It’s been a while since we last made a Gustazo run, and there’s been some change. Not too much, mind you, and mostly for the good. For starters, Havana-raised chef and owner Patricia Estorino has notched a few more James Beard nods, and the menu has evolved to be tighter and more dynamic. Gone is the glorious guac we raved about back in 2022, but the new lineup boasts a revolving daily taco offering and a seafood slate that, during my recent visits, embraced the prawn – and I’ve been on something of a shrimp kick.
Gustazo’s taco shells are made from plantains, right down the middle between a crispy corn shell and soft flour tortilla and pleasingly plump in the hands. They really taste of the essence of the plantain, complementing the pork, chicken and those coveted prawns in the taco rotations of my recent pop-ins. The shrimps are sautéed in a delicious, mild brown sauce and garnished with greens and something of a pickled slaw. These are not your typical tacos, to be sure, but they are an absolute winner in flavor, texture and culinary synergy.
Other seafood stars are the daily ceviche creations, tender pulpo (octopus) served atop a creamy potato purée and camarones a la plancha – Cuban-styled shrimp and grits prepared with a rich garlic butter sauce, grilled corn kernels, crispy quinoa and cheery tomatoes. The shrimp are plump and succulent, and the ample cracked pepper accent combined with a subversively addictive sauce makes it worthy of a second order. This is the restaurant’s unheralded all-star.
The pan-seared catch of the day typically comes atop a tiered bed of legumes, rice or both and sautéed seasonal greens with a lobster coconut broth. My dine was a beautiful, perfectly crisped piece of salmon, infused with the essence of that rich, brown broth. Salmon to me isn’t the sexiest dish to have out, since I bake, pan poach or air fry it at home with some frequency; I get more excited by halibut or mahi mahi. But Gustazo’s was more than good enough to make me forget about my jar of capers and egg batter coating.
Rounding out a trifecta of shrimp during one visit was a fried rice loaded with fresh, al dente peas and tender, juicy cubes of lean, flavorful pork as well as those succulent camarones. It was a hearty eat that fused cuisines seamlessly.
Gustazo’s menu boasts a vegetarian tapas slate and larger plates, which include a crispy-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside roasted half-chicken (arroz de pollo), slow roasted pork (puerco asado) with congri rice (Cuban rice and beans) and ropa vieja, a slow-roasted mix of peppers and onions in a wine and tomato sauce that you can get with shredded flank steak or mushrooms and beans. That congri rice also makes for a nice, belly-packing side to those camerones if you ask for it. (Sides of plantains or black beans done Cuban style are other options.)
The food prep and plating at Gustazo is meticulous, and the service is prompt and polite. The classic blue-tiled Caribbean colonial decor remains the same, as it should. For a place so spacious, especially in height, the ambience is surprisingly warm, intimate and inviting.
Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar, 2067 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge
Cambridge writer Tom Meek’s reviews, essays, short stories and articles have appeared in WBUR’s The ARTery, The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Globe, The Rumpus, The Charleston City Paper and SLAB literary journal. Tom is also a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and rides his bike everywhere.
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