Return To Painted Burro

Left to Right, Clockwise, Food Writers: Rachel Blumenthal of Fork It Over Boston, Richard Auffrey of The Passionate Foodie, Leah Klein, Auditi Guha and 451 Marketing's Nicole Russo.

A few weeks back we were invited to join a group of food writers at Painted Burro in Davis Square to check out the menu and sound at Painted Burro.  This was an usual dinner in that we were there to experience the atmosphere prior to new sound-absorbing panels being installed.  You may recall that we reported the food was great and the sound was, well, quite lively.  Now the panels have been installed after a consult with Joseph Drago and fitting by New England Soundproofing.

We started with this Ceviche Del Mar:  Maine Redfish, Shrimp, Snapper, Avocado Salsa, Lime Scallions, Pickled Red Grapes and Radish.  A delicious ceviche, we particularly liked those pickled grapes.

My first sip was this Raspberry Margarita, one of the many flavorful, fruity margarita drinks on the menu.

"Chingon Cucumbers":  Watermelon Radish, Pickled Grapes, Cilantro, Lemon, Chile and Sea Salt.  Delightfully refreshing and a nice match for the cheesy, meaty, rich entrees to follow.

Richard and I both went with the Yucatan Meatloaf:  Two Fried Eggs "Soleado" on top of Spicy Ground Sirloin Loaf stuffed with Chorizo, Ham, Chicharron, Green Olives and Toasted Almonds.  It's served on a thick slab of toast with a red mole sauce.  I loved the meaty, zesty flavors of this hearty dish and the crunch of the almonds made for an interesting bite.  Great dish.  This is also, very fittingly, on the brunch menu.

Rachel went with the Enchilada, which she had never had before and liked.  Three Fresh Corn Tortillas stuffed with Tres Quesos and smothered with House Moles and Salsas.  Looked fantastically cheesy, rich and good.

Nicole went with the Chile Rellenos:  Roast Peaches, Apricots and Grapes with Corn "Mote", Oazaca and Chihuaua Cheese and Toasted Walnut Mole.

I sipped this Rapscallion Blessing from the tap menu.  There are seven beers on draft and the cocktail/drinks menu is extensive.  There is lots of Mezcal, tasting suites including a Study Of Mezcal and a large selection of Mexican Wines and Tequilas.  The draft went perfectly with the meatloaf dish.

For dessert it was the Chocolate Mocha Espuma for me:  Chocolate Mousse, Mexican Wafer and Cherry Marmalade.  Beautifully creamy in texture, the wafer was a throwback to our cookie eating youth.  Very nice dessert.

Rachel went with a Popsicle.  The flavors change daily and can run toward the boozy but this was the second time she ordered it so it must be good.

Oh, and the sound?  The new panels DID absorb much of the ambient sound for a noticeable improvement.  We were not yelling across the table.  On the other hand, It cannot be considered a quiet restaurant and that's fine by me.  The lively sounds are part of the vibe.

The Painted Burro
219 Elm Street
Davis Square
Somerville, MA
Telephone:  617.776.0005

Painted Burro: Food And Sound

It was an interesting invitation, or two invitations I should say.  A group of local food bloggers and writers were asked to dinner at The Painted Burro, a fairly new Mexican restaurant in Davis Square in the space formerly occupied by Gargoyle's and owned by the same people who operate Pizzeria Posto, just up the street.  We were there to enjoy dinner, of course, but also to pay specific attention to the noise level.  In coming months, sound-absorbing panels will be installed, after which we'll be invited back to experience the difference.

We were seated near to the very center of the dining room at a high-top table, not really my favorite as I never find them comfortable but that's just me.  The seating gave us a slight elevation over the crowd as we were served Nachos and Salsa that were just about as good as they get.  We sat for dinner at 8:00 p.m., the height of service and the place was filled with a young, energetic, fashionable crowd.  I had not been here before and read a few reviews in advance, none of which complained about the noise level.  It was loud but one did not have to scream to be heard by the person next to you and I rather liked the vibe of activity.   It's predecessor, Gargoyle's, was a regular haunt for me and it was quite the quiet spot, I always thought.   Painted Burro, however, has a completely different design.  Gone are the heavy velvet drapes and banquettes.  Everything here is a hard surface, which makes for noise.

I ordered the Mango Margarita:  Agavales Blanco, Combier, Lime and Mango.  Very refreshing and not overly sweet.

Other guests enjoyed the Burro Margarita Royale:  Kah Organic Blanco, Damiana Liqueur and Lime Juice.  This reportedly packed a greater punch and you are presented with the little bottle that the Kah comes in as a gift.  They loved them.

Guacamole "El Mero Mero" included Pork Belly and Roasted Grape Tomato.  This was excellent and a dish I would certainly order again,  great guacamole.  The din of the crowd had not subsided.  There was laughter and loud conversation all around us but, again, it did not bother me at all.

The Empanadas were excellent, some even commenting that they were the best that they've had.

My favorite appetizer was this "Cholo" Corn Cob smothered in Roasted Garlic Aioli, Cotija Cheese and Cayenne.  I only had one.  I wanted several.  The sweet corn with the cheesiness and garlic was a great combination of flavors.

My main was the Street Cart Chicken:  1/2 Giannone, Ochiote-Citrus Marinade, Fried Plantain and Tamarind Butter.  The chicken was soft and buttery with a nice, crisp skin.  A generous portion, again, excellent, rich flavors.

Others enjoyed Tacos such as the Pork Cochinita with Pineapple and Serrano Salsa with a Spicy Citrus Achiote.  I was offered the beans served as a side which passed my taste testing with flying colors.

For dessert we almost all opted for the Tres Leches, the traditional sweet ending to a Mexican meal.

For some additional input on restaurant and sound design I consulted with Jennifer Glickman of Glickman Design Studio, who has worked on several restaurant/cafe interior designs.  Here's what she had to say:  "It's not a matter of what makes a restaurant sound good rather than it being a question of what makes the food taste good. Dining is a theatrical experience, from taste to smell to performance to visuals. A well thought out restaurant design encompasses all of those elements in a creative way that supports the chef's artistic talents for that restaurant concept and allows the cuisine to shine. A restaurant with erroneous acoustics (or lighting, hvac zoning, layout, fill in additional design elements...) distracts the diner from the cuisine and focuses them on the problematic issues. In addition, no diner wants to pay $30-$50/plate when they have to yell to their dinner party sitting 2 feet away from them."  I think that pretty much sums up my attitude, as well.  It basically all comes down to the flavor.  As long as the service, atmosphere and ambiance do not detract from it I'm happy.  The showcase can be simple or elegant but the real star is always the food and this worked just fine for me.

The Painted Burro
219 Elm Street
Davis Square
Somerville, MA
Telephone:  617.776.0005