Today is my day off from Insanity, so I decided to go for a light walk around the lake before heading over to my parents for a Father’s Day barbecue.

My dad and my beautiful niece eating ice cream in Aruba.

My dad has definitely played a role in my passion for health and fitness. He has always been into working out and eating healthy, and as you can see, it’s paid off!

Just goes to show that exercising and eating right will have it’s perks as we age.

Keep your body strong, fueled and stretched so it can carry you through life with ease.

There are no excuses.

Last night, Matt and I, along with some friends, headed to a Mexican restaurant/Tequila bar called The Painted Burro, in Davis Square.

I like to dress the part, so I wore the most festive shirt I could find

The Painted Burro is not your typical Americanized Mexican restaurant, so don’t expect an “On the Border”  experience.

The eclectic dinner and drink menu is written in Mexican, and the atmosphere loud, hip and unique.

We had to ask the waitress to explain a few of the dishes, and she was very helpful and knowledgeable about how each meal was created.

To start, we ordered some drinks and nibbled on a bucket of perfectly baked corn chips with tangy, thick salsa.

Vodka, Soda Water, Lime Juice and Lemon

FROZEN BURRO COLADA: Goslings Black Rum, cayenne pineapple juice, cream of coconut

For appetizers, we ordered the “Pork Chicharron”, which is small pork wedges in a spicy-sweet tamarind glaze, along with the “Fundido” cheese dip and soft corn tortillas.

Amaaaazing! The combination of melty cheese, warm tortillas, and sweet pork tidbits made for the an intense burst of flavor and texture.

Not the most healthy, but delicious none the less

I also ordered the Romaine Salad, basically because of the dressing alone.

The smooth, creamy avocado was divine, and the spicy pepitas were the perfect addition the cool greens. It also came with anchovy’s, which I did not eat, and a tomatillo and agave vinaigrette.

As for our entrée’s, my dish won “Most Boring” at the table.

Spicy tomato Grilled Mahi Mahi with a string bean and jicama salad.

I must admit that I wouldn’t order it again. The “Veracruzana” sauce was a bit overpowering, and I found that it amplified the usual subtle taste of the white fish.

Matt ordered the DUCK LEG CAZUELA, which was out of this world. My fork spent more time in his dish than in my own.

Long Island duck, braised root vegetable & chile tamale, olives,
spring garlic, and oregano

It resembled a beef stew consistency, and all of the flavors complimented each other nicely.

The most unique entree at our table was the Yucatan Meatloaf, which is a ridiculous combination of spicy ground sirloin, chorizo, ham, chicharron, green olives and toasted almonds, topped with two fried eggs and guava ketchup.

So many ingredients that somehow worked to create this flavorful, mouth-watering dish.

From the décor, to the food, to the authentic and strong drinks, I’d recommend The Painted Burro to anyone looking for a fun night out with a spicy splash of Mexican flare. The fresh ingredients and love put into each and every dish, truly introduce eaters to the taste of a culture so full of life.

Well, I’m off! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

xoxo