Globe, Globe, Globe. Why the burnt cheese??! I had these nachos the other day at an event and was so excited to see them come out. I had high hopes! A new nacho place?! Fantastic! Whomp whomp...
Well, the nachos were relatively simple but that's okay (sour cream, cheese, salsa...not much else) but the issue was the cheese and the layering. The chips were good and a little toasted in some places which I love. But, the cheese was so caked on it was hard and not stretchy and it made it tough to pull apart the nachos so when I went to get some nachos I was pulling nacho chunks! Also, a lot of the chips didn't have anything on them. I will say this may not be representative of their nachos given they were served for an event so perhaps they were rushed but they were sort of a hot mess. I wish the layering was better and the cheese wasn't so crusty. Who wants crusty cheese?! not this chick.
I will say this - Globe was a new place to go and seems good to grab a drink. The nachos? Maybe not so much. The wings were good though!
Nach-o-meter: 4/10
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
La Verdad
La Verdad is Ken Oringer's mexican restaurant so I had high hopes and big expectations. However, I was disappointed.
La Verdad absolutely takes the cake w/aesthetics -- these were some handsome nachos. The presentation was great - so great that you almost didn't want to eat them! Who cares if they look good though if they don't taste good. The taste? Meh.
We ordered the nachos w/no meat to switch it up. It said they had a spicy sauce but it really actually wasn't very spicy, which I was happy about. However, I felt like the nachos were bland and lacked a lot of flavor. They used black beans but I feel like black beans themselves don't have a tone of flavor so you'd think the other ingredients would make up for this. For whatever reason (which I still cannot pinpoint), I just wasn't loving these nachos and didn't want to keep going back for me. I felt incomplete. I never feel incomplete after nachos! How dramatic of me.
Would I go back for these? Probably not.
Sigh...life shall go on.
Nach-o-meter: 5/10
Xo,
Miss Nacho
La Verdad absolutely takes the cake w/aesthetics -- these were some handsome nachos. The presentation was great - so great that you almost didn't want to eat them! Who cares if they look good though if they don't taste good. The taste? Meh.
We ordered the nachos w/no meat to switch it up. It said they had a spicy sauce but it really actually wasn't very spicy, which I was happy about. However, I felt like the nachos were bland and lacked a lot of flavor. They used black beans but I feel like black beans themselves don't have a tone of flavor so you'd think the other ingredients would make up for this. For whatever reason (which I still cannot pinpoint), I just wasn't loving these nachos and didn't want to keep going back for me. I felt incomplete. I never feel incomplete after nachos! How dramatic of me.
Would I go back for these? Probably not.
Sigh...life shall go on.
Nach-o-meter: 5/10
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Boston Beer Works
Give it up for BBW!! A colleague had recommended I try BBW for their nachos and I wasn't sure what to expect because I had never been to BBW for food. Let me tell you, these nachos are amazing. These are def. some of the best nachos in Boston! I am a roll lately between BBW and 21st Amendment, I love finding gems.
So, myself and Mamacita Chili showed up and of course wanted to get a drink to go w/our nachos. What better than beer when you're at Boston Beer Works. Well, ironically enough I don't really like beer (part of the reason I never go here). The bartender Matt was fantastic -- he is like a baby Teddy Kennedy. I am a high maintenance beer drinker because I don't really drink it so I have no idea what I like and usually I end up hating them all! I warned him about this and he was a great sport. I tried about 5 beers and wasn't crazy about most of them but I did really like 2 of them and ended up mixing them together. I got the blueberry mixed with their Irish cream stout and it was great! Props to Matt for being patient! Thanks for helping me find something I'd actually drink.
So, one thing that immediately impressed me w BBW is that they do their market research. Matt told us that they used to serve the nachos in a big bowl but that meant that the cheese didn't always melt in the middle, etc. Well, they fixed the problem by now serving the nachos on a square flat plate and don't pile them very high. I LOVE A GREATER SURFACE AREA! It is really the best thing you can do for nachos. I really respect that BBW noticed a weakness in their menu and fixed it and improved it. That impresses me.
The nachos were amazeballs. We ordered the nachos w/chili. The layering on the nachos was phenomenal! Every nacho had toppings on it and I didn't have to construct my own nachos thank goodness. I hate having to do work when I am eating! Call me lazy. However, some of the chips had a little too many toppings that it made a few chips soggy -- but not to the point where it was the majority or detracted from my nacho experience. I found myself saying "these are so good!" several times. The tortilla chips were pretty good -- couldn't decide if they were homemade or not. They also serve them w/guac, lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream all on the side. All of the ingredients seem fresh. The cheese was great and there was a lot of it. There was no salsa, just fresh tomatoes (not pico de gallo). Also, the presentation was nice because they served it on a white square (I like!) plate that looked really nice. They topped them w/scallions which I find to be a nice addition to nachos. Also, they served them w/olives which hasn't been too common in my nacho hunting. The ratio of toppings was good and I didn't feel like one ingredient overwhelmed the rest and none of them were lacking.
