jbowen1519's Profile
Culinary tour of East Boston
Had a gigantic lobster roll at Belle Isle Seafood the other day. They are $18 (used to be like $13) which is still a pretty good price considering the size. They don't overload them with mayo and you can even ask for them with no mayo and butter instead which I like.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
Roy's is awesome. I should have mentioned it earlier and have lately started going there more often.
I was impressed because when I asked them where they get their meats (expecting them to say Boar's Head or something like that), they said they don't buy from one source but look around for the best source for each meat. They also have 3 or 4 versions of an Italian sub, each of which are unique and excellent in their own way. They slice their meats very thin which is interesting.
An excellent afternoon/early evening is to pick up a sub at Roy's and head over to Pier's Park and each on the picnic tables there.
In other news:
-Oran Cafe closed so we never really got to see what that could have become.
-I found out that El Chivo Restaurant in Day Square is open until 3AM (not great food, but if you are eating at 3AM you probably don't care).
-Scup's got their wine/beer license so they might be doing dinners. Their Sunday brunch scene has been taken over a bit by out of towners who have seen all the reviews which is a bummer because it was a great Eastie social scene. I am happy for the owners though.
-303 Cafe has really got some excellent beers on rotation (including the first place to have Dogfish Head in Eastie) including 4 draft beers. Tom keeps the beers interesting and is open to suggestions. Beer night on Tuesdays gets a good crowd. The prices are also VERY reasonable for beer - had a great IPA the other night for $3.50. Their specials menu has become a reliable source of moderately priced good food. Ordering a beer and a snack from the specials has become one of my favorite after-work weekday activities.
-Italian Express is about to open on the corner of Sumner and Cottage Streets. They are taking over Dozzi's breakfast joint. They used to have a location in Orient Heights. They have been doing a lot of rennovations and it looks very nice inside. It will be a pizza/sub shop with beer/wine shortly after opening. They had a pretty good reputation in their last location for quality Italian fast food.
-Stay tuned for East Boston Kitchen which will open soon on Sumner St near 303. They are going to have prepared meals (mostly for take-home) and some grocery items. I think it is going to be a great addition to the neighborhood.
-Finally, I have decided that my favorite take out Chinese in EB is Golden Dragon in Day Square. If anyone has any other recommendations, I'd be interested in hearing them.
Oran Cafe - East Boston...a Moroccan Angela's?
What happened with the 10/26 chowdown? I remember having this amazing chicken the first time I had Moroccan food in Washington DC and I would love to know if Oran can make something similar.
Best "cheap" sit down restaurants in Boston?
Ecco in East Boston has everything under $18 and similar quality to a $30 plate in the South End. Good atmosphere, and unique list of cocktails and martinis, all of which are under $10. Its a short T ride from downtown on the Blue line or you can drive and they have their own parking lot. It is a stone's throw from the Sumner/Callahan tunnels.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
I found a few other places that might be of interest:
1) Just posted this about Oran Cafe: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/567263 . Authentic Moroccan food with a lot of potential.
2) Scups is a place that is generating a lot of buzz among the local Eastie yuppies and I haven't seen it here on chowhound. It is only open for breakfast and lunch and is located off Marginal Street in Jeffries point inside the Massport shipyard. The owners used to own Emma's pizza in Cambridge. Half the fun of going there is just finding it. Pretty neat place. You can also bring the food and eat it in Piers Park.
3) Also hidden in Jeffries Point is a food truck that comes in the early evenings to the limo holding lot in the airport area. If you drive to the corner of Jeffries & Maverick, it is a short walk through the airport gated entrance to your right. They make awesome hamburgers and have some other good sandwiches. Another place where the adventure and uniqueness are half the fun of eating there. It is right across from the Harborwalk so we would often get hamburgers and eat them on the waterfront or in the Navy Fuel Pier park nearby.
4) Cafe Italia is now closed and it is La Hacienda Restaurant which is Salvadoran/Mexican. The food is pretty good and they have a full liquor menu which means it is East Boston's first place where you can get a margarita with Mexican food! Also have mariachi's on Friday and Saturday nights.
