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A few weeks ago business brought me to Boston and the surrounding area. It was quick, in’n’out, but I managed to get a lil pseudo-Mexican cooking in at JM Curley. I was in the mood for something a little eccentric paired with a really good cocktail. Needless to say, I received 7-7-7’s.

Now I’d never been to Beantown before. So a visit to Fenway was a must. At the time the stadium was closed down while the remainder of the playoffs were still happening. The Tigers were putting the finishing touches on the Yankees and ending my postseason excitement. I took a stroll around the stadium walking past the locked up gates while the wind whipped down the streets. Many of the areas bars were open with the warm glow spilling out onto the streets. I wasn’t hungry yet so a few pints  warmed the soul.

I decided to hit the nearby (few miles) JM Curley. The reviews online looked very promising and the menu itself was filled with eclectic items and a killer cocktail menu. This was going to be right up my alley. I started with a Manhattan and ordered a few small plates instead of a dinner. The steak frites were calling my name but a menu filled with delectable goodies such as salmon sliders, baby octopus and beef cheek gorditas, I was quickly led astray. From the pictures you cna guess I ended up with the Baby Octopus and Beef Cheek Gordita’s. They were the right perscription to cure my ails.

The baby octopus was flash fried and braised to be both tender and crispy. I believe it was dusted with onion, red pepper and celery powder and topped with a lemon crema. It was fantastic, I’d highly recommend trying it out especially if you had someone to share it with. Although it was a starter/tapas style place. There was a lot of octopus on there, almost too much.

 

My last dish was the Beef Cheek gorditas. If the octopus was excellent, the gorditas were the cats ass. The cheek was braised in a slightly sweet, slightly savory sauce very similar to a dark beer style bbq sauce. Topped with thinly slice tomatillo and a spicy Mexican crema made from sweet potatoes. Each one also had a few toasted squash or pumpkin seeds that really melded the whole dish together. It was perfect for a cold autumn day.

I had a glass of Fidencio Classico Joven Mezcal for dessert. While not a dessert drink, I had never had this brand of mezcal before. The good things I’ve read and heard about it rang true. For $30 or so per 750ml bottle, it’s a great entry into the smokey realm of quality mezcals. I could definitely see picking a bottle up for sipping and mixing.

The verdict? Check out JM Curley, the place had a steady crowd of young professionals sipping craft cocktails and eating a wide range of eclectic quality eats. I know I’ll be back.

JM Curley

21 Temple Place
Boston, MA 02111

(617)338-5333

http://jmcurleyboston.com/

El Patron’s pork tacos

As promised we’ve already started attacking the GSO area for great Mexican eats. This was a bit south in Salisbury but it could possible be worth the drive especially if your on the south end or out in Lexington. It’s a find too since everything about it reeks blah boring strip mall Mexican. Let’s dig in!

These are the to-go, now breakfast pork tacos, on the menu as Tacos de la Calle. You can get them with chicken, beef or pork and there’s no better way to get a vibe of good Mexican than the pork and roasted bits on menus so pork it was.

Grilled double wrapped corn tortillas, fresh cilantro and onion, succulent chunks of pork with a slice of avocado, man these were right up my alley and since i’ve have been chowing on Italian for 3 weeks this was a great ice breaker back. Unfortunately they were good enough that if I went back I’d probably order the same thing again, you know how that goes right? The flavors were fantastic albeit a little on the greasy side, well the tortilla’s at least but I don’t eat Mexican because I’m try to look good in a bikini. I think a lot of the juices from the pork mixed with griddle grease from cooking the tortilla’s up added to it. It’s not offensive and don’t let that stop you from eating here.

I also had a Chile Rellano, which was outstanding as well. Usually these can be over fried and stuff with all kinds of nasty cheese turning into a gut bomb befit of a night of raging drinking. The breading was light and thus so was the grease and the cheese and sauce that it was topped with were done with restraint and class.

I didn’t get a look at their tequila’s but it looked like they had a few, which is a great start. Maybe a couple of trips and we can see if they’ll up the ante with a few more offerings. I saw Patron (duh) and Antiguo Herradura which is promising. Next time we’ll go all out. They also had a solid beer menu, Bohemia, Modelo, and of course my baby, Negro Modelo.

Overall it was a great intro to some serious Mexican food and definitely cements my coming to the GSO area. I was worried that they wouldn’t have the culinary power that Atlanta has but so far so good. 4.5 outta 5 and I think a few more trips could see this rise. I’m still going to be eating some torta’s this week so stay tuned for that review.

1030 Freeland Drive
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 636-5300

Open Fri-Sat 11am-11pm