December 31, 2017

The Daily Dish: Fajitas de Pollo at Casa Romero Restaurant

Local Stories

RestaurantInterviews

Today we’d like to introduce you to Boston’s Casa Romero Restaurant.

I imagine many of your best customers don’t even know the story behind Casa Romero Restaurant – can you share some of that story with us?
I opened my first restaurant, Casa Mexico, in the Harvard Square area of Cambridge in 1967 while I was still a graduate student at Harvard. I had never expected that I would become a restaurateur, my entire interested was serving in the US Foreign Service. I served in the embassies in Paris and Beirut, before coming to Harvard to pursue a degree in Latin American Studies. While in Boston, I resigned from the Foreign Service, as I wanted to remain here. The only complaint about the Boston area that I had was that there was no Mexican restaurant here. My friends got bored with my complaints and suggested that if I wanted a good Mexican restaurant, I should open one myself. Totally undaunted, I did so, even though my only experience with restaurants was having been in them only as a dining guest. After the success of Casa Mexico, I opened Casa Romero, and on subsequent years I opened Cafe L’Ananas (Mediterranean Cuisine) , DuFour’s (classic French Cuisine), The Hermitage (Imperial Russian Cuisine), and The White House in Kent’s Corner, Vermont, (Slow Food American Cuisine).

Every story has its ups and downs – what are some of the difficulties you’ve had to deal with over time?
Nothing is ever easy to accomplish, but fortunately I was able to overcome the challenges that I faced by hiring and training all the personnel in the different restaurants either by myself or with the assistance of individuals well versed in the cuisines served in the various restaurants.

The best part about independent spots, in our view, is that they are able to think outside of the box and experiment with new ideas, take risks, cater to niches, etc. How does that apply to you guys?
Casa Romero was for many years unique becuase it was the only restaurant in New England that served only authentic Mexican food i.e. no chimichangas, no burritos, no chili con carne and other American inventions. Our classic margaritas are made according to the original recipe: 2 parts tequila, 1 part fresh lime juice and 1 part cointreau. The décor is authentic Mexican: Talavera tiles on the walls and tables, chairs from Tlaquepaque, and decorations of fine examples of Mexican crafts, paintings and antiques. We have no distractions such as TV sets,and if we could we would ban the use of smart phones, as there is nothing more annoying than seeing a table where the diners are talking on their phones rather than to their co-diners.

Most Popular Items

Fajitas de Pollo

Sliced chicken Breast Sautéed with Onions, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Tomatillo and Chipotle Sauce served with Guacamole, Sour Cream and Flour Tortillas
Puerco Adobado

Casa Romero’s Legendary Signature Dish. Tenderloin of Pork Marinated in Oranges, Tamarind and Smoked Chipotle Peppers

Camarones a la Diabla

Sautéed Shrimp in a Spicy Chipotle Sauce

Enchiladas de Carne de Cangrejo y Camarón

Sautéed Crab Meat & Shrimp Enchiladas Seasoned with Onions, Corn and Spices. Rolled in a Corn Tortilla and Topped with Tomatillo and Cilantro SauceParking Advice:
We have no parking for our customers. If they can’ find available parking in the streets, we suggest parking at a public parking garage. The closest and more reasonable is the parking garage on Dalton Street (the side street of the Hynes Convention Center)