It was $9 to start and w/the chili it was $12 (you can also do chicken for the same price). The portion is either a meal for 2 or an appetizer for 3. If 3 people shared them, you wouldn't be full.
These are now some of my favorite nachos!
High five to BBW!
Nach-o-meter: 8/10
Check out the menu: Boston Beer Works
So, myself and Mamacita Chili showed up and of course wanted to get a drink to go w/our nachos. What better than beer when you're at Boston Beer Works. Well, ironically enough I don't really like beer (part of the reason I never go here). The bartender Matt was fantastic -- he is like a baby Teddy Kennedy. I am a high maintenance beer drinker because I don't really drink it so I have no idea what I like and usually I end up hating them all! I warned him about this and he was a great sport. I tried about 5 beers and wasn't crazy about most of them but I did really like 2 of them and ended up mixing them together. I got the blueberry mixed with their Irish cream stout and it was great! Props to Matt for being patient! Thanks for helping me find something I'd actually drink.
So, one thing that immediately impressed me w BBW is that they do their market research. Matt told us that they used to serve the nachos in a big bowl but that meant that the cheese didn't always melt in the middle, etc. Well, they fixed the problem by now serving the nachos on a square flat plate and don't pile them very high. I LOVE A GREATER SURFACE AREA! It is really the best thing you can do for nachos. I really respect that BBW noticed a weakness in their menu and fixed it and improved it. That impresses me.
The nachos were amazeballs. We ordered the nachos w/chili. The layering on the nachos was phenomenal! Every nacho had toppings on it and I didn't have to construct my own nachos thank goodness. I hate having to do work when I am eating! Call me lazy. However, some of the chips had a little too many toppings that it made a few chips soggy -- but not to the point where it was the majority or detracted from my nacho experience. I found myself saying "these are so good!" several times. The tortilla chips were pretty good -- couldn't decide if they were homemade or not. They also serve them w/guac, lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream all on the side. All of the ingredients seem fresh. The cheese was great and there was a lot of it. There was no salsa, just fresh tomatoes (not pico de gallo). Also, the presentation was nice because they served it on a white square (I like!) plate that looked really nice. They topped them w/scallions which I find to be a nice addition to nachos. Also, they served them w/olives which hasn't been too common in my nacho hunting. The ratio of toppings was good and I didn't feel like one ingredient overwhelmed the rest and none of them were lacking.
It was $9 to start and w/the chili it was $12 (you can also do chicken for the same price). The portion is either a meal for 2 or an appetizer for 3. If 3 people shared them, you wouldn't be full.
These are now some of my favorite nachos!
High five to BBW!
Nach-o-meter: 8/10
Check out the menu: Boston Beer Works
Saturday, March 16, 2013
21st Amendment
Bow chicka wow wow! These nachos are tasty! I had been craving nachos all day and couldn't stop thinking about them. All I wanted was to indulge in a large pile of nacho goodness. Ultimately, I ended up at 21 Amendment, a pub in Beacon Hill. I love Beacon Hill and I love nachos, so what more could I ask for on a Saturday afternoon? Given it was St. Patty's Day weekend the bar was packed and I was overwhelmed with green beads, green wigs, green beers and green nachos. Okay, I am just joking about the nachos because the only thing that should be green on your nachos is guacamole or else we may have a problem.
I was eager to start scarfing down these nachos! The nachos come w/3 choices of meat -- chili (my fave) chicken or buffalo chicken. Buffalo chicken? Oh, now that is interesting. I am not a fan of really spicy foods but I'd be willing to try these bad boys sometimes if the rest of my nacho family wanted to. I ordered a plate of the chili nachos for $11. The guacamole is $2 to add. I decided to skip it today and then quickly regretted that decision. Amateur move on my part. My bad.
The nachos were relatively quick despite it being busy and probably came out within 15 minutes. When they arrived on my table I was very pleased! These nachos are pretty. It is a little weird to be calling nachos pretty because I am not trying to hit on them or anything but they are aesthetically pleasing. What did we immediately notice? THE CHEESE! There was so much cheese it would be a nightmare for someone with lactose intolerance. The nachos were thoroughly covered with melted cheese and it was piled on there VERY nicely. This was some dense cheese -- def. not skimping. The best part about the cheese? It was so stretchy! I went to grab my first nacho and it was so stretchy! Oh it really is the little things in life.
Now to get to the specifics! Well, these nachos are big. I did have Mama Chili with me but she was just hanging out and providing me with moral support today (although she did sample so she could give a critique too!). Three to four adults could easily share these nachos for an appetizer and two people could definitely get a meal of these. The portion was great so definitely worth the price.
