The Burrito Blog

El Buen Sabor

Risky Lifestyle Impairs Burrito Eating

This might not look like much, especially thanks to the poor quality of the picture, but what you're looking at here is a wound I incurred when a well-hit softball bounced off the ground and into my face. Now I'm not one to complain about pain usually, and I didn't when it happened. No, I played through the pain, even while it started to bleed.

My pain threshold was crossed when I got home and tried to eat dinner.

I hadn't counted on how tough it was going to be when I purchased the super chile verde pork burrito from El Buen Sabor, but as I sat there for about 45 minutes nibbling at my burrito, lacking the ability to chew properly, I realized that this injury was going to be a bigger inconvenience that I thought.

I hope this doesn't leave a mark.

This El Buen Sabor meal was rated: Painful.

Friday, August 11, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Risky Lifestyle Impairs Burrito Eating

Green Minds Think Alike

Recently my colleague, Jonah Feld, published an entry about the best Chile Verde in Santa Monica. At the same time that this story went up, I was drafting a similar article for my own home jurisdiction of San Francisco. While Pili's Tacos received that distinction in Santa Monica, Taqueria El Buen Sabor receives the honor here in San Francisco. I will provide two caveats to the granting of this honor:

First, I recognize that there is a great deal of Chile Verde in San Francisco that I have not yet tried. However, I was very impressed with the moistness of the meat, and the flavor of the marinade. Unique points were also awarded for some other objects found in the mix, which I assume are peppers and onions. Should I encounter a better Chile Verde, I'll let you know.

Second, I realize that some people may suspect a conflict of interest with my giving El Buen Sabor such a favorable review since they were my sole corporate sponsor in the recent AIDS/Lifecycle fundraiser. I assure you that my integrity and honor as a Burrito Analyst are of the utmost importance and are not subject to compromise.

See also: Green but not quite verde and green like the forest canopy.

This El Buen Sabor meal was rated: 8.5.

Saturday, July 29, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Green Minds Think Alike

You Better Skip Lunch, Huevos Rancheros

This is the biggest plate of huevos rancheros I have ever seen. Phil had been telling me about its legendary size for some time, but I don't think I was prepared for this.

There was a bit too much cheese for my liking - I forgot to ask for my beans to be served without queso. My fault. I should have spoke up.

While this plate of huevos rancheros was not the best I've ever had, it certainly tops the results of the Huevos Rancheros Mission in Boston.

And then I skipped lunch.

This El Buen Sabor meal was rated: 6.2.

Thursday, July 20, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for You Better Skip Lunch, Huevos Rancheros

Powered By Burritos

I apologize for my absence, dear readers, but I was riding my bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles along with about 1,800 other riders to support the fight against HIV and AIDS.

There are many people I have to thank for helping me achieve my fundraising goal. Among them is my sole corporate sponsor, the very generous Taqueria El Buen Sabor, who helped sponsor my ride and also supplied me with a free t-shirt (barely distinguishable in the picture shown here), which I was happy to wear on the ride.

El Buen Sabor also supplied me (though not free) with one of their delicious Super Chile Verde burritos the night before, which provided me with some of the nutrients necessary to complete the 585 mile ride. Review to follow.

Thank you, El Buen Sabor, for your contribution in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

-Phil

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Powered By Burritos

Phil's Chorizo Home Game

When we got food in college, we had two types of meals: home games (meals taken to go back to our house), and away games (meals eaten at the restaurant). This El Buen Sabor meal is an example of the former, illustrated by the brown paper bag containing one super chorizo burrito atop my kitchen table.

I hadn't yet had a chorizo burrito, though it's a very common meat choice here in San Francisco, and that was enough to pique my interest. For a remarkably comprehensive definition of chorizo, check Wikipedia. For the more concise version, Mexican chorizo is ground pork sausage with chili and other spices added.

The chorizo in question is distinguished by its red color.

The result? Unique and delicious. If you like sausage, you'll love it. If you don't like sausage, you might still like it since the other ingredients, especially the sour cream, temper the sausage's potent flavor, though it remains very much recognizable.

This El Buen Sabor meal was rated: 7.0.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Phil's Chorizo Home Game

Welcome To El Buen Sabor

Reporting from San Francisco, Phil.

With no need for gimmicks or wasted words, Taqueria El Buen Sabor directly translated into English means, "Taqueria The Good Flavor." A bold statement for a taqueria that had not been visited by any of the people I asked when I moved to San Francisco.

It's located on 18th and Valencia, a relatively high foot traffic area, and it has the word "Taqueria" prominently displayed on the outside in multiple locations. It's only drawback is it's somewhat conservative and humble presence.

Well, no taqueria located a mere block and a half from my new apartment would go unvisited.

My affair with El Buen Sabor began when I first moved in and had no food in my new apartment. For the first week or two I made El Buen Sabor my breakfast place pretty much every day. They were open early enough, and they served a mean Huevos Rancheros (review to follow).

What I found when I began to dabble into the less breakfast-oriented items on the menu there, is that Taqueria El Buen Sabor was unjustly overlooked, and grossly underrated by the surrounding burrito community.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 by Phil. Permalink for Welcome To El Buen Sabor