![]() Luxurious in its natural flavor but enhanced with spicy notes from the pepper and lime. We began with the tuna tartar, diced raw tuna gently mixed with Serrano peppers and xxx served with marinated spiced cucumbers and large taco chips. My friend and I set out to find the standouts on the list. In the true Tapas style, Tico's menu has a long list of small plates to choose from, encouraging diners to sample many dishes rather than being regulated to one or two. Last night was my first opportunity to check out Tico, and it didn't surprise me at all that each dish was unique and well thought out. His other ventures, notably Radius and Via Matta have been garnering acclaim for years. It comes as no surprise really, Michael Schlow is no novice in te kitchen. It opened around the same time as several other Mexican style restaurants but has been standing over many of those since opening. & Sun., 11 a.m.-2 a.m.Michael Schlow opened Tico, a Mexican themed tapas spot (in its basest description) just about a year ago. Why would one ever leave one of those overstuffed leather sofas by the windows facing Berkeley Street? Popular at lunchtime, the restaurant also attracts a young, after-work set that stays for dinner. Service is friendly and mostly attentive. Tico is a handsome place - part dining room and part lounge with a big open kitchen. Or a custardy lemon sabayon tart ($10) with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Strangely, on both visits, the 88-bottle tequila list was not presented or even mentioned.įor dessert, don’t miss the insanely decadent chocolate gelato and peanut butter mousse caramelized-banana split ($10) with chilied chocolate sauce. We eschewed the wine list for margaritas, beers and Tico’s excellent Rioja, brandy, orange liqueur and fresh juices sangria ($10 a glass/ $36 a pitcher). But fork-tender pork confit ($24) smothered in almond mole was superb on a bed of pureed white beans with stewed white beans, carrots and bacon strewn with slivered kale. But smoky chorizo risotto ($11) was undercooked and chalky.Īs for entrees, “golden” chicken ($22) was not nearly as crisp-skinned as was hyped by our waiter and was dishearteningly underdone in the center. Lime-intense tuna tartare tostadas ($14) that you mound on fried tortillas were refreshingly simple. We liked the crisp crunchiness of the pan-fried mushroom and cheese quesadilla ($10) garnished with olive tapenade, and the hominess of creamy gigante (giant lima) beans ($10) stewed with chorizo and strewn with scallions. Fried sweet breads ($9) coated in masa (cornmeal dough) are delicious with peppery harissa (African hot chili sauce), blood-orange segments and sweet endive marmalade. Try a casserole of sweet corn ($8) studded with smoky bacon, chilies and minty Thai basil. Citrusy octopus with yellow peppers ($11) is served cold, ceviche style. Fried chicken tacos ($10) with fennel slaw and buttermilk dressing marry the American South with South of the Border sensibilities with felicitous results.įrom the extensive small-plates section of the menu, clams steamed with chilies, lime and cilantro ($12) creatively Latin-izes a New England classic. Fish tacos ($9) are terrif - squares of expertly fried fish napped with spicy mayo, shredded cabbage and pickled jalapenos. Griddled tortilla tacos come two to a plate. Accompany a high-octane, house margarita ($10) of Lunazul tequila, Patron Citronge and fresh lime juice with a la plancha skewers of grilled shrimp ($6) in a pool of velvety chipotle sauce, or fatty pork belly ($6) with spicy mustard. And you will be charged downtown prices ($6 for a draft Negra Modelo) for alcohol. ![]() The fare is short on authenticity but big on flavor - it’s delightfully unpretentious food that’s more about fun than anything else.Īccording to our server, when you order, figure “three to four small plates a person (as) a good guideline.” You might customize that with one or two a la plancha (grilled on a metal plate) appetizers, an order of tacos and perhaps an entree or steak to share, depending on your appetite and budget.īut be forewarned: Your bill can soar rapidly. The menu is a good-natured riff on tacos and tapas with a handful of Latin-accented entrees, a $15 bacon cheeseburger and three steaks. Joshua Smith (previously at Four Seasons Boston) is behind the stove. ![]() The restaurant takes its name from a colloquial expression used by Costa Ricans for their fellow countrymen. At this new Back Bay tequila palace, which takes over the longtime Cottonwood Cafe location, the award-winning chef (Radius, Via Matta, Alta Strata) pays homage to the foods of Central and South America and Spain.
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