fiery, which makes this beer easily drinkable and friendly with food. Especially Mexican food - I love ordering a glass of this and sipping it alongside nachos, tacos, and/or guacamole (clearly).

Viva Habanera is available year-round (and at many local liquor stores), but if you go to the brewery, ask to get it combined with Night Shift's Taza Stout. It's like a rich and delicious chocolate-pepper party in your mouth. 

Have you tried any great beers lately? 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

This was one recipe experiment that turned out so, so well.

I made these Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas for a catering client this week, and...I have to admit...it was kind of an experiment. I had visions of having to tell him his food would be a day late, and I would have to start all over again. But, thankfully, I didn't have to do any of that - the first batch came out borderline perfect. (I love when that happens!).

Chock-full of tender sweet potatoes, sweet corn, and hearty black beans, these "meaty" enchiladas are satiating - and delicious. The spice from the salsa verde, chili powder, and cayenne give each bite a ton of flavor, without being over-the-top spicy. 

Make these. Please.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

Yields: 9 enchiladas (about 3-4 servings)

Inspired by Damn Delicious

-2 cups salsa verde, divided
-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
-1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos
-1/2 cup diced red onion

-3/4 cup frozen corn

-1 clove garlic, minced
-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, divided
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon cumin

-Pinch of cayenne
-Salt and pepper, to taste
-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
-9 flour tortillas, warmed
-1 Roma tomato, diced
-Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1 cup salsa verde in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish; set aside.
2.) In a large pot of boiling water, cook sweet potatoes until tender, about 12-15 minutes; drain well and let cool slightly.
3.) In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, black beans, jalapenos, red onion, corn, garlic, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and spices.
4.) To assemble the enchiladas, lay tortilla on a flat surface and spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of sweet potato mixture in the center; sprinkle with cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down onto prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sweet potato mixture. Top with remaining salsa verde and cheese.*
5.) Place into oven and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
6.) Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and chopped tomato. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

*Please note that you will probably have leftover filling; I cooked a few additional "test" enchiladas with the remaining filling, but it wasn't really enough to make three more enchiladas with. I highly recommend spooning the extra filling into the baking dish with the enchiladas, or simply having it on top of your eggs the next morning (or in your salad for lunch the next day).

[Print this recipe]

Melted cheese. And lots of it. Do I really need to give you another reason to make these enchiladas, like, now?

I didn't think so. ;)

P.S. Just a friendly reminder that today's the last day to enter my Birds Eye giveaway for some FREE frozen vegetables! I'll be announcing a winner tomorrow morning.

Fajitas & 'Ritas

I'm borderline obsessed with Mexican food. We make a lot of it at home, considering we always have some kind of beans and tortillas in our kitchen - and we love spice - but it's always a treat when we go out for a Mexican meal.

Z had been to Fajitas & 'Ritas several times before (when he worked in the area), but I had never been. So when the kind folks there invited us in to give it a try, I happily obliged.

The decor at Fajitas & 'Ritas quickly won me over. The walls were colorful and beautifully painted, and the open space was comfortably busy for a Wednesday night.

Our meal began with some complimentary chips and salsa, as well as a side of fresh guacamole ($3.27).

The chips were delightfully salty, although the salsa was a bit too heavy on the tomatoes for my liking. The guacamole, on the other hand, was incredibly smooth and well-seasoned - we devoured it.

Z discovered Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila on the menu, so we both got spicy margaritas ($8.18) to accompany our meal. 

As if the margaritas weren't spicy (or strong!) enough, we decided to start with the Fried Pickled Jalapenos ($7.01). Served with a cool and creamy chipotle blue cheese dressing, these bread and butter jalapeno pickles were lightly fried and borderline addictive...especially when dipped in the accompanying dressing.

Fajitas & 'Ritas' menu is very casual, with incredibly affordable prices to boot. The menu features a number of vegetarian entrees, like the Vegetable, Bean, and Cheese Burrito ($7.71) that Z ordered and the Vegetable Fajitas ($8.41) that I had.

