"For Being Chewed A Little"

So now for our Restaurant Week food (let me tell you, deserves this post of its own!)...we ate at Masa, so each dish was a highlight from a contemporary Mexican menu:

Appetizer #1: Drayton decided on house guacamole for his choice...it came with thick, crunchy yellow corn chips and some raw veggies for dipping.  Although I expected something a little more unusual instead of just standard fare guac, it was quite delicious...obviously fresh and chock-full of cilatro, tomatoes, and etc.

Appetizer #2:  I went for the queso frito, and definitely didn't regret it!  I loved that it was a more simple, fresh, and elegant take on queso--a cut of grilled Mexican cheese over warm salsa and poblano sauces.  Being a spicy food addict, my only complaint was that everything was extremely, extremely mild and (to my taste) underspiced.

The Drinks:  Drayton and I hate wine (I know, weird).  Really hate it!!!  So our drink of choice is always beer...we kind of do beer the way other people do wine.  We'll go out together and each get a glass of some special beer and swap tastes :)  But since I'm not a huge fan of Mexican beers and never get champagne...I went for a glass of that good ol' bubbly instead this time.

Entree #1:  This little beauty is mine!!! I ordered vegetarian enchilades, mushrooms and cheese wrapped in corn tortillas and smothered in poblano sauce and Mexican cheese and then topped with a sliced avocado and pico de gallo.  I could taste ALL of those wonderful flavours very distinctly in each bite, and greatly enjoyed how light but rich the dish was...even Drayton "the Mushroom Hater" Jones couldn't help falling in love :)

Entree #2:  Drayton opted for a meaty entree (don't all men, haha) and got this pork dish served with refried black beans, Mexican cheese, and spicy warm pineapple.  It had both of us at first bite! The pork just fell right off the bone and melted in your mouth with incredible delicousness...and this coming from Cambria "the Pork Hater" Jones :)  Although I can't stomache cooked pineapple, I could tell it was quite succulent and fresh, and  we both really enjoyed the spicy sauce that was pooled under everything...it was hot enough to give you a kick, but didn't mask all the lovely flavours.

Desserts:  And of course, the really exciting part of the meal, desserts :)  There were only two menu selections in this category, so we obviously each got a different one.  Whereas we usually split our apps, entrees, and desserts in half so that we each get a good full taste of everything...we actually liked the desserts that we ordered best and only swapped a couple bites.  Clearly we make a great eating team!  I had a coconut flan that was as creamy, rich, and sweet as could be desired....and Drayton loved the zesty punches of lime, mango, and guava that accompanied his tres leches cake.

So in a word--the food was sublime.  We both greatly enjoyed the contemporary twist on Mexican cuisine and loved the many distinct flavours present in each dish.  Our one complaint about Masa was that the service was terrible.  On previous Restaurant Week excursions, we've been treated like royalty...walked through the menus, constantly kept with full glasses, had a waiter practically at our sides throughout the meal, and were even given complementary glasses of champagne and special menus since we were celebrating our anniversary.  But at Masa, our waitress dropped us at the table, took our order, checked back if we wanted coffee with dessert...and that's it :(  It's funny how much of a difference that makes when you're spending on spendy food.  While we enjoyed our trip, it won't be somewhere we are eager to visit again, whereas last year's restaurant will definitely be seeing more of our pretty faces!

<3 Cambria
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