I'm going through burrito withdrawal

[Symarip]

I'm from San Diego. You might call it "God's Country". Then again, god is kind of Santa Claus for adults so if you don't, I don't blame you. It's a nice place, despite the abundance of Republicans. Now I live near DC. This move was not by choice.

Since moving 2.5 years ago to the shittiest place on Earth... Er, I mean, the East Coast, I have abstained from my burrito fetish because they simply don't exist here. The East Coast inhabitants may be saying to themselves, but I just had a burrito the other day. I'm not talking about that bullshit, rice-infested contraption they sell at Chipoodle - no! I'm talking the real deal. In case you don't know how a burrito is supposed to be made, read the following: take a huge, fresh flour tortilla and fill it with a meat topping of choice (I like carne asada or machaca), some salsa fresca, and, maybe, some guacamole (if called for). NOTHING ELSE. No bullshit rice filler and certainly no shittacular red whatever gravy put on top. The tortilla should be slightly grilled once all the contents have been placed inside and rolled up. If desired, you may re-open the burrito to pour in some house hot sauce. Speaking of which, the house hot sauce should sit at a separate bar and contain, in addition to sauce, carrots and jalapenos. Seriously.

That, my friends, is a burrito. Not always, but typically purchased at an establishment with a name ending in 'bertos'. If the restaurant has no indoor seating and you find yourself questioning how ethical your server is, you're in the right spot. Your single serving purchase should also be in the 2 to 5 dollar range.

Anyhow, I went home to San Diego last week. And I had a burrito. And another one. And another one. AND ANOTHER ONE. And now it's all I can think about. I feel myself wasting away sitting here at my desk because no local eatery will satiate my need for real satisfaction that can only come after consuming a real burrito. Sorry, chain food just won't fucking cut it. And the truth is, the food in this area is pretty sub-par, period. That's not to say it's all bad. Some of the local BBQ is OK on occasion, though I do prefer BBQ'ing myself (low and slow, bitches!). I just find it sad that I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Chili's or McDonald's in the Mid-Atlantic area. I guess we have chains in So Cal but I seem to notice the lack thereof more often than not.

What the hell am I even raving about?

Sigh... Fuck Chipoodle.

[redqueen]

1. Make your own damn burritos then, lazyass.

And btw... no lettuce and tomato? That's not right, burritos require these. And chopped jalapenos, too... but you can cook them in with the meat, so... whatever. Whiner.

[Symarip]

2. I've tried

It lacks the magic.

And no. No lettuce and tomato. Are you fucking crazy? Salsa Fresca, hellooooooooo?!

[redqueen]

4. No I'm fucking half Mexican.

But... maybe that was my mom's thing that she added in there, I dunno. I do know that's how I have to have them now. And cheese too. Gotta have cheese.

Homemade burritos are the shit. Keep practicing, you can do it!

[Symarip]

8. Lettuce in a burrito.

Sheesh.

Someone lied to you.

[redqueen]

You shut up.

[Symarip]

16. No

You.

[redqueen]

31. Make

me.

[Dr. Strange]

23. You're fornicating with a half Mexican?

:o

[TZ]

25. !

:rofl:

[elleng]

54. Or with Half a Mexican???

:rofl:

[TZ]

17. I seem to remember the same advice when I complained about fruit salad

MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN FOOD, Ya damn slob! :P

[Symarip]

21. Have you tried making fruit salad?

I'm sure it's a little less involved than making a real burrito. I've tried making a good burrito before and I suck at it. At least I tried.

Secondly, who the fuck complains about fruit salad to begin with? It's fruit. Chopped. I'm talking about a complete food making process, and to some extent, a different lifestyle and clash of culture. Your bitch was about too much melon next to your pineapple.

Yawn.

Wake me for the cantaloupe revolution.

