The Burrito Blog

December 2005

We Got San Loco That Night?

Ever the drunk food establishment, San Loco does it's best business after many restaurants close. The clearest memories of this night are provided by digital photograph.

Will, a man truly capable of critiquing food, was not available to comment, because he had no recollection.

This entry is filed in San Loco.

Thursday, December 29, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for We Got San Loco That Night?

Mo Burritos Mo Better

My three former roommates, Justin, Dan, and Mr. Fink all had this inside joke about the word Mo.

Justin, pictured here, seemed to lead the cult of Mo, and found the Height of Moe-deocrity post hilarious.

One night in the West Village we snuck out of some champagne party for a quick snack.

After 4 months, I never found a truly amazing burrito in Manhattan or understood the humor in Mo.

This entry is filed in BurritoVille.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Mo Burritos Mo Better

In Fairness, Bone Found At Anna's

There's some bad blood between Anna's and Boca Grande.

A few months ago, Greg found a bone in his chicken ranchero burrito. A loyal Boca Grande foot soldier claimed this was impossible, and accused me of planting the evidence via email:

I'm going to have to call you and your website a big liar...If you'd like to admit that you brought this bone yourself, just to hold up for your picture, I would certainly appreciate it. If you can present me some proof of the bone, I would also listen.

Well buddy, other than the photograph, I'm afraid I'm out of proof.

In fairness, I found a bone in my boiled chicken quesadilla at Anna's, pictured above.

In chicken that is boiled, small bones sometimes escape detection.

I do not carry them in my pockets.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for In Fairness, Bone Found At Anna's

Look, A Brand New Burrito!

The joy on Nick's face is unmistakable. And why not? He just unwrapped a burrito from Anna's.

Are you going to make that gift giving season a reality and buy me lunch?

(Button on right under my picture)

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Sunday, December 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Look, A Brand New Burrito!

Mr. Fink, Enchilada Save The City

After months searching through New York for a quality burrito, Mr. Daniel Fink came to my assistance by introducing me to The Enchilada.

Sadly, it was at the end of my stay.

The Enchilada refuses to wrap their burritos in foil, and I was forced to resort to the fork and knife. Still, the quality was surpassed only by La Ceiba, which is more of a restaurant than a burrito joint. Cosmic Cantina was close, but was edged out by the verde sauce.
This The (Big) Enchilada meal was rated: 7.2.

Saturday, December 24, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Mr. Fink, Enchilada Save The City

Welcome To The Enchilada

Located in the heart of New York University just outside Union Square (Map), The Enchilada provides low cost Mexican food (by Manhattan standards) at all hours of the night (by non-Manhattan standards).

Some time back, they were known as, "The Big Enchilada." Phone books may have both listings.

It is unclear if the name change was due to a shift in ownership, trademark infringement, or a reduction in enchilada size.
This entry is filed in The (Big) Enchilada.

Saturday, December 24, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To The Enchilada | Comments (1)

Best Night In NYC Ends In San Loco

After skating to The Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C, Kristin and I found the bar completely empty.

We took it upon ourselves to give them some business. Lots of business.

What better to fill bellies than bourbon and Strongbow? Burritos from San Loco. Catfish burritos. At 2 AM.

This entry is filed in San Loco.

Friday, December 23, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Best Night In NYC Ends In San Loco

Mutant Breed Of Buffalo

While they offer the classics, Boloco specializes in 'inspired' burritos, which are hybrids containing the flour tortilla and rice found in traditional burritos, plus a flavor that may include one of the following:

• Teriyaki
• Hummus
• Feta and Caesar Dressing
• BBQ and Caramelized Onions
• Buffalo Sauce and Blue Cheese
• Peanut Sauce and Cucumbers

I'm usually more of a fan of experimentation containing goat stew or cow cheek, but I gave the buffalo burrito a shot.

I got mine without the blue cheese, and it was a little dry. I feel like it must be possible to mix buffalo sauce with rice and tortillas. Maybe this deserves a second shot?

This Boloco meal was rated: 2.9.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Mutant Breed Of Buffalo

Fork And Knife Required

Yeah, you need a fork and knife to eat the Jamacian Jerk Chicken burrito, and $10.25 to buy it. Save your dollars and your flatwear.
This Blockhead's meal was rated: 2.0.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Fork And Knife Required

Leaning Tower Of Romano's Pizza

I've said it before. Three attributes that contribute to a burrito's greatness are the steamed tortilla, a tight wrap with distributed ingredients, and foil wrapping.

During my time in NYC, I never found these three together. Of course, there are exceptions to prerequisites of greatness, but when you eat this many burritos, you've got to find a pattern somewhere.

Back to the chicken burrito specimen at hand.

You can see two of these three qualities on display. This wrap was so tight, I was able to stand the burrito on end. Brilliant. And delicious.

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 8.3.

Monday, December 19, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Leaning Tower Of Romano's Pizza

Where's Waldo Found At San Loco

On Halloween I was Where's Waldo. After checking out the parade, I hit San Loco for a chicken burrito.

