The Gallows, South End, Boston

Almost a year ago I journeyed to The Gallows in the South End for the first Boston Food Bloggers meet up.  Seemingly hundreds of Boston area food bloggers piled into its four walls, mingling, chatting and scarfing down all of the tasty bites the Gallows had on hand for us.  I had a smattering of food, and resolved that I would soon return to try more of their menu, and really learn what makes them sing.  A few days ago, I finally had an opportunity to make good on this resolve. 

The Gallows from the moment we entered, was warm, welcoming, and most of all, fun.  The staff fell right into an easy comfort, cracking jokes where appropriate, recommending favorites, and answering any ridiculous question we could come up with.  The food didn't miss a beat and only improved on the experience.

We began our meal with an order of their Simple Poutine.  Poutine, if you are unfamiliar, is Canadian in origin, a hearty serving of freshly fried potatoes topped with creamy cheese curds and a brown gravy.  The Gallows version is, in a word, addictive.  The cheese curds, just a bit tangy and salty, are the perfect topper for the crisp french fries with a nice gravy to make the whole mess that much more tempting. Honestly, with something as devilish as Poutine, you really can't go wrong.  

I had a difficult time deciding on my entree, finally settling on the slow roasted Berkshire Pork, which was served atop fresh apple sauce, and topped with a salad of escarole and chicory with a bacon vinaigrette.  The play between the bitter, crisp greens and the sweet apple sauce was a stroke of genius, with the pork playing a harmonious role between the two. I did wish that the bacon vinaigrette had a bit more bacon to it, as it was overpowered by the other flavors, and the pork was a bit on the fatty side, however to be honest, neither really made for negative feel to the dish.  

The cocktails, at The Gallows, are another high point. Libations I sampled were well balanced, each flavor described present, and all in a pleasing way.  They are, I will say, potent as well.

The Gallows is not a spot to be missed, and I am kicking myself for delaying my visit so long.  It is a spot where patrons can immediately settle in for an evening of fun, well designed drinks and delicious, comforting food.    

El Centro, South End, Boston

You've heard me complain for ages about the lack of good, authentic, Mexican food in this town. I have ranted about the cheese covered abominations, the neon green guacamole, and the spice void offerings of our local "scene". Sure, there have been a few saving graces that I've noted, but nothing truly stand out. Today I am considering re-trying all of those "bright spots" as I have now, truly, had fantastic Mexican cuisine right here in Boston.


Tucked away on a corner of Shawmut Ave in the South End stands El Centro. It is unassuming, non chalant in it's presence, in fact you might miss it when walking past -I did. But don't let it's quiet exterior fool you-El Centro will welcome you with open arms, and dazzle your taste buds with every dish.


My journey began at El Centro with their "spiced Sangria" and their own guacamole. Our waiters explanation of the Sangria was right on-their red sangria, enhanced with spices and a few slices of Jalapeno had a bite to it when sipped, but the real heat would come from munching on the jalapenos. I loved this take on Sangria. The cinnamon-y beauty of the drink shown through, but was wonderfully offset by the additional spices. It was a creative way to give a unique twist on a classic libation.


The guacamole was similarly unique, and delicious. The standard avocados mashed to perfection with hints of citrus, but then just before serving a crumble of cheese sprinkled on top, and a drizzle of chili (Chorizo?) oil completed the offering. Both of these accompaniments were welcome additions. The cheese, salty and robust contrasted the creaminess of the avocado, and the chili oil started a fire that was immediately cooled. Every bite was different, and every bit woke up the taste buds.

We decided to split our meal, and then began with three tacos-the Al Pastor, the Fish, and the Barbacoa. It is more than worth noting, the team at El Centro makes their tortillas fresh, so a taco at El Centro is not your standard, run of the mill taco with its casing hinting at stale or processed.  These tortillas are fresh, and clean tasting.

Al Pastor, which usually refers to pork paired with spices and pineapple, is one of my go to options.  El Centro worth paired chopped pork, rich with spice and good heat with the sweet pineapple and a smooth guacamole. The pork was tender, and contained real spice which was a very welcome change to many other restaurants interpretation of spice.  The guacamole was cooling in the face of the heat, and together they made an addictive taco.  The sweet pineapple flavor was light, I personally would have enjoyed a bit more of that flavor for the complexity it would provide, however, over all this was a delicious taco.  

For my second helping I tried out their Fist Taco.  Under normal circumstances, I shy away from fish tacos.  I love the idea of them, but far too often, they contain heavily fried fish, which ruins the dish for me. We clarified ahead of time, and at El Centro, the fish is seasoned and baked, making for a much lighter, and in my opinion, flavorful dish.  It is served with a creamy cilantro sauce, and crisp shredded vegetables.  The fish did get a bit lost in its blanket of sauce, but the flavors were perfect.  The creamy sauce, with the mildly spicy fish, all complimented with the crunch of vegetables.  This was a fish taco I could have again and again.

My final bite was of the Barbacoa. Beer marinated beef, slow cooked and shredded.  The flavor here was delicate, but complex.  It was deep and rich, with perhaps just a hint of smoke?  I paired these bites with the house made hot sauce that was delivered to the table.  I can honestly say, for the first time in a restaurant, this hot sauce packed a serious punch, resulting in slight eye watering, and that weird, sick, desire to eat more of it.  Spice is a funny thing.

Finally, we moved into our next course, Camarones Al Chipotle  (shrimp in chipotle sauce).  This was highly recommended by our waiter and he did not lead us astray.  The shrimp were beyond "large", plump and perfectly cooked.  They were then set in a beautiful bath of a creamy chipotle sauce, and paired with rice, corn and cilantro. The chipotle sauce was perfection, to be honest, I could eaten it as a soup. Rich, spicy and decadent.  When paired with those delicate shrimp the sauce somehow complimented their sweet freshness, but did not overcome it.  The sweet corn was a perfect accompaniment, and the rice was a wonderful vehicle for sopping up the, um, extra sauce.

