The Burrito Blog

May 2005

Boston Sunday Globe

Even if you look like a big, full color dummy in Sunday edition of The Boston Globe, they say all press is good press, right?

Maybe.

I returned home to discover my roommates hung that hilarious photo on the fridge. They put it up at work, too.

Click on an image for the full size.

This entry is filed in {Press}.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Boston Sunday Globe

Welcome To Taqueria Cancun

East Boston. Finally.

Taqueria Cancun is a little place in Maverick Square right on the Blue Line (Map).

It's a little more expensive than your average taco stand, but less so than most sit down restaurants. That's nice, 'cause they offer table service. In fact, they do such good business there's often a wait to get a seat.

They have an extensive menu with all kinds of special plates and soups. Take advantage and get something different.

This entry is filed in Taqueria Cancun.

Monday, May 30, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Taqueria Cancun | Comments (2)

Boston's Biggest Burrito Under $5

Perhaps this is premature.

There aren't many places we haven't been to, and so far Tacos El Charro definitely has the biggest burritos we've seen for less than $5.

Remember the Chile Colorado Monster? That was no fluke.

Look at how happy Rich is holding that brick. Nothing but smiles.

If anyone has spotted a bigger burrito in Boston for under $5, please let me know.

This entry is filed in Tacos El Charro.

Monday, May 30, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Boston's Biggest Burrito Under $5

Lechuga! Lechuga! Lechuga!

After slamming Burrito Max in my "Where's the Pollo" entry a few weeks ago, I returned to give them a second chance. Along for the mission was Adrienne, Boston.com employee and Burrito Blog advocate.

The BBQ pork burrito was bland and very heavy on the lettuce.

Everyone deserves a second chance, even you, Burrito Max. Even if you blow it. Twice.

This Burrito Max meal was rated: 2.1.

Sunday, May 29, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Lechuga! Lechuga! Lechuga!

Caldo De Mariscos

I hit Tacos El Charro in JP to get my hands on their curious goat stew taco. After seeing the Sunday only menu options, my plans changed.

I've had some sopas before (one was even on sale) and never been disappointed, so I'll have to return for the goat stew taco.

The crab probably wasn't from Maryland, nor the mussels from PEI, but at $11, you get way more than what you pay for.

This Tacos El Charro meal was rated: 7.8.

Sunday, May 29, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Caldo De Mariscos

IHOP Gives You Pimples

This meal was not a burrito; this meal was a mistake.

It was about 2:30 AM and a decision was made to head to IHOP in Brighton. It was gross. First it took about an hour to seat 14 of us, and then the food was kind of, well, typical of IHOP.

Why didn't we go to Felipe's? It was the liquor.

This {Other} meal was rated: 0.4.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for IHOP Gives You Pimples

Welcome To Tacos Pepito's

After spending over a year in our Nation's Capital, I finally found a Burrito that can hold its own against most if not all burrito joints in the northeast corridor. Tacos Pepito’s Bakery on Columbia Street in Adams Morgan (Map) delivers the goods. At first, the extensive menu can be intimidating with various authentic Mexican dishes including Beef Tongue and Beef Head Tacos.

Come for the burritos, and you won’t be disappointed.

In particular I recommend the chicken burrito. As testament to the authenticity of the Mexican heritage, the Chicken Burrito is listed on the menu as the “Burrito Gringo.” It’s that same authenticity that serves as the only downside. The language barrier is the X factor and unless you can order in Spanish the burrito delivered to you may not be exactly what you requested. But roll with the punches and you’ll have yourself one of the best burritos our Capital has to offer for a little under 6 bucks.

Tacos Pepitos was reviewed by Junior Burrito Analyst Dave Stuart

This entry is filed in Tacos Pepito's Bakery.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Tacos Pepito's

Behold The Possibilities

Today, Sara said to me, "You know I can't believe you've stuck with Burrito Blog this long."

Clearly, the average person does not ponder a lifetime of burrito eating options. At Anna's Taqueria, an establishment with very few menu selections, we, the Burrito Analyst Team, have calculated 12,288 standard item combinations for the Super Burrito alone. This does not include combination or double meat burritos.