Aside from the size of the nachos, the distribution of toppings was great! The chili was spread throughout the nachos, cheese was everywhere, pico de gallo was in sight, LOTS of sour cream and scallions on top. Also, I should say I passed on the jalapenos so if I hadn't have done that then there would have been some of those too. Holy moly there was a lot of sour cream! If they give you as much guac as sour cream then this a good sign (darn, should have ordered that guac!). Also, they were not flat or too high but instead they were layered well and equally because they weren't piled too high but given that they weren't flat either there were plenty to go around.
The chili was good! It is a little spicy but not too much. It had black beans in it and lots of meat and was tasty. The scallions were a nice addition too. The pico de gallo was fresh and was really good. I will say these nachos don't have any other salsa other than the pico de gallo. The chips were noticeably salty -- not sure if this is good or bad but probably depends on your salty preference. I don't think these chips were homemade but they were still good. Also, the sour cream tasted fresh.
I really couldn't find much wrong w/these nachos. I mean I love when people automatically give you guac rather than having an up-charge but I can't hold that against the quality of the nachos. The saltiness of the chips could be a turnoff for some but didn't detract from the overall experience. Homemade chips would have been great but they were still good. Other than that, the nachos were awesome. They were NOT soggy -- Colonel Crunchy would approve! As Colonel Crunchy would say, "I like soggy nachos as much as I like wet socks -- stay crunchy!".
Overall, these are some of the best nachos in Boston and it was hard to find stuff to complain about. The pros far out way the cons. I really enjoyed these and I was stuffed when I was done and there were plenty left. Who wants some 'chos?!
Good job 21st Amendment!
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Nach-o-meter: 8/10
Check out their menu at: 21st Amendment
I was eager to start scarfing down these nachos! The nachos come w/3 choices of meat -- chili (my fave) chicken or buffalo chicken. Buffalo chicken? Oh, now that is interesting. I am not a fan of really spicy foods but I'd be willing to try these bad boys sometimes if the rest of my nacho family wanted to. I ordered a plate of the chili nachos for $11. The guacamole is $2 to add. I decided to skip it today and then quickly regretted that decision. Amateur move on my part. My bad.
The nachos were relatively quick despite it being busy and probably came out within 15 minutes. When they arrived on my table I was very pleased! These nachos are pretty. It is a little weird to be calling nachos pretty because I am not trying to hit on them or anything but they are aesthetically pleasing. What did we immediately notice? THE CHEESE! There was so much cheese it would be a nightmare for someone with lactose intolerance. The nachos were thoroughly covered with melted cheese and it was piled on there VERY nicely. This was some dense cheese -- def. not skimping. The best part about the cheese? It was so stretchy! I went to grab my first nacho and it was so stretchy! Oh it really is the little things in life.Now to get to the specifics! Well, these nachos are big. I did have Mama Chili with me but she was just hanging out and providing me with moral support today (although she did sample so she could give a critique too!). Three to four adults could easily share these nachos for an appetizer and two people could definitely get a meal of these. The portion was great so definitely worth the price.
Aside from the size of the nachos, the distribution of toppings was great! The chili was spread throughout the nachos, cheese was everywhere, pico de gallo was in sight, LOTS of sour cream and scallions on top. Also, I should say I passed on the jalapenos so if I hadn't have done that then there would have been some of those too. Holy moly there was a lot of sour cream! If they give you as much guac as sour cream then this a good sign (darn, should have ordered that guac!). Also, they were not flat or too high but instead they were layered well and equally because they weren't piled too high but given that they weren't flat either there were plenty to go around.
The chili was good! It is a little spicy but not too much. It had black beans in it and lots of meat and was tasty. The scallions were a nice addition too. The pico de gallo was fresh and was really good. I will say these nachos don't have any other salsa other than the pico de gallo. The chips were noticeably salty -- not sure if this is good or bad but probably depends on your salty preference. I don't think these chips were homemade but they were still good. Also, the sour cream tasted fresh.
I really couldn't find much wrong w/these nachos. I mean I love when people automatically give you guac rather than having an up-charge but I can't hold that against the quality of the nachos. The saltiness of the chips could be a turnoff for some but didn't detract from the overall experience. Homemade chips would have been great but they were still good. Other than that, the nachos were awesome. They were NOT soggy -- Colonel Crunchy would approve! As Colonel Crunchy would say, "I like soggy nachos as much as I like wet socks -- stay crunchy!".
Overall, these are some of the best nachos in Boston and it was hard to find stuff to complain about. The pros far out way the cons. I really enjoyed these and I was stuffed when I was done and there were plenty left. Who wants some 'chos?!
Good job 21st Amendment!
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Nach-o-meter: 8/10
Check out their menu at: 21st Amendment
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Nacho Family Birth
Greetings from the Nacho Family! Today the family welcomes the birth of a Nacho Family member, Colonel Crunchy.
Stay tuned for his spicy reviews!
Stay tuned for his spicy reviews!
Fajitas and Ritas
Welcome Back Nacho Enthusiasts!
