Dorado Tacos & Cemitas - Brookline, MA

Posted By Chris Ayers & Amy Briesch on February 13, 2011 8:05 PM

Typically when we hear the words Boston and Mexican in the same sentence, a slight shiver runs down our collective spine. So when the sign was hoisted over this Brookline corner storefront, we were, needless to say, less than excited to see what was moving in. Many Bostonians are devoutly allegiant to the small local chain Anna’s Taqueria, and the fact that this new eatery was opening less than two blocks away from Anna’s also made us wonder whether this new restaurant owner was off his rocker. We are ecstatically happy to report, however, that not only does restaurant owner Doug Organ have his wits about him, but he has also brought quality Mexican food to the city of Boston at long last. The food served at Dorado is not your typical burritos, beans, and rice fare; rather, the menu originates from the Oaxaca region of Mexico, in which burrito is an Americanized foodstuff.

The signature dish at Dorado is the cemita, an overstuffed Mexican sandwich in which beans, adobo sauce, Oaxacan string cheese, avocado, and your choice of meat are artfully layered on a soft, spongy roll. We have tried several different meats (including marinated pork, chicken, steak and their luscious, house-made chorizo) on the cemitas and have found each to be equally flavorful and stimulating to our tastebuds. Also not to be missed on the menu are Dorado’s Ensenada fish tacos. The fish taco is another dish that has cropped up with increasing frequency on menus nationwide in recent years, with few incarnations worthy of the Baja stamp. Dorado’s fish tacos, however, are most certainly the best version of this West Coast specialty that we have enjoyed off of the Left Coast. The fish is exquisitely batter-fried, the cabbage and lime perfectly accentuate the fish, and the crema completes the package.

Aside from their exemplary guacamole and tortilla chips, another noteworthy item includes elote, grilled corn smothered in traditional mayo, cotilla cheese, cayenne pepper and lime juice. Elote is also popping up on menus across the nation, but Dorado’s version is an obvious side with cemitas or tacos of this caliber. No order at Dorado is complete, however, without an accompanying glass of their homemade aguas frescas. Although all are refreshing and unique, the standout, worth-a-trip-on-its-own flavor is the watermelon with lemon and mint. Indeed, it is a drink so perfectly refreshing and thirst-quenching that it is beyond compare. Dorado will soon be opening a second location near Mass General Hospital. Dorado in Brookline is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 10pm, and Sunday from 11am to 9pm.

Overall Rating

Cemita

Agua Fresca

Fish Taco

Elote

Guacamole & Chips

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Posted By Keith Bailey on March 31, 2012 12:42 AM

This doesn’t feel like a typical Roadfood restaurant. It is clean and trendy and in a good part of town!

It may be good Mexican for Boston, but it doesn’t really represent this part of the country. And the proprietors don’t appear to be Mexican, just folks who’ve found a good niche.

The tacos are very good, especially the mushroom one. The chicken tortilla soup and the sangria were also delicious.

Overall Rating

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Posted By Scott Collins on September 29, 2011 7:47 PM

The cemitas are awesome, the tacos are epic, especially the several kinds of fish tacos usually available. And the fresh fruit drinks are a refreshing treat on a hot Boston day. There are many taquerias around these days (Anna's across the street from Dorado is fine) but Dorado is a step above. Good-tasting, authentic, and fresh; I feel like I am getting street tacos in Mexico City when I go there.

Overall Rating

Cemita

Fish Taco

Agua Fresca

Guacamole & Chips

Elote

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