That would take about 34 years, eating one burrito per day.

Sara, Burrito Blog will never die.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Behold The Possibilities

Did You Write That Down?

My lunch the other day reminds me of Chinese food with my boss about a year ago.

Boss: I'd like the #4 lunch special.
Waiter: What kind of soup?
Boss: Hot and sour.
Waiter: OK. And for you?
Boss: Wait, no MSG on mine.
Waiter: (silent acknowledgement)
Boss: Did you write that down? No MSG.
Waiter: (Nods head)
Boss: 'Cause I didn't see you write anything. Can you write it down?

At El Pelon, they write down your order on a little slip of paper with your name before sending it back to the kitchen. I got the fish burrito with no mayo, which was correctly documented by the cashier. The picture clearly shows black beans smothered in that nasty mayo sauce.

This would have been delicious if only they left out the mayo. Did you write that down?

This El Pelon Taqueria meal was rated: 5.0.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Did You Write That Down?

You Forgot Poland

This past weekend Junior Burrito Analyst Dave Stuart was back in Boston (well, Somerville really) for a little reunion with his college buddies.

We met up at Anna's in Davis Square for a little snack. Check out his shirt - a reference to the 2004 presidential debates.

Oh, and don't ever drive from Roslindale to Somerville. Ever.

I passed within a 1/2 mile of these burrito places on the way (in order): Yucatan Taco, Anna's Taqueria, Boca Grande, El Burrito, Felipe's, Boca Grande (again), Anna's Taqueria (again), Tacos Lupita, Qdoba, and Picante.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for You Forgot Poland

Burrito Barter

Everyone knows that you can find anything on Craigslist. One man's trash is another man's treasure. But can you find burritos?

Check this out:

Laptop / Notebook Bag / Carrying Case: $5

I never use it. It's a black laptop bag with shoulder strap and lots of little pockets inside. I plan on taking the proceeds and squandering them on a burrito.

Oh, yeah, I'm selling the laptop bag.

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Burrito Barter

What Lies Beneath The Steak Tostada

Greg and I went to Faneuil Hall after work the other day to grab some Baja Fresh. I'd been before, but never in Boston.

I should mention that I was paying for Greg's meal in exchange for a Burrito Blog t-shit design. Why is this important? Because he got the most expensive thing on the menu.

I've got to give high marks for presentation on this thing. Just look how nicely everything is arranged, and how hearty those ingredients look.

All is not as it seems.

Once Greg dug around a bit, it became apparent that 'Tostada' really means 'salad' at Baja Fresh.

This entry is filed in Baja Fresh.

Sunday, May 22, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for What Lies Beneath The Steak Tostada

Burrito Oasis In Faneuil Hall

I never took a class in photography, but my untrained eyes thought this shot was pretty telling. You can see how Baja Fresh dropped right into Boston's historic Faneuil Hall (Map). There are something like 40 food spots in Quincy Market, and Baja is killing the competition, except Pizzeria Regina, of course.

Anyway, I got the Baja with rice added to it. It's basically a regular burrito with no beans or rice, but it has guacamole. Who came up with that one?

You've got to add your own hot sauce, so I went with the salsa verde. I always feel interrupted adding sauce between bites.

Was I impressed? Not really. But there's not much else around this part of town for beans and rice.

This Baja Fresh meal was rated: 3.8.

Sunday, May 22, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Burrito Oasis In Faneuil Hall

Welcome To Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

My first visit to Baja Fresh was in Pentagon City, Virginia. Junior Burrito Analyst Mike Schwimmer and I were on a tear around the district to find some excellent burritos. That quest led us, well, outside the district.

Owned by Wendy's International, Baja Fresh is huge, with 300 restaurants in 28 states as of May, 2005. Of these, about half are franchised (Yahoo! Finance). Update: Wendy's sold Baja Fresh in late 2006 to a private investment group. Details here. That same investment group, operating under the name Fresh Enterprises, later bought La Salsa.

My biggest complaint about Baja is their pre-fabricated menu items. See, you're not encouraged to go up and order a burrito and spec out its contents. They want you to get the Ultimo, the Fajita Burrito, the Baja or something like that, kind of like Taco Bell.