Mr. J here. We're in a bit of a mid-week backup in our blog posts, but they should be coming out to you guys hot and fast - much like a good plate of nachos. So without further ado (just a fancy word for "Things are about to get serious"), here is our most recent review on Fajitas and Ritas.
So fun fact: Rita is not the name of the person who owns or established "Fajitas and Ritas". Another thing to note: If you wonder aloud about why "Rita" wouldn't put her name before her product on the restaurant sign, your friends will laugh at you...a lot. For those of you who are just as confused as I was, it stands for MargaRITAS - an abbrev. I wasn't familiar with until last night. Aside from the establishments misnomer, there are a lot of things to be said about the nachos at F&R's -- unfortunately not all of them are very good.
Service, for starters, was extremely slow especially for a Tuesday night where more than half of the tables were empty. Maybe our waitress was just giving us time to enjoy the complimentary chips and salsa which I can only assume were born from the Great Alpha Nacho - a God comprised solely of pure nacho bliss, unconditional love and corn tortilla. If you're feeling depressed or sad with your life, there isn't a healthier way to self-medicate than with these warm chips and homemade salsa perfection, except maybe an SSRI, but I digress (just a fancy word for "She was just terrible at her job, time to move on to the nachos").
Sigh. If only the nachos themselves were as good as the appetizer. I'm not even sure where to begin with this train wreck posing as delicious nachos. I suppose the first things to be said about Rita's is that everything is customizable, including the nachos, and this isn't necessarily where they got it wrong. In fact, this is a great idea. Love yourself some cheese, order extra. Jalapenos make you sad, well your wrong but I guess you wouldn't have to order them if you didn't want to. It's a concept that, you would think, would limit the sting of my review. Afterall, if I don't like my nachos it's my own fault, right? Well, you're obviously wrong.
We put in two orders of nachos after the waitress gave us a sketchy answer about how much came on a plate. We found out quickly that the answer was "not a lot". Not only was the plate itself small, but there were hardly any chips! I repeat, almost NO CHIPS! It was like trying to play Jenga without bottom bricks. Like applying makeup to someone without a head. Like trying to make nachos with a limited supply of chips! Let's take a moment and be real here, Mrs. Rita. We all know that nachos are life, but they are also art...and you know, food. But right now they are like art, and you can't paint the Mona Lisa without a canvas no matter how many brushes you have. That was the main problem with Rita's failed attempt at art. It was all toppings and no base level, all paint and no canvas.
You know someone once threw acid on the Mona Lisa after being denied French citizenship and I'm only now starting to understand that persons frustration.
I do have to admit, however, that the toppings were fairly impressive. The jalapenos were bountiful, the guacamole was fresh and the salsa (served on the side) was a great touch. We added chicken to one order which was grilled well and added something to keep me occupied with as I searched for more chips to no avail. I will also complain that the lettuce wasn't shredded which was a little off-putting to me. If you can't fit an ingredient on a chip then it shouldn't be on the plate. However, I would think that our chunks of lettuce were a good indicator of the freshness of ingredient.
Yet, at then end of the day I was just disappointed with my meal and was forced to drown my sorrows in Raspberry Rita (Again, short for Margarita. Not an actual woman).
Nacho-meter: 3/10
Over and Out,
Mr. Jalapeno
*****************************************************
Ah, Mr. Jalapeno loves the metaphors and symbolism, I like. His review has inspired me -- eat nachos while painting. Although may painting my not turn out like the Mona Lisa (especially if I am drinking a raspberry 'rita) it'll still be a fun time.
I hope you all laughed at him when you read that he thought Rita was the owner...HA! This was the highlight of my day.
Miss Nacho: I think I'm going to get a margarita
Mr. Jalapeno: OH! That's what that means! I thought Rita was the person who owned it and wondered why it wasn't Ritas and Fajitas!
Me: *birds chirping and blank stare* WHAT?!?!!? *uncontrollable laughter*
That about sums that up.
I have to say, he really hit the nail on the head. So the whole premise of building your nachos is a great idea. If you have a large group you can order several plates and experiment with different toppings, etc. or if people dislike certain things you can custom make several orders. So, the idea is good but the result is not so good.
Mr. J is right about the slow service. We got there and started munching on chips and salsa (which by the way are definitely not home made chips but were still good) and the waitress came over. We told her we needed a few minutes...not 10 minutes! So, finally she took our sheet of paper w/our order (you check off on a sheet of paper what you'd like to eat/drink) and off she went. We also ordered a pitcher (~$14) of frozen raspberry margarita's - DELICIOUS. They have cheap, good 'ritas (but they better since it is in the name of the restaurant). So, service wasn't great but oh well.
We ordered two diff plates of chips: One vegetarian and one w/chicken. You have several options for nachos. Chips & cheese start at $3.50 and every topping after is an additional charge (ranging from about $.47 to 2.00+). Our two plates were about $9.00 each - not bad. We ordered them w - refried beans (the only bean option listed - negative points. Where are the black and pinto?!), guac, sour cream, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos. Add chicken to second order and scratch the lettuce (they put it anyway which is fine).
