La Raza

Stuff yourself for a bargain

by Margaret LeRoux

La Raza 387 Cambridge Street< Worcester (508) 798-8455 Hours Wed.-Thurs. 2:30-9:30 p.m. Fri.- Sat. 2:30-10-30 p.m. Sun. 1:30-10:30 p.m. Cash only Full bar handicap accessible

The cuisine may be from Central America, but Worcester's newest ethnic restaurant aims for a global audience. La Raza translates as "human race" and chef/owner Danilo Duarte says he and his family "cook for everybody. Anyone is welcome here."

If your exposure to Latin-American food is limited to Taco Bell and to Chi Chi's, you're in for a surprise. La Raza's dishes are authentic, which means you'll find tripe and hominy on the menu; but don't worry, there are plenty of more-familiar dishes like tacos and enchiladas.

La Raza is on Cambridge Street, across from the Harry Sherry baseball field. Its next-door neighbor is an auto-body shop, but don't be put off by the industrial feel. I'll admit, a friend and I were at first. Once inside you'll be in the bar; owner Duarte who doubles as host on week nights, quickly led us to the dining room just down the hall. My friend and I were warmly welcomed and given lots of help translating the menu from Duarte and his wife, who is one of the friendliest waitresses we've encountered in a long time.

The dining area is at one end of a large room, which, we later learned, features live music and dancing on the weekends. Snowy white cloths cover the tables and soften the room's somewhat stark appearance. Soon after we were seated, we got a basket of homemade tortilla chips and a little dish of green salsa, full of tomatillos. They were delicious, but we overcame the urge to beg for a refill.

The menu is written in Spanish, yet descriptions of most dishes are written in English. We began with a sampling of pupusas, which are the snack food of El Salvador. They're corn tortillas stuffed with a variety of ingredients: refried beans and pork or cheese. Pupusas are to El Salvador what apple pie is to Yankees, and every family has its own method of making them. At La Raza, Duarte's mother makes pupusas about six inches in diameter, using masa harina, or corn flour, so they're thicker than the corn-tortilla version offered in other Central American eateries. We tried a pork-and-refried-bean pupusa and a cheese variation, both a bargain at $1.25. We liked the pork better; the filling was more flavorful. Pupusas are always served with curtido, a sort of cole slaw, made from shredded cabbage and carrots pickled in vinegar. Curtido adds more flavor and texture, and makes for a messy eat. You'll scramble to get the cabbage-topped chunk of pupusa into your mouth before the relish falls off. Fortunately, you are supplied with a stack of paper napkins. If the combination is not spicy enough for you, there are little bottles of Tabasco sauce on each table, so heat up your own.

Next we tried one of La Raza's tamales, another cheap-eat special at $1.50. I've had Mexican-style tamales before, but the corn-husk covering has always been a challenge. The first time I tried to eat it; the next time I made a big mess trying to get the husk off. La Raza's tamales offer no such barriers, the fat, corn- flour cylinders are served naked -- no corn-husk coat -- and they're filled with a mildly spiced pork. We thought the curtido was a good accompaniment to the tamales as well.

For the adventurous eater, La Raza offers a chance to sample another Central American staple you're not likely to encounter anywhere else in Worcester, menudo ($10.50). This is soup made from tripe, hominy, and chili stewed for hours with garlic and other spices. Or try the four seasons, a platter of clams on the half shell, garlic shrimp, grilled beef, and pork with rice ($12). Call ahead to check on this offering, as it's a special, not on the regular menu.

There are plenty of more familiar-sounding dishes: a plate of three tacos, beef or chicken ($4.50); enchiladas ($4.50); and Texas-style fajitas ($8.50).

My friend is a connoisseur of burritos -- the best he's eaten in the state are at La Veracruzana in Amherst -- but La Raza's version at $6.50 passed muster. It was a large, soft, flour tortilla crammed full of beans, grilled beef, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Big enough for him to offer me a generous sample and still have plenty for himself.

I tried a chicken tostada ($4.50), a crispy flour tortilla topped with refried beans, chunks of stewed chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, and a blizzard of shredded cheese. It was filling and delicious.

La Raza offers a selection of Mexican beers. Corona ($3.25) was a perfect accompaniment. The two of us stuffed ourselves for $19.95 before tip.

I'M A BIG SHREWSBURY STREET fan, having eaten in all the neighborhood's Italian restaurants. Now there's another, sweet reason to visit. Wholly Cannoli, at 140 Shrewsbury Street, is a new bakery featuring Italian pastries so authentic you'd swear they came from the North End of Boston. Don't miss the lobster tail, the flaky pastry stuffed with ricotta-cream, the lemony cheesecake squares, and the namesake cannoli, regular or chocolate. Even if you don't have a sweet tooth Wholly Cannoli can tempt you: sesame-seed topped flat bread (with just a hint of honey on the seeds) is great with breakfast coffee. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.