Cape Cod isn’t known for their Mexican restaurants. For most people, lobsters and other seafood comes to mind. Bringing both together, there’s a restaurant in Hyannis called Beech Tree, serving seafood with Mexican flavors. Like many other Mexican restaurants, Beech Tree claims their food is authentic. However, their food is not authentic to Mexico. The restaurant serves the Mexican dishes like quesadillas, fajitas, and empanadas, but there isn’t much of a traditional authentic taste. It’s not easy to create authenticity, but they do try.
The house specials vary, with many different choices and range from $15 to $24. The dishes consist of grilled chicken, grilled steak, baby back ribs, lobster mac and cheese, fresh cod, shrimp—all dishes served with rice and beans and all served with sauce. The sauce is what stands out on the menu; it may not at first, but in reality it is the most important ingredient. The menu describes entrees served with a “cheese sauce,” “BBQ sauce,” “pineapple salsa,” “wine scampi sauce,” and so on. The sauce brings the dishes to life. The sauce adds the “authentic Mexican spice” that they try to serve. The portions are decent, but the appetizers are very small—smaller than they should be for prices that range from $8 to $13.
I ordered shrimp tacos and a margarita. It’s hard for me to find a restaurant I like, as a lot of restaurants are not vegetarian friendly. Meaning the menu doesn’t have many options other than a garden salad. I do not eat red or white meat, but I do eat seafood. The plate I ordered came with a side of rice and beans and I split the dish with my sister. The food was enough for the both of us. The tacos were not already prepared, so the server brought us the shrimp and vegetables and the tortillas separately and we made our own tacos. The grilled shrimp was delicious,with lots of flavor. I normally do not like tortillas, but when I made the tacos and took the first bite, I couldn’t believe how good it tasted.
One appetizer that Beech Tree is known for is their guacamole. It is prepared table-side, and depending on the server’s personality it can be quite a show. The guacamole is delicious and the customer can pick the ingredients they want in it.
The best part of Beech Tree is the drinks. The margaritas are strong and taste great. At 10 p.m. the restaurant stops serving food and customers fill the restaurant for their famous cocktails. The drinks are a reasonably priced and make for a good night out with friends.
The setting at the restaurant is spacious with different choices of seating. In the summer and warmer months, customers are welcome to eat and drink outdoors by the historic Beech Tree, which is what the restaurant was named after. According to the Beech Tree website, in 1776, Barnstable was the only town on Cape Cod that did not vote for independence from the Crown, and because of that, the Governor of the ‘Cape and Lands’ wished to reward them, giving Barnstable an English Weeping Beech Tree. The tree is beautiful but seeing concrete built around it takes the beauty away from it, and even makes the environment look sad. The tree just doesn’t stand out as much.
Inside the restaurant there are booths and tables for customers to relax. There is also seating at the bar, with televisions set up to attract sports fans. The lighting inside is somewhat dimmed, creating an intimate atmosphere. On Saturdays the restaurant hosts live entertainment. The music is very loud, and if you are seated close to the set up, it might be hard to have a conversation. Overall the atmosphere is very lively and most customers go there to enjoy good cocktails.
The service is fast and the servers are friendly, which makes the experience better. The restaurant is located on Main St. and in the summer time it gets very busy. What is great is that Beech Tree is open year round and locals are also able to enjoy it in the off season. Hyannis is not that far of a drive from Boston and most people visit the cape in the summer, so a stop at Beech Tree is a must. Although the food is not very different from other Mexican restaurants, the drinks are great and the atmosphere is fun. The next time you find yourself on the cape, stop by Beech Tree and have a good time.
Come for the margaritas: Beech Tree in Hyannis
By Jesenia Mendez
|
November 17, 2014