The result: Not so good. Also, there was not good consistency between the two plates. Plate 1 (vegetarian): Good amount of chips and toppings. Plate 2 (chicken): Not enough chips and a lot of toppings. Now, I love a lot of toppings and will say they do not skimp on toppings. They were very generous on the guac ($1.67 extra) but we had to dig for chips! I felt like I was conducting an archeological search for dinosaur fossils...I mean tortilla chips. The result was probably how most archeologists feel after a long day at work: unrewarding given the lack of fossils aka chips in this case. Do I have to work 10 years just to dig up one small chip?
Now, let's discuss toppings. I hate jalapenos but as a good matriarch of the Nacho Family I decided to go w/the 'penos for my comrades. THERE WERE SO MANY! Get these things away from my chips. Jalapeno lovers this is your place. The tortilla chips weren't that great because def. were not homemade but they weren't soggy either. The aethetics of the nachos was disappointing. The salsa came on the side (maybe good for some but not for me) so they didn't have the red to add to the pop of colors. So, we dumped it all over and prettied them up.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled...I felt like the nachos were severely lacking and the portion wasn't great. I wouldn't go back again for the nachos but I would for the drinks.
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Nach-o-meter: 4/10
Check out the menu at: Fajitas N Ritas
Mr. J here. We're in a bit of a mid-week backup in our blog posts, but they should be coming out to you guys hot and fast - much like a good plate of nachos. So without further ado (just a fancy word for "Things are about to get serious"), here is our most recent review on Fajitas and Ritas.
So fun fact: Rita is not the name of the person who owns or established "Fajitas and Ritas". Another thing to note: If you wonder aloud about why "Rita" wouldn't put her name before her product on the restaurant sign, your friends will laugh at you...a lot. For those of you who are just as confused as I was, it stands for MargaRITAS - an abbrev. I wasn't familiar with until last night. Aside from the establishments misnomer, there are a lot of things to be said about the nachos at F&R's -- unfortunately not all of them are very good.
Service, for starters, was extremely slow especially for a Tuesday night where more than half of the tables were empty. Maybe our waitress was just giving us time to enjoy the complimentary chips and salsa which I can only assume were born from the Great Alpha Nacho - a God comprised solely of pure nacho bliss, unconditional love and corn tortilla. If you're feeling depressed or sad with your life, there isn't a healthier way to self-medicate than with these warm chips and homemade salsa perfection, except maybe an SSRI, but I digress (just a fancy word for "She was just terrible at her job, time to move on to the nachos").
Sigh. If only the nachos themselves were as good as the appetizer. I'm not even sure where to begin with this train wreck posing as delicious nachos. I suppose the first things to be said about Rita's is that everything is customizable, including the nachos, and this isn't necessarily where they got it wrong. In fact, this is a great idea. Love yourself some cheese, order extra. Jalapenos make you sad, well your wrong but I guess you wouldn't have to order them if you didn't want to. It's a concept that, you would think, would limit the sting of my review. Afterall, if I don't like my nachos it's my own fault, right? Well, you're obviously wrong.
We put in two orders of nachos after the waitress gave us a sketchy answer about how much came on a plate. We found out quickly that the answer was "not a lot". Not only was the plate itself small, but there were hardly any chips! I repeat, almost NO CHIPS! It was like trying to play Jenga without bottom bricks. Like applying makeup to someone without a head. Like trying to make nachos with a limited supply of chips! Let's take a moment and be real here, Mrs. Rita. We all know that nachos are life, but they are also art...and you know, food. But right now they are like art, and you can't paint the Mona Lisa without a canvas no matter how many brushes you have. That was the main problem with Rita's failed attempt at art. It was all toppings and no base level, all paint and no canvas.
You know someone once threw acid on the Mona Lisa after being denied French citizenship and I'm only now starting to understand that persons frustration.
I do have to admit, however, that the toppings were fairly impressive. The jalapenos were bountiful, the guacamole was fresh and the salsa (served on the side) was a great touch. We added chicken to one order which was grilled well and added something to keep me occupied with as I searched for more chips to no avail. I will also complain that the lettuce wasn't shredded which was a little off-putting to me. If you can't fit an ingredient on a chip then it shouldn't be on the plate. However, I would think that our chunks of lettuce were a good indicator of the freshness of ingredient.
Yet, at then end of the day I was just disappointed with my meal and was forced to drown my sorrows in Raspberry Rita (Again, short for Margarita. Not an actual woman).
Nacho-meter: 3/10
Over and Out,
Mr. Jalapeno
*****************************************************
Ah, Mr. Jalapeno loves the metaphors and symbolism, I like. His review has inspired me -- eat nachos while painting. Although may painting my not turn out like the Mona Lisa (especially if I am drinking a raspberry 'rita) it'll still be a fun time.
I hope you all laughed at him when you read that he thought Rita was the owner...HA! This was the highlight of my day.
