If you've been looking for truly authentic Mexican food--e.g., not Tex-Mex, and not even Nuevo Latino, but just well-done, traditional Mexican specialties--look not further than Tu y Yo. When you first walk in, you'll be faced with a wall covered in the numerous awards and articles which reflect Tu y Yo's unique approach to Mexican food. Unlike most Mexican establishments in the area, Tu y Yo does not limit itself to ingredients available locally. Rather, the owner of Tu y Yo has made a deliberate effort to bring the flavors of the indigenous cuisine into his Sommerville restaurant, which means, of course, importing special products not available in Boston! That's why you'll be able to try rarities such as cuitlacoche, a corn fungus which has been described as the 'Mexican truffle.'
I was particularly excited to see that certain offerings on the menu are marked as "Precolombian dishes," which adds an exciting historical component to your dining experience. And I was charmed by the fact that the menu lists many of the recipes' authors and the dates that they were developed--it really gives you a sense of the evolution of this menu and cuisine, and it is a wonderful personal touch to remind you that the dishes you are enjoying were invented by real people who developed these authentic recipes for their families.
As for the food... I'm obsessed with plantains, so of course we had to try the Empanadas de Plátano Macho con Queso, which came with a great crema blanca that perfectly cut the sweetness of the plantain filling. We liked them so much, we considered getting another order for dessert! We wanted to try the famed Mexican truffle, so we also had the Crepa de Cuitlacoche en Salsa Poblana, a thick crepe covered in a creamy sauce that was truly a new flavor experience for us--very unique!
As entrees, we had the Mole Colorado Tlaxcalteca, a chicken breast in a red mole sauce which has hints of chocolate and chipotle (just the right amount of sweet and heat!), and the Bisteces "Mamá Evelia," chopped sirloin in a a wonderful tomatillo-chipotle sauce. Both meals came with very well-seasoned black beans and two kinds of rice. We were so happy with our meals that we couldn't even stop eating when we were full! (But we weren't sorry to have leftovers to take home.)
One note about service: I have noticed that other reviewers found the service at Tu y Yo to be sub-par, but that was not our experience at all. We loved our waiter, who joked with us and gave us very candid (and ultimately spot-on) evaluations of many of the dishes we were considering. I'll admit that the staff seemed to be stretched a bit thin, so if you are the type to sit quietly in your booth and seethe because no one has stopped by to check on you in the last 5 minutes, this is probably not the place for you. But if you don't mind learning your waiter's name and giving him or her a friendly wave when you need something, you'll have no problems with the service.
Oh! And get the house sangria. It's fantastic! read more