[tblue]

10. Lettuce? In a burrito?! That's Unamerican!

Me, I grew up smack dab in the heart of Burritoland. I bleed taco sauce. Really, I was raised on the stuff. And lettuce is Tex-Mex, gringo-ized, slippery _filler_ for a "burrito" at some faux-Mexican yuppie establishment with linen tablecloths, maybe. But, nah nah NAH! Nope. A burrrito, including a its ingredients, is served HOT. Who eats hot lettuce?! Lettuce goes on a taco, tostada, or on the side of the plate. Not inside a burrito. That's weak.

[redqueen]

11. You grew up in Mexico?

Then speak up for the rice, hermana! Represent!

[Kali]

24. NNN NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

no lettuce, no tomatos
:puke: :puke: :puke:

they go on tostadas or tacos, not burritos

ok you can cook a little tomato in with the meat, but not necessary at all and no fresh vegatables in burritos (exception chopped onion and salsa) but no fucking lettuce aaauuuuggghhhhhhh

[redqueen]

32. You shut up too!

I am the queen of witty rejoinders, it is true. :P

[TZ]

33. Yeah.

Your witty repartee upthread with Symarip is the height of intellect! :rofl:

[Xithras]

35. LETTUCE?

What a gringo. ;)

[unpossibles]

71. I agree!

although I usually end up trying to stuff too much in there and just turn it into a "quesadilla" or a plate of mess once it falls apart. And mine usually has fresh salsa verde and sauteed peppers, onions, and sometimes other veggies/fruits like plantains, mango, carrot, or whatever strikes me that day.

[Taverner]

3. I hear ya man - that's why after traveling the world and the country

I will never live anywhere but CA

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. are you saying that east coast Mexicans don't know how to make

a burrito?

[Symarip]

7. In truth?

My theory is, they've figured out what sells to Americans: Americanized food.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. of course they don't do that on the west coast. right?

are you saying that California does not have Chipotle restaurants?

[Symarip]

15. They do.

But no one eats there. Well, people from out of town do. I guess. Same shit with The Macaroni Grill. I've never been in one but the one near my old place in San Diego was crowded. I assume with tourists and/or military types.

[Xithras]

36. There's a simple difference.

There are two restaurants within 5 minutes of me that epitomize this. One is the Fiesta Restaurant. Owned and run by Mexicans, but serving an Americanized version of the menu to a mostly white clientele. About two blocks further up the road is the Taqueria Carolina, which has real Mexican food, and which is sells to a 90% Mexican clientele. There have been days when I've gone in there, and been the only English speaker in the place. Por suerte, mi español es comprensible.

Businesses like that Taqueria have a hard time surviving on the East Coast because there isn't a huge market there. My home county here in California is over 30% hispanic, and there are towns with 60+% hispanic majorities. There's enough of a market for them to sell REAL Mexican food. And let me assure you, that's not always a good thing! ;)

There are still plenty of restaurants selling Americanized pablum, but we at least get to choose.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

40. let me assure you, that where I live, there are enough Mexicans to

sustain several "REAL Mexican food restaurants". I also have a choice of Americanized pablum and neither a Macaroni Grill or a Chipotles are in my area. and Yes, I know what you mean about it not always being a good thing. ;)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. Maybe the East Coast doesn't have lettuce or tomatos

And they can't get them now. Not with that Icelandic volcano.


Oh, wait, ... that's somewhere else. Never mind.


:hi:

[Captain Hilts]

6. There's a little teensy house, just north of the Bethesda Metro on Wisconsin Ave.

that makes 'Mexican' food. You can even see grandma - yes, 'grandma' - in the back heating the tortillas.

GREAT place. Nowhere to sit other than a few chairs on the porch out front.

[MrCoffee]

9. Boo hoo hoo. Try finding a bowl of actual chili outside of Texas.

[tblue]

14. Have a friend in SD freeze some and overnight them to you.

My family's been known to take them on the plane.

[JCMach1]

18. I eat my weight in pork every Summer...

pretty restricted, expensive and crappy here in UAE.