5) I can't believe I left Milano's off my first post. I have been going there a lot lately and am glad that someone else brought it up.
6) Rosticeria Cancun (the "hole in the wall" on Maverick Sq) now has a full restaurant on Meridian St near Central Square and it is quite good, although I prefer the taqueria-style atmosphere of the smaller location.
7) Ecco - There are posts about this here, but I have been a few times and it is pretty neat to have a restaurant like that here. The prices are excellent for the quality of food. We also like to hang out on weekend nights in the little lounge area where all the old Sablones signatures are and just have a drink and appetizer. I love how casually elegant it is. I can wear jeans or a suit and feel comfortable either way.
Oran Cafe - East Boston...a Moroccan Angela's?
By the way, the location is at the corner of Bennington & Marion St which is probably closest to the Airport T station.
Oran Cafe - East Boston...a Moroccan Angela's?
I went into Oran Cafe because I have been hoping that the sizable Moroccan community in Eastie would open a restaurant soon. Some locals might remember Beni's on Meridian St that was only open for about a year but would serve off the menu Moroccan food. Unfortunately, Beni's closed but it seems that Oran Cafe could be the authentic Moroccan restaurant that some have been waiting for here.
Right now it seems that they only have a daily specials off-menu where they make about 3 - 4 family recipes for lunch and dinner on any given day. Today it was couscous with bone-in beef or lamb, fish soup, or one other item that I don't want to try and spell here. I had the couscous and it was really quite fantastic. It was enough food for two people, with a large piece of beef as well as seasonal vegetables (zucchini, sweet squash, and a potato type thing that seemed a bit like a yucca). The sauce had some unique flavors that might have included saffron. The entire plate was $12.
The owners said they only use organic halal meat which they get from a local farm in Tewkesbury. They don't use any frozen or canned products - everything is as fresh as it can be. They also have Moroccan mint tea and arabic coffee, along with some excellent espresso/cappuccinos.
I got the same feeling there as I got when Angela's first opened their doors: family-run restaurant with multiple generations working; only the freshest ingredients; unique and personal recipes; as well as the authenticity of people merely operating a restaurant because they like to cook food and feed people.
Another interesting thing is they seem to cater to more than one group (just like Angela's). They have the American breakfast crowd of old-time residents, a lunch and coffee crowd of Moroccans and Algerian workers;, and a small but hopefully growing nighttime crowd of curious new yuppie residents.
I am looking forward to trying more of their dishes and am glad to see that there is another unique ethnic restaurant in East Boston. I would be interested to know if other people have tried Oran yet and what they thought about some of the other dishes they have.
Eastie folks: Veggie stand by Santarpio's
There was also a farmer's market this summer in Central Square East Boston on Thursday afternoons. Not sure if it is still going on. They had some excellent fresh locally-grown produce.
Air conditioned Latino food in Eastie tonight?
Try La Hacienda (144 Meridian, I think, across from the Walgreens) which is where the old Cafe Italia used to be. It is the same owner who used to have Mi Pueblito on Border St. Pretty good Salvadoran/Mexican food. Definitely AC and a full liquor license! The first place where you can get Sal-Mex food with a margarita in Eastie! Also open until 2AM and I think they have a late night menu from 11 or 12 till closing. I work next door and have been going in a lot.
They have decent espresso too (a guy from a well-known cafe in the North End who is Latino has been helping to train their staff on the machine).
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
Just went to Topacio on Meridian St (a few doors down from Cafe Italia near Central Square) for the first time. It was one of the first El Salvadoran places in East Boston about 15 years ago. I was extremely impressed. I went with a Salvadoran friend who told me they had his favorite pupusas revueltas with chicarron in town. He also recommended the "Pollo a la Parilla" which is sometimes called "Pollo a la Plancha" in other restaurants. The dish had very nice presentation. It is marinated thin chicken breast grilled and served with 3 shrimps on top. The sauce is a seafood broth that seemed to be a sort of garlic sauce. They cook the shimp in the broth and then pour it over the chicken. It comes with rice and some excellent (if a but salty) black beans and a huge fresh jalepeno pepper. One of the best dishes I have had at any Salvadoran restaurant in Eastie.
