StarBurtos for Dinner

Well last night, right after writing my first post ever WOOT!, I had two more brownie’s. Oops and the last of the milk in the fridge. But that’s not the worst of it…

My wife brought home “*Burtos” for dinner at my suggestion. If you don’t know San Diego County style Mexican \Food, you won’t understand. I know there are probably some doubters out there, there always are a few skeptics. And yes, I have heard of “Tex-Mex” but I have friends from Texas, and they say it’s not the same. But for the most part, “STARBurtos” is a regional phenomena. I’ve look in Los Angles, and San Jose, and everywhere in between, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, I’m sorry. You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. You just can’t get the same food in other towns!

For example, other southern Californians will know about In-And-Out Burger. And their commercial saying you can’t get an In-And-Out back east, but when my friend Chris moved to Chicago, and my other friend Andrew went to visit him, Chris asked that Andrew bring him a Carne Asada Burrito from a local “*Burtos”. Its THAT GOOD. Until you have eaten at one, you wont understand! If you have a favorite regional food please let me know about it in a comment.

I suppose I should explain the “STAR”. These “Burtos” style restaurants are for the most part knockoffs of the original (at least as far as I know) Alberto’s. From what I hypothesis, good ol’ Al doesn’t do franchises! There is an urban legend that Al is the leader of the Mexican mafia La Emme, and controls his restaurant empire from behind bars –for all I know, its true!

So you find a lot of Hispanic restaurant entrepreneurs starting their slightly different, yet eerily similar restaurant in the “*-burtos” tradition. You have your original Albertos, but you also have your equally good, Alibertos, Eliburtos, Josebertos, Allbertos, etc… hence the * for us gringo geeks.

They all serve Carne Asada Burritos, 5 Rolled Tacos with Guacamole, Chicken Chimachangas, and the eternal favorite – SUPER NACHOS con Carne Asada. (I feel like Homer Simpson sitting here drooling about it) Your more die hard gringo will enjoy the occasional Horchata, a Mexican rice drink and Munodo (the food not the boy band) on the weekend.

Well can you guess what I had for dinner last night? I’ll give you three guesses… That’s right! The original “*Burtos”-can’t-go-wrong-Carne-Asada-Burrito! It was good as always, (and a large coke to wash it down)