WFXXXVI | Mass Food & Wine

Posted on February 20, 2014January 21, 2016 by Staff Writer

Chicken and Dried Cranberry Salad from Mezcal Tequila Cantina

Chicken and dried cranberry salad from Mezcal on Major Taylor Boulevard in Worcester, MA

First, congratulations to Mezcal for their cool new digs on Major Taylor Boulevard. The new space is conveniently located across from the DCU center and will certainly draw a crowd but the layout of the high-ceilinged room won’t make you feel cramped an hour before a Phish show or Sharks game.

Now, onto the food. As an appetizer I ordered a gordita which was described as “shredded short rib stuffed masa corn cakes with spicy mole negro sauce and crumbled bleu cheese (specified without the cilantro crema)”. Unfortunately this dish was less “gorda” and more “ita” – the serving size of one gordita was less than I was expecting. It was not only small serving, but the flavor was just mediocre.

My entree choice was much more satisfying as I chose the Chicken and dried cranberry salad with balsamic dressing (and the creamy habanero dressing that it normally comes with on the side). The menu describes this as mixed grilled chicken and cranberry salad on top of lettuce with cashews, cucumber, roasted red pepper. This was a good sized plate and left me full. The flavor was essentially what I hoped – a solid, good tasting chicken salad that filled me up.

Along with my entree I ordered a side order of guacamole which at $4 is sufficient for 2 people. I tried the Thai Rooster which includes dried pineapple, toasted coconut, black beans and fiery sriracha sauce. Honestly, it was a difficult decision as all of the varieties look delicious and are unique blends of ingredients but this was a good choice and the flavors blended well together.

If you’re like me and aren’t the biggest fan of spicy food, know that the kitchen is able to modify the spice level to meet your needs (balsamic dressing instead of habanero, for example). For those who do like spice, hot sauce can be served alongside.

In all, besides my overpriced gordita, Mezcal gets a muy bueno in my book for tasty food, a trendy new location, and friendly, helpful wait staff. Another plus for the dead of winter: the parking garage’s elevator leads opens to the front door of the restaurant.

Posted on February 17, 2014January 21, 2016 by Staff Writer

Mixed Tacos from Mezcal Cantina

Mixed Tacos from Mezcal Cantina on Major Taylor Boulevard in Worcester, MA

I have always enjoyed Mezcal at their orignal location in Worcester but after visiting their new location in downtown Worcester I am a bigger fan.

For all the times I have been to Mezcal I have never gotten the tacos as they have so many dishes to choose from. So this visit I decided to go traditional and try their tacos. They have 10+ options on tacos – chicken, beef, duck, shrimp, veggie,etc. Since I could choose 3 tacos I went with 3 different ones – Fried shrimp, Vegetable #2 and Asian beef. Each taco is served in a warm corn tortilla (I choose soft shells), shaved lettuce, red radish and jack cheese along with some light mexican rice.
The asian beef taco was a little spicey but enjoyed the hoison ginger shredded beef with shaved cabbage and the hint of Sriracha sauce. My second taco was the fried shrimp taco with lightly battered shrimp, spicy cabbage and a lemon ancho aioloi that worked together well. To round things out I went with the vegetable #2 taco with roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, fried avocado and spicy corn sauce. While all of the tacos had some spice to them they were not over powering so someone who didn’t like spicey could still enjoy them. I can’t wait to go back to try the other 7+ taco varieties !

I knew it would not be a complete meal with having on their margaritas – again so many options to choose from. Since it was a traditional night for me I went with the 100% Blue Agave Margartitas. With their extensive menu, new larger location and abundance of parking I know I will be visiting Mezcal frequently. Hope to see you there.