Dining Review

DINING DINING REVIEW REVIEW

TAQUERIA DEL PUEBLO 57 HIGHLAND STREET, WORCESTER (508) 304-7778 (TO-GO MENU AVAILABLE AT THEIR WORCESTER PUBLIC MARKET LOCATION) BERNIE WHITMORE

First impressions are often what sticks to a place. Don’t let that happen at the Taqueria; we arrived on a dark rainy evening and, after parking the car, ran up to the door to find it locked tight. Peering in through the dark glass I could see people, so I knew they were open for business. Finally, a waiter appeared and motioned us to the back door. A sign near the door would have made things easier.

On entering, though, all that drama instantly vanished. The place was rocking to Charly Blacks’ Party Animal as we merged into their week-night crowd. Murals of bold voodoo themes in vibrant colors have displaced the heroic Greek statuary of the room’s prior incarnations. Not quite banished, the gods are now relegated to the shadows.

Taqueria Del Pueblo’s menu is conveniently compact; appetizers of quesadillas, nachos, frijole dip and elote; entrées of tacos (sold by the each), fajitas, tortas and burritos. Vegetarians will find niches within all this, but the primary focus is meat. Vegans: enjoy your basket of crunchy chips and salsa, from there the ride gets a bit bumpy.

If the food menu tends basic, their margaritas show inventive flair. Having attended enough restaurant expos, I’ve become a bit jaded when I see phrases like ‘our own homemade syrups’. But I didn’t let that stop me from ordering the Toxica margarita. La Toxica came in a wide margarita glass garnished with a few slices of fresh jalapeno peppers, crisp and green. This was not glass of slush, there was just enough crushed ice to keep things chill and when I took my first sip I knew that this would be the best margarita I’d ever had; the essence of hot peppers blended with the lush sweetness of Cointreau liquor and a fresh background note of lime. Whoever blended these ingredients is master at flavor balance. I loved the delicious burn on the tongue after each sip.

We moved straight to our entrée’s: my friend had chosen their featured burrito, the Clasico. It was layered with guacamole, sour cream, molten white cheese, black beans and rice and wrapped in a large flour tortilla. He ordered his with carne asada, strips of grilled beef steak that were tender and flavorful. Opting for ‘medium-level spiciness’, they served the burrito with a cup green pepper sauce on the side. Medium proved to be tepidly low on the Scoville scale, so he made full use of the extra sauce.

I went with one of the Taqueria’s tortas; a grilled sandwich of softened onions, a schmear of mayonnaise, bits of cilantro and plenty of stretchy mozzarella cheese. I ordered mine with al pastor; richly seasoned marinated pork.

On paper, the torta appealed to me as a Mexican-styled panini. What made it exceptional was the bread; a bolillo they’d sliced open and flattened; soft inside and grilled to a crusty golden-brown exterior. The portion size was perfect, and flavors melded into delicious unity. I’d love to get some of that bread for my own panini press.

Having bypassed appetizers, we decided to share one of Taqueria’s Caramel Chocolate Lava Cakes. Again, I was doubtful but willing to take the risk that this wasn’t some industrially produced backof-the-freezer commodity. Again, I was pleasantly surprised.

Whereas our sandwiches had been served on austere white plates with no attractive garnish, someone in the kitchen went baroque with dessert presentation. At the center stood a cylindrical cake of warm fudgy-dense dark chocolate topped with crushed nuts and a dab of whipped cream. On either side of it, grids of thick caramel sauce had been piped onto the dish. A couple chocolate covered strawberries stood opposite a floret of fresh strawberry slices.

Anywhere else, this delicious dessert would have cost triple what the Taqueria del Pueblo charged for it. In fact, located at the edge of the WPI campus, it’s a place where students meet for a casual meal at very reasonable prices while having fun in a friendly space.

It’s time for the rest of Worcester to discover the Taqueria.

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HOT & NOW

What’s hot and happening now in the restaurant scene PAUL GIORGIO

HANGING ON THE CORNER. The Corner Lunch Diner on the corner of Lamartine and Lafayette Streets in Worcester will have a new owner, after it was sold for $250,000 to Joshua Plahm, the former owner of Boston-based Joshua’s Deli.

