Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

California burritos in the northwest?

LivingMCM
 Share

Recommended Posts

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
Posted

Basically a California-style burrito is like a SF mission-style burrito, but stuffed with french fries instead of rice. It's absolutely fantastic! I have yet to find these outside of San Diego. Does anybody know of a spot to get them in the Seattle area, or perhaps Portland? I might just have to resort to making one myself...

Katie Meadow

Katie Meadow

Posted
Posted

I have never heard of a California style burrito, nor have I ever heard of a flour tortilla wrapped around french fries. I lived in New Mexico for many years, and have spent the last 40 years or so in CA. I can imagine a lot of different ways to stuff a burrito, but that isn't one of them. It will be a cold day in hell when I eat a Poutine Burrito. However I realize there are a lot of weird deep fried fads and wouldn't be too surprised to discover that someone is planning to outfit a truck to sell "Hamburger and Fries Burritos." Hope there aren't too many Generation Z's (or Canadians) that I have just insulted. I mean no harm!

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
hongda

hongda

Posted
Posted

This place's Yelp mentions a California burrito with Carne Asada and French Fries

 

http://jalapeno-mex.com/mexfoodmenu/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/jalapeno-mex-food-seattle?osq=french+fries+burrito

 

Down here we have the "Oregon" Burrito, which has Carne Asado, pico, and french fries

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g52051-d4647157-r283232756-Muchas_Gracias_Mexican_Food-Saint_Helens_Oregon.html

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sounds like a Pittsburgh thing to do.

Usually a dubious  strategy.

Edited by gfweb (log)
LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
19 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

Can't say I've heard of anyone doing that around Seattle.  Is it widespread in SD or one shop's specialty/gimmick? 

 

It's available at more than one place. My favorite is from a taco shop called Lucha Libre, which is decorated in all kinds of wacky Mexican wrestling paraphernalia. The original location always has a line going halfway around the block.

 

Apparently the California burrito has been part of the San Diego food scene since the 1980s.

 

17 hours ago, hongda said:

This place's Yelp mentions a California burrito with Carne Asada and French Fries

 

http://jalapeno-mex.com/mexfoodmenu/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/jalapeno-mex-food-seattle?osq=french+fries+burrito

 

Down here we have the "Oregon" Burrito, which has Carne Asado, pico, and french fries

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g52051-d4647157-r283232756-Muchas_Gracias_Mexican_Food-Saint_Helens_Oregon.html

 

 

Thanks, I will have to take a visit to Jalapeno Mex.

 

Whenever I mention the concept of the California burrito to someone, they think it's bizarre. I say, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Shalmanese

Shalmanese

Posted
Posted (edited)

California burrito is a SoCal thing, centered in San Diego. It's practically unheard of in NorCal. There's a few places that do it in San Francisco but it's not standard. Like any regional specialty, finding it outside of the region is often a challenge.

 

If you find a place that serves both french fries and burritos, you can usually talk them into making it as a special order. The problem is, outside of SoCal, there's not many places that do both. Another dubiously stoner yet pretty amazing combo is subbing broken nacho chips for the rice.

Edited by Shalmanese (log)
  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1

PS: I am a guy.

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

There are taquerias in the Seattle area that do carne asada fries, and also do burritos. I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to have them stuff the fries into a burrito.

Thanks for the Crepes

Thanks for the Crepes

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Shalmanese said:

California burrito is a SoCal thing, centered in San Diego. It's practically unheard of in NorCal. There's a few places that do it in San Francisco but it's not standard. Like any regional specialty, finding it outside of the region is often a challenge.

 

If you find a place that serves both french fries and burritos, you can usually talk them into making it as a special order. The problem is, outside of SoCal, there's not many places that do both. Another dubiously stoner yet pretty amazing combo is subbing broken nacho chips for the rice.

 

 

Taco Bell has been doing a low end version of the Cali burrito for some time, and also has a couple  versions of burritos with something like tortilla chips in them. This first one has Fritos and also has rice. The second has some kind of tortilla strips that seem to be artificially dyed red.

 

I haven't tried them, and won't be doing so. I'm sorry that I'm not being very helpful, but these things are available in North Carolina, so they can't be unheard of.

 

God help me. I do get a craving for Taco Bell from time to time. :)

 

Personally, I do not like rice or other carby things in a burrito. The tortilla wrapper has plenty of carbs for me. I just want meat, maybe some beans (which do contribute carbs, but also protein) and veggies like fresh jalapenos, flavorful tomato, onion, cilantro, and shredded lettuce. Maybe some sour cream or crema.

> ^ . . ^ <

 

 

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
7 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

Taco Bell has been doing a low end version of the Cali burrito for some time ...

 

I haven't had that exact thing from Taco Bell (not my favorite place). But I have had burritos with pan-fried potato cubes, and there's just *no* comparison with actual french fries, especially if the burrito also has perfectly seasoned carne asada, grilled shrimp, avocados, and a rich cream.