The decor leaves something to be desired, but the family that runs it is very nice and always there to chat and greet the customers. I can't wait to try some of the other dishes there.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
Eddie C's is a real East Boston dive, but has its charm. Some beers are only $1.50 and pitchers are $5 and $6. They also have Sam Adams for pretty cheap (their best beer). Don't be intimidated by the toothless, odd looking regulars. They are actually rather nice and seem to love it when a group of young professionals shows up there. Gereldine is the frequent bartender and is extremely nice. On Thursdays, there is usually a group of 5 - 10 young Eastie people there from Jeffries Point.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
Just went to the Saigon Hut on Meridian Street and it had been closed for a while as it changed ownership. They have done some nice renovations and the pho is still excellent (my wife had it). I had the chicken vermicelli with lemongrass and chili, and although it wasn't too spicy, it did have excellent flavor. Seems like a nice guy who is the new owner.
Also, Cafe Italia is going to change ownership to an El Salvadoran restaurant. It should change in about 1-2 months. So this may be your last chance to enjoy their excellent food!
Prepared trays of Italian food?
In East Boston I use Meridian Food Market (121 Meridian St) and Sonny Noto's (22 Central Square). Sometimes use Spinelli's as they are very good too.
Sonny Noto's is a big supplier of catered Italian lunch trays to downtown offices.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
I think the Salvadoran rotisserie places are different than the Peruvian. Pollo Doreno seems to be pretty consistent, but they just opened up and probably have been putting in some extra effort. I find the other places to be somewhat inconsistent and sometimes the white meat is too dry. The Peruvian places seem to be better.
The pupusaria on Maverick and Jeffries is called Mama Blanca. There are some old posts here on that place if you search for them. I have never been, but my friend who lives on Webster goes there all the time (just saw him walking there yesterday on the street). Says its really good. The posts here seem to be generally, but not overwhelmingly positive.
Cafe 303 - A new "hip" dining option in Eastie
That's awesome. I love Rincon Limeno as well. I guess I was just trying to say that something like Olives would attract a different type of diner to East Boston who may end up later trying a Rincon Limeno or Angela's, but otherwise wouldn't come to the other side of the Harbor.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Although it seems like there is milk in it, horchata is made from rice, water and some spice (something like cinnamon or nutmeg) and all that is put in the blender. Angela's is the real deal. It is the real version of the Mexican drink. The "horchata" at the El Salvadoran places is more like what they would call "cebada" in Mexico.
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
Thanks for the recommendations! I definitely need to try more of the Peruvian food, but what I have tried I have liked. I haven't tried enough of the menus to compare across restaurants. I occasionally get cravings for rotisserie chicken and fortunately there are plenty of places to choose from.
Yea, Topacio is Salvadoran and I haven't had their pupusas, but they look like they have a big pupusa-making operation there. It is on Meridian. I meant to refer to La Terraza as the Colombian restaurant on Bennington (or perhaps Saratoga). Its the one where you walk up a few stairs and it is kind of nice on the outside and in.
I was in Peaches & Cream the other day for a quick espresso because I had an appointment around the corner. I noticed the new ownership but they seemed to be running three businesses in that one location - I couldn't really get a sense of what was going on. I will go back and try it.
Never been to Rancho Grande in Day Sq, nor to Frontera. Always wanted to go in, but I usually end up at Jalisco or El Buen Gusto when I am there. Actually, Day Sq has a number of good restaurants of different varieties packed in together.
I was expecting more from the fried chicken at Doreno because that is their name! I had fried chicken at the soul food place off Central Sq Cambridge a few years ago and that has set my standards very high.
La Sultana, the Colombian bakery is very good and I should have mentioned that earlier.
