The Burrito Blog

October 2006

Free Boo-Rito At Chipotle

If you wear a costume this October 31st at Chipotle, you'll get a free burrito. Some conditions apply.

Conditions: To qualify for the free burrito, your must be dressed as a

• Chipotle burrito
• Chipotle taco
• Chipotle burrito bol
• Chipotle salad

This is not a joke.

This entry is filed in Chipotle.

Monday, October 30, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Free Boo-Rito At Chipotle

Anna's Elusive Breakfast Burrito

That's right Anna's loyalists, the tale of the breakfast burrito is not, in fact, a myth.

I have seen it first hand; I have tasted its legend.

The breakfast burrito is available only at the MIT location. That Anna's Taqueria installation opens at 7am (I do not wake up that early) and thankfully continues to serve the breakfast burrito until mid morning.

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• Beans
• Rice
• Potato
• Steak - but not the regular carne asada
• Cheese
• Salsa
• Spinach - sometimes

The breakfast burrito does not satisfy my quest for early morning huevos rancheros in the Boston area, but it's the best substitute found so far.

This Anna's Taqueria meal was rated: 7.9.

Friday, October 27, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Anna's Elusive Breakfast Burrito

Bursting At The Corn Husk Seam

After my first experience with Boca Grande's super delicious chicken tomatillo tamale, I went back for seconds.

Ok, to be fair, I've been eating these things constantly and in secret. Not all my meals are shared on the so called series of tubes. While none have been as amazing as the first, all have been great experiences.

The Kendall Square (Cambridge) Boca Grande employees that served this particular tamale were kind enough to substitute guacamole for sour cream free of charge, giving this tamale the high score. You guys rule.

This Boca Grande Taqueria meal was rated: 8.1.

Monday, October 23, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Bursting At The Corn Husk Seam

Web Overlords Love Burritos

A while back I met up with Todd Galloway, creator of the Fafarazzi celebrity fantasy league, a pretty excellent place that'll validate your desire to brag about how well you know the personal business of total strangers.

We went to Taco Loco in Somerville to talk about the Internet and burritos. Taco Loco is also pretty excellent, and I really don't go there often enough. As proof, I got lost on the way there. Then I lost the pictures once I returned home.

Like embarrassing secrets in Ashlee Simpson's past, the photos of our lunch have resurfaced for your enjoyment.

Tell your friends to put down their copies of US Weekly, pick up the keyboard, and have a go at Fafarazzi.

This Taco Loco meal was rated: 7.0.

Friday, October 20, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Web Overlords Love Burritos

Highest Value Tacos: Hurry To Boloco

Yesterday John, champion of Burrito Blog's first speed eating contest, and I went and took advantage of Boloco's 3 tacos for $2 offer (coupon required).

Rather, yesterday we accepted the offer. When we go back over and over again until 10/31/06, we will be taking advantage.

Regularly priced just under $6 for 3, the tacos we decent. John had 3 steak and I mixed it up with steak, carnitas, and tofu. Unless you're really into tofu, I recommend not experimenting. It tasted fine, but was straight out of the refrigerator, and no one likes a cold taco.

Tacos came with salsa, shredded cheese, and some undisclosed, peach colored, tangy sauce. The sauce had a nice kick, but as burgers do not require Thousand Island dressing, tacos need not be similarly altered. Next time I'll get it on the side or not at all.

Unfortunately my camera phone is garbage, and you deal hunters will just have to trust me. Taco Bell's value pricing is a joke compared to this. Go.

This Boloco meal was rated: 7.5.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Highest Value Tacos: Hurry To Boloco

3 Tacos For $2, Coupon At Boloco

Boloco is running a promotion until 10/31/06 where you can get 3 tacos for $2, if you bring in a printed copy of their coupon, here.

That's about the best deal ever for 3 tacos, so hit print and get your jacket.

This entry is filed in Boloco.