PUBLIC MARKET EXPANDS. Pacha Mama will serve Peruvian food and Namaste Woo will serve Indian-inspired cuisine. The owner of Namaste Woo already sells to-go food for home preparation at the Market Pantry. They will occupy spaces near George’s bakery, which serves Middle eastern food.

The addition of the three new spots now expands the market’s international flavors to include West African, Japanese, Jamaican, Venezuelan, Indian, Peruvian, Mexican, Asian-inspired dumplings, Mediterranean, Italian and American.

A new oyster bar was set to open by the end of September. It will be managed by Jason Midwood, the owner of Pasta Mani.

THEY ENDED THEIR SEASON BEFORE THE WOOSOX. Auburn’s Ronnie’s Seafood shut down early this year due to staffing issues brought on by the pandemic. They closed in September ahead of their usual Columbus Day weekend closing.

IT’S A GRAND SALE. Worcester’s Guertin’s Café on Grand Street is for sale. The neighborhood bar is off of Southbridge Street and is iconic in the city.

KING OF THE CASTLE. It looks like the Castle on Route 9 in Leicester has been sold. Owned by the Nicas family for two generations, the Castle was the epitome of fine European style dining. No word on the new owner of what is going to happen with the business. We hear that it will become a Spanish Restaurant.

IT’S NOT QUITE FOOD. Craft beer lovers in Central Massachusetts searching for one of the best American sour ales in America, just need to go to Millbrook Street.

GREATER GOOD IMPERIAL BREWING CO. left the GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL last weekend with a silver medal in the American Sour Ale category. The Worcester brewery’s sour ale called “Funk Daddy” finished second in the category behind Wild Barrel Brewing Co. of California.

SPEAKING OF BEER. Wachusett Brewing Company, located in Worcester’s Public market has a new kitchen turning out food to accompany that beer.

CLOSING ON MONDAYS? I never understood why Coney Island was closed only Tuesdays. Now it appears that they will also be closed on Mondays for the foreseeable future. Everyone needs a couple of days off.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS PEPE. Pepe’s Italian Restaurant on Franklin Street in Worcester is set to move into their new digs on Worcester’s Restaurant Row-Shrewsbury Street by the middle of the month. The building at 179 Shrewsbury St. has undergone a complete renovation. The brick pizza oven was installed at the end of September.

PULSEBREW

RYAN CASHMAN

I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t had much time to go out to breweries lately. Between selling my house, moving in with my in-laws, taking a woodworking course up in Maine, and house hunting with my wife every weekend, beer has come served to me in the form of a bottle or can fresh from the refrigerator.

So, what might a renowned beer columnist such as myself drink when he’s too tired to go out in search of something new? Whatever my father-in-law, Keary, has on hand.

I’m at an advantage here. Keary is a great lover of beer and someone whose tastes and preferences have been mentioned many times in this column. Most often, the beverages that emerge from his fridge are of the IPA variety.

However, there are different IPA’s for different occasions.

Coming back from a long day of work, Keary’s IPA of choice is Be Hoppy. Affordable and reliable, it’s just the sort of crisp hoppyness one needs after a day on their feet. The pack is exhausted in about two to three evenings. Be Hoppy has, for me, become associated with what the majority of Americans know as the “Budweiser Phenomenon.” That is, dissecting the go-to beer of the working man. Bud has held that mantle for a very long time. But, in the residence of Keary Naughton, Budwieser is replaced with Wormtown. It’s an improvement on the phenomenon at the very least.

Then there are the days he gets to go sailing. His boat, moored in North Kingstown, RI, is in very close proximity to Tilted Barn Brewery in Exeter, RI. I often wonder if that’s why he moors his boat where he does …

Anyway, on the days Keary goes sailing, more often than not, he will arrive home in the afternoon with a selection. He’ll have something for me: Exeter Farmhouse Pale Ale, a refreshing, herbal pale ale whose flavors are in no way masked by the hops in use. He’ll have something for my wife: Sunrise Over Sea (Raspberry, Blueberry, Blackberry) Sour. As someone who is not the biggest fan of sours, I can tell you that this one fits the mold perfectly. It is TART.

