A review of my burrito, as requested:
There are burritos, and then there are California Burritos. This famous San Diego food is not exactly trying to fit in with real, authentic Mexican cuisine, it’s basically just meat and potatoes stuffed into a tortilla for hungry, sand-crusted beach-goers. The monster almost always includes carne asada (grilled and marinated steak), french fries, a bunch of cheese, pico de gallo and of course guacamole.
As Zach of the food blog The Eaten Path admits, it deserves its own chapter in the Mexican food almanac. He writes:
“The Cali burrito is a San Diego phenomenon thanks to gringos like me and a dominant beach culture, because when you’re starving after three hours in the ocean, which would you rather have: some meaty stew with corn tortillas, or a handheld half-pound of beef and potatoes that you can pour hot sauce all over?..It’s part of the culinary whitewash that makes waves over Mexican food north of downtown San Diego, where people add potatoes and avocados to neutralize those strong and delicious Mexican spices.”
My burrito was just amazing. I got it from one of my favorite local joints, Roberto’s. Though, you can honestly get a good burrito from any -berto place in town. We’ve got Roberto’s, Alberto’s, Royberto’s, Eriberto’s, Humberto’s, Rigoberto’s, and just plain Berto’s. All of which are great substitutes. But my favorite place this famous San Diego dish, is located on Mission Gorge road, just an exit west of Qualcomm Stadium on the 8. Roberto’s has a few locations around town, but for some reason this one is always the best. My burrito consisted of fine, hand chopped meats, homemade, freshly chopped salsa, expertly crafted fries, and of course, real California cheese. One of the things I like the most about a Roberto’s California Burrito is that they mix the ingredients up. It’s not just sections of different ingredients. One bit consists of almost all the flavors, and let me tell you, they go amazingly well together. That steak must’ve been marinating for days, because that flavor was unreal and they way it played of the texture of the crispy fries, and the slight acidity of the salsa, it’s literally like having an orgasm in your mouth.
I’ve lived in San diego most of my life, but let me tell you, those few years when I was outside the range of the California Burrito, there wasn’t anything I missed more. The California Burrito has a special place in the San Diego subgroup of Mexican food culture just like the fish taco. Sure, you can’t find it anywhere south of the border, but it’s delicious and makes sense in flip flop-wearin’ San Diego.
I also included some mouth watering imagery for you to see just how amazing this burrito really is.
