The Burrito Blog

Romano's Pizza

Anthony Saves The Day

My parents were moving. They had lots of stuff to carry. No one likes moving, and no one likes helping other people move, either.

Anthony, seen here a few weeks ago at Romano's in Roslindale, stepped up and came to the rescue.

You are what you eat, so the transitive property concludes:

If Anthony = a steak burrito from Romano's, and Anthony = pure furniture moving muscle, then a steak burrito from Romano's = pure furniture moving muscle.

Problem solved.

Thursday, July 19, 2007 by Jonah. Permalink for Anthony Saves The Day

When In Roslindale, Go To Romano's

It was late September, and I needed a haircut. But I was way too busy to be concerned with appearances, and so I waited.

Then it was mid December, and my friends and family slowly stopped recognizing me. So I went to Sebastian's Barber Shop in Roslindale, and while I was there, had to grab a snack at Romano's Pizza.

Carnitas taco, chicken tamale, and that haircut were exactly what I needed.

The taco came with hot sauce already applied, at my request. Onions and cilantro are standard; tomatoes and cheese are not.

Taco weight: 3.9 oz | Price: $2.00 | FDR: 1.95

This being my first tamale from Romano's, I didn't know what to expect. Tamales are hit or miss, but Romano's pizza had yet to let me down.

At $2, their tamale is probably less than half the size of Boca Grande's tomatillo chicken tamale ($4.25), but has all the verde sauce and corn taste. Bravo Romano's, bravo. I'll be back in mid March when the hair is long and I look like a caveman again.

Tamale weight: 4.8 oz | Price: $2.00 | FDR: 2.40

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 7.8.

Sunday, December 10, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for When In Roslindale, Go To Romano's

Segregation Not Welcome

As a big fan of Romano's, it is with regret that I publish bad news. The top photo is a carnitas plate from Romano's with no beans. The bottom archive footage is of John dropping some Blair's Jalapeño Death (our review here) on his Al Pastor plate from Anna's.

The problem is that Romano's puts the meat off to the side; nothing in this plate is ready for mixing. Anna's has the meat on top of the rice.

Some might offer that this is caused by my no beans request. I would like to point out that there are no beans in the bottom photo, either. Had there been, they would have been in the upper left corner of the plate, at the site of the lettuce.

I don't like my food segregated. Mix it up, amigos.

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 4.9.

Thursday, September 14, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Segregation Not Welcome

Contrast: Campechanos And Carnitas

On the left, campechanos. On the right, carnitas.

The sum of their contribution = some of Boston's best tacos.

The campechanos is pretty ridiculously greasy, so don't get it all the time.

For visual subtleties in meat color, see also: Even The Milk Tastes Chocolaty.

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 7.7.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Contrast: Campechanos And Carnitas

I Make Marks Like Zorro

At Romano's the grease left behind from a campechanos taco (to be reviewed separately) was fodder for my signature. The limes are periods.

This is similar to how Fajita's & 'Ritas lets you write all over their walls. But more filthy.

Fitting though:

Zorro, Spanish for fox, is...a fictional nobleman and master swordsman living in Spanish-era California.

I used to live in modern day Spanish-era California, and am fictionally Spanish.

Saturday, August 12, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for I Make Marks Like Zorro

The State Of Massachusetts' Tacos

Cathy is caught in mid hot sauce drip. After many complaints stemming from legitimate Bay Area based taco snobbery, she finally found satisfaction at Romano's in Roslindale, MA. Her high standards come from thorough taco testing. Note the mounds of cilantro.

I've got to agree with Cathy. Boston is a sleeper hit for burritos, but the average Boston taco leaves much to be desired. Exceptions like Romano's, Felipe's, and Taco Loco aren't exactly plentiful.

This Romano's Pizza meal was rated: 8.0.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for The State Of Massachusetts' Tacos

Passing Up Anna's By Choice

The other day, DJ Turbz let me know that he reached a new day in his burrito eating life.

He was coming home from work, consumed by hunger. In a brazen move, he drove past Anna's (pictured) without stopping for a meal.

It was not for lack of money.
It was not for lack of time.
It was not for lack of parking.

It was Romano's. The burrito gem of Roslindale, Romano's was under our nose the whole time.

Monday, January 30, 2006 by Jonah. Permalink for Passing Up Anna's By Choice

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

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.

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