Lone Star Taco Bar, Allston, MA

It doesn't seem like all that long ago when I was consistently complaining about the lack of good Mexican food here in Boston.  I remember it well- I believe it was a year ago.  I'm not sure what happened in that time, but all of a sudden restaurateurs got the message and casual taco places to sit down authentic Mexican eateries have been popping up all over the city. The latest to open it's doors is Lone Star, a tiny spot adjoining Deep Ellum in Allston.  They seem to share a kitchen, and Lone Star definitely seems to pilfer some of Deep Ellum's beers, but otherwise, the concentration of the two spots couldn't be more different.  Deep Ellum rests comfortably on its laurels of finely crafted cocktails accompanying re born American foods.  Lone Star is serving Mexican street food, tacos and torta's, corn on the cob and hot crisp chips, with a heavy concentration on tequila's. 

I headed over to check out Lone Star with a friend who gets a little shout out here.  Chris was my co- RA (oh yes I was an RA in college- doesn't that tell you more than you need to know about me?) my senior year of college.   We bonded over our "relaxed" methods of leading our floor, and he dealt with my severe senior slump.  Since then Chris has traveled the world, from Prague to Shanghai and is finally back in Boston now.  Here's the true plug- Chris has a blog of his own, and is an incredibly talented writer-check him out: http://baoziandthebund.tumblr.com/

We settled into a booth in Lone Star and placed our order- a serving of their house made to order Guacamole and a couple of tacos- the Carnitas Pork (confit pork shoulder, salsa verde, cilantro, and queso fresco) and the Grilled Avocado With Griddled Queso Or Braised Tofu (salsa verde and corn relish) for me.  The guacamole arrived first.  It was served in a large mortar, and was bedecked with small wedges of lime.  The guacamole itself contained large pieces of fresh avocado and a hint of onion from some scallions found peppered throughout.  The surprising component to this guacamole however was how creamy it was.  Of course the natural properties of avocados are often described as "creamy" and they are often used as a cooling agent in spicy dishes because of this attribute.  Here though, at Lone Star, it appeared that some sort of additional cream was added.  It appeared to be sour cream to me, but I'm willing to be wrong there.  The outcome was a bit diluted in terms of the avocado flavor, and a much denser dip all around.  I would have been thrilled with a bit more lime juice or the addition of a chili pepper perhaps to break up the subtle monotony of the dish.  The chips however were hot and fresh and readily refilled.

I began with the Carnitas Pork taco- a small mound of shredded pork piled into a fresh tortilla, layered on top of salsa verde and showered with cilantro and queso fresco.  The flavors here were spot on- the fatty meat was cut nicely with the acidity and heat of the salsa verde, with the freshness of the cilantro and the salty cheese punching up the profile.  Everything taste fresh, with good texture contrasts and all around a delicious taco.  

I opted for the griddled queso with my avocado taco.  I love grilled cheeses- there is something about the mix of the smoke from the grill combined with the salty creaminess of the cheese that just makes for a perfect combination.  Here they executed that perfectly, and the thick slices of avocado even proudly displayed prominent grill marks.  The corn salsa added nice textural contrast, though I found the salsa itself to be far too sweet for my liking.

Overall I really enjoyed my experience at Lone Star.  It was clear that the ingredients were fresh and thoughtfully prepared.  The dishes held authentic flavors and were artfully presented.  This is a great addition to the Allston neighborhood, an area that is truly blossoming in the world of good eats.       

Clear Flour Bread, Allston

Good bread is not so easy to find.  Have you ever noticed this?  A good, crusty, chewy loaf of French bread is one of the toughest things to find.  Either the crust is soft, or the inside is too dense, or the whole thing has a peculiar taste to it- a good loaf of bread is an art.  It is the testament to a good baker, an utter joy when done well, a complete disappointment when it fails.  Bread, simply spread with a bit of butter, is one of my very favorite treats.  Its carbo rich feel is comforting, its simplicity is familiar.  When the world seems to swirl with no end in sight, and it feels like I've lost my footing, there is nothing better than leaning against the counter in my kitchen, munching on a piece of fresh baguette, with a light hint of butter spread on top and catching my breath.  The crackle that the crust makes when I bite through makes me smile, and the soft interior envelops like a big hug.  To me it is one of life's great joys. 