Z was a fan of his burrito, and I was impressed with the amount of vegetables and toppings that came with my fajitas (especially given the price!). In addition to the mound of vegetables, my fajitas also came with three flour tortillas, pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole.

Fajitas & 'Ritas is definitely a more casual spot, so the food was nothing incredibly special, but everything was cooked well and seasoned nicely. It's also amazing how much food you get for such affordable prices (I even brought some leftovers home). The bartender also makes a strong drink, which is always a big plus in my book!

I should also mention that our waitress told us she has been working at Fajitas & 'Ritas for 20 years. As many of us know, many restaurants have a really high turnover - especially when it comes to the waitstaff - so when you hear of a waitress working at one restaurant for so long, you know they have to be doing something right there. I think that always speaks volumes as to how the restaurant itself is managed and run. 

All in all, we had a great meal at Fajitas & 'Ritas, and I definitely plan to go back. Nothing sounds better right now than a plate of nachos and a Tanteo margarita!

Have you ever been to Fajitas & 'Ritas before? If yes, what's your review?

We received 50 percent off our bill for this meal. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Geronimo in New Haven, Connecticut

Over the weekend, I drove down to Connecticut to see some of my closest girlfriends from college. The five us stayed at our other friend, Tara's, new house Saturday night. It was so lovely catching up with them (I hadn't seen one of them in 3-4 years), drinking tequila, and just relaxing.

Upon our arrival at Tara's house, she greeted us with a variety of goodies, including a killer cheese plate and several tarts.

Later on in the afternoon, we went to visit Quinnipiac University, where we all went to school. Since we graduated, our school has built two more campuses, and has made a slew of other changes on its main campus (yes, I realize where my student loan money's going). Then, we stopped at Side Street - our old stomping grounds - for some drinks and appetizers before going back to Tara's to pretty ourselves for dinner.

In college, we always went out into New Haven to go dancing on bars, get wasted, and hope to not vomit on the shuttle ride back to campus (T.M.I.?). But, last weekend, we realized times have changed. Tara made us reservations at a restaurant called Geronimo in New Haven, and we actually went into the city to eat dinner.

Geronimo - which is named after the infamous Apache rebel whose current resting place is rumored to be somewhere on the Yale University campus - is a tequila bar and Southwest grill with a fun, lively atmosphere (they also have outdoor seating at the front of the restaurant, which would be even better during the spring/summer). It was a little chilly when we visited, so we opted to sit inside.

We kicked off our meal with two pitchers of margaritas to share amongst the table (pitchers cost $36; a single margarita costs $9. We basically got two margaritas for free by ordering the pitcher!). We ordered the Geronimo Margarita and the Passion Fruit Margarita (this might have a different name on their restaurant menu, F.Y.I.). (Also, please excuse the photos - I took all pictures with my iPhone).

Both margaritas were excellent, but I especially loved the Geronimo Margarita. It was basically a "regular" margarita, but it was made with obviously good quality tequila and fresh lime juice (no overly sugary sour mix here!).

While we sipped our margaritas, we enjoyed some complimentary bread and Tableside Guacamole ($15).

Our bread basket came with another kind of bread, too, but I didn't sample any until there was only cornbread left. I only tried a few bites of it, but it was wonderfully sweet with a hint of spice from the jalapenos studded throughout. The guacamole was also fantastic - incredibly fresh and packed with flavor, and the accompanying chips were sturdy and salty. Not sure if this was worth $15, but...it was a special occasion, after all.

For my entree, I went with the Portobello and Poblano Tacos ($10).

I seriously could have just eaten the portobello and poblanos by themselves with a fork (and I did, after all three of my soft tortillas were gone). I loved the combination of the meaty portobellos with the poblanos, and everything was very well-seasoned. My plate also came with radishes and pico de gallo for garnishes, which were welcome flavors and textures.

