Masa
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Overall Rating: Sick Meals (80 out of 100)
439 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-338-8884
Located in the South End and conveniently located to Back Bay and the Theater District, Masa pairs the flavors and cooking styles of Southwestern cuisine with fresh New England ingredients.
Our History at Masa
Our fifth visit to Masa was on a Friday night at 7:30pm.
Appetizers
First courses include roasted butternut squash soup with ancho Mexican cinnamon, pan roasted mussels in smoked tomato and cilantro mole, spicy ahi tuna cabo rolls, and skillet roasted sea scallops with barbeque duck. Prices range from $7 to $12. We went with the spicy ahi tuna cabo rolls and the skillet roasted sea scallops with barbeque duck, both for $12.
One of our favorite apps, the two tuna cabo rolls were served with wasabi guacamole for just enough spice. The tempura sushi-style rolls contained tender, rare tuna. We only wish the portion was larger. At Masa, appetizers are not good for sharing; an appetizer provides a portion suitable for one.
The sea scallops and barbeque duck was served with sweet corn cream. Three scallops and sparse shredded duck did not provide good value for $12.
Masa serves a sick bread basket, including corn bread and three spreads - red bell pepper with cream cheese, molasses with honey butter, and chipotle white bean puree. Corn bread with molasses and honey butter is the sickest.
Rating: 8.6
Main Dishes
Main dishes include crispy tequila lime chicken with roasted plantain sopes, grilled achiote mahi-mahi with chicharos risotto, southwestern style steak frites with chile dusted fries, ancho cornmeal crusted catfish with grilled pineapple salsa, and chile rubbed New York strip. Prices range from $18 to $29. A variety of sides such as red chile onion rings, chile dusted frites, and maple sweet potato mash go for $4. We ordered one of the night's specials, a fresh lump crab cake, as well as the southwestern style steak frites.
The fresh lump crab cake was a colossal $29 disappointment. Fresh crab seemed more like a crab cake you might buy at your local convenience store - lots of breading and very little meat. The crab cake included jalapeno, red bell, and green bell peppers and tasted spicier than advertised. An accompanying pepper salad consisted of several thin red bell pepper slices.
Served with guajillo bourbon sauce and chile lime arugula salad, Masa's steak frites was tasty and tender. However, the portion was on the small side. Even with a fair serving of chile dusted fries, this $23 plate did not quite fill us up.
Rating: 6.9
Drinks
Masa's wines, tequilas, and cocktails might entice one into some serious boozing. Wine is available by the glass or bottle. Reds start at $6 for a glass and $28 for a bottle and whites start at $7 for a glass and $24 for a bottle. Masa's house special drinks range from $8 to $12 and include a variety of margaritas. We tried a classic margarita as well as a masarita, mixed with Sauza extra gold, triple sec, apple juice, lime mix, and fresh squeezed orange. Masa's classic margarita and sangria margarita are available in "mega" portions that serve four to six people. The mega portions start at $31. A wide variety of tequilas are available, including multi-variety samples.
Rating: 8.9
Service
Service was average, but little details were overlooked. As our appetizers arrived, we reminded the server that we did not receive a bread basket. Our waitress did not accurately explain the lump crab cake dish.
Rating: 7.6
Ambiance
Dark lighting, long white curtains, and iron chandeliers somehow hit us like a Meatloaf video. Decor aside, most tables for two are located along a wall towards the back of the restaurant. The result is that couples practically sit on top of one another. We sat next to a guy who returned two dishes for no good reason and his girlfriend who in-complete-seriousness discussed the relative merits of shopping for a $200 shirt instead of a $500 shirt at Barneys. The ridiculousness of their discourse provided fodder for post-dining humor, but it certainly left us speechless at the dinner table.
Masa's bar scene is consistently lively - a great place to grab a margarita and an appetizer. Limited front patio seating is available.
Rating: 7.8
Et Cetera
Trivia: Masa is serving up $5 margaritas until the end of July.
Menu: View the menu on Masa's web site
Reservations: Masa is on OpenTable
Transportation: Valet is available for $14. The nearest T stations are Back Bay on the Orange Line and Arlington on the Green Line.
Dress: Casual Elegant
Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm and Thursday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm.
Labels: Masa-Boston, Sick-Meals, South-End, Southwestern