The fast food Colombian place on Meridian is called something like "Mi Rancho" and is perfectly enjoyable for a quick bite. Nothing really stood out for me. Nice owners.
You should try Saigon Hut. It is really very good.
I am really looking forward to a Morrocan restaurant here. Did you ever get over to Beni's on Meridian St (across from Perlera RE and Cafe Italia with the brick archway in the front) while it was open? He was half Italian, half Moroccan, and had several Moroccan dishes off the menu. They had this really great soup and would rotate typical Moroccan dishes (not Tangerino-style high end food, but working class food like the Salvadoran/Colombian places here). I would love to see a little hole in the wall Moroccan place open up here. Anyone know the Moroccan version of Angela?
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Just had the chile relleno tonight. I struggle with the words to describe it, you just have to try it. She got a line on some really good asadero-style cheese and only has a bit to put in the rellenos. Said she was going to serve it Sunday morning until it ran out. Totally different than what you would expect from a TexMex chile relleno - substantial heat with good flavor, delicate egg batter on the outside, and this subtle, firm, salty cheese with a slight smoky flavor on the inside.
She also has an interesting chipotle pork chop special and...Posole for the Sunday hangover breakfast! My wife couldn't wait so she had the posole for dinner.
Also the word is that THIS monday will be the start of pipian con nopales until it runs out.
(I don't think I have ever had this much fun with a restaurant before)
East Boston-Most overlooked foodie destination
The weekly publication "Stuff at night" just announced East Boston as their Most overlooked foodie destination of the year: http://stuffatnight.com/boston/diningawards2007/archive/2007/09/24/most-overlooked-foodie-destination-east-boston.aspx
There has been a lot of talk here recently about Angela's Cafe on Lexington St., but I also wanted to highlight some other of my favorites and see if anyone has any other recommendations.
Latin American:
-Angela's (Mexican) - for obvious reasons, check out the series of posts on this place for more info
-Mi Pueblito on Border St.(Salvadoran/Mexican) - large portions, good prices, cool atmosphere, cheap beer
-Montecristo in Central Sq (Salvadoran/Mexican) - very good pupusas, open till 1AM!
-Pollo Doreno in Day Sq (Salvadoran, rotisserie chicken) - good chicken, easy take out
-Taqueria Cancun in Maverick Sq (Salvadoran/Mexican) - Quality food, frequently receives good reviews, serves beer & wine
-El Jardin in Central Sq (Colombian) - Good food, bright, engaging atmosphere
-Topasio on Bennington (Colombian) - My favorite for Colombian food. Good steaks, a little more upscale than other Colombian places
-El Buen Gusto in Day Sq (Salvadoran) - Nice take on upscale Salvadoran food. Interior is nicely designed. Good meat platters.
-Victors on Saratoga? (Peruvian) - Took over the name from well known Italian place. They have good Peruvian chicken. I heard a rumor they might be closing.
-El Limeno off Day Sq on the way to Orient Heights (Peruvian) - usually cited as the best Peruvian in Eastie
-Colombian Tamale "hole in the wall" on Chelsea off Maverick Sq - Just found this place the other day. They make huge Colombian Tamales with 4 kinds of meat for $6. They look like something you would get on the streets of Bogota...pretty cool. Also have a guava flan type dessert thing that was awesome.
-There is a Brazilian churascaria place on Chelsea between Maverick and Day Squares that is pretty good, but a tad but expensive. I don't really care for the place next to Spinellis. With all the Brazilians in the Boston area, I am really surprised we don't have a better churascaria like they have in Dallas and Chicago and other cities with less Brazilians.
-Another note on Latin food in Eastie. Most of the corner stores sell imported cheeses and sausages from El Salvador. I don't know how they are allowed to import farm cheese from outside the US, but I am not complaining! Also, there are two Colombian variety stores on Meridian St just off Maverick Sq that have amazing Colombian sausage that is made locally by some woman who is known for her sausages. I have seen some El Salvadoran fresh sausage every now and then at a few of the other stores that looks homemade as well.