[TZ]

19. Okay mister. I have ALOT to say about this "post"

First of all- you live in Manassas VIRGINIA fer chissake! Not at all what I would consider representative of the East Coast.
To find good international food all you've got to do is drive into DC! Of course if you don't like Thai, African, Indian, Chinese, Japenese,Vietnamese,Italian,Greek, French, then you might have a problem..Hell I can find all that in non-chain food in Montgomery County even!
Lets not even get into what this area is known and respected for...SEAFOOD! Hello Maryland Crab Cake! Blue Crab, Shrimp etc..Yeah you can get it in socal but its not QUITE as good as here.
Lets not even get into my favorite places to eat..Delis! Between NY and Cleveland and even DC some of the best Deli's in the country are located in the East. I cannot forget a magnificent mile high Corned Beef sandwich I had in Time's Square a few years ago..With a delicious NY Egg Cream to wash it down with.
Finally, all I can say, its probably a good thing for your coworkers olfactory senses that you don't eat burritos here....:rofl:

[Symarip]

22. I'll give you the abundance of deli's.

But at least you can find a deli in So Cal. It's true. Same with real NY pizza. It's there too. I mean, it's not like walking around in Brooklyn in the Summertime but it's there. I have yet to find anywhere in the greater DC area that resembles Mexican food. Also, don't puff your chest over the blue crab situation - they're not that good. Granted, my opinion probably differs from yours, I jsut don't think they taste that great. Oh, and the fucking work you have to put in tearing those things apart to get maybe half a bite of meat. Nah, no thanks. You can have em.

But yeah, there is great seafood here. Again, I previously stated that I do like some of the local food. Some of the seafood is really great. I just wish there was MORE local eating and less Bob Evans. It's not just Manassas. It's everywhere. God, are the chains are out of control.

[TZ]

26. True. However SOME of the chains offer food that I can't get here normally

I don't know if you like chili or not but there's a great chain for chili around here called The Hard Times Cafe. They are the only place I can get my favorite food from my hometown of Cincinnati..Its a sweet chili made with chocolate and cinnamon..I know it probably sounds disgusting but its actually really really good...And thats about the only place outside of Ohio I can find it.
But I am willing to admit that southwest food here isn't that great. But I've never been an eater of spicy food so it doesn't bother me.

[ScreamingMeemie]

49. Do any of your surrounding areas have a Kroger store? They will

carry Skyline (sadly in a can but still) for those who ask for it. My neighbor is from Cincinnati and he put in a request and they now carry it all the way down here in TX. Of course, then people are stupid and they put it on their burritos... :hide:

[TZ]

56. No. No Krogers.

I have seen that Skyline in a can in Krogers in Cincinnati. I'll have to remember to bring some back next time I visit my dad..:)

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. I don't like "expensive" which is why I have yet to find a decent

restaurant in DC. I take that back, we had an awesome breakfast one day in the basement of the Lincoln House Bar.

[ceile]

20. I hear ya.

My sis goes through withdrawals when she leaves TX for NY. When she visits for the summer or christmas, she practically salivates at seeing a Papasitos or even a Ninfa's!

[MilesColtrane]

27. This place kicks ass, and it's in walking distance. (for me)

I recommend the flour taco al pastor (rotisserie pork) and the corn taco barbacoa (cabrito).

[Tommy_Carcetti]

28. Oh, quit your bitchin' and just go to Panda Express. Or Wok n' Roll.

Stupid Californians and their burritos.

[TZ]

34. WIN!

:rofl: :thumbsup:

[CreekDog]

29. I once tried ordering mexican food back east, it wasn't pretty

:rofl:

[MilesColtrane]

38. Sounds like when I ordered a margarita in Germany.

(No, I wasn't completely insane. We were in what was supposed to be a Mexican food restaurant.)

[Fire Walk With Me]

30. I just had an odd vision of you using a jumbo burrito as a trombone mute.

My advice is to be sparing with the hot sauce, under such circumstances.

[Symarip]

41. Uh.

This might be the most disturbing response yet.

[Fire Walk With Me]

42. It's part of my contract.

And now you know a little bit of what's going on in my head.

This is a cry for help.


;) ;) ;)

[Symarip]

48. If I believed in god

I'd pray for you.

Hell, I'm praying for you anyways.

[Fire Walk With Me]

50. ...