Upsides include the free tortilla chips, the enchilado style option, and the ability to call in your order ahead of time, if you're into that sort of thing.

This entry is filed in Baja Fresh.

Sunday, May 22, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Baja Fresh Mexican Grill | Comments (10)

The Unfiled Tamale

Location: TaQueria La Mexicana

Contents: Pork Tamale

Date: Unknown

Notes: It was damn good. At $1.25, you can eat a small fist full of these. I recommend you do.

This entry is filed in TaQueria La Mexicana.

Saturday, May 21, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for The Unfiled Tamale

Some Like It Wet

I went to Taco Rico to explore their burritos. They’ve got two kinds of burritos, Big Burritos and California Burritos. There are some differences in the filling, but also difference in the size.

Stay with me here.

They offer either burrito in regular or ultra size. The smallest is the regular California. A regular Big Burrito is the same size as an ultra California burrito. Then there’s the ultra Big Burrito, which I saw some guy order. I only caught a quick look but it looked to be about the size of my leg. The guy didn’t come close to finishing it. I’ll be back for that.

This time I went with the ultra size California burrito with steak. From there I had to decide if I wanted it "wet." Wet means they cover the burrito in enchilada sauce and melted cheese for $1.70. I went for it. The burrito ended up costing $8.40, but it was big and they give you free chips & salsa with every meal. Getting it "wet" was a good call too. It was pretty good and it filled me up.

From Junior Burrito Analyst Phil Jonas, Miami.

This Taco Rico meal was rated: 6.5.

Saturday, May 21, 2005 by Phil. Permalink for Some Like It Wet

Char Burrito

As mentioned, the process at Cosmic Cantina includes grilling the burrito after wrapping it in foil. First, this makes the preparation take a little longer.

No problem. I'll sip some sangria. Take your time.

Second, there seems to be less quality control, as not all burritos lay on the stove the same way.

I've got give credit where credit is due. Taco Bell had the QC figured out on their assembly line style grilled stuft burrito. The grilling was uniform in its distribution on both sides of the burrito.

Overall, I was disappointed, but will try it again one day.

This Cosmic Cantina meal was rated: 3.6.

Friday, May 20, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Char Burrito

Welcome To Cosmic Cantina

Cosmic Cantina was first introduced to me soon after Burrito Blog's inception. There are three locations: Union Square in Manhattan (Map), Durham, NC (Map), and Chapel Hill, on the UNC Campus (Map).

This place boasts organic burritos. I suppose I can't argue with that.

They steam their tortillas like Anna's Taqueria, Boca Grande, and others, but then they wrap them in foil and put them on the stove for a little burnt flavor. It's interesting.

The New York location has a liquor license, which is nice, and has a bar-ish atmosphere to it. Here's the secret sauce: the NYC Cosmic Cantina closes at 5am.

This entry is filed in Cosmic Cantina.

Thursday, May 19, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Cosmic Cantina | Comments (4)

The Aftermath

This is what happens when, after eating your own meal, you clean up the scraps on what two of your friends leave behind.

I have a serious problem with wasting food, I just can't let it happen. I guess my parents really drilled that into my head when I was little, but I really believe it - to the point of making myself woozy.

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Thursday, May 19, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for The Aftermath

Seriously, Try This

It's the enchilada and chile rellenos plate. It was great. I think it was $5.75 and a culinary masterpiece.

Chile rellenos is a pepper stuffed with melted cheese and some kind of filling - chicken in my case.

The sauce on top reflects the flash. Despite the appearance in the photo, it really wasn't greasy.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 8.1.

Thursday, May 19, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Seriously, Try This

Greg Gets The Big Eyes

It's no secret that $8.00 will buy you a lot in tortillas. Greg got some plate which I can't find on the official menu, but it came with 2 tacos, 2 tamales, and 2 enchiladas.

Check out this picture of Greg 1 tamale and 1 1/2 Tacos before giving up.

I ate the rest.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 7.1.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Greg Gets The Big Eyes

No More Snacking Before Meals

Remember when your mom used to say that? Clearly, John's mom never uttered those words, 'cause he got a plate of nachos instead of a regular lunch. And he couldn't finish that.