Taquerias:
-Rosticeria Cancun in Maverick Sq (Salvadoran/Mexican) - The enjoyably chaotic atmosphere is the closest I have come to a classic Mexican taqueria - loud music, cramped environment, high energy and quick, decent food. I like their taco de lengua and their Salvadoran-style quesadilla is good. Rotisserie chicken seems to be hit or miss - it is usually much better eaten there than for takeout. Their pupusas are very good.
-Taqueria Jalisco in Day Sq (Mexican) - One of the only Mexican owned and operated taquerias in Eastie. Their adobada and lengua tacos are superb. Torta de adobada is one of my wife's favorites. Nice owners.
-Taqueria Michocan in Orient Heights on Saratoga (Mexican) - The other Mexican-owned and operated taqueria in Eastie. Run by a family from Michocan. They did a great job in designing the restaurant. I heard it was going to close though.
Italian:
There are already a lot of posts about these, so I will refrain from discussing Santarpios and give my few top favorites:
-Carmen's Kitchen in Orient Heights - High quality Italian food. Small, cozy restaurant. Pretty good espresso depending on who makes it. Kind of expensive, but worth it. They used to have a small deli, but closed it - too bad. Next to Carmen's is an old school gentleman's cigar bar that is pretty cool.
-Cafe Italia on Meridian St in Central Sq - Carmen's menu food might be a bit better, but Cafe Italia's specials are better IMO. The front seating section is very nice with the open kitchen. Lots of politicians and well known people in the Italian American community come fro the 'burbs to dine there. During the day there is a mix of about half Italian-speaking men who have espressos (usually with sambuca) and it is a pretty cool atmosphere, kind of like a Sunday morning at Cafe Graffitti in the North End. I have long felt that the daytime espresso guy, John, makes some of the best espresso in all of Boston. Only competition are a few of the best ones at Graffiti. The nighttime people make very average espresso, but the other woman who works on John's off days is pretty decent.
-Reno's Place on Saratoga - This place is really hard to get a table at. Real old school Italian where most everything is made from scratch. Definitely check this place out if you can get a table.
-I think Zafferanos is closed, but it was really excellent. This served real Italian (not Italian-American) cuisine with a nice wine list. Run by a family recently immigrated from Naples. I heard that they went back. I think Italian Express is also closed, but that was good the few times I went there in Orient Heights.
-I don't really care for Jevelli's or Mario's. They seem to be very standard Italian-American places. Kind of cool atmosphere and lots of history to both, but the food isn't that special when you compare it to the others above. Jevelli's does serve till 10PM which is nice, though. In another neighborhood these places would rank higher on my list.
Sub shops/Pizza:
-Dough near Maverick Gardens - The owners of this place are really nice guys and they make a pretty good pizza. I really like their subs though. They layer prosciutto with capicola and genoa salami in their Italian, which makes it extra good. They also have hot pepper relish if you ask for it, which is not that common in Eastie. They have some interesting specials too (they like to play around with creations involving buffalo sauce).
-Meridian Street Market - Always a lunch line out the door of cops, firefighters, construction workers, and local office workers. The Meridian St Special sandwich (roasted red peppers, broconccini, garlic, & chix cutlet) is excellent. Their Italian sub is very good. Nice to go dinners and arranchini. I occasionally get catering from them for parties and they have good prices for that.
-M&M Variety - I just like this place because it is 2 blocks away and has a decent Italian sub for around $4. It also was the convenience store owned by Sean Penn in the movie "Mystic River." For those two reasons, I kind of like going there.
-Spinelli's in Day Sq - They have good Sicilian style pizza and lots of fresh meals to bring home for dinner (the Eastie version of the TV dinner). They make fresh raviollis and fusilli that you can purchase. Also have good desserts and Italian pastries.
