Adelita
We’ve come a long way around here when it comes to finding fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine. And one of the region’s tastiest spots is Adelita in West Concord, Massachusetts.
Who would have thunk that a little restaurant at the end of a suburban strip mall would serve some of the area’s most delicious Mexican food? I’m talking tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and of course, margaritas.
From the moment you walk into this place, you know you’re in for something special. The atmosphere is just awesome. It’s very bright and colorful and casual. There are massive murals on the walls. Cool lighting overhead. Comfortable tables and banquettes. Even a cool outdoor patio for the nice weather.
But what really makes Adelita stand out is where they get their ingredients. You see, this place is owned by the same group that runs the Woods Hill restaurants in Boston and West Concord, and they have their own three hundred sixty acre organic farm in Bath, New Hampshire. So, all the meats served at Adelita come from their own grass-fed, and pastured raised cows, pigs, and chickens. No hormones, no antibiotics, just very high quality stuff and you can definitely taste the difference.
The number one seller, to nobody’s surprise, is the guacamole. And they don’t do anything crazy, it’s very traditional. Just fresh, ripe avocado. Some pico de gallo. And lime juice. That’s all you need. And The tortilla chips are fried fresh to order, so they always come out hot and crispy, and they’re absolutely addictive.
And now it’s taco time! Tacos are what Adelita is really known for. They make their own corn tortillas in house. And then there are all kinds of combinations, so let me show you a few of my favorites.
There’s the Tacos Al Pastor featuring their own farm-raised pork. It’s marinated in Adobo, and stacked up on a vertical grill called a “Trompo”. The meat is shaved to order, and stacked up with some fresh pineapple, onion, and cilantro. So it’s a perfect combination of sweet and savory.
Another popular choice is the Fish Tacos. These are Baja style fish tacos, which means they beer batter some fresh pollack so it’s nice and golden brown and crispy. That’s stacked up with some cabbage, pico, and chipotle cream, so there’s a lot happening here in terms of both taste and texture.
And for all you carnivores out there, check out the Tacos Carne Asada. You can really see just how quality the ingredients are here. We’re talking fire-grilled, grass-fed steak, with a drizzle of avocado cream, cilantro, and chopped jalapenos. So these are street tacos with a serious gourmet twist.
For some serious flavor, order the Birria Quesadilla. They’re served two to order, the tortillas are grilled extra crispy, they’re packed with melted cheese. Inside, it’s stuffed with slow-stewed beef that melts in your mouth. And it’s even better, when you give it a little dip into the broth that comes on the side.
Here’s something deliciously different: A Mexican style flatbread. It’s called “Huarache”. So the base, or the “crust” if you will, is actually corn masa. That’s topped with refried beans, veggies, poblano sauce, and whatever protein you like, in case we got the carne asada. And the steak here is always a good choice.
On the more traditional side of things, Adelita serves some outstanding enchiladas as well. And this is a very hearty meal. You get two enchiladas on the plate, they’re totally packed, topped with your choice of red or green sauce (or you can get a little bit of both), and it’s served with some refried beans and Mexican rice.
Here’s the most underrated dish on the Adelita menu: The Chile Relleno. I mean, how beautiful is this? Basically it’s a roasted poblano pepper that’s stuffed with cheese, lightly battered, and fried… so when you slice into, the melted cheese starts flowing like lava.
And no matter what you order, you gotta get some Elote Loco on the side. This is Mexican style street corn that’s grilled, completely covered in garlic aioli, sprinkled with cotija cheese, and dusted with Tajin, which is a chili lime salt. And bite for bite, this has as much flavor as anything you’re gonna eat all week!
If I’m gonna recommend one drink from their extensive cocktail list, it would be the “Guava Margarita”. It’s made with blanco tequila, triple sec, and fresh guava juice with organic agave. It’s very refreshing and totally poundable.
And for dessert, I think the top choice is the Tres Leches Cake. It’s really more of a Tres Leches Parfait. So this has layers of sponge cake that’s soaked in sweet milk, along with homemade whipped cream, all stacked into a tall mason jar sprinkled with cinnamon on top.
Listen, we know restaurants use the phrase “Farm to Table” all the time. But this place really walks the walk. So you should definitely walk right into Adelita in West Concord.
