"Masa adds executive chef Frank Blea to the team to create contemporary Mexican fare, which includes mostly familiar options like tacos, queso fundido, red mole chicken, carne asada, and chiles rellenos. Drinks are tequila and mezcal heavy, and the mezcal shots are served in small pottery bowls handmade by Blea’s wife. The house margarita is solid, and the Tarantula — a blend of hibiscus agua fresca, mezcal, and aloe liqueur — is rimmed with toasted grasshopper salt. The 3,200-square-foot restaurant is bright and full of flashy touches like a vibrant skull painting, imported Mexican starlights, and a bar made from an old bowling lane. A 60-seat patio will open later this year." - Allyson Reedy