Asian:
-There is a Vietnamese place on Meridian Street (corner with Lexington or Trenton) that makes excellent Pho and other typical dishes. I hear that it is well known among the Vietnamese community as being on par with the better known Pho places around town. Actually, Eastie used to be a large Vietnamese neighborhood and we still have the remnants of that through this restaurant and a Buddhist temple around the corner.
-Korean/Sushi place in Orient Heights - Haven't been there as frequently as I would like because it is a little far for me, but this place is great. I love Korean food and they do all the typical dishes. They also do decent, fresh sushi. My friends who live in Orient Heights go there all the time.
-Breakfast joints:
Donnas in Orient Heights, Dozzi's in Jeffries Point. Both neighborhood institutions. Used to be Lenny's Spa in Eagle Hill, but Angela's took that over and moved to Lexington St (they still serve the same breakfast plus Chilaquiles). Now we have Cafe 303 for an upscale yuppie breakfast that is probably my favorite menu compared to lunch and dinner there.
Other places I like:
-Right off Central Sq before you enter the tolls for the Sumner Tunnel, there is a place that is about to open as a seafood restaurant, which I think is our first in Eastie. They were running a fresh fish market (originally from the Cape, this was very important to me), but they didn't get consistent business and they had to close it down. Hopefully with the restaurant open, they will be able to start up the fish market again.
-Kelly's Sq Pub near Day Sq - This place doesn't look inviting from the outside (small windows), but inside it is a bright family restaurant. It is mostly locals, but very clean and the waitstaff is very friendly. The food is standard bar fare with very large portions. Wednesday is half price pizza day (pretty good pizza, especially the garlic pizza). We always take home half our meal and it is good for lunch the next day. It is probably the best, non-dive bar to watch the Sox game.
-Cafe 303 on Sumner St in Jeffries Point - I already started a post about this place, but I will mention it here. It is the first yuppie cafe/restaurant in Eastie and they are doing cool things with their international menu. I am there more and more often just hanging out because there is always someone I know stopping by. Really nice addition to the neighborhood.
-There are also a few old school bakeries that make fresh bread daily. The one I go to is on Sumner St (think its called AJ's). Everything in that place seems to cost just $0.25 cents. So cool.
That is all I can think of for now, but there are many more, especially in Orient Heights, that I forgot. Good thing I type fast. If anyone wants addresses, post your queries here.
What are the other chowhounder recommendations for Eastie? I would love to hear them. Anyone been to that place way up on Bennington St almost in Revere? It looks like an old school neighborhood place. What about Italian places in Winthrop? I hear there are some good ones, but I am not sure of any names. I also hear there is a famous old donut shop in Orient Heights, but I am on a strict no-donut diet according to my wife :)
Posole/pozole
Most of the best pozole is going to be found on the weekends in the Latino neighborhoods. Angela's Cafe has it this weekend and my wife just had it for dinner tonight - it was excellent. Angela still has some left for Sunday morning, but it will probably go quick. You can check the boards for recent postings that expand on Angela's Cafe.
Cafe 303 - A new "hip" dining option in Eastie
Has anyone been to Cafe 303 on Sumner St. yet? I have been there a few times and it is so nice to see a South End-style hipster cafe in the neighborhood. They have a really interesting menu with an eclectic selection of international cuisine. For dinner, they have Mezza (large tapas-style dishes). They also serve a breakfast that goes way beyond bacon and eggs. For lunch they have sandwiches and regular dishes, including an excellent lump crab cake.
They have done a great job with the renovations and made it into the "Cheers" of Eastie because everytime I go I see someone that I know from the neighborhood!
Between 303 and Anglea's Cafe, it seems that Eastie is really emerging as an excellent food destination, kind of like how Charlestown was when Olives and the other restaurants opened there a few years ago. We don't have an Olives-caliber restaurant yet (Zafferanos was excellent, but I think it closed). There is an East Boston-born chef, Pino Maffeo, who recently opened "Boston Public" in the Back Bay. It would be great to see him open a high end place in the old neighborhood like Todd English did with Olives.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Angela claimed that her guacamole tastes so good despite the few ingredients mainly because it is made in the molcajete. I never realized that it made such a difference.