Overall, we had a fantastic meal at Geronimo. The lively atmosphere was perfect for us now-older folk on a Saturday night, while still not being too loud for us to enjoy each other's conversation. The food was also very well done (as were the margaritas). I would definitely go back to Geronimo the next time I'm in the area...especially once it's warmer, so I can enjoy their outdoor seating.

When was the last time you visited your "old stomping grounds"?

Tofu, Spinach & Black Bean Tamales + Tamale Beginner Tips

#1: Tamales are not pretty to photograph. At least not the tamales I made.

#2: It took me a few tries to finally make edible, tasty, satiating tamales. See below for some tips on how to be more successful at your first go-round at tamale-making.

#3: Once you buy masa corn flour and corn husks, you will have them for quite a while. They were cheap to begin with at my local grocery store, so it wasn't a risky investment.

#4: It was this book that was behind my inspiration for all of this tamale-making. Z gave it to me a few months ago, and it really is a fantastic guide for tamale beginners.

I created this recipe by combining a few of the recipes in the Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales cookbook, while also using some items we already had in our kitchen to save a few bucks (I am a starving freelancer now, after all). The recipe is below, and I'll follow it with a few tips based off what I learned during my first few attempts at making tamales.

Tofu, Spinach & Black Bean Tamales

Yields: 8-10 tamales

Print this recipe

Masa Harina Masa (from Tamales 101): *I halved this recipe, and still had plenty of leftovers

Yields: 12 to 18 cups, or masa for 2 to 3 dozen tamales

-7 cups vegetable stock (or chicken, beef, or pork stock)

-12 cups masa harina (dry corn flour)

-2 cups butter, margarine, lard, or shortening (or a combination of these)

-1 1/2 tablespoons salt

Tamales:

-16 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes

-Cumin powder

-Chili powder

-Pinch of cayenne

-Salt and black pepper

-1/4 cup salsa (I used a spicy traditional salsa)

-1 tablespoon butter

-1 tablespoon flour

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

-1 green onion, diced

-1 pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

-8-10 dried corn husks, which have been soaked in hot water  - weighed down with a heavy pot or platter - for 45 minutes and then washed thoroughly to remove the silk and any dirt (I forgot this step, and we turned out OK...but I recommend soaking them just in case)

-3 cups Masa Harina Masa

-Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)

Directions:

Masa Harina Masa:

1.) In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the stock until warm. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine the stock and the masa harina. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, mix until the texture is like a firm pudding. Remove the mixture from the bowl and set aside. 

2.) Add the butter and salt to the mixer bowl and whip at high speed for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the masa harina mixture and whip for 1 minute at medium speed. Repeat until all of the masa harina mixture has been added.

3.) Increase speed to high and continue mixing for 3-5 minutes, until the masa is a soft, thick paste.

Tamales:
1.) Place tofu cubes in a shallow dish (I used a pie plate), and season with cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Carefully mix in salsa, and cover dish with saran wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2.) Using a fork, combine the butter and flour on a plate until completely worked together. Set aside.
3.) In a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion and saute for only a few seconds. Decrease the heat to medium, add the spinach, salt, and pepper, and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
4.) Add the beans and cook for an additional minute. Then, add the butter-flour mixture and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, to combine flavors. Set aside to cool.
5.) To assemble the tamales, spread 1/4 cup of masa on the smooth side of a corn husk. Place 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture in the center of the masa and top with cheese (about 1 tablespoon per tamale). Finish using your methods of wrapping and tying. Repeat for the remaining tamales. Steam the tamales for 50 minutes.

