74167 Mon Oct 10 21:06:12 -0700 2005 16 2 Los Angeles Area 0 407504 Hello all, I have an instaiable fondness for burritos. Now my favorute burrito happens to be the super carne asade from a small chain of restaurant in No Cal called 'Gordos'. I was wondering if any So Cal chowhounds have been to Gordos up north and if so could they recommend a restaurant that serves up burritos of a similar style. Mon Oct 10 21:06:12 -0700 2005 0 Gourmand007 1 407547 I LOVE Gordos, but have never found any place in Southern California that serves the same type of Mexican food. Gosh, I miss that place. My favorite was the carne asada quesadilla. Jalapenos, an OC chain, is not bad, but not as good as Gordos. Perhaps some LA people have some recs . . . Mon Oct 10 23:40:42 -0700 2005 407504 0 Samantha 2 407574 A carne asada quesadilla is also called a syncronasada, or syncro for short, in Northeastern Baja California (Mexicali). The best ones there were at the late Tacos Juarachon, or presently at Tacos Ocatlan. You might try asking for it here by that name. Tue Oct 11 02:49:28 -0700 2005 407547 0 BillD. 1 407559 So, how's a Gordo's "super carne asada" burrito different from, say, Midnight Taco, or El Taurino, or the places in Grand Central? Clue us So Cal Hounds into some benchmarks with which you measure your perfect burrito, , and we may be able to find you a substitute. rfgs Tue Oct 11 00:19:58 -0700 2005 407504 0 Silverlake Bodhisattva 2 407576 Well for me that the tricky part hehe Before I begin let me just say I enjoy a carne asada burrito w/ sour cream, guacamole, beans, cheese, and rice I have found that Gordos never skimps on the quality of each one of these ingredients; every component is always fresh and never seems like it has been sitting out for the whole day. To begin with I love how Gordos prepares the tortilla. They use some sort of steamer machine which heats the tortilla; one is left w/ a chewy tortilla cooked just right. The tortilla is never too dry or undercooked...nor is it ever over-cooked. The carna asade morsels are always chewy and moist. I'm not sure how they season or marinate it but it never tastes too salty or too bland. When it comes to the beans you have a choce of black or pinto. I usually opt for the pinto and once again the quality is always high. The beans are warm and soft and never dry or undercooked. The guacamole is made fresh every day while the sour cream doesnt taste like something bought at the local grocery store. The key thing for me was consistency; the burrito served say 10pm was the same burrito served earlier in the day or earlier in the week. Some of the burrito joints I've been to in OC have had massive differences in quality at different hours of the day. SO far I have the following places on my list to explore: El Gran Burrito EL TEPEYAC YUCA'S Dos Burritos and place else? Tue Oct 11 03:18:01 -0700 2005 407559 0 Gourmand007 3 407590 Try Boca del Rio in La Puente on Hacienda. On top of having those ingredients, they had a finely diced cabbage and two types of chili. Good stuff. Tue Oct 11 10:48:49 -0700 2005 407576 0 oc climber 3 407710 This doesn't seem like it should be a Grail-like impossible goal; there's nothing esoteric about these component parts. It's not like Gourmand is looking for the greatest brain tacos in LA, or mole with six kinds of peppers and five kinds of fruit, or a place that serves frijoles made with organic heirloom beans ands Niman Ranch lard. What the man wants is a basic "kitchen sink" carne asada burrito (rice beans, guac., sour cream, etc.,)(as opposed to those who seek the more Spartan "carne/tortilla, and nothing else" experience) with quality ingredients and CONSISTENCY OF PERFORMANCE. We should, as a city, be able to offer him this. BUT..... Burrito King loses out on this last "consistency" point. Julio's, on the Miracle Mile, also misses as often as they hit. Baja Bud's, (various places west) used to do pretty well, but I haven't eaten there in a decade. The places in/around Grand Central used to do this pretty weel (I gave up beef about 16 years ago, so my ability to judge asada plces is now impaired...) More? rfgs Other nominees? Tue Oct 11 19:10:18 -0700 2005 407576 0 Silverlake Bodhisattva 4 408650 See thats the thing...the ingredients I preferred at Gordos may sound simple enough but even these simple elements are highly variable. To be sure I have eaten some fine burritos down here, but I havent found anything similar to the Gordos (or Mission-style) burrito. And the places I've been use "high" quality ingredients but high quality can mean so many