Ok, so I just read my brother Brian's blog where he is talking about Burritos. I started to comment but realized there was just too much to talk about and since I haven't written a new post for a few days, why not blatantly steal his topic. Thank you and sorry Brian. I owe you a Double-Double, animal style when we are in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks...
I am going to do a top 10 of sorts of favorite burritos:
10. Cafe Rio/Costa Vida/Bajio
Some people will put this at the top of the list, but not me. It is good, but nothing to die for. Pork is the only way to go, hot sauce, smothered. Bajio is the best of the three because of the optional grilled onions.
9. Chile Verde burrito from Cafe Pierpont
I don't think they offer this anymore at Cafe Pierpont and I haven't had it in years. A lot of good memories with this one - mostly eating the left overs late at night - but there was that one bad memory where it didn't sit well in my stomach....
8. Lynn Wilson frozen Burritos
Albertson's often sells their brand 3 for $1. These were always in the freezer growing up and made a quick meal. In High School, my friend Danny and I would snarf down a couple of these at lunch - then we realized if you fried them in a pan with a little oil they were even better. A touch of sour cream and salsa and you had a gourmet lunch that only a high school kid would love.
7. Taco Bell. Bean and Cheese burrito.
Forget about all of the newer options, you have to go with the original. They were even better when they were only $.59. For a couple of years they had a Taco Bell inside the U of U student Union and while the burritos were 10 cents more, they were about twice the size. I think I could still eat 14 of these like I did one night in 1989.
6. Home-made burros.
Instead of taco seasoning on the meat, I like to season my own with some chili powder, cumin and cilantro. Add refried beans with black pepper and all the rest of your favorite toppings for a quick and great meal. Leftovers make are perfect for lunch right after church on Sunday.
5. Carne Asada burrito from Alberto's
For a long time, you couldn't get them in a combo with rice and beans - unless of course you asked for it off the menu - speaking Spanish helped in getting them right. Of course the one on 33rd South is now MolcaSalsa but it is still the same. Someone once told me how many fat grams and calories they have, but I chose to delete that from my memory. (As a side note, the Carne Asada tortas are wonderful to try)
4. Del Taco - Macho Combo
I can't believe that I don't remember what it was called before Del Taco... anyone?
Anyway, the only way to go at Del Taco is the Macho Combo. It is like a Burrito Supreme from Taco Bell on Steroids. Add some of the "Del Scorcho" taco sauce. When made right, this burrito dwarfs the big boys at Chipotle.
3. Speaking of Chipotle...
ok, this is a new one for me since it hasn't been in Utah very long. It is the classic San Francisco style burrito. Wrapped in foil this burrito has gone far and wide thanks to the marketing by the parent company, McDonald's.
2. Carne Asada burrito from Francos
Where is this place, you ask? Here is the story. When I came home from my mission in Spain (and no, they don't eat burritos and tacos there) I was excited to go to the famous Munson's Burger den for the best shakes in Utah. I was 3-4 weeks too late as they had closed down, not for lack of business, but to move to Delta. So the place sat empty on 20th East and 33rd south for a few months before it was re-opened by a Mexican family by the name of Franco. They started out with burgers and such but later offered their home-made chili verde served in a Styrofoam bowl with tortillas. This was quite good. I asked them one day about other Mexican food and soon they had Carne Asada burritos. For a couple of years it was wonderful. Now the place is a coffee lounge.
1. It is a tie - Burrito Baby and Barbacoa
Brian's description of Burrito Baby didn't explain that David Escobedo moved his shop to 300 South and 200 East in SLC in the early 90's and stuck around for a few years (1998 or so?) I used to go in there every couple of weeks or so. For me, this was the original foil-wrapped burrito. All burritos included rice and beans inside the burrito. I miss this place.
Barbacoa comes close to replicating Burrito Baby for me. Yes, it is newer and has the popular line where you tell them what to put on your burrito (see #10) but the food is good. No, great. I find myself going the simple route and order Carnitas pork in the burrito. My nephew Spencer taught me the real key to eating these: order all three salsas on the burrito instead of just one and squeeze lots of fresh lime on them.
mmm... just about lunch time. Too bad I have too much to do or else I would drive up the street to get a Carne Asada burrito at Alberto's since it is so close to my office.
Honorable Mention: El Chamion burrito from the now defunct La Salsa. Hard to argue with a burrito that was so fresh and big. I met my wife while eating one of these too.
8 comments:
1)Cafe Pierfpont closed this week for good. I read it in the Trib sometime this past week.
2) If you are talking about the Del Taco on Highland drive, it was formerly Naugles! One of my all time faves!
3) Bajio sucks! I hate it, it's horrible, and a bad ripoff of the Cafe Rio concept!
4) A few years back, Franco's opened a new little cafe on about 30th South and Main. They still had the great hamburgers, but even more mexican food...and it was cheap. The owner's daughters (although much older now), who I remember from the old Munson's location, ran the place. It became one of my favorite lunch spots. One day it just disappeared and became some Bosnian cafe.
Okay, I'm starting to sound like you... done!
Susie... Nice smack down on Bajio.
I don't mind the place. The original is a block from mi casa.
About a year ago, they should the whole concept and all the stores to Subway for a reported 60 mil. US dollars. Not bad for a 3 year venture.
I don't get the burritos, I get the shrimp quesadilla.
sold, that is.
I shouldn't type so fast.
I second your opinion on francos. Dang I miss that place. Munson's too for that matter.
Tex,
Have you tried ( I think it's still there) that tamale place over in Ivy Place?
If you guys, or anyone else for that matter, love tamales, we should get together and make some. They are great frozen. We've got an official steamer. It's a fun day making them and they freeze well.
This is an open invitation to any other sibs. Thinks it over and let's plan it. Great music. Great food. Great family. Let's do this thing.
Did I happen to mention that tamales freeze well!
Good old Munson's- such an old school kind of place, like LaBeau's up at Bear Lake. I liked them better than Iceberg, but at least Iceberg still exists.
As the former owners of Munson's Burger Den, it's great to be remembered after all these years. It's been seventeen years since we closed, due to the inability to get a lease from the building owner. In the fourteen years, we made many friends, not just customers & truely think of them often. Thanks for remembering us. Ivin & Irene Munson.
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