Earlier that night I saw the best costume ever for a couple: Princess and Mario. New York's Halloween parade is not to be missed, nor is the late night fare at San Loco.

Unfortunately this was not a planned Burrito Blog expedition, (I only had my camera because it was Halloween) and I did not take notes on the meal.

In related news, TJ asked if I was Where's Waldo in real life, moving from place to place. The answer is no, I was Waldo on Halloween, and am Burrito Blog's Lead Burrito Analyst in real life.

This entry is filed in San Loco.

Friday, December 16, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Where's Waldo Found At San Loco

Welcome To San Loco

There are two San Loco locations in NYC's East Village, Avenue A between 9th & 10th (Map), and 2nd Ave between 7th & St. Mark's (Map), plus one more location on the Lower East Side on Stanton between Essex & Ludlow (Map).

All three locations deliver, and the LES location serves alcohol. Between the geographic locale and the fact that they're open until 4 or 5 am depending on the day, San Loco has drunk food written all over it.

The menu features catfish which is a nice twist, and four levels of hot sauce, the spiciest being the 'stupid sauce.'

Coupons are available on the official site, though I'm not sure what they're for 'cause I don't have a printer.

This entry is filed in San Loco.

Friday, December 16, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To San Loco

Radish, Radish, On My Fish

The picture says it all. There are radishes on my fish taco.

For years, I’ve tried to get used to radishes, and I’ve made incredible progress. Still, I’m not quite there.

Dear Radish,

It’s not you. It’s me. Maybe one day things will work out between us.

Regretfully,

-Jonah

This entry is filed in Snack Dragon.

Thursday, December 15, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Radish, Radish, On My Fish

Challenge: I Take No Prisioners

Location: Boloco

Inspiration: Cajun chicken, black beans, roasted corn salsa, sour cream, rice, and a flour tortilla

Challenge: DJ Turbz claims he can eat a burrito faster than Phil. Please remember that Phil once ate three Anna's super burritos (with everything) in one sitting, and defeated The Ultimate Big Burrito. But this is a test for speed, not quantity.

When is game day? Update: video results of the speed eating contest.

Related: Turbz gave the Cajun burrito high marks, but keep in mind this kid loves his food.

This Boloco meal was rated: 7.5.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Challenge: I Take No Prisioners

Welcome To Boloco

Though Boloco stands for Boston Local Company, there are, in fact, twelve Boloco locations in four states: Massachusetts, Indiana, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.

Formerly known as The Wrap, the Boloco menu offers more wrap-like selections than it does burritos.

In fact, Burritophile puts Boloco on its short list of

Places To Go If You Want Something That's Probably Not A Burrito

Traditionalists, please do not be offended. We've covered Romano's Pizza and had amazing results, so we find no harm in giving Boloco a shot, even if the burritos are less traditional and a bit 'inspired.'

See for yourself. Click on the menu for an enlarged version.

This entry is filed in Boloco.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Boloco | Comments (2)

Maiden Campechanos Taco Voyage

This was the first of firsts. Not only was this the first snack I got from Romano's Pizza, but this was the first time I tasted campechanos. Allegedly, campechanos is a combination of steak and chorizo (Mexican sausage), though I’m fuzzy on the details.

Quite honestly, this little taco blew me away. Heavy on the onions y cilantro, which I love, it was no more greasy than necessary for chorizo, and full of flavor.

Oh, and they're $2 each, a nice change from Manhattan prices.

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 7.6.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Maiden Campechanos Taco Voyage

Welcome To Romano's Pizza

Don't panic. We're still talking about burritos. The name had me fooled, too.

A fixture in Boston's Roslindale Square (Map) and only seconds away from Wapo Taco, I'd driven or walked by Romano's hundreds of times.

It's Romano's Pizza.

But on the windows are the names that make my mouth water: tacos, tostadas, chilaquiles, and of course, burritos.

I'd received a few emails about Romano's (thank you, kind readers), so after a Thanksgiving weekend haircut at Sebastian's, I decided to check it out.

Yes, they sell pizza and subs. The Mexican food is the best kept secret in town.

Click on the menu at left for a larger size.

This entry is filed in Romano's Pizza.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Romano's Pizza | Comments (1)

Califlorida Burrito - You Do What?

Reporting from Miami, Phil.

After a quick perusal of the menu I decided on something called the "Califlorida" burrito. Allegedly, "Califlorida" is a registered trademark of Mexico Bravo. That's fine, I'm always up for the house specialty.

Only problem, the burrito came with lettuce. "No worries," I thought as I asked for my burrito without lettuce.

After waiting a while, the waitress looked at me, and then looked at the burrito she had just placed in front of me, then back at me. She informed me that she forgot to remove the lettuce, but it would just be a minute. She returned to the table with my burrito, which, until recently, had a small pile of lettuce next to it.

