I usually try to get to Chicago every month, but lately it seems all kinds of things conspired to keep me away. So there were many months that I did not get to see friends, family, and places like Longman & Eagle. And, equally as regrettable, many months of sub-standard burritos.
There aren’t that many burrito places in Ann Arbor that I HAVEN’T been to and I hate leaving our little island to check out places in the Detroit suburbs. This meant that the burritos I had were all the same ones I’ve had before – BTB, Chipotle, Qdoba. So when I had a decent burrito down in Naples, FL I was wondering whether my liking it was due to it being new or that it was actually good. I also started to wonder whether Chicago really was a burrito mecca or a figment of my imagination.
Last month I made my annual trip to Chicago for Lollapalooza and only had two burritos. But in those two magical moments my faith in Chicago as burrito heaven was restored. These were simply average by Chicago standards, yet they were still better than elsewhere. Now I’m more geeked than ever for my next trip there.
Taqueria Super Burrito
Restaurant Description: Little hole in the wall in a not-so-gentrified neighborhood (aka “slightly better than the ghetto”).
Price: $8.80
Atmosphere = 4. You can’t beat a little shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe right next to a 35 gallon goldfish tank.
Taste = 4. Nice and spicy, good meat texture.
Heft = 6. Yes, I know the scale is out of 5. I vowed never to do this type of cheap stunt, but it’s necessary here. There was literally a pound of steak in it.
Messiness = 2. It was too big for its own good.
Intangibles = 4. Open late, smoking hot red sauce, and toasted shell.
Total Score = 20
Burrito House
Restaurant Description: Fairly large joint walking distance from Wrigley Field, so it’s in Yuppieville. Not a whole lot of descriptions as it was post-Lollapalooza and my fingers lacked the dexterity needed for the iPhone.
Reviewer: My cousin, El Douchebag.
Price: $5.40 for California Style (with shredded beef)
Atmosphere = 4.
Taste = 4. Meat and beans were delicious.
Heft = 4. About two-thirds the size of Super Burrito’s but still huge.
Messiness = 4. Well-wrapped and oozing juices.
Intangibles = 2. The sauces were a little on the weak side.
Total Score = 18
I love Chipotle, but I don’t eat burritos often enough to have an opinion. I’d love to try somewhere new, but I live in small town USA.