Notes:
-I found the less masa I used per tamale, the better (1/4 cup might even be too much). Also, the more filling, the better, as long as the tamales can still be folded and stay folded.
-There are many ways to wrap and prepare the tamales, but this, I found, to be the easiest (and least intimidating) method: Spread the masa across the center of the corn husk, 1/4 inch from the flat end of the husk. Fold both sides of the husk in tightly to overlap. Fold the pointed end of the husk up to meet the flat end.
-This is the masa flour I used. Any prepared masa I had leftover, I kept in the freezer (it should keep for 1-2 months in the freezer).
-To reheat tamales, I covered mine in a damp paper towel and reheated them in the microwave. They aren't the best reheated, but they aren't terrible either.

Making tamales is definitely a process, but the end result is well worth the extra work and cooking/steaming time.

Have you ever made your own tamales before? If not, would you?

Spicy Tofu Tacos with Corn & Black Bean Salsa

For me, corn on the cob = summer. Growing up, my siblings and I always eagerly shucked ears of corn in our backyard while my Dad started the grill. Now, I eagerly await corn on the cob season – shucking the ears of corn remind me of happy dinner memories with my family.

Luckily for Z and I, our last few weeks of our CSA box have included several ears of corn. The first week, we boiled the corn and slathered the cobs with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and chili powder. But last week, we didn’t get to use the corn as early as we would have liked to. We were having friends over from out of town on Saturday, so I used up the fresh corn in a refreshing, spicy salsa.

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Yields: About 6 servings

-1 cup fresh corn

-1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

-1/2 large red onion, diced

-1 red bell pepper, diced

-2 tsp. minced jalapenos (I used canned)

-1 tsp. minced garlic

-1 tsp. cumin

-1 tbsp. chili powder

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

-Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1.) Place corn, black beans, onions, bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic in a large bowl. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

2.) Add cilantro and lime juice; stir to combine. Cover bowl with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving (this salsa can also sit in the fridge overnight). Serve over tacos, or simply with tortilla chips.

This makes a good amount of salsa, so our friends only made a small dent in the bowl. On Sunday night, Z and I used up the remainder of the salsa for some spicy tofu tacos. I simply drained a block of extra firm tofu, and sliced it into ½-inch thick strips. I made a quick marinade of lime juice, fresh cilantro, a few canned jalapeno slices, salt and pepper, all pulsed together in my food processor. I marinated the tofu for about 20 minutes (please do longer, if time allows), and then seasoned the tofu slices liberally with chili powder and cumin. Then, I pan fried the tofu with some olive oil until it turned brown and crispy (about 10 minutes total). We enjoyed the tofu in crispy taco shells with some shredded Mexican blend cheese and the corn and black bean salsa.

This was an easy and delicious way to use up the leftovers we had.

What food = summer for you?

Enchiladas and a Mariachi Band

On Friday night, Z and I used one of my almost-expired Living Social vouchers at El Potro Mexican Bar and Grill in Union Square.

Before Living Social featured El Potro on their site (I got the deal for $9 – it was good for $20 worth of food and non-alcoholic drinks), I had never heard of this praised Mexican eatery. Even from the photos online, I could tell that this restaurant was tiny and nothing fancy, but the reviews had me intrigued.

Upon walking into the restaurant, Z and I were immediately greeted by a jovial man, and were told we could sit wherever we wanted to. Although it was a Friday night, the tables were mostly empty – although, they were mostly packed by the time we left.

We sat at a booth and admired the brightly-colored, authentically decorated interior. Soon after we sat down, our waitress brought us some complimentary chips and wonderfully fresh and spicy salsa (we also ordered some guacamole for the chips).

Sorry for the sideways photo. Gotta love Blogger.

To wash down our chips, we ordered a pitcher of one of El Potro’s margaritas (the pitcher was about $40, and we got a little over four full glasses out of it). Per usual, I was a bad blogger and didn't write down the name of this margarita - it wasn't their house concoction, but it was the next on the list (helpful, right?).

Despite my terrible note-taking skills, I can tell you that this was one damn good margarita. Perfectly sweet, slightly sour and strong, without being overpowered with tequila.