They were pretty delicious though (I cleaned up the scraps). Best nachos ever? Just might be.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 6.6.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for No More Snacking Before Meals

Welcome To Taco Rico

The first stop on my journey was Taco Rico. Fortunately, my girlfriend is a Mexican food fiend and turned me onto this charming and reasonably priced joint not far from her apartment in Coral Gables (Map). I have stopped in a few times before for some of their absurdly large combination platters. It’s time to turn my attention to the burrito.

This entry was written by Junior Burrito Analyst Phil Jonas.

This entry is filed in Taco Rico.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 by Phil. Permalink for Welcome To Taco Rico

Burrito Blog Reaches 100 Posts

That's right. This is the 100th entry. I hope you've enjoyed it so far.

We have so, so much more to eat.

This entry is filed in {News}.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Burrito Blog Reaches 100 Posts

I'm Phil, I Believe You've Heard Of Me

I'd like to introduce you all to Phil, the latest addition to Burrito Blog. He'll be covering Miami. Here's his big hello:

Bienvenido a Miami. So here I am, in the land of Cuban food, writing about burritos. No problem. As one of the original patrons of Anna’s Taqueria around the time of its opening, I have been taught by the best the power of the almighty burrito. I have been shown that Heaven or Hell can be wrapped up in a tortilla. As a result, I will search high and low in the barrios of Miami for the perfect burrito, stopping everywhere along the way, and I will take you with me.

-Phil Jonas

This entry is filed in {News}.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for I'm Phil, I Believe You've Heard Of Me

It Was Good Going Down

Turbz had to dump some gear over at Guitar Center, so we hit Taco Bell on the way. Burrito Blog wouldn't be complete without it. This was actually my first time at Taco Bell in exactly 2 years - back in DC at J Street.

I got the Grilled Stuft Burrito. Why they spell it s-t-u-f-t instead of the conventional 'stuffed' no one was sure.

The Stuft comes out like a brick (out of the kitchen, not out of me). This makes it really difficult to get your hot sauce evenly distributed. You see, Taco Bell uses these little hot sauce packets like McDonalds does with ketchup. With most items, you just unwrap the tortilla and add your sauce, but you can't do that with the stuft.

It was good going down, but I felt really, really bad about two hours later. As mentioned in the ratings criteria, I take points away for feeling like death post meal.

PS: What is that little bubble of ooze on my burrito? I've never seen anything like it.

This Taco Bell meal was rated: 1.2.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for It Was Good Going Down

Think Outside The Spicy Chicken Burrito

I kind of went into this one blind. I've seen the Spicy Chicken Burrito ads on TV. Actually I hardly watch TV at all, but, as Taco Bell brags, "147 million people see a Taco Bell commercial once a week" so it's hard to miss.

The menu isn't very informative, so I really had no idea what was going to be in this thing.

I order, start eating.

I still have no idea what's in this thing. There was rice, and some chicken, and then some mystery sauce. I had to go to the official website to find out what this business was about.

Spicy Chicken Burrito
A warm, soft, flour tortilla wrapped around shredded chicken that has been slow simmered in authentic Mexican spices, seasoned rice, creamy Jalapeño sauce and fiesta salsa.

Creamy Jalapeño sauce, huh? Interesting. Anyway the thing totally falls apart in your hands as you can see from the picture. Still, at under $2, you get what you pay for.

This Taco Bell meal was rated: 3.0.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Think Outside The Spicy Chicken Burrito

You Talk, We Listen

I've been to El Burrito before - a number of times. Between the time I started this blog and the time I made it back to El Burrito, I got a comment from a gentleman who goes by the alias Patrick Bateman (The main character from American Psycho). Here's what he had to say:

Go to EL BURRITO in brighton. It's on brighton ave just past harvard st. Try the CHICHARRONES. QUE BUEN SABOR, CACHUNDO.

And so we did. Greg got it, and he said it was good. Chicharon is pork cracklings. They're a little fatty and a little crunchy. You can see a bit in the top left of the picture.

Patrick Bateman, your wish is my command.

