Cactus Club—Feliz Año Nuevo!

¡Feliz año nuevo al Cactus Club! That's right – we spent New Years at the Cactus Club, and it was popping. Our new years resolutions freshly minted, we were determined to start off 2010 in true Palateer fashion.

Cactus Club is a voluminous restaurant, which has both an anteroom bar and a backroom restaurant. It's preferable for raucous groups of friends, as was befitting for New Years. The Palateers were smushed in the back at a little table, which did much harm to our self-esteem, but gave us ample ability for people watching and eavesdropping. And man, were there some interesting characters. Besides the litany of drunken Bostonians, there was the awkwardly placed couple who ordered way too much fried food, and a salacious group of women who probably shouldn't have each started the new year off with the $20 margarita bowl (typically meant for three).

We kick started our celebration by indulging in two decadent margaritas. Upon recommendation of our server, we chose to forgo the typical strawberry frozen margarita for an explosion of blackberries ($6.50). For those connoisseurs who demand a bit more class than your run of the mill house tequila, we recommend the Horni Margarita ($8), which uses cointreau and Sauza Hornitos. For only a small price increase, you will distinguish the difference.

ARRIBA!

We had to restrain ourselves from over-indulging on the bottomless chips and surprisingly chunky salsa. It tasted homemade, which is strange because most salsas at Mexican restaurants seem to be swillish in consistency. It is always a cruel temptation when they put those chips out as your belly aches for food and fills with margarita. We did fulfill one resolution that night of eating healthier by ordering El Vegetariano ($8) (the vegetarian for you non Spanish speakers), a bright green spinach tortilla crammed with greens, feta cheese, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, jicama and Dijon Balsamic vinaigrette. The vinaigrette leaked out of the tortilla as we gobbled it down. Able to choose from a variety of sides, we of course went for the sweet potato fries. And they were gooood.

The Temptation of the Tortilla Chips!

The Vegetarian

We also ordered the spectacle of fajitas. For it is a spectacle – its a show when that sizzling platter emerges from the kitchen, heads turn, noses uplifted: “What is that scent? What is that sizzling in the pan?” Yes, for all attention-seekers, the fajitas are the Paris Hilton of entrees at Mexican restaurants. We went for the veggie option ($12), which was a grand mound of sizzling zucchinis, squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn, and portabella mushrooms. But make sure you bring your own fajitas because it only comes with three.

The Attention Hog

A New Years feast it was, and as Auld Lang Syne rang in our ears, we knew 2010 would be a delicious new year.

Cactus Club

939 Bolyston St.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 236-0200

Boston Restaurant Review