The Burrito Blog

March 2005

A Face of Enjoyment

Greg catches a gust of bliss as he sips from his Jumex. He also had a steak burrito at Porter.

He likes the black frijoles. To each his own.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Thursday, March 31, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for A Face of Enjoyment

Fish Tacos from Pelon: No Mas

I've had the fish burrito before which is pretty good, but do yourself a favor and learn from my mistakes. Don't get the fish tacos. Yes, they're colorful, but that's only good for the pictures, not your mouth.
This El Pelon Taqueria meal was rated: 3.4.

Thursday, March 31, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Fish Tacos from Pelon: No Mas

Picante, Revisited

I believe even when something is good (in Picante's case, bad) you've got to reevaluate to strengthen the certainty of your conclusion. So with low expectations I hit Cambridge again for some people's republic burrito testing.

The scientific process works, and my low expectations were exceeded. Last time I was here I tried to order a simple man's burrito - just chicken, rice, salsa and hot sauce. That kind of thing doesn't fly 'cause it's just too plain at this place. Learning from that I got the Tino - a chicken burrito with spinach and mushrooms. Give the kid some flavor.

This Picante Mexican Grill meal was rated: 6.2.

Thursday, March 31, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Picante, Revisited

Extended Hours for El Pelon

While they used to turn you away at 10:30, El Pelon is keeping their doors open just late enough to catch those who get shut out from Anna's and Boca at 11. Instead of 11:00 am - 10:30 pm, their new hours are from 10:00 am - 11:30 pm. That's an increase of two hours per day! Rejoice.
This entry is filed in El Pelon Taqueria.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Extended Hours for El Pelon

Human Resources

John and I initiated our new intern today with a standard burrito ritual. John got a nice parking spot over in Harvard Square, and I got the chicken verde. Sara, our new intern, has a fondness for spreadsheets. We rule at HR.

This Felipe's Taqueria meal was rated: 6.5.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Human Resources

Donde Esta Cosmic Cantina?

I heard a rumor that there's a burrito shop in Chapel Hill, Durham, and NYC called Cosmic Cantina. Aussie prize fighter Jessie Polini claims it's delicious, and that girl can't tell a lie.

I'm always up for a little road trip. It's time for a burrito testing adventure!

Can I sleep on your couch?

This entry is filed in Cosmic Cantina.

Monday, March 28, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Donde Esta Cosmic Cantina?

New Utensils, Steak Plate

Just wrapped up a steak plate from the Harvard Street location. The corn tortillas were a little sticky. I'm not sure why.

Observation: they changed suppliers for plastic utensils. How do I know? Because I smoke burrito crack.

This Anna's Taqueria meal was rated: 4.5.

Monday, March 28, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for New Utensils, Steak Plate

Scallops Burrito? I Had to Try It

The result was not a complete disaster. The burritos here are served to you on a plate, with the rice on the side. Hey chef, if the rice is on the side, warn me first or call it an enchilada. That's like eating a hot dog with a side of buns, which is gross for two reasons. First, I don't eat fat sticks. Second, I don't eat fat sticks without buns.

Focus Jonah, focus.

The scallops were ok. They weren't exactly Legal Seafoods quality, but they were ok. And you can't get a scallops burrito just anywhere, so I gotta give it a few points for rarity.

This Fajitas & Ritas meal was rated: 3.7.

Monday, March 28, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Scallops Burrito? I Had to Try It

Big Bite, DJ Turbz

Yesterday my roommate and I took advantage of some 45 degree Boston sunshine and walked the 6 or 7 blocks to grab a big Mexican lunch. Man, can you tell this kid was hungry?
This Yucatan Tacos meal was rated: 5.5.

Monday, March 28, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Big Bite, DJ Turbz

Yucatan Burrito Club

This has got to be the best burrito club I've seen. The card at El Pelon takes ten paid burritos before the freebie. All you need here is six burrito notches on your belt, and the next one is free!

And on the seventh day, he rested. Allegedly.
This entry is filed in Yucatan Tacos.

Sunday, March 27, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Yucatan Burrito Club

Inspiration From Carnitas

This was the first burrito I photographed to share with the world. It's from the Porter Square location. Greg and I tried to go to Tacos Lupita but they were closed for Good Friday. After facing some locked doors, we spun around and cut through a parking lot to get to Anna's Taqueria. Now ordinarily I don't get the carnitas, but it was looking extra lean so I went for it. It was superb. No beans this time, extra hot sauce and guacamole.
This Anna's Taqueria meal was rated: 9.0.

Sunday, March 27, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Inspiration From Carnitas

Welcome to Picante Mexican Grill

With two locations, one in Cambridge's Central Square (Map) and one in Sommerville's Davis Square (Map), Picante's got the north side of the Charles River covered. Their draw is their healthy cooking:

Picante is a health conscious gourmet Mexican taqueria in the popular California style. We don't add oil or sugar to our delicious beans, and no lard anywhere!

Here's my complaint: since the burritos aren't served with foil, you've got to wach your hands before eating anything. But the bathroom's always locked and you've got to ask for the key like it's a highway side gas station. Anyway, they do a brunch menu on the weekends and the burritos are served with a few tortilla chips.