For my entree, I went with the Enchiladas de Espinaca ($11.95), which came with two rolled tortillas stuffed with seasoned spinach and topped with creamy tomatillo sauce. Served on the side was rice, refried beans, lettuce and pico de gallo.

This was an uniquely delicious dish that was rich, but surprisingly light thanks to the fresh ingredients used. I appreciated the careful attention given to the homemade tomatillo sauce, and the dish as a whole was reminiscent of the espinaca dip my sister and I used to binge on at Shorty’s in Nashua, N.H. back in the day.

After dinner, as we sipped our second margaritas, the mariachi band started playing – and they even offered to play us a song.

The band's enthusiasm and great harmonies – mixed with the tequila and our full bellies – made for a lovely Friday evening. I’ll definitely be visiting El Potro again in the near future.

What's your favorite hole-in-the-wall place for delicious food and drinks?

Drink These: Horchata and Jamaica at Anna's Taqueria

A few weeks ago, I was invited to have dinner at Anna’s Taqueria in Porter Square to enjoy some of their food and get some information on what the restaurant chain has planned for the summer. Their PR rep was kind enough to invite me, and we enjoyed a good meal together. However, the drinks we washed the meal down with were the highlights of the evening for me. 

Here are two of the drinks we sipped on (we also had the Mexican coke ($1.85), which is made with real cane sugar instead of corn syrup):

Horchata ($1.75): A refreshing drink made fresh daily from ground almonds, rice milk and cinnamon.

Source: www.tastedmenu.com

Jamaica ($1.75): Often called a “Mexican fruit punch,” this beverage is made fresh daily from brewed hibiscus petals.

Source: www.tastedmenu.com

   

All three drinks tasted great and quenched my thirst, but the Horchata was my favorite. Not only did this creamy drink help to cut the spice from my food, but it was also wonderfully sweet and not too thick. On a hot day, however, I’m not sure how thirst-quenching it would be, but the Jamaica would be absolutely lovely.

I highly recommend ordering any of these drinks the next time you go to Anna’s.

Side note, for the parents: Anna’s is launching a kids’ menu in the next few weeks!

What's your favorite non-alcoholic beverage to sip during the summertime?


Disclaimer: Although I was treated to dinner and drinks by Anna's PR agency, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own.

 

Rudy's Cafe in Teele Square

On Friday night, I discovered strong margaritas and tasty Mexican fare in a hidden location. Nestled away in Teele Square, Rudy's Cafe is one hidden gem worth visiting.

On the exterior, Rudy's is easy to miss. The only sign of life is the neon "Rudy's" sign on one of the windows. Upon walking inside, however, it's apparent that this busy, brightly-colored restaurant is not to be missed.

My cousin and I sat at the bar for a casual meal, which started with complimentary tortilla chips and spicy, fresh salsa. For my first beverage, I went with a Horny Toad margarita ($7.76), made with Sauza Hornitos tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime juice.

Rudy's has a lot of creative margaritas - including my second of the night, the Calientes Margarita ($7.06), made with jalapeno tequila, triple sec and lime juice - but I'm glad I went with the Horny Toad for my first beverage. It was sweet and strong without being overly sour. Just the way I like it!

For my entree, I went with the Spinach Quesadilla ($9.50), which was highly recommended by my cousin. Filled with sauteed fresh spinach, black beans, cheeses, chipotle chilies and feta cheese, this was one uniquely delicious Mexican dish. I loved the combination of the black beans with the spinach and creamy feta. 

The menu describes the tortilla as a "spinach tortilla," but that did not seem to be the case. Regardless, the dish tasted fine as it was. I also ordered a small side of guacamole ($1.75) to go with my quesadilla. Ordering guacamole is always a good decision.

Our bartender/waiter also helped to make our meal that much better. He was charismatic, attentive and enthusiastic. I'll definitely be going back to Rudy's!

What hidden gems have you discovered lately?