Miss Nacho: I think I'm going to get a margarita
Mr. Jalapeno: OH! That's what that means! I thought Rita was the person who owned it and wondered why it wasn't Ritas and Fajitas!
Me: *birds chirping and blank stare* WHAT?!?!!? *uncontrollable laughter*
That about sums that up.
I have to say, he really hit the nail on the head. So the whole premise of building your nachos is a great idea. If you have a large group you can order several plates and experiment with different toppings, etc. or if people dislike certain things you can custom make several orders. So, the idea is good but the result is not so good.
Mr. J is right about the slow service. We got there and started munching on chips and salsa (which by the way are definitely not home made chips but were still good) and the waitress came over. We told her we needed a few minutes...not 10 minutes! So, finally she took our sheet of paper w/our order (you check off on a sheet of paper what you'd like to eat/drink) and off she went. We also ordered a pitcher (~$14) of frozen raspberry margarita's - DELICIOUS. They have cheap, good 'ritas (but they better since it is in the name of the restaurant). So, service wasn't great but oh well.
We ordered two diff plates of chips: One vegetarian and one w/chicken. You have several options for nachos. Chips & cheese start at $3.50 and every topping after is an additional charge (ranging from about $.47 to 2.00+). Our two plates were about $9.00 each - not bad. We ordered them w - refried beans (the only bean option listed - negative points. Where are the black and pinto?!), guac, sour cream, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos. Add chicken to second order and scratch the lettuce (they put it anyway which is fine).
The result: Not so good. Also, there was not good consistency between the two plates. Plate 1 (vegetarian): Good amount of chips and toppings. Plate 2 (chicken): Not enough chips and a lot of toppings. Now, I love a lot of toppings and will say they do not skimp on toppings. They were very generous on the guac ($1.67 extra) but we had to dig for chips! I felt like I was conducting an archeological search for dinosaur fossils...I mean tortilla chips. The result was probably how most archeologists feel after a long day at work: unrewarding given the lack of fossils aka chips in this case. Do I have to work 10 years just to dig up one small chip?
Now, let's discuss toppings. I hate jalapenos but as a good matriarch of the Nacho Family I decided to go w/the 'penos for my comrades. THERE WERE SO MANY! Get these things away from my chips. Jalapeno lovers this is your place. The tortilla chips weren't that great because def. were not homemade but they weren't soggy either. The aethetics of the nachos was disappointing. The salsa came on the side (maybe good for some but not for me) so they didn't have the red to add to the pop of colors. So, we dumped it all over and prettied them up.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled...I felt like the nachos were severely lacking and the portion wasn't great. I wouldn't go back again for the nachos but I would for the drinks.
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Nach-o-meter: 4/10
Check out the menu at: Fajitas N Ritas
Interesting Nachos
Apparently we aren't the only people in Boston who love nachos. We found this cool article on Boston.com that highlights some of the most interesting and unique nachos in the city.
So, you tell us...are you a fan of interesting nachos (e.g., fried clams) or more traditional (e.g., chicken and chili)?
Check it out -- http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/gallery/uniquenachos/
So, you tell us...are you a fan of interesting nachos (e.g., fried clams) or more traditional (e.g., chicken and chili)?
Check it out -- http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/gallery/uniquenachos/
Pour House
We came, we saw, we conquered. These nachos are massive. I am talking the big daddy of nachos. Pour House definitely gets a 10 for proportion and value for your money. Before walking into Pour House, I wasn't sure what to expect. Frat boys? Flip cup? Nacho heaven? Will the Phantom Gourmet be there? Afterall, these are rated a Meal Deal by the Phantom Gourmet -- this really raised the bar! Upon entering Pour House, the stakes were high. We walked in to find...no tables! Uh oh, now what? We had no backup plan as this was our only nacho destination of the night without a backup. Gasp. Luckily for us we lingered around the bar areas like ravenous vulchers ready to lunge at the next free seat at the bar. Cha-ching! After about 10 minutes of standing around awkwardly, we won.
Now, let's get down to some nacho business. Or shall we say risky business because it really can be a gamble when you are about to embark on a nature tasting adventure. Pour House has several nacho options -- vegetarian, chili and chicken. And the best part? The price! The most expensive nachos were $9.00. Score!! Also, this $9 plate can easily feed 3 hungry adults.
We chose the Nachos Grande which included black beans and chili. The nachos were relatively speedy and came out pretty fast. Upon first glance, I was excited. These nachos were huge and pretty too. Upon a closer inspection we said, "where's the chili?!". The chili was buried in there but only on one side of the plate. Huh? Why isn't my chili all over? Well, the answer is-- segregation. Pour House does still believe in segregation...the chili on one side and the black beans on the other! Now for some people this may be ideal if two people are splitting these and one doesn't like chili. However, this also means it takes a lot of work to construct your nachos to have both chili and black beans on them since they both areonly on one side of the plate. So, in my opinion this was a negative but I suppose this could be a plus for some.
