I guess San Francisco makes the best burrito's...

[GreenTea]

In search of the transcendent taqueria
Our critic puts 85 beloved Bay Area burrito joints to the test

Taquerias are an indelible part of the Bay Area's food culture. They provide their customers -- blue- and white-collar workers, college students, families of all backgrounds -- with the region's indigenous fast food. They're a near-ubiquitous presence in almost every area, neighborhood and town.


"It's basically the No. 2 plate at a Mexican restaurant rolled into a flour tortilla," quips Jonathan Gold, food critic at L.A. Weekly and a former restaurant critic for Gourmet magazine. "But you wouldn't believe how many letters I get from readers asking where to find San Francisco-style burritos in L.A."

The simple yet genre-defying addition of rice, sour cream and guacamole to the basic meat, bean and cheese format sparked demand for a new breed of bet-you-can't-finish-it sustenance.

"We're spoiled," says Dan Johnson, a founding editor of Burritophile.com, which encourages users to post their own taqueria reviews. "Your average burrito in San Francisco would be something that in any other city would knock your socks off."

"And they're cheap," adds Cate Czerwinski, another Burritophile editor. "You don't hear as much discussion about who serves the best foie gras because not as many people can afford it."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/13/FDGL8L16681.DTL

[Zomby Woof]

1. Oh hell no

The best burritos in the United States are found in east L.A. Period.

This is one of those numerous egregious examples of San Francisco's false sense of "our shit don't stink". They may have better Chinese food in S.F., but for Mexican, it's L.A. or San Diego first.

[mark414]

2. no way

the best are those white trucks that park on the side of the road and sell them for 2 bucks or less :)

[XemaSab]

11. Ramon's Tacos in Planada

HOOKS IT UP.

[driver8]

4. Zomby Woof speaks the truth.

What the hell is that thing in the picture? That doesn't look like any burrito that I have ever seen.

I used to work in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. We used to get these burritos from a little place in North Hollywood. These burritos were so good, I could have eaten them every day.

Great...now I am having burrito cravings.

[Shakespeare]

23. Weeeeeeeee!

You may have a completely incorrect opinion about my beloved DMB, but you are 100 percent correct about the burritos, dear Zomby! ;-)

Oh, and just to extend the flame war a little, I'll put the dim sum at Empress Pavillion (in LA's Chinatown) up against ANYTHING from SF, any day. If you haven't been there, GO. Like, immediately.

[Zomby Woof]

29. I don't doubt we have the best dim sum

But I had to say something to soften the blow for ZombyTroof! ;-)

I'll be happy to follow up on your recommedation!

[KamaAina]

37. Dim sum is not just a mainland thing, y'know

A highlight of your impending (?) Hawaiian vacation would be a trip to our Chinatown, which predates the annexation of Hawai'i into the U.S., there to enjoy dim sum at, perhaps, Legend Seafood Restaurant, wriiten up in the NY Times for Pete's sake, or the considerably cheaper place on N. King where we used to go for an office lunch when we still did that sort of thing.

As for burritos, well, !caramba! Actually our senior Mexican aficionada (since departed) could stand a little hole in the wall on Hotel St. (also in Chinatown; there was once a Puerto Rican restaurant down there, too!), but that's about it. Amazing, considering most of the haoles out here came from Cali...

[Shakespeare]

38. Oh, I'd LOVE to try the dim sum in HI!

I've only been there once when I was young, but one of my more vivid memories of Honolulu was the outstanding Chinese food we had.

[begin_within]

3. The average taco shop on any corner in San Diego makes better food than

any expensive, trendy Mexican eatery in New York City, day in, day out. If you're ever in San Diego, go to El Indio on India Street, or the Old Town Mexican Cafe on San Diego Avenue, and you'll get perfectly prepared Mexican food that you would have to pay $$$$$$ for in a large city in the eastern U.S.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

5. Hardly

I live in Brooklyn; the best Mexican food here is found in the backroom kitchens of tiny little bodegas.

It's dirt cheap, delicious and authentic.

[begin_within]

7. You must have never been to San Diego

[Tyrone Slothrop]

18. I think you missed my point

You made a comparison between an "average taco stand" in San Diego and a "trendy, expensive" Mexican place in NYC.

My point was that you have no idea what sort of Mexican food exists in NYC; the best is to be found outside of Manhattan (in Brooklyn or Queens) in incredibly unassuming bodegas that your avergage tourist wouldn't even glance at twice. It's also dirt cheap.

I'm not trying to say that NYC Mexican is better than San Diego's or vice-versa; I'm merely pointing out that, unless you live here, it's nearly impossible to have a good handle on where the good Mexican in NYC is at (or how much it costs, etc., etc.). These places aren't listed in guide books or anything, and most of them don't even look like they'd serve food.

[begin_within]

19. Now it's certain that you have never been to San Diego.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

20. What the hell are you talking about?

I have been to San Diego for the record.

[begin_within]

32. Forget it, you win - enjoy your greasy taco in the back room

[Gormy Cuss]

6. The best SF style burritos, that is.

The description of it as a No. 2 combination plate is appropriate --- lots of different stuff crammed into a flour tortilla. Too much rice for my taste and too many colliding flavors. I prefer the offerings at some tacquerias in Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and San Diego. I've never had tacqueria food in L.A. but would love to try it there.

[XemaSab]

13. What taquerias in Santa Barbara?

I am doing a study on the best Mexican food in town. :D

[Gormy Cuss]

16. I'm not going to remember the names

other than La Super-Rica, but when I've stayed in SB it's been at East Beach so the other places would be in that general area.

