A guy walks into two bars: Masa vs. La Cucaracha

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The idea: We wanted to find a good place to have tropical drinks in the dead of the Minnesota winter. And just to spice things up, we thought we’d taste test cocktails from both sides of the river to see who offers the better tonic for the February deep freeze. I visited La Cucaracha in St. Paul and Masa in Minneapolis to sample margaritas from each.  We put ‘em head to head: St. Paul vs. Minneapolis, casual vs. fancy, and neighborhood hangout vs. downtown destination. It’s on!

The look: La Cucaracha has a welcoming, lived-in look; after over two decades in St. Paul’s Crocus Hill neighborhood you’d expect nothing less. The two dining rooms are painted in warm mango and tangerine colors, while the bar is a deep blue with dark-stained wooden booths. The décor is neither flashy nor tacky; for the casual dining Goldilocks, La Cucaracha is just right.

Masa takes a different approach. As contemporary is its cuisine, Masa is all bright white, glass, and stainless steel with cool-toned tiling. All this immaculateness runs the risk of feeling cold, but the simmering orange underlighting throughout the lounge softens the mood. The bar itself wraps around the middle of the room at right angles, boxing in the bartenders like boxers in the ring. But, for us patrons, the layout provides a front row seat for people watching from any vantage point.

The crowd: La Cucaracha was full, but not crowded on Thursday night. Families passed steaming dishes around the tables in both dining rooms while a younger crowd of couples on dates and friends having drinks after work filled the booths in the bar. There was a cutesy exchange between one couple I witnessed in which a young woman tapped her date on the shoulder, held out an empty hand molded around an invisible pint glass and said, “Baby, what’s wrong with this picture?” Awww…

The lounge in Masa was bustling at happy hour on Friday. Given its downtown location, the crowd was predictably more formal than the folks in La Cucaracha. Office workers rubbed elbows with seasoned professionals and cast their briefcases aside while shiny, happy people kick-started their weekend in the hip environs.

The drinks: The margaritas at La Cucaracha come in three sizes: regular, large, and Ay Carumba! (What I call Ay Carumba is actually a pitcher.) All three are available frozen or on the rocks and come in three different recipes. “The Tourist” is made with Juarez Gold, “The Cliffhanger” uses Sauza Gold, and “The Bullfighter” goes all out with Sauza Commemorativo, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier. My buddies and I decided to start with the good stuff and ordered a pitcher of The Bullfighter to accompany our meal. We were not disappointed. The salty rim ignited the bite of the tequila and balanced the tangy sweetness; best of all there was no hint of saccharine that I associate with run-of-the-mill margaritas that come out of a gun at less authentic establishments. Nope, this “matador” had no bull.

With our taste buds aglow from “The Bullfighter,” we downgraded to “The Tourist” to wash down the remained of our entrees. I would have felt like a bit of a sucker if I couldn’t taste the difference but “The Tourist,” while refreshing in its own right, wasn’t as full and juicy as “The Bullfighter.”

To find out Ted's takes on Masa and the verdict of the margarita match-up, follow this link.

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