Sunday, November 22, 2009

Marginalizing El Serape Fans

This post will probably only interest local Massholes.



Everyone, on Boston's South Shore anyway, raves about this restaurant - El Serape.

But guess what - it's terrible!

The place is apparently always packed. And it sure was a couple of weeks ago when we went. We had a very good time but only because we were out with a large group of good people - and I was particularly ON that night, with my one-liners, my trademark *shock effect*, etc.

As for the food....the $40 grilled platter that my wife and I split had dried, unseasoned chicken, maybe six passable shrimp, and *grade d* steak that was no more than a half an inch thick and alternately overdone and bloody raw. Oh yeah, and the guacamole was among the worst, most bland I ever consumed.

Put it this way, the fast food at Chipotle is not only much cheaper, but orders of magnitude tastier!

And I'd even rather have Taco Bell next time.

So why do people rave about this place?

Well, because they are parochial Morons who've never experienced life outside of the culinary wasteland that is Massachusetts.

In a competitve restaurant scene, one with attainable liquor licenses like New York or Philadelphia, El Serape would never become a *20 year institution* - no, it'd most certainly be out of business in a year or two.

Since I've been back in the Commonwealth for four years now, I've been fully conditioned to expect sucky food EVERYWHERE I go. So luckily, I arrived that Saturday night with muted expectations.

And I have to say, to a man, that the people who warned me about El Serape being overrated....they've all at one time or another lived out-of-State.

While Massachusetts claims to be a leader in academia, science, and *diversity* consider that despite not even knowing what constitutes a good burrito...

...that these blue-neck rubes have all sorts of strong feelings on much larger affairs like government and geo-politics!

10 comments:

Megan said...

It used to be much better. I don't know if it changed ownership or what, but it started sucking hardcore a few years ago. It just coasts on its old reputation. My parents lived in Southern California for years and El Serape was the only Mexican place they would eat at locally.

CaptiousNut said...

I can't believe, if that was their only option, that they didn't give up Mexican altogether.

In Brooklyn, we lived near Joya - the best Thai restaurant in NYC. Oh, and entrees were $7!!!

Living there for a few years completely ruined us for Thai. We pretty much stopped eating it because no place could hold a candle to Joya.

*s*cking hardcore*???

:o

You trying to get my site caught up in those parental filters, young lady?

panner said...

what's frustrating about the awful mexican food is that it's not that hard to make it well. just need fresh stuff. we discovered that place by accident about 6 years ago and were pleasantly surprised, and then found out that it was pretty well known then. we went about a year ago, and had this same experience as you. so, maybe the economy is causing them to cut a few corners to increase margins...

anna's tequeria is pretty decent in brookline. as far as burritos go.

Mom in MA said...

I call it "El Ca-rape". I can't believe that anyone thinks that their food is edible. It's almost as bad as the new Summer Shack @ Derby Street...doh!

Thank God Chipotle is arriving soon. Yes, Chipotle. Chipotle was even good in Chicago where there are a million GREAT Mexican restaurants...

CaptiousNut said...

Chipotle certainly has the best guac!

I got the manager at one store to tell me exactly how he makes it.

Mom in MA said...

I love their guac. Not that this is a food blog but care to share that recipe? Oh and I'm serious, Summer Shack is worse than El Carape and more expensive...but worst of all, pretentious as all hell!

CaptiousNut said...

Who says it's not a *food blog*?!?!?!

Will have to ask the wife how they make their guac. She paid attention better than I did.

A lot of cilantro if I recall. Also, they put the avocados under the oven (*hottest place in restaurant*) to ripen.

Mom in MA said...

Maybe it is and I just haven't read back far enough to find a recipe haha. I happened upon the blog when doing a google image search of Main Street in Hingham at Christmas. I've found it very amusing...a breath of fresh air in what can be a rather uptight town in so many ways. I love it here though...just gotta find your niche.

I know how to make guac but theirs is extra good..maybe it's that special avocado treatment...I haven't found any good avocados except at Hi-Lo foods in Jamaica Plain.

CaptiousNut said...

Mom,

I have 1700 posts now....so you've got your work cut out for you!

There's probably no more than five recipes. See if you can find them all.

Mom in MA said...

I drove by yesterday and saw that Chipotle opens 12/9. I'll just wait. I'm sure they source Avocados better than I can anyway...