This entry is filed in Picante Mexican Grill.

Saturday, March 26, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Picante Mexican Grill | Comments (2)

Welcome to Fajitas & 'Ritas

While a little more upscale (table service) than your standard casa de burrito, this place gets a little casual by letting your write on the walls. I left my mark: www.burritoblog.com

It opened in 1989 in Boston's Downtown Crossing (Map), replacing a sushi restaurant. Another location sat in Brookline Village for a while, but closed its doors a few years back. There's a second Fajitas & 'Ritas that's still open in Quincy (Map).

The menu is a little long and didn't scan well, so you can check out their website here. It's a little more Americanized than most places I frequent, but it boasts a full bar.

PS: 'Ritas is short for Margaritas, dummy.

This entry is filed in Fajitas & Ritas.

Saturday, March 26, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Fajitas & 'Ritas

Welcome to Tacos Lupita

This little gem of authenticity is in Somerville, right on the Cambridge border behind Porter Square (Map). It claims, "The best Mexican and Salvadorian Dishes" and really delivers.

It's a little dark inside, and a it might not be the most immaculate place you've ever seen, but there are hard to find treasures on the menu. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, they have a hearty soup of the day. Fans of black beans beware: they don't have black beans.

I've eaten a burrito or two in my day, but Tacos Lupita was my first for a couple special items.

This entry is filed in Tacos Lupita.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Tacos Lupita | Comments (1)

Welcome to El Pelon Taqueria

Boston Magazine gave this little restaurant the coveted 'Best Burrito in Boston' award in 2004, in the face of stiff competition.

Commonly called El Pelon, this place is famous for its pepper contests and proximity to the home of the Red Sox, Fenway Park (Map).

The menu offers your standard burrito fare, plus fish and plantains. Check out their wesite here.

This entry is filed in El Pelon Taqueria.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to El Pelon Taqueria | Comments (9)

Welcome to Anna's Taqueria

Anna's and I go way back. As a student at Brookline High, I fell in love early. Some people call it Anna's (pronounced ah-na's, not an-a's) but my friends mostly call it Taqueria. It's always been a hometown favorite.

At the time of this writing, there are 4 locations:

Beacon Street, Brookline (Map)
Harverd Street Brookline (Map)
Porter Square, Cambridge (Map)
Davis Square, Sommerville (Map)

Anna's is open from 10 am to 11 pm each day.

Update! There are 6 locations: Anna's opened in MIT's Student Center (source) and at MGH. Anna's also finally got a website together. You can check out a PDF of the current menu and prices here.

While the menu is simple: Tacos, Burritos, Super Burritos, Quesadillas and Mexican Plates, once you find something you like, you'll be able to eat it every day.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Anna's Taqueria | Comments (25)

Welcome to Yucatan Tacos

This quaint taco shop is located in Roslindale, Massachusetts (Map). It's a nice little place that's relatively new. I think it took the place of a pizza shop in the early summer of 2003, right when Anthony and I moved into this neighborhood.

It's run by a couple from the Yucatan Peninsula - they're nice people.

The menu has more variety than the typical burrito spot. Click to enlarge.

This entry is filed in Yucatan Tacos.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Yucatan Tacos | Comments (1)

Welcome to Felipe's Taqueria

This establishment is one of the best things to happen to Harvard Square (Map) since Newbury Comics first settled upstairs at the Garage many years back. Felipe's is a new entry into Boston's small world of burrito options and people are taking note.

People say change is always good, but in this case, change was a necessity. You see, Felipe's took over where Real Taco used to be, one of the worst places ever created. It was horrible, but that's all in the past.

Felipe's offers the standard menu items (Super Burrito, Burrito, Taco, Quesadilla, and Plate) plus a few extras like their Tostada and a condiment bar. The real differentiating factor is the hours. They close somewhere between 2 and 3 am Thursday through Saturday. Waking up with an undigested burrito and a puddle of liquor in your stomach isn't the best feeling, but an after bar snack always seems like the right thing to do at the time.

This entry is filed in Felipe's Taqueria.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Felipe's Taqueria | Comments (2)

Welcome to Boca Grande

I remember when Boca Grande opened up in Coolidge Corner (Map). My then fierce loyalty to Anna's Taqueria made me keep my distance, but after a while I finally got curious.

I went a few times, really for the enchiladas, but didn't get hooked until I became part of the frenzy at the Kendall Square location in Cambridge, MA (Map). This tiny storefront serves hundreds of people each weekday, and then either sends them upstairs to sit and eat or back to their cubicles.

There's also a location in Porter Square (Map). All Boca Grande Taqueria hours are 10 am - 11 pm each day.

I'd post a link to their site, but it looks like who ever is in charge there was too busy ringing the cash register and forgot to renew the domain name on the menu: www.bocagranderestaurants.com. Instead, check out their Citysearch page here.

This entry is filed in Boca Grande Taqueria.

