So this is the first San Diego burrito I've had, but I guess it's not even really a San Diego burrito. People from San Diego will insist that Escondido is not San Diego, even in terms of burritos.
Quality of meat (1-10) : 8.0
The carne asada's downfall was that it was intensely salty. Actually, the carne asada burrito here originally had no beans or rice in it. I added beans. I suppose it is a personal belief of mine that beans in a burrito are indispensable. Anyway, the meat tasted pretty good, but it wasn't anything super fantastic-amazing.
Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 8.2
There are two salsas of note. One is the standard awesome pico de gallo and one is another standard sort of salsa, but this is the "house salsa." I'm running out of unique ways to describe house salsas...um...it was pretty heavy on the cilantro.
Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 9.5
Some of the best guacamole I have had, I think. There are loads of avocado trees around here.
Size/diversity of menu (1-5) : 2.7
Nothing too extensive. There are carne asada fries, which are sort of like nachos with French fries, but San Diegans are used to this. Another one of these San Diego taquerial idiosyncracies is the California burrito, which is a carne asada burrito with potatoes and cheese.
Size of burrito (1-5) : 3.9
It was pretty heavy. I barely finished it.
Approximate price : $4-5
Locally owned? : Yes
Satisfaction factor (1-10) : 8.0
Overall taste (1-10) : 7.9
Jilberto's
1301 E Valley Pkwy Ste A
Escondido, CA
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Presidente Restaurant
SEE POST FOR CELIA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT HERE:
http://caburritoblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/celias-mexican-restaurant.html
The only difference is that Presidente is a chain.
www.presidenterestaurant.com
You can and should avoid both of these places.
Presidente Restaurant
11451 Sepulveda Blvd
Mission Hills, CA 91345
http://caburritoblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/celias-mexican-restaurant.html
The only difference is that Presidente is a chain.
www.presidenterestaurant.com
You can and should avoid both of these places.
Presidente Restaurant
11451 Sepulveda Blvd
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Arriba Mexican
Seriously, let me know if any of you guys ever go here. Really. I'll be so surprised. It's in Idyllwild. When are you gonna go to Idyllwild?
Quality of meat (1-10) : 7.2
I must admit, for sit-down unauthentic Mexican fare the meat was pretty okay. Of course it didn't hold a candle to any real taqueria, with the non-exception of Taqueria Vallarta, which is not an exception because it is not a real taqueria. Same goes for all sub-4.0 burritos on here and most sub-6.0s. Um...yeah, the meat was fine.
Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 7.5
The only salsa was just standard pico de gallo, and I haven't quite figured out what score to give to standard pico, but this stuff was just barely worse than that. The tomatoes were somewhat mealy and they added too much salt to the stuff.
Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 8.5
So I guess making good guacamole is about the easiest thing you can do, but most taquerias that fail at it fail because they don't want to spend money on good avocados. Too often guacamole comes squeezed from a plastic bag. Unauthentic sit-down Mexican food restaurants (USDMFRs) such as this one don't have that problem. Props.
Size/diversity of menu (1-5) : 3.1
I must say, for a USDMFR the menu was not terribly diverse. But I guess it was a while ago, so I might not remember that well. I guess it doesn't really matter. Come on. It's in Idyllwild. Seriously.
Size of burrito (1-5) : 3.8
All USDMFRs have burritos in the 3.5-3.9 size range.
Approximate price : $7-9
Locally owned? : No
Satisfaction factor (1-10) : 7.1
Overall taste (1-10) : 7.1
Arriba Mexican
25980 Highway 243
Idyllwild, CA 92549
Quality of meat (1-10) : 7.2
I must admit, for sit-down unauthentic Mexican fare the meat was pretty okay. Of course it didn't hold a candle to any real taqueria, with the non-exception of Taqueria Vallarta, which is not an exception because it is not a real taqueria. Same goes for all sub-4.0 burritos on here and most sub-6.0s. Um...yeah, the meat was fine.
Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 7.5
The only salsa was just standard pico de gallo, and I haven't quite figured out what score to give to standard pico, but this stuff was just barely worse than that. The tomatoes were somewhat mealy and they added too much salt to the stuff.
Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 8.5
So I guess making good guacamole is about the easiest thing you can do, but most taquerias that fail at it fail because they don't want to spend money on good avocados. Too often guacamole comes squeezed from a plastic bag. Unauthentic sit-down Mexican food restaurants (USDMFRs) such as this one don't have that problem. Props.
Size/diversity of menu (1-5) : 3.1
I must say, for a USDMFR the menu was not terribly diverse. But I guess it was a while ago, so I might not remember that well. I guess it doesn't really matter. Come on. It's in Idyllwild. Seriously.
Size of burrito (1-5) : 3.8
All USDMFRs have burritos in the 3.5-3.9 size range.
Approximate price : $7-9
Locally owned? : No
Satisfaction factor (1-10) : 7.1
Overall taste (1-10) : 7.1
Arriba Mexican
25980 Highway 243
Idyllwild, CA 92549
Las Palmas Taco Bar
So I finally made it down to Las Palmas, months after I moved out of Santa Cruz. I must say, I was pretty underwhelmed...for a greasy, cheap burrito it wasn't that great.
Quality of meat (1-10) : 8.0
So I guess the meat was good; it was crispy and obviously pretty greasy. Taquerias in the suburbs have much to learn about "quality of meat" from taquerias like this one.
Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 7.8
There was only one kind of salsa here, which is definitely not (necessarily) a bad thing (see Tacos Moreno), but it wasn't outstanding. It was definitely good enough to eat with the whole burrito, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it again.
Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 8.1
Hard to mess up guacamole. Pretty hard. Nothing special, but it sure isn't bad.
Quality of chips (1-5) : N/A
Chips are extra, so Las Palmas should really be getting a penalty here, but I'm not going to split hairs. Hahahahahaha. Penalty.
Size/diversity of menu (1-5) : 2.8
Pretty average; all the old standbys and a few more.
Size of burrito (1-5) : 3.8
This burrito was definitely sizeable. I was able to finish it, but I can imagine numerous situations in which I would not have been able to. The size is really not what makes you feel full, though. Las Palmas food sits with you.
Approximate price (for a standard burrito) : $6
Dude, the veggie burrito is only $3! Seriously!!
Locally 0wned? : Probably
Satisfaction factor (1-10) : 8.3
The burrito feels like lead in your stomach at first, but that slowly turns into not being hungry for several hours.
Overall taste (1-10) : 8.6
Update: Definitely way better than Taqueria Santa Cruz, contrary to what I said before. Santa Cruz destination burrito status.
Las Palmas Taco Bar
55 Front Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Quality of meat (1-10) : 8.0
So I guess the meat was good; it was crispy and obviously pretty greasy. Taquerias in the suburbs have much to learn about "quality of meat" from taquerias like this one.
Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 7.8
There was only one kind of salsa here, which is definitely not (necessarily) a bad thing (see Tacos Moreno), but it wasn't outstanding. It was definitely good enough to eat with the whole burrito, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it again.
Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 8.1
Hard to mess up guacamole. Pretty hard. Nothing special, but it sure isn't bad.
Quality of chips (1-5) : N/A
Chips are extra, so Las Palmas should really be getting a penalty here, but I'm not going to split hairs. Hahahahahaha. Penalty.
Size/diversity of menu (1-5) : 2.8
Pretty average; all the old standbys and a few more.
Size of burrito (1-5) : 3.8
This burrito was definitely sizeable. I was able to finish it, but I can imagine numerous situations in which I would not have been able to. The size is really not what makes you feel full, though. Las Palmas food sits with you.
Approximate price (for a standard burrito) : $6
Dude, the veggie burrito is only $3! Seriously!!
Locally 0wned? : Probably
Satisfaction factor (1-10) : 8.3
The burrito feels like lead in your stomach at first, but that slowly turns into not being hungry for several hours.
Overall taste (1-10) : 8.6
Update: Definitely way better than Taqueria Santa Cruz, contrary to what I said before. Santa Cruz destination burrito status.
Las Palmas Taco Bar
55 Front Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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