This El Burrito meal was rated: 6.8.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for You Talk, We Listen

Peppers: Red, Yellow, Green

The other day John, Sara, and I went to Felipe's for lunch. I got the a super chicken verde. John got the super chicken, and because the line was short, he asked them to throw in a few peppers. Sara, who does not like Mexican food (yet) got a turkey wrap from around the corner.

It had mayonnaise on it. Poor girl.

This Felipe's Taqueria meal was rated: 7.1.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Peppers: Red, Yellow, Green

Felipe's Petition To Stay Open Later

I mentioned only the other day the ongoing improvements at Felipe's. This is the best yet.

According to Junior Burrito Analyst John Furnari, they are collecting signatures to petition the state for a later closing time. Currently, they close around 2:30 am or so on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The goal is 4:00 am.

Where do I sign?

This entry is filed in Felipe's Taqueria.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Felipe's Petition To Stay Open Later

Welcome To Taco Bell

There's one thing you can't deny about Taco Bell: they sell a lot of burritos. In 2003, they sold $5.4 billion of food, a significant portion of which were burritos.

In addition to burritos, they sell tacos, gorditas, and all kinds of wacky tortilla related creations.

Of all the Multi State Chains, Taco Bell is the most ubiquitous. They have a whopping 6,500 restaurants in the United States, most of which are franchises. They employ 166,000 people. They go through 260 million pounds of ground beef each year, and 104 million pounds of cheese. On the average, 147 million people see a Taco Bell commercial once a week – more than half of the U.S. population. True story.

The Taco Bell in the photo is from Savannah, GA, and is not the standard the old logo.

This entry is filed in Taco Bell.

Saturday, May 14, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Taco Bell | Comments (19)

Bad Journalism, Bostonians Outraged

Yesterday, Kyle Smith of Northwestern University had an article published in the school newspaper called, 'Ode to Chipotle' mentioning Boston Burritos.

Please allow me to quote the author:

While in Boston visiting my sister over spring break, I found myself parched and dizzy. I asked Kelly where the nearest Chipotle was; she responded by saying that there were no Chipotles in Boston. I nearly fainted.

Noticing my paleness and shortness of breath, Kelly dragged me to a curious restaurant called Qdoba. It was the dollar store to Chipotle's K-Mart.

Dear Bostonians, please let Kyle know that we have more to offer than Chipotle and Qdoba. I encourage you to email him at k-smith2@northwestern.edu.

Thank you.

This entry is filed in {News}.

Friday, May 13, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Bad Journalism, Bostonians Outraged

No Words To Describe

Blogging about burritos and recipes and rice really gets tiring. I think I'm just running low on creativity at the moment.

This is a super chicken from El Burrito. What can I say other than it was good? Um, it was big...

Writer's block. I'll be back on the saddle tomorrow.

This El Burrito meal was rated: 6.0.

Friday, May 13, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for No Words To Describe

Not Poops, Plantains!

While they aren't the greatest looking food in the world, fried plantains are a fine treat. This sample from El Burrito Taqueria happens to be one of the less aesthetically pleasing I've seen, but I swear they were delicious.

Greasy? Yes.

The fried plantains from El Pelon look much more appealing 'cause they're sliced, but I'm going to have to give the flavor nod to El Burrito.

This El Burrito meal was rated: 7.2.

Thursday, May 12, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Not Poops, Plantains!

Felipe's Abandons The Diced Jalapeños

This is truly great. They used to dice the jalapeños. It was one of my biggest complaints. Now, they slice them!

I don't know whose idea this was, but its discovery made my day. I love the constant improvement. It makes the burritos better for us all.

Bravo, Felipe's!

This entry is filed in Felipe's Taqueria.

Thursday, May 12, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Felipe's Abandons The Diced Jalapeños

Birth Of A West Coast Analyst

The grease was slightly more than I'm used to, and had me hesitating at first about the healthiness of it all. But I made sure I kept an open mind.

Halfway through the Burrito de Carnitas with salsa, lettuce and hotsauce, came the epiphany - hands down the best tasting burrito I have ever eaten.

