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.

Flights and Flatbreads at Seasons 52

Last week, I met up with my cousins for dinner in Burlington. We were all eager to go to Seasons 52 (after all, I had quite the meal there the last time I visited), so that's where we decided to meet.

Upon arriving, one of my cousins informed me of their Flights & Flatbreads deal - and I was immediately on board. Basically, it's Seasons 52's version of happy hour. You get to try a flight of three Remarkable Reds or Spectacular Whites, followed by a full pour of your favorite. You also get to pair your wine choices with one of Seasons 52's flatbreads - all for $15. (Or, you can get a flight and full pour of their Acclaimed Wine Series plus a flatbread for $20). Yeah...it's a good deal.

On this particular night, we all went with the Spectacular Whites (the chardonnay ended up being my favorite/my full pour).

For my flatbread, I went with the Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Flatbread, topped with grilled pineapple, feta cheese, and roasted poblano peppers.

I mean, look how gigantic this flatbread was:

I think that plus [basically] two glasses of wine for $15 is quite the deal. It also helps that everything was good - including the service!

The best part about this evening - and all of last week, for that matter - was that I drove a Buick Encore to and from the restaurant. (Don't worry, mom - I only had two glasses of wine and an entire flatbread. I was responsible!). My friends at General Motors sent me this beauty to drive around in last week:

The car also came in mighty handy when we were moving everything back into our basement after getting it redone.

Yeah...let's just say this car made my poor little 2008 Ford Fusion look pretty darn boring.

Have you discovered any good restaurant deals lately? 

What's your dream car?

My Buick Encore rental was complimentary; all opinions are my own. 

Now Open: Seasons 52 in Burlington

Sometimes, it's hard getting out of the city (or, my Somerville bubble) for dinner. You're hungry/hangry, and anything but excited to fight rush hour traffic for a meal. But sometimes, the "trip" is worth every bite.

Seasons 52 - which has over 30 locations nationwide - just opened their first Massachusetts location last week in Burlington. The restaurant focuses on seasonally inspired menus that pair with their award-winning international wine list, with a heavy emphasis on healthy food. After all, nothing on the restaurant's menu exceeds 475 calories. 

Before their official opening last Thursday, I was invited to a preview dinner in one of their handful of private dining rooms. I was also fortunate enough to get a tour of the massive space, complete with an open, sparkling clean kitchen, and the comfortable yet stunning bar area, which had a pianist playing.

Our meal was meant to showcase some of Seasons 52's best dishes, each paired with a specific wine picked by their Master Sommelier, George Miliotes. (Side note: With that being said, all meals pictured are not their actual size - they're smaller than the typical portions). 

Our evening began with Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne Brut Champagne and two flatbreads (not pictured). The flatbreads included Trio of Roasted Mushrooms and Chipotle Shrimp. The shrimp flatbread was definitely a crowd favorite, topped with roasted poblanos, grilled pineapple, and feta cheese.

Once we sat down for dinner, we were brought an amuse-bouche of Lump Crab and Haas Avocado, which sat atop some fresh pico de gallo. This was a lovely bite that was packed with flavor, and notes of toasted cumin were apparent throughout. This was paired with an Aveleda Vinho Verde, Portugal 2011.

Our first course was the Organic Salmon and Lemongrass Sea Scallop Roasted on a Cedar Plank (the plank is a Seasons 52 specialty). The salmon - which is farmed in Canada or the Atlantic Ocean - was flaky, juicy, and well-seasoned. The cedar plank provided a great oaky flavor without being overpowering. This dish was paired with a Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Central Coast 2010.

Next up was the Baby Spinach Salad, comprised of Asian pears, toasted pine nuts, crumbled Gorgonzola, and a white balsamic vinaigrette. The salad was tossed in just enough vinaigrette, thanks to Seasons 52's method of tossing: they simply line the bowl with some of the vinaigrette, then toss the greens from there. (Um, why have I never thought to do it that way??).

The salad was paired with Casillero del Diablo Viognier, Casablanca 2012.