:rofl::hi:

[struggle4progress]

37. Yeah, I hear burrito addiction is harder to kick than a heroin habit. But, look,

if you're in DC, there's sure plenty other good eatin styles to explore. I'm not unsympathetic: I grew up in Texas and transplanted elsewhere, so from time to time I do miss a good TexMex dinner. But if I were near DC, I wouldn't be hurtin for other good peasant traditions

[Flaxbee]

39. Wait a sec. You live in

Manassas, and you don't love Don Pablo's? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I feel your pain. I grew up in San Juan Capistrano, San Diego and L.A. There was this incredible place off Carmel Valley Road that made incredible burritos, and TORTAS - oh my goodness.

I live about a half hour away from you near Winchester. I really don't mind Chipotle -- it isn't what I grew up with, but having lived on the east coast for 12 years now, and lived in RURAL areas of the east coast, it is much better than Taco Bell or some of the hideous refried-bean-hell tasteless slop the Americanized Mexican restaurants serve around here. This includes refried-bean-hell at Don Pablo's.

And you don't have to get rice with your burrito at Chipotle... or beans, or lettuce. You can ask for meat, salsa, guacamole, and that's it. Of course it will also end up costing much more than the true good stuff you can find at any corner stand in San Diego...

[Symarip]

68. My work took me to Don Pablo's once

I think there's a conveyor belt built underground that connects Don Pablo's kitchen to the nearest Taco Bell. I've never seen so many variations of ground beef in my life.

[bullwinkle428]

43. Substitute "San Diego/burrito/Virginia" with "Buffalo NY/pizza/Iowa",

and you've essentially written my own personal gastronomic tale of woe!! :thumbsup:

Oh, BTW...what's the problem with black beans in burritos? I was never even a bean fan until I started eating burritos, and now I put them into Asian dishes I cook at home all the time.

[Symarip]

46. YES!

See, you understand. Most American food is just kind of middle of the road - which is fine. But then an area creates a signature, and the rest of the country tries to bleach it down until it's essentially the same as it was before, but with a zesty or exotic name.

As for the beans, beans are great! If they come in a burrito though, I seem to remember them kind of being a substitute for meat, or just a stand alone ingredient in general. I can't really think of a place that serves beans AND a meat of choice in one burrito. Maybe they do, but I've never seen it. I probably wouldn't order it, either. Seems kind of like overkill to me.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

69. I'd always thought that burritos and tacos were Mexican staples, not California.

And that the only California influence on them was fish tacos.

Sort of like how I never understood "New York style Chinese Food". I always assumed Chinese Food was, well, Chinese.

[Symarip]

70. From what I've been told

Tacos are most definitely a Mexican invention, but pin-pointing when and where the burrito was invented may be a little tougher to prove. Even in the now, if you go to Baja, you'll most likely just run into a bunch of taco stands. Which are thoroughly delicious but definitely not a burrito! If any area is considered the flagship of the burrito vision, it's So Cal.

I get your point. Wherever you go, a food style kind of is what it is, even if the minor details of your liking have changed. But I can't help but feel much of the food from, say, the South West often feels 'dumbed down' in other regions of the Country just to satisfy peoples insatiable thirst for blandness. Similarly, the richness of food from the North East seems to suffer the same kind of fate. Sure you can call it clam chowder, but how far does the clam fall from the chowder before it's not the same beast anymore?

All in all, I'm just bitching to bitch. Beats talking about television.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

44. Dammit! Now I'm looking up recipes on cooks.com

I might have to rustle up some burritos.

:hi:

[Gormy Cuss]

47. Come to San Fran. Most of the burritos are filled with rice.

Boston has a few good tacquerias that don't load burritos with crap but I just came back from the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region and TWICE had to tell the server to hold the sauce on the burritos, and these were in allegedly Mexican (NOT chain) restaurants. Ugh.

I like simple burritos and San Diego has plenty of vendors for those.

[Symarip]

51. I never understood why San Fran is that way

Makes no sense. I think they're just trying to be different.

Assholes.