Monday, October 16, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for 3 Tacos For $2, Coupon At Boloco

Tortilla Supply Chain: Harbar LLC

Back in high school I dreamed up dumpster diving plans to find the producers of Anna's raw ingredients. They never materialized, but I do see the Famoso Foods truck outside the Harvard Street location all the time.

The Boston Globe ran a great article about restaurant suppliers last week. By restaurants I mean taquerias, and by supplies I mean tortillas.

Harbar LLC tortillas, available in stores under the name Maria & Ricardo's Tortilla Factory - and as the shell of choice at Anna's Taqueria, Boloco, and many other local places...the reasons that the demand on Harbar's 60 employees for 250 kinds of tortillas is so high.

Harbar tortillas are sold under private labels in many markets. Maria and Ricardo's brand are available at Harvest Co-op Markets and Whole Foods Markets (10 wheat or corn tortillas cost about $2.50)

The full article goes into some serious depth about tortilla manufacturing.

Heidi Maria Hartung, founder of Harbar, you are the Henry Ford of my world.

This entry is filed in {News}.

Friday, October 13, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Tortilla Supply Chain: Harbar LLC

Desk Lunch Less Exciting, Still Delicious

I'll admit it, I'm still not fully acclimated to the real world. I especially have trouble getting used to the fact that sometimes there's just no time to enjoy lunch. Well, they can confine me to my desk and make me speed through lunch, but they can't limit my choices.

In about 10 minutes, I can get down the street to El Zorro, order a super steak burrito (like the one pictured at right) and be back to work. And that's all the time I need.

Though staring at my phone and keyboard while I dine is not the most picturesque of settings, El Zorro's super burritos still provide a great lunch that won't let you down. There's nothing particularly remarkable about them, nor are they especially a bargain, but the burritos at El Zorro are solid and consistent, and they taste very good. Even at my desk, lunch is usually the highlight of my day.

This entry is filed in El Zorro.

Saturday, October 07, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Desk Lunch Less Exciting, Still Delicious

Welcome to El Zorro

With a new job, comes a new lunchtime taqueria. You may remember from previous posts that my last job brought me in close proximity to Pancho's, which turned out to be a disaster of a taqueria. Whether or not my new job is a step up or not, I can unequivocally say that my new lunchtime taqueria is a vast improvement.

Taqueria El Zorro probably doesn't get the recognition it deserves because it's situated in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood (Map), which is better known for overpriced, greasy, unimaginative, tourist-trap Italian restaurants masquerading as authentic, high-end Italian cuisine, but in actuality are probably much closer in quality to Olive Garden.

I say next time you're in North Beach, skip the spaghetti and calamari and get yourself a burrito from El Zorro. They don't have the outdoor seating that many of the Italian places have, but you can always get it to-go and walk up Columbus a few blocks to Washington Square for some nice outdoor dining.

This entry is filed in El Zorro.

Saturday, October 07, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Welcome to El Zorro | Comments (1)

Sign Perplexes Burrito Analyst

This sign was affixed to the glass at La Cumbre Taqueria. I don't know where to begin.

1. What do oysters have to do with needing a lift?
2. Why is "Need a lift?" in quotation marks? Who's posing that question, the oysters, the kangaroo, or La Cumbre?
3. Is this sign asking the oysters if they need a lift from a kangaroo, or alerting the customer the the presence of oysters and then asking the customer if s/he needs a lift that can be provided by said oysters.
4. Either way, why would oysters need a lift in the case of the former, and what kind of lift do oysters provide in the case of the latter?
5. Why would a kangaroo be a logical mode of transportation for oysters? I understand that kangaroos have pouches, but wouldn't osyters be transported more efficiently by putting them in a bag and driving them somewhere?
6. Why does La Cumbre Taqueria seem to be the only taqueria that stocks oysters?
7. Does La Cumbre sell many oysters?
8. Does La Cumbre even really have oysters?

My query of this sign could probably go on. If I'm missing an obvious joke here, someone please let me know.

This entry is filed in La Cumbre Taqueria.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Sign Perplexes Burrito Analyst