My favorite course of the evening was the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli, served with harvest vegetables, black mushrooms, and roasted onion jus. I was originally afraid that the goat cheese filling would be too rich, but it was just rich enough. The tangy cheese paired with the savory jus (which also had apple cider in it) was a phenomenal combination, and the homemade pasta was wonderfully delicate. The ravioli was paired with a Retromarcia, Chianti Classic 2010.

For the second-to-last course, the rest of the group was served an Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon and Roasted Manchester Farms Quail, served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and a red wine demi glaze. Seasons 52 was kind enough to serve me one of their Vegetarian Tasting plates, featuring cedar-roasted tofu with mango chutney, butternut squash with fresh cranberries, Brussels sprouts, a portobello mushroom, carrots, and some broccolini. I also had a side of the mashed potatoes.

The Vegetarian Tasting plate was good, but nothing very impressive. It unfortunately lacked seasoning, and each component didn't really mesh well with the other. The mashed potatoes, on the other hand, were incredible - especially considering Seasons 52 doesn't even have butter in their kitchen (true story). These were rich, comforting, and full of flavor.

For dessert, we were served a tray of Seasons 52's Mini Indulgences, which are individual servings of classic desserts.

Our tray included: carrot cake; mocha macchiato; Kentucky bourbon pecan pie; chocolate and peanut butter mousse over chocolate cake; Belgian chocolate rocky road; key lime pie; pumpkin chiffon mousse; market fresh fruit; and cannoli with raspberry and chocolate chips. I tried a little bit of almost every one, but my favorite was the chocolate and peanut butter mousse.

Seasons 52 clearly cares about the food they prepare, how they treat their customers, and the wine they pour. I was really impressed with the staff, most of the food, and all of the wine we sampled. I would definitely return to Seasons 52 again.

Have you ever been to a Seasons 52 location? If so, what was your experience?

This meal was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Dinner and Drinks at The Melting Pot

Coupons make meals taste better. Especially when that meal consists of melted cheese and hot, gooey chocolate.

About a week ago, two of my former co-workers and I had a long overdue dinner together at The Melting Pot in Burlington. One of my fellow diners had purchased a Buy With Me coupon to The Melting Pot previously - she paid $50, but it was good toward $100 worth of food and drink - and she was kind enough to use it toward our dinner. We also happened to go on Ladies' Night Out, so there were some additional specials we got to partake in. Score!

The Ladies' Night Out menu lets you choose from a salad, a cheese fondue, a chocolate fondue and a signature drink for $25 per person (there are also other options available, but this was the one we chose).

To start, I had a glass of pinot grigio (based off memory, it was $5-7).

For my salad, I had the California Salad, made with mixed baby greens, Roma tomatoes, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese with raspberry black walnut vinaigrette. The salad was surprisingly spectacular - well dressed, and not overpowered by the gorgonzola, as some restaurant salads easily can be. 

For our cheese fondue, we ordered the Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue made with fontina, Butterkäse and buttermilk bleu cheeses with white wine, scallions and a hint of sherry.

The fondue came with hunks of bread, apples, and raw veggies for dipping.

The cheese dip was intensely flavorful, although when we got closer to the bottom, all we could taste was the wine (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).

For dessert, we all split the Yin & Yang fondue, which is prepared with half dark chocolate and half white chocolate - a divine combination.

Our chocolate fondue came with an array of decadent dessert dippers, including banana slices, strawberries, brownies, marshmallows and Rice Krispies Treats. 

I loved the sweet, sultry combination of the white chocolate with the dark chocolate. I’m not a huge dessert person, but I found the bite-sized desserts mixed with the silky chocolate was a perfect ending to a fun, satisfying meal.

The service at The Melting Pot was nothing spectacular, but our experience overall was a positive one (our waiter did also put birthday candles in a few of our desserts, since we all celebrate July birthdays). Dinner and drinks at The Melting Pot can be expensive, but, thankfully, my friend’s coupon made our meal basically free. Plus, who doesn’t like to have a little melted cheese for dinner?

What's your opinion of The Melting Pot? Do you think a meal there is worth the financial splurge?