I went for the sun, but I'll stay for the burritos. More to come this fall from Burrito Blog's Junior Analyst, West Coast division.

This burrito was eaten by John Furnari.

This entry is filed in Los Burritos.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Birth Of A West Coast Analyst

Welcome To Los Burritos

I went to California with dreams of golden sun, and glorious burritos.
Everyone that lives on the West Coast has a lot to say about the superiority of their Mexican cuisine. Having spent nearly every day of the past 2 years in some taqueria or other out here in the northeast, I felt like I needed to see for myself.

After a couple of mediocre experiences at some of Los Angeles's more prominent chain Mexican joints, a knowledgeable local burrito hunter led me to Los Burritos on Hollywood Blvd (Map) right smack in the middle of the walk of fame. And there it was, a home for those who search for all that is good in their taquerias. Good service, cheap prices, and a wealth of options to choose from.

This restaurant was visited by Junior Burrito Analyst John Furnari.

This entry is filed in Los Burritos.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To Los Burritos | Comments (8)

Welcome To El Burrito Taqueria

Have you been to Allston Rock City? The place is dirty. El Burrito Taqueria is in Allston, and it's dirty, too. The guy who makes your burrito is usually the same guy who's making your change, but I try to look past such details.

Fortunately, they serve burritos, not dirt, and the burritos are damn good.

Despite its convenient location on Brighton Ave (Map), they deliver (nights and weekends only) with a minimum of only $10.

The menu here is constantly changing, so stop in and see what's cooking.

This entry is filed in El Burrito.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To El Burrito Taqueria

Paparazzi Interrupts Super Boiled Chicken

11:35 AM: I arrive at Taqueria.

11:36 AM: I order a super boiled chicken burrito with no beans, no cheese, and extra hot sauce.

11:38 AM: I sit down to eat.

11:40 AM: The Paparazzi arrives, intimidates me with a large lens.

11:42 AM - 11:55 AM: I hurriedly eat my burrito, avoiding swarming, screaming fans.

It's all because of my fame. Curse this celebrity business.

This Anna's Taqueria{Press} meal was rated: 3.1.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Paparazzi Interrupts Super Boiled Chicken

I Become Famous

The Boston Sunday Globe mentioned Burrito Blog a couple Sundays ago.

Click on the image for a readable size.

So, does my fame win me free burritos? No.

This entry is filed in {Press}.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for I Become Famous

Chains Expand

From ReviewJournal.com:

This particular segment of quick-service Mexican food [is] one of the fastest-growing in the industry... Industry leader Chipotle -- owned by McDonald's Corp. and based in Denver -- has more than 320 stores, according to the Nation's Restaurant News. Qdoba Mexican Grill, based in Wheat Ridge, Colo., has more than 200 stores, according to Karen Guido, vice president of marketing, and is opening one or two a day across the country.

It looks these days like Mexican is winning the fast-casual wars. Call it the Battle of the Burrito -- metaphorically analogous to Mexico beating the French at the Battle of Puebla, commemorated by Thursday's Cinco de Mayo celebrations (which -- not to digress -- also celebrates American domination of the Margarita and Mexican beer markets).

This entry is filed in Qdoba.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Chains Expand

Harvard Reputation Slipping

At $53,000 a year, Harvard will provide you with lifelong networking connections, prestige, a fat paycheck and better luck with women; however, it will not provide you with a top tier burrito lunch.

The burritos pictured above were obviously pre-frozen and were a bit dry. Regretfully, the Harvard dining staff also seemed to be winding down the school year, like the students, providing us with less toppings (salsa and sour cream) than on a typical burrito day (guacamole, salsa, sour cream, onions).

This was also the debut of the quesadilla, pictured top left. This too left lots to be desired. The quesadilla was made to order, but had too high of a bean to cheese ratio and very little flavoring.

With only 10 meals to use on a meal plan each week, I advise against using one for the burrito lunch.

The above review was written by Junior Burrito Analyst Zach Morello.

This {Other} meal was rated: 2.5.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Harvard Reputation Slipping

Chicken Burro, Pass The Grease

I like my food dry. Dry as in not smothered in grease. No such luck for the chicken burro from the Border Cafe.

