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Corporate Edge Org (CEO) Small Business Consultants in Boston HOME | Contact | About us | Special Projects | Business Writing | Food Writing FEED ME! Food Features by Kitty Kaufman Haute Tamale! Picante Grill Summer may be gone but it's plenty hot at Picante Mexican Grills in Cambridge and Davis Square. Nothing beats a basket of their chips and salsa along with a cold beer before you dig in to some of the healthiest cuisine north of the Charles River. James Lantry, a ten-year Picante veteran, serves up heaping plates of classic tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, salads, and soup. We love that you can have it your way: add salsa, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, and onions to crank the firepower. . . or not. Tuesday is tamales with a raft of specials wrapped in corn masas. Picante's are stuffed with steak or chicken, pork or vegetables, topped with red or verde sauce, plated with black beans and salad. Our Monday favorite, the porque special is infused with oranges, then grilled with cheese. For work parties, birthdays, and holiday blowouts, Picante delivers quesaditas, rollos, make-your-own tacos and burritos, flautas, enchiladas, and tamales. Mario Reyes, kitchen manager, brings them right to your door complete with sides, salsas, sauces, and dessert. Yes, dessert! Flan fans will want the "muy rico suave" custard. The fresh limeade is a seasonal wonder. In Cambridge only, choose from a dozen domestic and Mexican beers, and California wines. Owners Richard and Raymond Faulkner developed the concept with former partner, Steve Matthews, "because there was no decent fast food in Somerville," said Richard Faulkner. "Steve had the recipes and before we had a location we'd invite 20 friends to the house for dinner," he added. That was in 1991 and the Faulkners haven't looked back. "We got the lard out," Richard told me, "so our menu is ultra healthy." The oil is canola, the steak is flank, the cheese is Monterey jack, and the sugar is absent. © October 29, 2003 for The City Shopper 40 St. Paul St | Brookline MA 02446 | 617. 388. 0062 Kitty Kaufman kkaufman@corp-edge.com |