El Centro exceeded my expectations at every turn.  It's exterior may be quiet and unassuming, but inside is filled with warm, wonderful people, who are creating food full of rich, hearty flavors, true spice, and authentic pairings.  This is not your average "thrown beans in it and blanket it with melted cheese and call it a day" Mexican food.  This is food that truly celebrates the country, and El Centro plays the part of inviting each patron into their home to guide them through their kitchen.

Word to the wise, we arrived at 7:30 on a Friday evening, tables were available.  Within moments however every last table was full, and a small line was forming outside the door.  Reservations are not accepted- so get there early- this is food you want to make the time for.    

Masa, South End, Boston

Years ago I often proclaimed Masa, a Southwestern inspired restaurant located in Boston's South End, to be certifiably delicious.  However, as I continued to frequent, and I brought more and more people with me, I started to falter in my declaration.  There were misses in the service, the quality of food, the attention to detail.  I began to look for other spots to recommend to hungry friends, and I stopped dining at Masa all together.  Over the past few months Masa has undergone a bit of a transformation, back of the house has been over hauled, front of the house has been spiffed up, and I was asked to return.  I entered Masa wondering if their changes could have brought them back to the dependable spot they once had been, offering delicious Southwestern fare, a cuisine which Boston is in need of.

As I waited for my dining companion to arrive, I took a seat at their bar and was greeted by their bartender.  One thing about Masa that has always held true is their cocktails.  They feature an incredible array of tequila's- many marked for simply sipping, and others to be used in their imaginative cocktails.  Tempted by the drinks, I stuck with wine to start as I thought the tequila my impair my taste buds.  After all, I was there to check out the food scene first.

Once seated at our table, we were greeted by our incredibly friendly waiter, DJ and while we perused the menu, he got us started with their bread basket which is served with three different spreads, my favorite being their molasses butter.  This was one of the best parts of Masa that I remembered, their bread basket includes some incredibly delicious corn bread, and, if you ask nicely, they will even warm that corn bread for you.  Picture tasty corn bread, sweet and savory all at once, warmed and spread with decadent molasses butter.  The flavor combination between the corn and the molasses is made in heaven. 

Off to a good start, we decided to start with some recommendations from DJ and began with both Blue Cornmeal Fried Oysters, and their Spicy Ahi Tuna "Cabo Rolls". The oysters were served first, showing off their beautiful blue crust against a cherry pepper aioli and served with a mignonette for dipping.  The crunch of the blue cornmeal was a perfect offset to the delicate texture of the oyster hidden inside.  The salty sweet flavor of the oyster really shown through and when dipped into a bit of the mignonette, its tangy vinegar flavor really showcased their subtle taste.  Personally, I would have liked a bit more flavor in the cornmeal itself as it seemed lend only textural relief for the oysters and I would have loved if it had a personality of it's own.  That said though, these were a delicious starter, a lovely way to bring oysters into the southwest.

Just as we were finishing up the oysters, the much acclaimed Cabo Rolls arrived at our table.  Two large halves of a roll, a crisp fried dough wrapped around rice and then large pieces of perfectly rare tuna, sat atop a swirl of avocado wasabi puree.  I was astounded at the size of these, and struggled with the most "proper" way to enjoy them, but once I finagled a forkful of rice, crispy exterior and tuna, I understood what the rave was about.  The soft, gummy texture of the rice gave way to the tender tuna, with the crisp exterior providing the necessary crunch.  I really loved that this dish, an obvious homage to sushi rolls, incorporated wasabi into the southwestern ingredient of avocados.  Together this became a very tasty fusion, without marring either.  

It was strongly recommended that I order the braised pork shoulder for my main course, and I decided to take the suggestion.  Served a top garlic mashed potatoes, with baby arugula and a port fig sauce, it sounded like a dish that I would enjoy.  The pork, braised in beer (always good news in my book), was tender and smokey tasting, exactly the kind of flavor that I was looking for in something southwest inspired.  It was topped with sauce tasting of adoboe, a beautiful, rich, slightly spicy sauce which drew out the natural flavors of the pork.  The really beautiful touch to this dish was the fig and port sauce.  Plump spoonfuls were strategically placed around the plate, perfect for the diner to dip into at their whim.  Fig, I often find, can completely overpower a dish.  It is sweet and delicious, but only when used in moderation, when overdone, it overshadows every other flavor.  Masa was able to incorporate it's sweet beauty while still allowing every other flavor their respective place on the plate.  I can absolutely see why this dish was so highly recommended.  I would absolutely order it again- if I wasn't swayed by one of the other delicious sounding options.  

I did also, finally, switch up my drink order to indulge in a unique cranberry margarita.  Sadly the extent of the ingredients isn't currently listed on their website but this one packed a bit of a punch (at least to my normal non-tequila drinking self) but did so while still showcasing great flavors.  It you are at all a tequila drinker you really should try out either their drink list or their specialty sipping tequilas -they are really incredible.

I have to say, Masa absolutely exceeded my expectation, and far surpassed their own history.  Our service was efficient, knowledgeable and incredibly friendly.   The food is definitely coming back to its original place.  Menu items are imaginative and nicely showcase the wonderful flavors of the southwest but with unique twists and turns to keep your interest piqued throughout the meal.  Where I once vowed to not return to Masa, now I look forward to heading back over and trying out more of their menu!

NB: Masa also has a location in Woburn.