And, of course, Keary will have something for himself. His favorite beer from Tilted Barn flip flops between Summit American Pale Ale and Violet (The Original Farm Girl) IPA. Summit is a straightforward IPA without a lot of fuss. It’s pretty pale, with notes of malts and hops, but nothing at all overpowering. It’s brilliant on a warm day. Violet is a little more citrusy, though she maintains her smoothness and drinkability without sacrificing flavor on the altar of hops.

I certainly haven’t been in want of beer these last few months. I’ve certainly needed an end-of-day brew on more than one occasion. Still, with its proximity to the Bay State, I hope you’ll check out Tilted Barn. They’re brewing up some really good stuff down there. My father-in-law is no fool.

LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

HALLOWEEN COSTUME IDEAS

APRIL GODDARD

Happy Spooky month everyone! There are few holidays that I personally love more than Halloween. With the crisp scent of fall in the decor and spirit in full swing, this is one that proves not to be just for the kids. Whether you are a parent or a kid yourself, this Halloween will be a little extra special as we can celebrate a bit more than we did last year. So why not make your costume this year extra special or extra creative? Read on to discover my simple and easy costumes that are sure to be a spooky season hit!

Pumpkin Spice Flare: Why not dress up with attire inspired by your favorite weekly morning beverage? (Or, let’s be honest, any morning for that matter!) The Pumpkin Spice Latte is such a fall icon, why not pay homage to it via a cute homemade costume. Here’s the deal: Everything Pumpkin Shade Hues and Golden Sparkles. A quick and easy way to get your point across is with a classic fall outfit: Try crisp denim, a pumpkin-hued shirt (bonus points if you get/make a tee with pumpkin spice on it) and add a very obvious pumpkin spice coffee cup as a prop to drive your message home. Voila! You not only love pumpkin spice, but you are pumpkin spice.

The 90’s Cartoon Character: There was really no tv like the 90’s, especially when it pertains to those famous saturday morning (and night) cartoons. Have a TV character that resonated with you at that time? Create your own costume out of it, and give super brownie points to your friends and fam who can read exactly who you are. 90’s tv nostalgia hits differently, and you will be sure to get creativity points for thinking outside the box. (Hint: an obvious logo or a name tag if you are picking a really obscure character wouldn’t hurt.)

The Band Tee Look: Do you have a favorite band or artist? Like, haven’t missed a concert in the last decade enthusiastic? Grab that favorite band tee from the last concert that you went to and rock that for All Hallow’s Eve. Here’s the way to do it: wear some coordinating pants or leggings (usually black would be a good choice) and pick your makeup and/or accessories to coordinate as well. You could even go a step further and try to style your hair or accessorize in the same way that members of the band commonly would. Be creative and think about the best way to communicate the overall feel of your band of choice.

Pick a Decade: This is one of my favorites. I think that this is a fun way to travel back in time to iconic points in history, if only for an evening. Some favorites that come to mind are: The Roaring 20’s (seems appropropriate exactly a century later), the 70’s (think outrageous bell bottoms and popped collars), or the 80’s (the wildest time for makeup and hair on record). Pick a time that resonates with you or that you will have the most fun dressing up as. Don’t forget to be creative and go all out!

Pick a Sport: This is a fairly easy one, especially if you are a last-minute costume getter, and especially easy if you already play a sport. Dress up as your favorite athlete, or go more generally and just pick a sport that you enthusiastically watch or are interested in playing. You never know, it may just inspire you to finally go and book those lessons!

Coordinate with your Favorite Furry Friend: Okay, now this is my all time favorite for real! Who can resist taking your fluffy friend along with you on Halloween, especially if they are rocking coordinating attire? Certainly not me. If you have a tiny friend, a little costume or vest to match your theme will be adorable. If your friend is a bit on the bigger size, why not try a matching collar or bandana? Everyone will surely ooo and ahh at the sight of your fab partner in crime, and they are sure to be a hit at any spooky gathering. Even try a matching leash-especially if you’re going to an unfamiliar outdoor place or your little friend will be walking around someplace where there will be unknown children or people! It’s a surefire way to be festive, and keep everyone safe too!