different things. Sat Oct 15 22:42:35 -0700 2005 407710 0 Gourmand007 3 407728 My favorite burrito can be found and Las Fuentes in Reseda. They put sliced avocado instead of guac, but maybe you could get some of that. I love their Burrito de Bistek Encebollado (steak with grilled onions). So delicious. I love how I can ask for the steak medium rare and they do it! Not sure if the tortilla is done the way you described (I have actually had a burrito with the tortilla that way, but just can't remember where, at the moment) but their burritos are damn tasty. Vanowen just east of Reseda, N side of the street Tue Oct 11 20:05:29 -0700 2005 407576 0 WildSwede 3 407912 I can relate to your search--I used to live in the Mission in SF and desperately miss my burritos, but can't quite put a finger on why the burritos I've had down here just don't fit the bill. Of the places you've suggested trying, I can save you a little time: El Gran Burrito was very disappointing. I don't know about the carne asada, but the chicken had no flavor at all--just tasted boiled. Despite the name, burritos seem to be an afterthought here--I could barely find them on the menu, and they didn't ask me what I wanted on it--I had to ask for anything besides meat and rice (and maybe beans), and they seemed put out about it. Yuca's has very good meat, but from what I saw there aren't any options to add the goodies you mentioned--I don't think they even do rice, just meat and beans. Good, but no guacamole, sour cream, etc. in sight. Haven't been to the other two you mentioned. The best I've found so far, but I'm still definitely looking, was at El Sauz on San Fernando in Glendale. Wed Oct 12 15:12:02 -0700 2005 407576 0 nomadamy 4 407981 Sounds like you are used to the Mission-style burrito, AKA the Silver Torpedo. Steamed tortilla, lotsa white rice, guacamole, beans, cheese, and whatever meats. Hasn't caught on in Southern California. A couple of places that seem to serve Mission-style burritos (that have been recommended by others, but I haven't visited myself yet to confirm) are: Burrito Factory 1902 S Pacific Ave San Pedro Las Golondrinas Mexican Restaurant 27124 Paseo Espada San Juan Capistrano Taco Del Mar 14057 Stowe Dr. Poway The Chipotle chain of restaurants serves something very similar to a Mission-style burrito, but it's not quite the same. Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/04/29/CM162769.DTL Wed Oct 12 18:25:50 -0700 2005 407912 0 Wonginator 4 408615 Ahh so I should refer to it at as the Mission Style burrito...Hehe yes it has been tough and there has to be some place in So Cal that serves up similar fare. Note this is not an attack on what I have eaten down here; different strokes for different folks. I have eaten many fine burritos but I really prefer what I had up north. The search continues... Sat Oct 15 17:52:24 -0700 2005 407912 0 Gourmand007 3 2457929 You see... the key defining characteristic of a Misson Burrito is the Steamed Tortilla... which most Mexicans would shutter at but has some how become an SF institution. I have yet to talk into a bay area burrito joint that didn't have a Fresh O Matic... Anyway, since that machine is a MONSTROSITY (I know, I had one for a brief period of time), the only places that do the Tortilla in a Fresh O Matic are the Chipotle style chains (Q'doba) and indies who are copying their style (There used to be one in El Segundo, which I walked right into and saw the FOM and walked right out much tot he puzzlement of my Co-workers...) --Dommy! Fri Apr 06 14:55:24 -0700 2007 407576 10659 Dommy 1 407796 I know what you mean gourmand. I've been looking for a Gordo for 5 years. Let us know what you find. Wed Oct 12 01:50:50 -0700 2005 407504 0 fxtool 2 408651 5 years? Wow... Perhaps we should Gordos to open up shop down here lol Sat Oct 15 22:44:54 -0700 2005 407796 0 Gourmand007 1 2457870 i've been to gordos once, but i didn't really get into burritos until i came to socal so i could be biased. but in the OC i love alertos on brookhurst, alejandros in costa mesa, and albertas in tustin. the albertos chains are ok too, but not my preference. my absolute favorite is robertos in san diego. but now i live in LA and am surrounded by fresh mex baja style stuff anybody know any place in LA that'll do a mean california? Fri Apr 06 14:34:38 -0700 2007 407504 89298 dramaticrunner 2 2457913 I think you MIGHT be able to talk Altertos in OC to do a California, but you will have to explain how to do it and you might endure some funny looks... LOL!! --Dommy! Fri Apr 06 14:52:01 -0700 2007 2457870 10659 Dommy