Harvard sees standard Mexican fare at El Jefe's Taqueria

Studded with specialty eateries, high-end lounges and quick service joints to accommodate even the most frugal of passing students, Harvard Square is a diverse but likely difficult market to break into for restaurant owners. That fact hasn’t stopped Fire + Ice Founder John Schall from introducing his latest venture, El Jefe’s Taqueria, to Mt. Auburn Street in Cambridge.

El Jefe’s, which opened its doors last October, replacing The Taco Truck, offers up standard, semi-authentic Mexican fare with the promise of fixed pricing ($7 burritos across the board) and late-night hours to satisfy all cravings and schedules. The taqueria’s noble commitment to “freeing the guac” and providing a menu that ranges from breakfast to dessert will surely attract a following of customers tired of paying extra for toppings andsometimes contracting diseases from the same old fare at chains like Chipotle.

Boston has never been known for its Mexican food, and El Jefe’s isn’t going to be the restaurant to change that any time soon. However, its variety and high-quality ingredients allow it to compete with established taqueria rivals like Felipe’s Taqueria in Cambridge and Anna’s Taqueria in Somerville.

The standard burrito, taco and bowl menu at El Jefe's includes additions like fresh pico de gallo and lightly fried plantains. Generous bags of corn chips can be purchased with sides of salsa, guacamole or queso in addition to small quesadillas and chimichangas. A few Mexican soups, salads and breakfast items fill the rest of the menu, and specialty beverages and desserts such as flan and chocolate mousse are available in glass coolers by the counter. The space is brightly lit and clean, although seating is somewhat limited for the restaurant’s size, and the old pop music playing inside does not provide the best ambiance. Orders are taken assembly-line style and an exceedingly friendly staff makes placing them an easy-going experience.

For an early dinner on a slow Thursday evening, the roasted vegetable burrito, loaded with Mexican rice, pinto beans, lettuce, sour cream and plantains, provided a decent meal. The plantains were unfortunately dry and were neither warm nor particularly sweet, turning the ingredient this reviewer was most excited about into the meal’s low point. However, the generous helpings of add-ons and a deliciously soft corn tortilla saved the burrito from falling into unsatisfactory territory.

Queso loaded with jalapeños was a nice, diet-destroying side, served with tasty corn chips in a greasy paper bag. Most items at El Jefe’s are served on varieties of paper products, which detract from the restaurant’s overall aesthetic but probably keep the costs down and allow for all that free guac.

The quality of the meat available at restaurants is often make-or-break for Mexican food fans. Although this reviewer is a vegetarian, a member of her party assured her that the beef tacos at El Jefe’s were flavorful and satisfying. And cooked-in spiciness is of no consequence; an entire wall of hot sauces, the “picante station,” provide all the heat and flavor of your wildest taco dreams.

El Jefe’s may not be the next big thing in Cambridge, but it provides an affordable, tasty option for Harvard kids having late nights, Brattle Theatre-goers looking for a quick meal and Bostonians who are sick and tired of the Chipotle-industrial complex.

El Jefe’s Taqueria is located at 83 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, MA near the Harvard Square T-stop.It can be reached by telephone at 617-945-1986, and the full menu is available on its website. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. seven days a week.