Mexican Food
Mole Poblano at Angela's is amazing. Check out this thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/439520
Also like Taqueria Jalisco in Eastie, but there is not much in the way of TexMex here. The tacos de lengua at Rosticeria Cancun in Maverick Sq (NOT the same as Taqueria Cancun nearby), is pretty good.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Angela would definitely make requests. We ordered some special items for a party we had over the weekend. Her son speaks English perfectly and Angela seems to be open to making special requests with some advanced notice. Some of the more special items have to be ordered from the food distributors in New York because you can't find everything at the Chelsea Terminal Market. My wife and I speak spanish and we would love to come along to a group dinner. Anglea has a lot of stories and is a real talker once you get her going.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Angela said she is going to do pipian with nopales this week. Chiles en nogada she will do at some point, not sure when.
The guacamole is fascinating. I thought there was a "special" ingredient like a bit of anchovy paste or something to give it that dynamic flavor, but she just said it was the basic ingredients without garlic. I guess it takes a grandmother to really make a simple guacamole that tastes like so much more.
Glad you all have enjoyed this restaurant and I hope more people go. We ordered a bunch of food catered for a party and it cost about half of what I expected.
The other cool thing is that once you have gone in a few times and they start to recognize you, Angela will drop by your table with a small plate of something special she is cooking that day. Yesterday it was tacos al pastor, the day before that she brought by marinated chicaron in a fairly spicy yet extremely flavorful green chili sauce. These chicarrones (pig skin) were not the hard, fried variety, but soft and had been obviously marinated for quite some time. A really interesting dish that I never would have considered ordering myself.
Finally, an interesting note about the chilaquiles. They said they have a big Italian-American breakfast crowd of elderly locals. Once they got to know Angela, they have been one of the biggest supporters of her chilaquiles and other typical Puebla dishes! Having an Italian grandfather myself, it is rather surprising to see these people experimenting with cuisine outside of their normal variety.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
Yea, this is the real deal. All of the Mexican food is made from scratch.
I saw these articles on Puebla food that might be of interest:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/11/17/travel/escapes/17mole.html
This one is on "tinga" which they had on the menu this week, but it sold out by Wednesday:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/04/cinco-de-mayo-yo-tengo-tinga.html
cafe angela-a find in eastie
It is a sit down place with about ten tables. There is also a wrap around breakfast bar with stools so you can go alone and not feel weird sitting at a table. No beer/wine, but you could probably ask them to bring in a bottle of wine with dinner. Street parking is easy during the day, a bit more difficult at night. We brought some friends from Somerville there last night and parked half a block away at around 8:00PM.
They also do takeout. I got two orders of Chilaquiles for Sunday breakfast last week and brought them home.
cafe angela-a find in eastie
I live around the corner from Angela's and have become addicted to their mole. It is definitley NOT Salvadoran food like many other "Mexican" restaurants around here. The owner is an elderly woman from Puebla Mexico who has been cooking professionally for over 40 years. My wife is Mexican and she says it is by far the best Mexican food she has had in the Boston area. They just opened and don't have the perfect business operation, so you are really only going for the food.
It has some similar items as Tacos Lupita, but really they are concentrating on typical dishes from the Puebla area and go way beyond tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. They are keeping many typical "American" dishes on the menu because they inherited a long time Eastie restaurant that served a heavy American breakfast crowd. But for breakfasts they have added an excellent Chilaquiles dish as well as some other items.
They are slowly integrating more typical Puebla dishes onto the menu and specials list, but will remain a binational restaurant.
You have to try the Mole Poblano dish. It is unlike any mole you can find outside of Mexico or Los Angeles. There are over 100 ingredients and it is cooked for 3 days!
Puebla in Mexico is generally known as one of the culinary centers of Mexico and over the next months you will surely see some fascinating dishes coming out of Angela's kitchen that you never even knew were "Mexican food." It's definitely worth a trip over to Eastie.