You can see the oil reflecting the light on the Jambalaya rice and the cheese from the enchilado style delivery.

The meal was good, but really, this isn't the kind of thing you can eat every day. To the new readers: I eat burritos almost every day.

This Border Cafe meal was rated: 5.1.

Monday, May 09, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Chicken Burro, Pass The Grease

Welcome To The Border Cafe

This sit down Mexican restaurant is in Cambridge's Harvard Square (Map). I heard a rumor there's another location in Massachusetts but I'm not sure where. There's another location on Rte 1 South in Saugus, plus two in New Jersey, one in Virginia, and one in Delaware.

It's a fun atmosphere - more of a place for a drink than a quick snack. The menu has lots of choices, though I wasn't able to get a take out menu to scan so you'll just have to trust me. Chips and salsa are provided.

Table service doesn't woo me, but the cocktails do.

Sponsors:

"; $columns = 1; for ($i = 0; $i < count($arr_xml['URL']);) { echo ""; for ($j = 0; $j < $columns; $j++) { if ($arr_xml['URL'][$i]) { echo "{$arr_xml['BeforeText'][$i]} {$arr_xml['Text'][$i]} {$arr_xml['AfterText'][$i]}"; } else { echo " "; } $i++; } echo ""; } echo ""; } } function tla_updateLocalXML($url, $file, $time_out) { $xml = file_get_contents_tla($url, $time_out); $xml = substr($xml, strpos($xml,'(.*?)', '"'); $n = 0; while (isset($out[$n])) { $retarr[$out[$n][1]][] = str_replace($search_ar, $replace_ar,html_entity_decode(strip_tags($out[$n][0]))); $n++; } return $retarr; } tla_ads(); ?> This entry is filed in Border Cafe.

Monday, May 09, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome To The Border Cafe | Comments (1)

Carnitas Cupcake

For my birthday, Sara from work got me a cupcake with a little pig on it.

How fitting.

Carnitas is pork. Get it? Get it?

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Saturday, May 07, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Carnitas Cupcake

Taco, Self Promotion, Supersuckers

So I'd been trying to get a ticket to the Supersuckers show for a few days, then finally got a lead on Craigslist. The guy was nice enough to sell me the ticket for face value, so I took the leftovers and got myself a snack at Picante.

I had the portobello taco, which was $3.25 I think. That's a little expensive for a taco, but it came with guacamole. It was ok.

In line, I heard these guys behind me talking about how the line at Anna's moves so much faster, so I introduced myself and gave the site a little plug. Their reaction: "You have a blog about burritos? You can't be serious."

Oh, but I am.

This Picante Mexican Grill meal was rated: 4.4.

Saturday, May 07, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Taco, Self Promotion, Supersuckers

Enchilada Plate Satisfies

Greg got the Enchilada Plate from TaQueria La Mexicana last week. It's been our collective experience that the plates are better than the burritos here.

At our previous visit, Greg got a burrito but preferred the enchiladas. This particular configuration comes without rice and beans, and costs $6.00. You can get two enchiladas with rice and refried beans for $5.75.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 7.3.

Saturday, May 07, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Enchilada Plate Satisfies

Happy Birthday To Me

Unquestionably, this was the best birthday in recent memory of all time. I'd go into detail about my day, but I know you're not that interested in anything other than meals, so I'll get to the point.

This is a super steak burrito from Anna's Taqueria with extra hot sauce and guacamole. It was a little on the large side and completely delicious.

This Anna's Taqueria meal was rated: 8.3.

Friday, May 06, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Happy Birthday To Me

I Draw Huge Crowds

As all the loyal readers know, Cinco De Mayo was my birthday. Somehow, my lunch plans were leaked, and people lined up out the door at the Beacon Street Anna's awaiting my arrival.

Red carpet.

The truth is, Harvard Street always has shorter lines than Beacon. They also have more seating. Harvard Street was closed for expansion all last summer, and I think there must be some people out there that permanently switched to Beacon.

News flash: Harvard Street Anna's is open and the lines are shorter.

This entry is filed in Anna's Taqueria.