[xchrom]

8. i've lived all over in cali and arizona.

arizona has the best mexican food.

and this is from someone who thinks cali is the very best place on earth.

[Dora]

31. At last! Somebody who understands!

I lived in AZ for twenty-seven glorious years filled with red chile pork tamales, thin yet stretchy flour tortillas that flaked like pastry, and green chile enchiladas that were actually made with green chiles, not tomatillos. I yearn for a plateful of head-clearing carne adovada (is Los Dos Molinos still open?).

Then I moved to Texas, where Tex-Mex is considered cuisine and even our "Mexican" mexican food restaurants use American cheese.:puke:

Interior-style Mexican food is fine and dandy, but it's past-due that Sonoran cuisine gets the props that it deserves.

[fleabert]

9. while I have found some good mexican here in SF- San Antonio wins

hands down. What I wouldn't give to have simple Taco Cabana Tacos today...

that said, the pic is not of a burrito- that's a hard shell taco. A burrito is wrapped in a soft taco and closed at one or both ends. Open on both ends and soft or hard shell? Taco. or maybe a puffy taco if the tortilla was puffed up first then deep fried.

I do love the mission district in sf- very authentic places for any region of mexican food you might be looking for- but one of the best places I have been to (besides my own husbands family cooking) is a place near the state bldg- total hole in the wall, but AWESOME.

[Phillycat]

10. I was in Venice Beach a few weeks ago and I had a burrito

that was possibly the best food I have ever eaten in my life, bar none. I don't know about this San Francisco claim. :shrug:

[ForrestGump]

12. I like the 'new'

style (California style) burritos sold at places like Sharky's, Chipotle, Baja Fresh, Qdoba, etc, but for the real thing I don't think I've ever had a better burrito than I've had in San Diego (two old favorites of mine from the '80s -- local chains -- are Roberto's and Albertos). I've had burritos all over this country (and beyond) and I make them myself as a staple, but I agree with Mr Woof that the Los Angeles area and San Diego probably rule supreme.

San Francisco is one of the world's gastronomic capitals, and I'm sure there's great Mexican food there (excellent Chinese food, too, though there're also great places down SoCal, especially in Monterey Park), but I highly doubt it's anywhere in the same league as what's lurking south of Santa Barbara. Sure, Northern California may be a nicer part of the state, all told, but all those teeming masses to the south got themselves some muy bueno burritos.

But the best Mexican-style cuisine, overall -- as far as I'm concerned -- is tucked away in the great state of New Mexico. Nothing touches that.

[AngryAmish]

14. A proper burrito consists of the following ingrediants:

1. carne asada
2. lettuce
3. raw onions
4. (optionally) refried beans
5. hot sauce on the side which is added to taste

You put too much crap in a burrito you create a haphazard mashup.

[NewWaveChick1981]

15. Damn....all this burrito talk.... Guess what I'm gonna have for lunch?

:rofl: :hi:

[Ravenseye]

17. Yeah no kidding

I was about to go have my lunch, but now I have to go out and get a burrito...thanks DU.

[Jamastiene]

21. Those look like tacos to me, but

they still do look mighty delicious. I'd love to have one.

[Shakespeare]

22. Fuck the burritos, I want the tacos in that picture.

:drool:

[kwassa]

24. what a lot of bull

"The simple yet genre-defying addition of rice, sour cream and guacamole to the basic meat, bean and cheese format sparked demand for a new breed of bet-you-can't-finish-it sustenance."

this is common in many burritos bought anywhere. What exactly is new or unique about these?

Best Mexican food: Los Angeles, Arizona, and New Mexico.

[Zomby Woof]

25. It's typical SF pretentiousness

Which is reason #1 I can't stand that city.

[Shakespeare]

27. (sotto voce:) That's why I left that godforsaken foggy place.

I thought that once I moved from LA to SF, I'd begin to understand the snobbiness and the LA hatred. I still don't. I left. I came back to this sunny, diverse, wacky-ass town. LA's got it going on in ways SF only thinks it does.

[xchrom]

33. mexican food not withstanding -- best city EVER for me.

[kwassa]

39. My Northern California joke

Northern Californians look down upon Southern Californians.

Southern Californians don't care.

(That's pretty much it. NC is indeed a legend in it's own mind.)

[nini]

26. A picture of a taco when they're pushing a burrito story

:rofl: yes, they're experts on real Mexican food aren't they?


:eyes:

[Canadian_moderate]

28. Bah, Mexican food

Give me Thai or Indian food any day.

Just kidding. I was in CA a few years ago and would have to say that the best Mexican we had was in Old Town San Diego, I think it was called Casa de Bandini.

We found that SF cuisine was more than a little over-rated and way over-priced. Maybe we visited the wrong places?

[Zomby Woof]

30. No, that's accurate

The entire city of SF is overrated and overpriced. :D

[xchrom]

34. but WAY better than any place else in america -- outside of n.y.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

35. Best burrito I ever had...

was from a little road side stand at some rural intersection not far from Woodburn, Oregon.

I think the key aspect was the fact that it was made by a genuine Mexican.

And I suspect there are plenty of genuine Mexicans in San Fransisco, East L.A., and all up and down the west coast.

[Dukkha]

36. all I know is this thread is making me VERY hungry!

I spent 10 years in SF. My favorites were Taqueria Cancun and Portre Alegra(sp) both in the Mission. now I'm back in Columbus and fortunately there's been a surge in the Latino population here so authentic Mexican food can be obtained now. So I can avoid Don Pablos: the Olive Garden of Tex Mex cuisine.

and don't get me started on McBurritos, er I mean Chipotle.