Falling In Love With Food Again

I love food. Other than the obvious survival reasons, I don't think I could live without food. All the flavors, textures, smells, and sights. Getting through the day is so much easier when there are so many foods to look forward to and discover. I was reminded of food's greatness when we went to eat at Masa a few weeks back. We had been to Masa several times for brunch and dinner. We loved the restaurant and the southwestern style food. This last time not only reaffirmed our love for this restaurant but it also was a reminder that we need to not go long without heading back.

They start you off with a bread basket of cornbread and some other bread we didn't catch the name of (French, maybe?) accompanied by chipotle, maple butter, and chili hummus spreads. My favorite combination was the cornbread and the chili hummus. The cornbread was slightly sweet and very fluffy. The chipotle spread was a little creamy for our taste and its consistency was more along the lines of a dip. The maple butter was sweet with hints of maple syrup. The chili hummus was slightly tangy with a little bit of heat.
We ordered the spicy arepa with chicharones (pork rind). The arepa was delicious, but not spicy in my opinion. What really made this dish were the chicharones. They were diced up into bite sized pieces and fried to the point where they were crispy but still chewy at the same time. Underneath the arepa was a bean puree that was incredible. I had to stop myself from licking the plate.
Alex ordered the chicken milanesa. This dish was a twist on the classic chicken milanesa dish because it was topped by a fried egg. The chicken itself had a crispy exterior and the moistness of the chicken was enhanced by the tomato sauce. The only thing Alex had an issue with was the mashed potatoes because it had chunks of olives mixed in.
I did something I haven't done in a long, long time. I ordered steak. I almost never order steak but something got into me and I decided to be adventureous. It totally paid off because I ate the whole thing and once again wanted to lick my plate. The steak was one of the best steaks I have ever had in my life. It was so incredibly juicy and tender. The steak was coated in a bourbon sauce that was sweet and slightly smoky.
For dessert I had a chocolate cake wrapped in a tamale leaf. The cake was very rich, smooth, and silky. It was the perfect end to a dinner that reinvigorated my taste buds.
Masa is located in Boston's South End and is worth every penny. The restaurant gets very lively at night so they are perfect for drinks and then a late dinner.