Friday, May 06, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for I Draw Huge Crowds

I Was Born On Cinco De Mayo

It is not a lie. That's a scan from my driver's license. How fitting is that?

You all know what I want for my birthday (free lunch).

You all know how to give it to me (link at right).

Seriously, if anyone buys me lunch they get to pick the place - just say in the PayPal form where you want me to go, and then I'll blog about my birthday burrito.

Mom, you are not eligible.

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for I Was Born On Cinco De Mayo

Human Resources Oversight

John and I rule at recruiting. However, today we made a critical blunder.

While impressed with a kid from Northeastern University, we forgot to ask him what he likes for lunch. What were we thinking?!

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Human Resources Oversight

Low Viscosity Refried Beans

Following our excellent experience at TaQueria La Mexicana last week, we went back on Monday. I had the 'special' plate. Please note that the special plate is not a daily special but permanently so.

The plate was fine, although not as good as my lofty expectations. What concerned me was the beans. These frijoles were especially soupy. Curious.

Null Hypothesis: The refried beans are unadulterated.

Alternative Hypothesis: The refried beans have lard added to them.

At this point, I am unable to reject the null hypothesis. More research is required.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 5.8.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Low Viscosity Refried Beans

It's Good To Be Back

After a long period of running around town, John and I returned to Anna's Taqueria. It really has been a long time. The last time I was here I didn't bring my camera, and am still waiting for John's friend Alana to send me the photos from her digital.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), there was some free pie at work today which I pigged out on at 10 am, so I wasn't that hungry.

As a result of the pie tasting, I decided to get the regular chicken burrito. Still, it was great to be back at Anna's.

This Anna's Taqueria meal was rated: 7.2.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for It's Good To Be Back

Deceptive Photography? No.

This is the torta from TaQueria La Mexicana. It spills off the plate. In their official photo, the torta appears much smaller. I promise you, it is not small.

Zach was craving a nap after downing this thing. A $4.75 sedative - what a deal.

This TaQueria La Mexicana meal was rated: 6.4.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Deceptive Photography? No.

Donde Esta El Pollo?

On Thursday a few of us headed over to Burrito Max. I'd been here before, just not since I started photographing my food and posting it on the Internet. Burrito Max is know for their wacky menu options, so I decided to get the Harvest burrito.

I usually don't do this sort of thing.

Allow me to quote from the menu:

chicken, gravy, cornbread, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato - $5.45

Please refer to the above photos. I submit to you, there was no chicken in this Thanksgiving leftover burrito. Many may point out that there is no chicken on Thanksgiving, either. That, my friends, is immaterial.

As I dug in, I assumed only that the contents were poorly distributed. While they were, (no sweet potato in photos #1, #4, & #5), the conspicuous absence of chicken soon consumed my investigation.

You will notice in photo #4 that there appears to be a chicken-ish substance in the middle of the burrito. I assure you, that is nothing more than tortilla.

Photo #6 documents me hopelessly seeking the chicken for which I paid.

This Burrito Max meal was rated: 3.5.

Sunday, May 01, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Donde Esta El Pollo?

Welcome to Burrito Max

Burrito Max is sits in the heart of Kenmore Square (Map), just beneath the CitGo sign. They have one of the largest burrito selections in the Boston area, offering different kinds of tortillas (whole wheat, chili, tomato, and spinach) and a variety of non-traditional burrito options.

They're known locally for employing a great many rock and rollers. If I remember right, a compilation CD of all the bands that had members employed at Burrito Max (Piebald) was kicking around Planet Records before Kenmore Square was ruthlessly decimated by Hotel Commonwealth.

This entry is filed in Burrito Max.

Sunday, May 01, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for Welcome to Burrito Max | Comments (7)

San Francisco Burrito Review Source

Many of you have been emailing and commenting about the phenominal burritos available only in San Francisco.

I came across a Bay Area burrito review site that appeals to my penchant for statistics and charts. Have a look for yourself.

Once Burrito Blog opens up a travel agency, we will organize a San Francisco tortilla tasting tour.

This entry is filed in {Other}.

Sunday, May 01, 2005 by Jonah. Permalink for San Francisco Burrito Review Source