Cheap Eats in JP

If you're in Jamaica Plain, this place seems worth checking out. It is on my radar.


Tostado Sandwich Bar

Feliz Cumpleanos Frida Kahlo

Thanks to Google's homepage, I was reminded this morning that today is the birthday of great Mexican artist Frida Kahlo -wife of painter Diego Rivera. While her birth certificate lists July 6, 1907 as her date of birth, Frida claimed her birthday was July 7, 1910.

Frida loved fiestas. Frida's Fiestas Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo tells the amazing story of her journey through this life and shares some of her favorites recipes that could be found on the table at the Blue House. Take a look!

Ixtapa Mexican Cantina: Happy Bellies and Wallets

This is no Taco Bell. This is the real thing. The restaurant owners are from Mexico -and so are "Chef Jorge" and most of the employees. Typical Ranchera and Tejana melodies softly fill the air. The walls are adorned with colorful paintings and other decor unique to Mexico. The menu includes popular Mexican dishes from various locations throughout Mexico, not only Ixtapa, a western sea-side resort town near Acapulco, for which the Lexington cantina is named.

A bright-eyed waitress who calls herself Rocio says the food at Ixtapa is about as "autentica" as it gets. She says the dishes are prepared with many native spices and home-style methods of cooking.

"Es mexicana," she says with a smile erupting on her face like the great Popocatepetl is about to blow.

But, she admits that some of the dishes, like the burritos have been a tad "Americanizado."

"The burritos are the most popular item on the menu; it's what they're (American customers) are used to," she says with a distinctly accented English. "They are not used to trying many new things."

Her personal house favorites are foods that remind her of home: enchiladas de mole (enchiladas in mole sauce), arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and carne asada (grilled meat) -and the melon margarita.

I trusted her suggestion and sipped on a melon margarita while I munched on crispy chips and homemade salsa. I normally don't care for margaritas because they are either too sour, too sweet, or taste too tequila-y. This one, however, was just right. It was cool and refreshing on a scorcher of a summer day. The margarita was served with a slice of orange, cherry and bandera mexicana. The perfect garnish.

The chips and salsa, which had been promptly delivered to the table upon arrival, were very generous in portion. The chips were crisp and the house salsa was flavorful and thin in consistency. Not too spicy, not too mild. This is not the kind of salsa you find in the snack aisle at the supermarket.

I wasn't in the mood for mole -a special sauce that is made in a variety of ways depending on the particular region within Mexico -so I decided on one enchilada with the green tomatillo-based sauce, and one with the red. The enchiladas were served with a heaping portion of rice, re-fried beans, a dollop of sour cream, shredded lettuce and a spoonful of diced tomatoes. I wasn't in a rush, so I slowly enjoyed the meal and practically cleared the plate -except for the re-fried beans because I'm not a fan of eating something that looks like what you could feed your dog.

Stuffed to the brim, dessert was completely out of the question. But, of course, I got it anyway. I'm a huge sucker for fried ice cream. The perfectly round ball of vanilla ice cream was hidden beneath a crispy coating, smothered in chocolate sauce and sprinkled with cinnamon. The serving was so generous I could have shared it with three other people. I'm glad I was dining alone.

As I savored my meal, Rocio came back to the table several times to check on how the meal was, and to chat in Spanish about different cities in Mexico she had visited, the food, and the typical misconceptions many people have about Mexican food.

"People usually think our food will be spicy, but Mexican food is not all spicy," she says. "And it's not what you get at Taco Bell."

With a bursting belly and a very happy heart, I asked for the bill. My margarita cost more than my lunch. I didn't realize that my wallet would be as happy as my belly.

***

Ixtapa, located at the border of Arlington and Lexington, is open daily from 11 a.m. Daily lunch specials $6.50.

Brazilian Food on the Cheap

Check out this Boston Phoenix article from July 2 to find out about churrasco, one of Brazil's most famous -and delicious- traditions. Personal recommendation: ask for an ice-cold Guarana to complete the churrasco experience.

Make Your Heart Happy This Week

There are plenty of opportunities to keep your belly full and your heart happy this week in Boston.

Lunes: There is still time tonight to get your nalgas (rear-end) down to Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake for "Nacho Average Monday." Chef Brian Poe is bound to have a new twist on this favorite dish. Nachos: $14. Happy belly: priceless.

Martes: Don't forget about Tequila Tuesday at the InterContinental and $2 Tacos at Tremont 647.

Miercoles: Tapeo kicks off a $7 tapas deal valid until the last bull runs in Pamplona. The event coincides with the famous Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain which is held annually between July 6-14.

Jueves: Don't forget about Salsa Thursday at Masa. Enjoy cheap eats, refreshing drinks and dance the night away.

Ayyyy carrrammmmbbbaaa deal of this week: Tasca is having an Appetite Stimulus event Monday - Thursday! Can't beat this amazing meal deal: $18 three-course menu.

Plan ahead: Domingo (Sunday) East Boston is celebrating Colombia's independence. The event will be held in East Boston's Central Square. There will be music, festivities -and food- of course.

Check back later this week for updates on events!

Say What?

The Spanish language is just about the next best thing after sliced bread -and margaritas. Some may say the language is romantic. Others may say it sounds like gibberish on speed. It can be both.

The second most commonly spoken language in the U.S., Spanish is spoken across the globe and is the official or national language in 20 countries and in Puerto Rico-commonly mistaken as a country, the island is actually a commonwealth of the U.S.

Each country has its own unique accent and often distinct vocabulary. But one thing all Spanish-speaking countries have in common is a true love for idiomatic expressions. While the expressions may have different variations, they are typically understood within the Spanish-language community.

Some of my favorite expressions deal with food. The perfect example: Barriga llena, corazon contento (Full belly, happy heart). Duh. In English, while we do have idiomatic expressions, I find them to be dry and boring compared to the fun and interesting expressions in Spanish.

Here are a few other favorites:

La vida es como una receta de comida, el sazon tu se lo pones. (Life is like a recipe, you add your own spice.)

Come y bebe que la vida es breve. (Eat and drink, for life is short)

Comida que mucho hierve, sabor pierde. (Food that boils a lot loses its flavor)

"Keep an eye out" -more to come.

Salsa Thursday at Masa

Salsa is not just a spicy tomato-based dip for chips. It's also one of the most popular genres of Latin music and dance.

Free lessons tonight at 8 p.m. at Masa's Woburn location. Dancing until midnight.

50 cent tapas at the bar including: grilled chorizo, yucca fries, carnitas de puerco quesadilla, tostones, arepas and palitos de pollo.

Try the Masarita and other speciality drinks including smoked jalapeno margaritas and raspberry mojitos.

See event details here.