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Bellying up at the bar at Pinto Pincho Tapas Bar in Woburn, MA

My friend and I were heading into Boston for a show, and there’s a tapas restaurant close to her house that I’ve been waiting to try, Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar. Loving all things Spanish, I was very excited to try somewhere new. We went in around 6PM, and the restaurant was empty, which can sometime raise a red flag to me, because it makes me wonder “Why aren’t people eating here?” We were immediately greeted with a warm welcome by Pepe, who would come to be our tour guide through his restaurant which he runs with his Chef partner. We bellied up to the 8-seat bar, in front of a glass display with fresh mussels, octopus, ‘langostinos’ (large prawns, heads included) and I knew I was in for an authentic Spanish dining experience.

First things first. Drinks. Pepe did highly recommend their house-made sangria, both red & white available. Being a wine purist (ok, snob), we opted for the wine list and decided on a bottle of Sierra Cantabria Rosado from Rioja. Light, dry, crisp with dried red fruit notes. The wine list has about 20 bottles to offer, heavy on the Jorge Ordoñez portfolio if you’re a fan. I exclaimed to Pepe how reasonable the prices were and he simply replied “Yes, because I want to sell them, these are meant for people to enjoy.” If you are a red wine lover, get The Ramirez de la Piscina Gran Reserva 2005 from Rioja for only $48! I know that’s what I’m drinking for my next visit.

Moving onto the food menu, I asked my friend what she’s in the mood for, and she informs me she doesn’t eat seafood. SIGH. I guess I will just admire the langostinos through the glass. In all seriousness though, Spanish food has such a broad range because of all the different regional cuisines that there really is something for everyone. While looking over the menu, Pepe tells us how his partner makes their chorizo in house. Sold. Tapa number one selected, Croquetas de Chorizo, fried creamy chorizo & manchego cheese croquettes. The two croquettes were gone as soon as they arrived, and did not disappoint. Pepe also offered us a small taste, or pintxo, of their Tortilla Española, a potato, egg and onion omelette. Every tapas restaurant has one, and Pintxo Pincho’s is delicious, traditional, spot on and made fresh daily.

Chuletitas de Cordero at Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar in Woburn, MA

Up next, Alcachofas Rellenas, stuffed artichokes served with a Romesco sauce, a traditional nut & red-pepper sauce. This order came with two pieces, as well. It’s refreshing that Pintxo Pincho stays true to true tapas sizes. Although the small portions can be disappointing to some American-sized palettes, these portions are perfect for sharing and trying as many tapas as possible. The Chuletitas de Cordero, two lamb chops grilled with Tximitxurri (Chimichurri) sauce, a parsley, olive oil and garlic sauce. The lamb was cooked perfectly, tender and full of flavor and their Tximitxurri sauce had the perfect amount of garlic. And just so you know, you eat these with your fingers, no utensils, and eat every part, including the bits of fat. It’s ALL amazing.

So far, my non-seafood loving friend and I were impressed. This was her first Spanish tapas experience and she was already a fan. Having warmed her up, I asked if she would try one thing for me, Pulpo a la Gallega. Being the good friend she is, she agreed, and it was perfect! Tender octopus sliced and served with olive oil, flake salt and pimento de la vera (Spanish smoked Paprika). It had the slightly gelatinous exterior which is characteristic of Galician octopus and I felt like I was in Spain again. Needing just a little bit more, we finished with Patatas a la Bravas, fried crispy potatoes with a creamy spicy sauce.

To finish with the ultimate Spanish experience, we finished with dessert. No, not churros, we drank cava, Spanish sparkling wine, from the porrón. The porrón is a drinking vessel that requires a bit of hand-eye coordination, style & a sense of humor for when you ultimately spill some on your face and/or clothes. From the authentic décor, including a beautifully hand-painted mural of Pablo Picasso’s famous Guernica on one wall, to the service, authentic cuisine and Pepe’s warm, gracious hospitality, Pintxo Pincho is a little piece of Spain that we are lucky to have on the North Shore. I’m already planning my next Spanish feast.

Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar
385 Main Street Woburn, MA 01801
Hours: Mon – Sat 5 pm – 10 pm
Phone: 781-932-1379

A peek inside of The Fix's Lamb Burger Special

Like most children I can recall McDonald’s being my first introduction to a hamburger. It was then that I realized I had unique taste; I recall ordering a hamburger without onions, tomatoes, or lettuce… and, upon unwrapping the paper like a Christmas gift, I would discard the bun and go for the meat. For me, it’s all about the meat. As I grew older, my father would make fat burgers using different store bought blends of meat. Since then, whenever I order a hamburger, I have always (wrongly) focused specifically on the meat. It wasn’t until visiting Holsteins in Las Vegas that I was first introduced to artisan burgers which, in turn, taught me to appreciate the dish as an entire work of art. Immediately after completing my meal at Holsteins, I was afraid that the best burgers could only be found on the West Coast (look at places like In-N-Out Burger or even Umami Burger). You could only imagine my excitement to hear that Niche Hospitality Group was transforming their Shrewsbury Street storefront into an artisan burger restaurant, The Fix Burger Bar.

The Fix‘s offers two meat blends: a butcher blend purveyed by Pat LaFrieda from NYC and a natural, loose burger grind made from meats that are from grass-fed, all natural sources. In addition, you can dress up your à la carte burger with add-ons classic and unique, like: sautéed shrooms, avocado, bacon, fried prosciutto, Sriracha aioli and even a truffle aioli. The buns are baked fresh by Rhode Island’s Calise & Sons Bakery (the pretzel roll is my favorite). In addition to the food, their bar menu (both soft drinks and “Remedies”) have been carefully crafted in house (try the gin and house-made tonic) and bottled/canned drinks are tall boy throwbacks. The soda fountain classics and milkshakes (spiked option available, obviously) are second only to their classic Old Fashion served with a scoop of ice cream.

I will admit, since The Fix opened four weeks ago, I’ve been able to try 3 different hamburgers and, during Worcester Foodies, I felt the immediate attraction to the chef’s special Lamb Burger. Whether it’s because I love lamb (as apparent by my previous review) or as a sucker for the economic principal of scarcity (Chef Muscarella informed me there was only one left), I knew the lamb burger, along with a side of sweet potato fries, would be mine. The fresh, domestic lamb patty’s tender texture and distinct flavor was complimented by Chef Muscarella’s choice of herb goat cheese (which tasted of a delicate blend of parsley, chives, thyme and a potent black pepper), a beautifully colored tomato, arugula, firm red onion, and an assertive sun dried tomato and artichoke spread. The ingredients masterfully came together on a milk bun—which aptly absorbed the flavors within its smooth body.

When most people think about exotic burgers, it’s a common trend to think about bison. The lamb, however, is an under utilized grind that yields an unique texture and flavor that can easily be complimented by equally flavorful sides—as demonstrated in this dish.

I would be lying if I were to tell you that I no longer “work around” onions and tomatoes in most of my meals, but, for the sake of Worcester Foodies, I trust in the time, thought, and effort that the Chef puts into their meals. I was pleasantly surprised that my trust wasn’t broken with this burger and look forward to returning soon to “trust the Chef.”

Tag: lamb

Belly Up at Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar

Lamb Burger

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