Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) Owner & Chef Brian Poe, alongside Executive Chef Douglas Rodrigues, are infusing more bountiful summer flavors in the brunch, lunch and dinner menus at The Tip Tap Room in Beacon Hill. Chefs Poe & Rodrigues’ menus incorporate the peak flavors of summer along with new twists to the signature “tips” and “taps” concept.

New offerings from the Sunday brunch menu include “Without Eggs” options like the Grilled Avocado (lobster, black pepper, lavender crème fraiche - $16) and Corn Porridge (butter poached crab & escargot, agave, black truffle vinaigrette - $17).

For lunch and dinner, new soup and salad options are catered toward those with savory yet robust appetites: Corn Soup (fermented hibiscus, pearl onion, charcoal crisp, koji rice - $13); Hamakua Farm Hearts of Palm Gazpacho (roasted artichokes, lump crab, pickled spruce, plum - $15); and, Iceberg & Chicken Salad (crunchy vegetables, currants, sumac-honey ricotta, buttermilk-kosho dressing and chicken skin - $12). Other side newcomers will be as follows: Grilled Corn (Korean pepper aioli, ricotta salata, lime - $7); Potato Salad (fines herbs, white anchovy, yogurt, crispy duck skin - $7); and, Asian Greens (roasted, garlic oil, crunchy garlic - $7).

One particularly delicious new cocktail offering served and poured at both lunch and dinner will be the Monroe Doctrine (mescal, cynar, grapefruit liqueur, fresh lemon, agave - $12). Other staples which remain on the menu are The WestEnder (Mezcal, Cynar, grapefruit liqueur, fresh lemon, agave - $12); PGH (London No. 3 Gin, Green Chartreuse, cucumber, grapefruit, fresh lemon, pink peppercorn - $12); Hemingway Daiquiri (Maraschino, rum grapefruit, fresh lime - $10) and, the Crimson Punch (crimson herbal tea infused vodka, Applejack, house grenadine, fresh lime and Peychaud’s - $11).

2) From July 31 to August 24, Rosa Mexicano will keep things cool with their annual Ice Cream Festival, featuring Flavors of Mexico a la Mode, desserts inspired by classic savory dishes such as guacamole, tamales and empanadas; paired with handmade ice creams infused with Mexican flavors ranging from sweet corn-caramel to chili-spiced chocolate.

Rosa Mexicano will unveil a dedicated menu of Mexican classics gone sweet, served with authentically flavored ice creams, including:

Flavors of Mexico a la Mode
--Postre de Guacamole: Avocado ice cream served in a frozen molcajete with raspberries, white chocolate shavings, coconut crunch and mint. Served with piloncillo-chocolate sauce and cinnamon sugar buñuelos.
--Empanadas de Manzana: Warm apple empanadas with spiced Mexican chocolate sauce. Topped with vanilla-chocolate mole swirl ice cream.
--Tamal de Chocolate: Warm molten chocolate tamale and cajeta sauce. Topped with sweet corn-caramel ice cream.
--Buñuelos Rellenos: Deep fried sweet corn-caramel and Mexican chocolate ice cream coated in cinnamon buñuelo crust. Served with churros and dipping sauce
--Crepas de Cajeta: Crepes folded and served with a rich caramel sauce. Topped with sea-salted cajeta ice cream.
--Abuelita Sundae: Mexican chocolate ice cream, warm Mexican chocolate sauce, caramelized bananas, strawberries, and cinnamon whipped cream.

Helados (choice of one or three scoops)
--Aguacate: Avocado
--Vainilla con Mole:  Vanilla with Chocolate Mole Swirl
--Abuelita:  Cinnamon-Chile Spiced Chocolate
--Maiz Dulce y Cajeta:  Sweet Corn and Caramel
--Cajeta y Sal Marina:  Sea-Salted Cajeta

3) Boasting a bar stacked with 101 tequila and mezcal selections, it’s no wonder that Davis Square’s casual Mexican spot,The Painted Burro, is psyched to kick off National Tequila Day on July 24 (today!) with special one-day and ongoing programming. Happenings include:

Make-Your-Own Tequila Flight, Thursday, July 24, 5pm-1am
Choosing from three price points ($18, $21, $24) guests can mix and match three tequilas from a selection of The Painted Burro’s list to create a customized flight. For some spiked sustenance, a special tequila ceviche will be available throughout the night in addition to the regular dinner menu.

Agave Club, Ongoing
Starting July 24, The Painted Burro invites guests to take on the ultimate tequila challenge by joining the Agave Club, which tasks brave drinkers with tasting their way through the restaurant’s entire impressive lineup of tequilas and mezcals. Sweetening the deal are some prizes for each milestone reached:
· 25 tequilas or mezcals – make your own margarita kit including hand juicer, shaker, salt rimmer and margarita glasses
· 50 tequilas or mezcals – four-course dinner for two at The Painted Burro with tequila and mezcal pairings
· 100 tequilas or mezcals – roundtrip airfare for one to Cancun, Mexico

The Painted Burro’s Single-Barrel Tequila, Ongoing
Launching on July 24, in celebration of National Tequila Day, is The Painted Burro’s own privately selected single barrel of Corazón Reposado. Aged for eight months in Canadian Oak, made with 100% estate-grown agave from Casa San Matías in Jalisco and distilled with pure spring water, the house tequila offers a sweeter, more floral tasting experience. The spirit can be enjoyed by sipping or used in one of the restaurant’s signature margaritas.