Masas Boulder Is a New Spot Off Pearl Street Specializing in Traditional Oaxacan Fare

"We wanted to create a different experience in Boulder by bringing all the culture and cuisine from Oaxaca, Mexico, to the city in an elevated, high-end setting," says Manuel Gandara, general manager of Masas Boulder, which opened just off Pearl Street at 909 Walnut Street in early July. 

"Boulder has the market for it, but there is currently nothing like this. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants here, like My Neighbor Felix and Rio Grande, that provide an over-the-top experience with elevated food; we want to bring the real, true Oaxacan flavor to Boulder," Gandara adds.

Rather than throwing a big bash for its debut, Masas Boulder treated its first week like a soft opening and has been organically building buzz. "I feel like we've been doing a pretty good job, and people around town have been giving us a good welcome," Gandara says. "People have been dropping by and telling us that they've been passing by our storefront for months, waiting for us to open. It's a lot of locals — people who live like two blocks away from here. We are grateful for the warm welcome and excited to be a part of the neighborhood."

Gandara grew up in Mexico and has a deep connection to his country's food that he's excited to share with locals. "This is not an Americanized Mexican restaurant," he notes. "Masas Boulder provides a different experience. We are interested in teaching people how to eat quesabirria like they do in Mexico, and that they don't use silverware when eating a tlayuda. We teach them how to eat it properly, and can give descriptions of everything from appetizers like croquetas a la pibil to the main dishes, like pollo rostisado, to our specialty drinks, such as those made with a Oaxacan favorite, mezcal. For those who are new, we guide them through the process."
Since Oaxacan culture prides itself on utilizing every part of the animal and vegetable, the staff believes that having excellent produce is essential. "We prioritize quality and use locally sourced ingredients," says Gandara. "And we believe that if we support locals, they're going to support us, too."

He continues, "I grew up in Mexico and remember from my grandma that everything was almost homemade, from scratch, and there was no wasting anything. Every part of the animal is utilized, and after making tortillas, my family used to make a fermentation known as tejuino, which is available for purchase here, with the leftover corn masa. That's really the magic of Oaxacan cuisine; you have one ingredient and you can create so many different things. From the corn masa, the tortillas are part of your dinner, and the tejuino is your drink."

Its drink menu also features a variety of agave spirits, available straight or in cocktails, as well as various fermentations using local and regional ingredients. "Our signature drink is the cantarito," says Gandara, referring to a classic cocktail that combines tequila, citrus juices and grapefruit soda. "The cantarito has actually been in Mexico longer than the margarita. But for some reason, the cantarito has stayed hidden a little longer in the United States. All of our drinks are made on a side cart right at your table, so you see the work that goes into making them fresh. We don't use any concentrated juice, so everything is fresh fruit. Boulder is a great place to open a restaurant, because the people here value quality."
On the food side, you can choose from appetizers, tacos, entrees and postre [dessert]. "A lot of people think Mexican food is just rice and beans," says Gandara. "I always think that's funny because if you're going to Mexico, you're never going to find just plain rice and beans or three enchiladas. We want to take the concept of what Mexican food is and make it more like how we actually eat in Mexico. Like I said, I don't like cartoony. We're going to try to step away from those kinds of Mexican restaurants that already exist and offer people in Boulder something very different."

Gandara recommends trying the croquetas to start. It's a pork dish that, in Mexico, is traditionally slow-cooked over a fire underground for twelve hours. While the dish isn't being cooked in a hole here, it does still take the chef twelve hours to prepare the meat.

For main entrees, there are several options that he insists newcomers must try. "You can't go wrong with the buffalo short rib; that's one of my favorites," Gandara says. "We cook it the Oaxacan way, and it comes with Spanish rice, which is the best Spanish rice I have ever had. The pollo rostisado, which is the rotisserie chicken, is something that you have to try at least once. And while I don't want to talk too much about our tacos, they are all delicious, and everything is made to order. Nothing is pre-made in our kitchen — so if you do not want your guacamole with jalapeños, we can make it without them, because we make everything from scratch."

Gandara hopes that visitors will feel as if they have stepped south of the border for the evening. "We want to create an atmosphere that transports people to Mexico," he says. "Rather than reminding people of some Mexican place they tried in California, this will be more like what it's like if you've ever eaten anywhere in Mexico. And if you have never been to Mexico, this is the only place in Boulder where you can try authentic Oaxacan Mexican food."

Masas Boulder is located at 909 Walnut Street and is open from 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit masasboulder.com.