  • Like 1
  • 2 months later...
LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

An update... I haven't had a chance to try the place in Seattle yet. But I was traveling in Southern California for several days, and I had California Burritos three times!

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

In the coming months I will try to taste and document all California-style burritos I find in the northwest. This is my never-ending quest.

 

First up, El Burrito Loco in Renton, WA.

They use crinkle-cut fries. It was OK, I guess. But the seasonings were not nearly as tasty as the places in San Diego. The meat I chose was pastor, and the flavor just didn't jump out at me. If I find myself in the area I might go there for lunch, but it's not exactly a top destination for me.

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Next, Memo's Mexican Restaurant, the Tacoma location.

They have something called the Washington Burrito, which is very close to what I was looking for. It has thin french fries in it, with steak pieces and melted cheese. What a great combination of flavors! I've attached a photo for those who may be curious.

IMG_20171118_194053.jpg

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

In case anyone is curious about what a "real" Cali burrito looks like, this is a picture of one I had in San Diego earlier this year.

 

It'sthe "Surfin' California" from the famous Lucha Libre taco shop. This burrito has carne asada and big shrimp. Their salsa bar is top-knotch, and they also have aguas frescas.

IMG_20171104_123247.jpg

  • Like 1
LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
On 11/14/2017 at 12:48 PM, LivingMCM said:

In the coming months I will try to taste and document all California-style burritos I find in the northwest. This is my never-ending quest.

 

First up, El Burrito Loco in Renton, WA.

They use crinkle-cut fries. It was OK, I guess. But the seasonings were not nearly as tasty as the places in San Diego. The meat I chose was pastor, and the flavor just didn't jump out at me. If I find myself in the area I might go there for lunch, but it's not exactly a top destination for me.

I forgot to include a picture from the place in Renton. Here you go!

IMG_20171111_131753.jpg

  • 2 months later...
LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
On 11/20/2017 at 7:33 PM, LivingMCM said:

Next, Memo's Mexican Restaurant, the Tacoma location.

They have something called the Washington Burrito, which is very close to what I was looking for. It has thin french fries in it, with steak pieces and melted cheese. What a great combination of flavors! I've attached a photo for those who may be curious.

IMG_20171118_194053.jpg

 

I had another one of these a couple weeks ago, and it was fantastic!

I wish they could put shrimp in it, too. Then it would be just like the ones I get in SoCal.

 

Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
On ‎2017‎-‎11‎-‎20 at 9:33 PM, LivingMCM said:


They have something called the Washington Burrito, which is very close to what I was looking for. It has thin french fries in it, with steak pieces and melted cheese. What a great combination of flavors!
 


Kinda hard to go wrong with that one. You could stuff steak, fries and cheese in a dirty sock and it would probably still taste pretty good. :D

  • Like 2

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

Smokeydoke

Smokeydoke

Posted
Posted
On 8/30/2017 at 2:59 PM, Shalmanese said:

California burrito is a SoCal thing, centered in San Diego. It's practically unheard of in NorCal. There's a few places that do it in San Francisco but it's not standard. Like any regional specialty, finding it outside of the region is often a challenge.

 

 

 

Definitely a SoCal thing, they are everywhere, even in Las Vegas.

 

Do they have Roberto's? That's who was (in)famous for them when I was growing up.

LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

I actually found a little taqueria in Sacramento that also has these burritos.

 

Many may not be aware that it is quite common for taquerias to sell french fries (known as "papas"), such as in carne asada fries. Americans don't have a monopoly on fried potatoes! So it's really not much of a stretch to put those fries into a burrito. If you were going to get some fries anyway, this makes for a convenient handheld meal.

Edited by LivingMCM (log)
  • 9 months later...
crisw

crisw

Posted
Posted (edited)

In case you are still on this journey :) Rigoberto's, in Milwaukie, which is just south of Portland, has them. The owners are from San Diego. http://rigobertotacoshop.com/menu

 

As a side note- I lived in SD for 40 years and one of the only things I miss is the Mexican food! I loved Lucha Libre, especially the Champs booth with the masks. But what I really miss is all the mariscos places in Chula Vista...

Edited by crisw (log)
  • 4 weeks later...
LivingMCM

LivingMCM

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
On 11/24/2018 at 11:03 AM, crisw said:

In case you are still on this journey :) Rigoberto's, in Milwaukie, which is just south of Portland, has them. The owners are from San Diego. http://rigobertotacoshop.com/menu

 

As a side note- I lived in SD for 40 years and one of the only things I miss is the Mexican food! I loved Lucha Libre, especially the Champs booth with the masks. But what I really miss is all the mariscos places in Chula Vista...

 

Wonderful! I may go there before the end of the year.

 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...