I have learned, the hard way, that well executed bread is crucial to the equation, and I have tested many a contender around the area determining which offer the lovely French bread respite I seek, and who's are sorely lacking.  I could write an entire essay on which lack, however I'm here to focus on the positive and with that I give you my choice for the best in Boston. 

Clear Flour Bakery sits, hidden from the average person, in the back roads that connect Coolidge Corner to Allston. It's out of the way location however doesn't prove a deterrent for those "in the know" and weekend mornings their line stretches down the block.  One might think that waiting in line for baked goods is silly-I would challenge those persons though.  I would challenge them to enjoy a bite of Clear Flour's "Morning Bun", or a buttery croissant and then argue the same. 

Of course the real treasure is their bread.  They produce several different types, all made on site, daily, but to me their piece de resistance is their French Baguette.  The crust crackles satisfyingly and the interior is soft chewy with just enough air pockets to let you know that this dough was kneaded correctly and not over worked.  The flavor is clean, with a hint of yeast, but without the odd sweetness or tang that some other breads can contain. 

Clear Flour's bread is the perfect bread for all of your needs.  It grills nicely for bruschetta, it perfectly surrounds cold cuts or salads for a hefty sandwich, and it soaks up French Toast batter like no body's business.  

When I have a craving for classic, delicious bread- Clear Flour is definitely my destination. 

Deep Ellum, Allston

Deep Ellum sits off the main drag of Allston's busy restaurant scene.  It sits far away from craziness that often overcomes the intersection of Harvard and Brighton Ave's.  Quietly, without any pretense, Deep Ellum sits proudly offering a unique beer list, some of the best cocktails in town, and a solid food offering.  Saturday evening I had the opportunity to relax in their hospitality, enjoy their staff, and indulge in some of their food.

We started, in rather perfect fashion for a relaxed meal, by sharing the Charcuterie plate, and the Crab Stuffed Avocado.  The Charcuterie was a pretty incredible blend of house made pates, mortadella, coppa, pickles, pickled onions, mustard and whipped lardo.  It may go without saying, but fresh foods and ingredients are infinitely better than their processed counterparts.  Mortadella, which can be found in deli counter, and often has a very flat, overly salty flavor, on this Charcuterie plate it stood out with clean flavors, delicate spice, and terrific mouth feel.  The other stand out from this plate was the whipped lardo.  If you haven't experienced lardo before, it is an incredible indulgent pleasure, quite literally fat from the back of a pig who, very often, has been fed a "healthy" diet composed of walnuts and apples among other decadent treats to ensure that the pig is "robust" in the correct areas, and that flavor is sweet and well flavored.  Deep Ellum whips this treat and adds salt and crushed red pepper flakes which creates a beautiful harmony between the pure fatty nature of the lardo.  This was pure pleasure. 

The crab stuffed avocado was a perfect contrast.  Though the avocado was rich and creamy, it was piled high with the crab salad that felt light with its citrus and cilantro notes.  Texturally this salad was perfect.  The large lumps of crab meat blended well with the ripe, but still firm avocado, forming many "perfect bites".  Paired with a frisee salad that was dotted with cherry tomatoes and a beautiful slice of a yellow heirloom tomato-it felt like a perfect entry to summer dining.

Finally we split the Saffron Israeli Cous Cous which combined large pearl cous cous with eggplant, chick peas, olives, tomatoes and zucchini.  While the saffron was undetectable in the dish, the rest of it was well contrived.  Israeli Cous Cous has the incredible ability of tasting buttery and rich without losing it's healthful qualities.  The eggplant and the zucchini were perfectly cooked, keeping their toothsome qualities and lending their earthy flavors to the dish in contrast with the buttery cous cous.  The chick peas, mealy in nature and therefore containing an entirely different mouth feel, gave a wonderful relief in texture, and the salty olives served on top provided a wonderful burst of salt.  

Deep Ellum is the perfect example of the age old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover".  From the exterior it appears to be a stereotypical pub-lack luster beer, the occasional shot of whiskey, bad nachos and worse burgers.  Step inside however and you'll find creative and well executed dishes, fantastic cocktails and a great selection of micro brews.  Deep Ellum is definitely worth the trip.