I believe that guac is an essential nacho ingredient but guac wasn't included and wasn't clearly advertised as an option either. This is a strike again. I really want some guac with my 'chos! I will say that the other toppings were generous. The flavor of these nachos was great - the chili was good and the salsa was good although it is a little spicy. I don't love spicy food so this wasn't ideal but it was "medium" and not "hot" so I could deal with it. The chips were clearly packaged and not homemade. Booo. Give me some fresh tortilla chips! That being said they were still pretty good - I'd say they were average on the tortilla chip scale. These nachos were also sufficiently layered but unfortunately there were a lot of soggy nachos on the bottom. Who loves soggy nachos? Not me. So although the top layers were great the bottom layers were a bit soggy. Also, when you got the bottom there were more plain chips w/no toppings so you had to sort of create your own. If you are a jalapeno lover then this place delivers. These were loaded with jalapenos. Mr. Jalapeno would approve! Also, another topping that is a personal favorite but not as common is lettuce. I was pleasantly surprised to see the lettuce. Overall, I did enjoy these nachos. But, I felt as if the negatives (soggy nachos, no guac, etc.) somewhat rivaled the pros. I would go back and try these again and see if there is consistency with the nachos...perhaps this was a bad nacho day as it was busy.
Other comments about Pour House -- the bartender was friendly and great music (Nsync? Okay maybe it is embarrassing to admit I enjoyed this but I love a good middle school throw back every now and then).
Nach-o-meter: 6.5/10
http://www.pourhouseboston.com/menu.htm
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Check out the menu at: Pour House
Now, let's get down to some nacho business. Or shall we say risky business because it really can be a gamble when you are about to embark on a nature tasting adventure. Pour House has several nacho options -- vegetarian, chili and chicken. And the best part? The price! The most expensive nachos were $9.00. Score!! Also, this $9 plate can easily feed 3 hungry adults.
We chose the Nachos Grande which included black beans and chili. The nachos were relatively speedy and came out pretty fast. Upon first glance, I was excited. These nachos were huge and pretty too. Upon a closer inspection we said, "where's the chili?!". The chili was buried in there but only on one side of the plate. Huh? Why isn't my chili all over? Well, the answer is-- segregation. Pour House does still believe in segregation...the chili on one side and the black beans on the other! Now for some people this may be ideal if two people are splitting these and one doesn't like chili. However, this also means it takes a lot of work to construct your nachos to have both chili and black beans on them since they both areonly on one side of the plate. So, in my opinion this was a negative but I suppose this could be a plus for some.
I believe that guac is an essential nacho ingredient but guac wasn't included and wasn't clearly advertised as an option either. This is a strike again. I really want some guac with my 'chos! I will say that the other toppings were generous. The flavor of these nachos was great - the chili was good and the salsa was good although it is a little spicy. I don't love spicy food so this wasn't ideal but it was "medium" and not "hot" so I could deal with it. The chips were clearly packaged and not homemade. Booo. Give me some fresh tortilla chips! That being said they were still pretty good - I'd say they were average on the tortilla chip scale. These nachos were also sufficiently layered but unfortunately there were a lot of soggy nachos on the bottom. Who loves soggy nachos? Not me. So although the top layers were great the bottom layers were a bit soggy. Also, when you got the bottom there were more plain chips w/no toppings so you had to sort of create your own. If you are a jalapeno lover then this place delivers. These were loaded with jalapenos. Mr. Jalapeno would approve! Also, another topping that is a personal favorite but not as common is lettuce. I was pleasantly surprised to see the lettuce. Overall, I did enjoy these nachos. But, I felt as if the negatives (soggy nachos, no guac, etc.) somewhat rivaled the pros. I would go back and try these again and see if there is consistency with the nachos...perhaps this was a bad nacho day as it was busy.
Other comments about Pour House -- the bartender was friendly and great music (Nsync? Okay maybe it is embarrassing to admit I enjoyed this but I love a good middle school throw back every now and then).
Nach-o-meter: 6.5/10
http://www.pourhouseboston.com/menu.htm
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Check out the menu at: Pour House
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Cactus Club!
Senors and Senoritas -- Apologies for the Nacho Family being MIA! Shame on us. The good thing is that we are back in action and ready to eat nachos all day, everyday.
So, the newest spot we visited lately was Cactus Club -- a tex-mex place in Back Bay. They have been voted to have the best margaritas, fyi. I had the frozen strawberry marg and it was delicious and perfect w/some nachos.
If you're low on cash, on a budget or looking for a happy hour special, then Cactus Club can deliver. From 4-7 during the week they have 1/2 off apps! Score. The nachos are regularly $11, so you do the math.
These nachos come w/a choice of chicken, beef, chili or veggies. We went for the vegetarian nachos this time. I am usually a big chili nacho girl so I was a bit worried but I was surprisingly pleased! The nachos were great.