[KamaAina]

52. This must be a regional thing. Bay Area burritos are similar to what you describe

only much, much better (for instance, the place I went in downtown Oakland last month where the guy chopped up the carnitas right before the next guy put 'enm in there). But yes, they contain rice and (preferably black) beans.

The rice-free dish you describe is also well-known here in the Bay. However, it is known as a "taco". In this you are correct: there are no decent tacos available back East, except maybe at the "fresco tortilla" places in and around NYC. Why Chipoodle doesn't offer a taco option is beyond me: the guy would just not put on the spoonfuls of rice and beans, and they could charge maybe a buck less for it. :eyes:

[bullwinkle428]

66. Panchero's offers a taco or quesadilla option, for those not

wanting to take on the full-size burrito. They even offer a "burrito bowl", probably as a concession to the Atkins folks, which puts all of the contents of their burrito into a plastic bowl, eliminating the tortilla.

The tortilla is such a great component, though; they actually press them fresh to order from a ball of raw dough, which makes a real difference in taste in the final product.

http://www.pancheros.com/menu

[elleng]

53. For a real family-type place in the area,

you may want to try El Tamarindo in Adams Morgan. Can't vouch for their burritos, but maybe you'd like them.

[MiddleFingerMom]

55. Tucson is one of the burrito capitols of this country...

.
...but one of the absolute BEST burritos I've ever had I used to get
at a greasy, sleazy, li'l drive-thru window of a used-to-be burger
joint on the Kentucky/Tennessee border.
.
I LOVE hot foods -- pile on the peppers!!! But this place had a green
chili burrito that I could only eat about 3/4 of each time because I
would start, not only sweating, but CRYING. Wonderful.
.
No lettuce/tomato. Maybe cheese, beans... and I even like some rice.
.
Sometimes.
.
In Tucson, one of the American meccas for GOOD Mexican food, Taco Bells
and Chipotles still thrive. It's as mysterious as Pizza Huts thriving
in the Philly/Jersey area.
.
Speaking of which, I had been away from Philly for over ten years when
I went to visit again. My friend had a little cheesesteak/hoagie shop
down the block and I went down and ordered TWO large pizza steaks.
.
How forgetful of me. These things were FAT and about 2 feet long EACH.
.
I was in blissful stuffed-to-the-gills gustatory heaven for more than two
days with those.
.

[TZ]

57. I'm disappointed

Two days, almost 60 replies and no deleted messages? No name calling? Someone's losing their touch....:rofl:
Oh and I have to admit, even though I like their food..Chipoodle IS pretty funny...Someone mentioned that chain today and your name came to the tip of my tounge...

[paulsby]

58. chipoodle is ok if you don't think of it AS mexican

just "food"

[kwassa]

59. I'm a displaced Angeleno missing the chile verde burritos at Lucy's Drive-In on Pico

Here in Maryland there is only corporate Mexican, and they have no idea how to make chile verde.

They make it with beef. Abomination.

I could get a burrito, and chips, at Lucy's and buy a beer elsewhere, and still spend less than $5.


Mom-and-Pop Mexican is unknown here, the source of all good Mexican in L.A.

The local corporate chain, Chevy's, is part of the RealMex empire, which includes El Torito and Acapulco, which were present in Los Angeles.

[Symarip]

61. Chevy's

Don't get me started. I wouldn't wish Chevy's on my ex-wife. They make On The Boarder look almost legit.

Ick.

[TZ]

62. LOL!

I just told someone in another thread that I thought On the Border wasn't bad...:rofl:
Go ahead...Say it, I know you are dying to...:rofl:

[elleng]

64. but mom and pop Salvadorean lives, in DC!

El Tamarindo

http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-tamarindo-washington

[kwassa]

65. but pupusas don't float my boat.

there are many Latin and Caribbean cuisines that I like better.

[elleng]

67. most of which can be found in the metro DC area, fortunately, eh?

[goldcanyonaz]

60. I live in Arizona and have grown to HATE anything Burrito.

Everything is served as a fucking burrito here.

[klm55500]

63. Mmm I love burritos