Feeling a bit silly, I asked if she actually removed the lettuce from inside the burrito, not just the lettuce next to it. She paused for a moment before informing me that my request was impossible. Why you might ask? Because, according to the waitress, they roll the burritos the day before, and just heat them up to order. I stared blankly at her for a moment, not knowing how to react. You do what?!

See also: Lechuga! Lechuga! Lechuga!

Also, the burrito kind of looks like a Mexican cannoli.

This Mexico Bravo meal was rated: Disturbing.

Monday, December 12, 2005 by Phil. Permalink for Califlorida Burrito - You Do What?

Welcome To Mexico Bravo

A new discovery. A trip to Marshalls with my girlfriend, and we happened upon a new Mexican restaurant in the same strip mall (Map). Everything in Miami is in strip malls.

The place was called Mexico Bravo, which seemed like a good sign, because Mexico is where burritos come from, and "bravo" apparently means good. So far it seemed like we were on the right track.

However, it was not a "burrito joint" but more of a sit-down Mexican restaurant, which so far have not been kind to me in terms of their burrito quality. What's worse, Mexico Bravo was a self-proclaimed 'upscale grill.' I don't know what that means.

Let's find out.

Mexico Bravo was covered by Miami's burrito analyst, Phil.

Click on the menu for full size, or check out the other pages. 2, 3, 4

This entry is filed in Mexico Bravo.

Monday, December 12, 2005 by Phil. Permalink for Welcome To Mexico Bravo | Comments (7)

Not Chips, Strips

In the same flavor (literally and verbally) as the not poops, plantains entry, I'd like to share with you plantain strips from Mariquitas.

While on the fringe of foods appropriate for Burrito Blog, they're healthier than potato chips and taste better, too.

This {Other} meal was rated: 6.0.

Friday, December 09, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Not Chips, Strips

The Suizas Enchilada Experience

Manhattan has a shortage of quality, cheap Mexican food, it seems. The Suizas Enchilada (chicken) from La Ceiba is a notable exception.

$10. Try it.

With a nice salsa verde, I got mine without sour cream. Though I wish I got the refried beans, this was still great. No question, this meal was the best I've had in four months of this little town.

This La Ceiba meal was rated: 8.2.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for The Suizas Enchilada Experience

Burrito Blog Moves To Santa Monica, CA

What started in Boston, then moved to Manhattan, has now settled in Santa Monica. That's right, the quest for burritos and a year without snow continues.

Junior Burrito Analyst, John Furnari was kind enough to provide housing for this epic journey.

In the coming weeks, I plan to catch up on old burrito experiences and share tales of the West coast. Don't be surprised when entries come in from all over the country. That's right kiddos, Burrito Blog just went national.

This entry is filed in {News}.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Burrito Blog Moves To Santa Monica, CA

Blue Corn Tortilla

Snack Dragon surprised me in a number of ways.

1. The modest menu offering (4 kinds of tacos) is straight to the point.
2. Of these 4, 1 is chicken verde. Yes!
3. They only give you 1 corn tortilla. I think 2 is standard.
4. The corn tortilla is blue.
5. Did you see that? Blue!

It kind of fell apart before I got it home - this picture was taken before travel. While chicken verde is hard to come by, the single corn tortilla made it structurally unsound. If you don't object to the fork and knife, the chicken verde taco from Snack Dragon is a winner, even at $3.25 each.

This Snack Dragon meal was rated: 7.1.

Monday, December 05, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Blue Corn Tortilla

Welcome To Snack Dragon

Snack Dragon is the ultimate in taco shacks. Why? It's a shack. There's enough room for one person inside, and there are no wheels, which separates it from a taco cart. As a new addition to New York's East Village neighborhood in early 2005, Snack Dragon sits on Avenue B and 3rd Street (Map), offering late night snacks to both the drunk and the hungry.

To the surprise of Burrito Blog, snack dragon does not sell burritos - only tacos. No matter, we're already here.

There are four things on the menu at Snack Dragon, all served on tacos:

• Carne Asada
• Chicken Verde
• Quinoa Pilaf & Bean (vegetarian)
• Carnitas

This entry is filed in Snack Dragon.

Monday, December 05, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Snack Dragon

La Salsa Bar vs. Regular Bar

At the alcohol bar, I don't like much in the way of variety (bourbon on ice, please).

At La Salsa Bar, they invite you to sample the available flavors:

• Mexicana - Medium
• Avocado - Mild
• Mango - Mild
• Mucho Hot - Habanero
• Buena - Medium
• Roasted Tomato - Medium
• Chile de Arbol Salsa - Medium Hot

This entry is filed in La Salsa.

Saturday, December 03, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for La Salsa Bar vs. Regular Bar

Airplane Sedative

Some time back I said there'd be a review of the carnitas burrito from 'Los.' I'll keep it quick.

Enormous, greasy, and not as delicious as I had hoped, the monster served as an adequate sedative (like this torta) for the six hour flight back to New York.

High points are awarded for unexpected intestinal solidarity; I did not have to use the tiny pooper in the jet plane.

This Los Burritos meal was rated: 5.9.

Friday, December 02, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Airplane Sedative