Restaurants

Pass the Salsa, Start the Revolution

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A lack of distinctive flavor also bedeviled two of the entrées (as opposed to combination platters) I tried. Chicken flautas required a serious infusion of the guacamole and sour cream garnishes, as well as a forkful of the delicious refried beans, to be the least bit interesting, while chilaquiles — a casserole made from softened tortilla chips, cheese and beef — tasted exactly as it appeared: a plate of soggy nachos. (Chilaquiles are also available with beans and fried egg instead of beef, one of several vegetarian dishes on the menu. In fact, Jasoom has the most vegetarian-friendly Mexican menu I've seen.)

Too much flavor was the only problem with the "May 5" platter I tried on another visit. This featured chicken enchiladas and pork chile verde — roasted pork and pickled cactus topped with a tomatillo-based sauce. The cactus (almost certainly nopal, or prickly pear) was an authentically Mexican touch. Both were quite good at first, but one of them (I never could figure out which) had been overseasoned with cumin, whose domineering flavor gradually obliterated everything else.

I'll count the pork chile verde as a winner, though. It really was excellent until the cumin kicked in. And it was similar to the best thing — by far — I ate at Jasoom, the red chile beef. This featured braised beef and pickled cactus (again) in a chipotle-based ranchero sauce. Braising made the beef fall-apart tender and brought out a subtle note of sweetness to complement the smoky and spicy (but not overwhelmingly so) sauce. Without doubt, it's the most distinctive item on the menu, the one dish where I felt Fletcher wasn't merely imitating Mexican cuisine (granted, it's a fine imitation), but adding his own notes.

In fact, I wish Jasoom would risk another revolution (besides ditching the kitschy Mexican décor) and augment its crowd-pleasing Mexican selections with more dishes as intriguing as that red chile beef. Still, even at its most conventional, Jasoom is satisfying. Revolution or not, this is comfort food.

Even if I feel a little uncomfortable while I'm eating it.

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