The scoop? Well, the nachos had cheese (perfectly melted!), black beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapenos and scallions. The only thing missing from this is obvious -- GUACAMOLE! Where is my guac?! Miss Nacho needs some guac in her life. However, I will forgive them for not serving their nachos w/guac because their layering was excellent. Unlike some other nachos, there was cheese all the way through the nachos! It was like going on a scavenger hunt and not sure what you'll find in the depths of the nachos and all of sudden you see some cheesy goodness...all over.
Mamacita Salsa would have been pleased because the salsa (pico de gallo) was fresh and not out of a jar! Woo. However, we could have used some more. Mr. Jalapeno would have loved the jalapenos too - there was a big daddy up in there. In fact, I stacked them in a pile so he could have enjoyed them. He likes it spicy.
Let's get into the aesthetics -- was this the best presentation? Mm..no. It wasn't bad but it didn't seem as pretty as other nachos I have seen but this is probably due to the lack of green because of the missing guac :-( And, the serving size was not as big as some other places but probably actually more typical for an appetizer. These nachos can feed 2 people but no more -- unless you are going to eat like a beast afterwards.
The service...well, it left something to be desired. Where the eff is our waitress?!? We were stuck at the window counter so we were sort of abandoned. She wasn't on top of her game...maybe she would have been had she known Miss Nacho was in her presence.
Would I go back for these nachos? I would! They were surprisingly satisfying despite the lack of meat. This may disappoint the carnivores out there but make my veggie friends very happy.
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Nach-o-meter: 7/10
*******************************************************
UPDATE!
I went back to Cactus Club the next night and tried the beef nachos and wanted to report!
In sum: Veggie were WAY superior.
The beef nachos seemed to be a bit bigger this time because I found myself eating less and having some nachos left over (maybe because they weren't as good?). However, they weren't as good as the veggie. I was there with miss Mamacita Salsa who also seemed to think that the nachos were not up to par w/the normal Cactus Club nachos. The nachos were soggy this time towards the bottom and sloppier. Also, the beef was nice but there almost was too much beef where it overpowered the other ingredients.
Nach-o-meter: 5/10
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Check out the menu here: Cactus Club
So, the newest spot we visited lately was Cactus Club -- a tex-mex place in Back Bay. They have been voted to have the best margaritas, fyi. I had the frozen strawberry marg and it was delicious and perfect w/some nachos.
If you're low on cash, on a budget or looking for a happy hour special, then Cactus Club can deliver. From 4-7 during the week they have 1/2 off apps! Score. The nachos are regularly $11, so you do the math.
These nachos come w/a choice of chicken, beef, chili or veggies. We went for the vegetarian nachos this time. I am usually a big chili nacho girl so I was a bit worried but I was surprisingly pleased! The nachos were great.
The scoop? Well, the nachos had cheese (perfectly melted!), black beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapenos and scallions. The only thing missing from this is obvious -- GUACAMOLE! Where is my guac?! Miss Nacho needs some guac in her life. However, I will forgive them for not serving their nachos w/guac because their layering was excellent. Unlike some other nachos, there was cheese all the way through the nachos! It was like going on a scavenger hunt and not sure what you'll find in the depths of the nachos and all of sudden you see some cheesy goodness...all over.
Mamacita Salsa would have been pleased because the salsa (pico de gallo) was fresh and not out of a jar! Woo. However, we could have used some more. Mr. Jalapeno would have loved the jalapenos too - there was a big daddy up in there. In fact, I stacked them in a pile so he could have enjoyed them. He likes it spicy.
Let's get into the aesthetics -- was this the best presentation? Mm..no. It wasn't bad but it didn't seem as pretty as other nachos I have seen but this is probably due to the lack of green because of the missing guac :-( And, the serving size was not as big as some other places but probably actually more typical for an appetizer. These nachos can feed 2 people but no more -- unless you are going to eat like a beast afterwards.
The service...well, it left something to be desired. Where the eff is our waitress?!? We were stuck at the window counter so we were sort of abandoned. She wasn't on top of her game...maybe she would have been had she known Miss Nacho was in her presence.
Would I go back for these nachos? I would! They were surprisingly satisfying despite the lack of meat. This may disappoint the carnivores out there but make my veggie friends very happy.
Xo,
Miss Nacho
*******************************************************
UPDATE!
I went back to Cactus Club the next night and tried the beef nachos and wanted to report!
In sum: Veggie were WAY superior.
The beef nachos seemed to be a bit bigger this time because I found myself eating less and having some nachos left over (maybe because they weren't as good?). However, they weren't as good as the veggie. I was there with miss Mamacita Salsa who also seemed to think that the nachos were not up to par w/the normal Cactus Club nachos. The nachos were soggy this time towards the bottom and sloppier. Also, the beef was nice but there almost was too much beef where it overpowered the other ingredients.
Nach-o-meter: 5/10
Xo,
Miss Nacho
Check out the menu here: Cactus Club
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