Friday, March 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Boca Grande | Comments (4)

About Our Ratings

There is no defined measurement criteria. Meals are rated 0 to 10. Events that affect the final rating may include but are not limited to:

Texture
Taste
Freshness
Rarity
Menu Breadth
Presentation
Preparation
Service
Nutrition
Cleanliness
How I Feel 4 Hours Later

Please also note that the ratings are generally very strict. As a true burrito lover, I would do the world a great disservice to give each meal a rating between 7 and 10.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for About Our Ratings

Thanks! Enjoy The Shirt

Please remember to tell all your friends where you got your awesome burrito shirt. That way they'll buy some, and we'll go buy more burritos with your money.

Friday, March 11, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Thanks! Enjoy The Shirt

Jonah Feld's Burrito Bio

I began eating burritos fairly late in life. I'd had them here and there, but my first real burrito experience was in high school. I still remember it.

Matt Gully and I went to Anna's Taqueria on Harvard Street.

I didn't like it.

I wasn't in touch with my own burrito preferences. I didn't know anything.

When faced with adversity, some men turn and walk away. I ate another burrito. The rest is history.

During my college years in Washington, DC, I searched beyond the district borders for a worthy burrito. The disappointing results led me to reverse engineer a truly great burrito recipe. Did I mention I didn't go to school to study the culinary arts? After long, painful hours in the kitchen, I have concluded it is best to buy burritos. Now I write my opinions about my purchases.

This site was built in March of 2005, as a way to chronicle my life through a series of burrito eating adventures. I hope you enjoy.

Thursday, March 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Jonah Feld's Burrito Bio

General Comments

You can comment on a specific restaurant by clicking on the restaurant name on the top right of this page, and then clicking on "Your Comments" under the heading "Eat Here" on the top right.

If you would like to tell the world about your favorite burrito spot, you may comment here, but please be sure to add it to our Mexican Restaurant Directory (opens in a new window). Just select your state, and then add your listing. It's easy!

Comment with confidence. The privacy policy is simple and safe.

Thursday, March 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for General Comments | Comments (121)

Privacy Policy

If you comment on Burrito Blog, your email address and any other personal information will never be sold or given away to any 3rd party, ever.

Your secrets are safe.

Thursday, March 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Privacy Policy

Friends Of Burrito Blog

Burrito Eating Friends:

Nick at Hot Sauce Blog
Bandini at The Great Taco Hunt
Mike at The Food Monkey
Surfers and t-shirt vendors at The Ryde
David, Peri-Peri hot sauce pusher at Nando's Blog
Chris and George, pro packers at Tiger Tacos
Todd from Support Our Ribbons and Chipotle Lovers
John, Burrito Blog adventurer, at The World Is Meh
Mustache man at Burrito Eater
Local Cambridge foodies Jon and Caroline from Bostonist
Darius and Daria from Dinersaur
Elise at Simply Recipes
Mary, cancer beater and burrito lover from Burritoville

Regular Friends:

Dorothy at Upper East Side Scene
Overdrive, my home away from home.
Sean at The Getaway Blog

Other Eating Friends:

Alaina at A Full Belly
Dylan at The Unofficial Atlanta Food Critic
Learn to avoid the 'Bad Fish Joy' at Make My Sushi
Pizza fanatics at Slice

Thursday, March 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Friends Of Burrito Blog

Meet The Junior Burrito Analysts

John Furnari
California

Originally from Yonkers, NY, John has recently moved to Los Angeles. He seeks tortilla Mecca.

Phil Jonas
San Francisco

Boasting an amateur career in the culinary arts, Phil reports on San Francisco's burritos, representing the Northern California arm of Burrito Blog. Formerly covering Miami, Phil has written restaurant reviews for the North Miami Herald under the pen name, "Alex Jonas." He is famous for eating three super burritos in one sitting.

Anthony Morris
Washington DC

Anthony lives in the Northwest neighborhood but gets all over to try the local fare.

Burrito Chris
Washington DC

Chris lives in the Northwest neighborhood. He has cameraphobia.

Zach Morello
New York

Zach is a burrito machine. With his taste buds trained at Bueno Y Saño, he has exceptionally high standards.

Mike Schwimmer
New York / North Jersey / Philadelphia

'Big Mike' moved from DC back home to NJ in search of better Mexican food. Send NY/NJ/Philly burrito recommendations directly to Mike at his email address. Mike has an enormous Mexican appetite and is known to eat enchiladas for dinner at La Hacienda then follow it up with Chicken Quesadillas at the Empress diner.

Ethan Schechter
Illinois

A fellow Brookline native, Ethan now lives in Chicago. Don't ever let this guy convince you to split a Mexican plate with him. He'll have swallowed 80% by the time you return from getting some napkins.

Ethan's standard meal is a super burrito preceded by a chili verde taco.

Dave Stuart
Washington DC

Dave Stuart can eat. I had breakfast with this guy about 4 days a week at the Australian outdoor cafe in the picture at right. While the food was not spectacular, we were both love struck by the same waitress.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Meet The Junior Burrito Analysts

Error: Looks Like You Got Lost

I'm not sure what happened, but the page you were looking for isn't in town.

Good luck finding the burrito you seek.

Monday, March 07, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Error: Looks Like You Got Lost