DC metro area - looking for CALIFORNIA BURRITO place

[parjlarsson]

Moved to DC area (Alexandria/DC) from San Diego and I miss my delicious California Burrito from Santana's (sadly bought out by some "Fresh Mex" chain).

Carne asada, french fries, cheese, salsa fresca/pico de gallo/sour cream and of course guacamole. Add a squeeze of half-lime if you like.

I will gladly buy you one fresh California Burrito if you find me a place to buy it from around DC/Arlington/Alexandria/Old Town.

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrito#... SFW

[ricardoDC]

Just starting the plans for a SD style taco food truck. We will serve in Arlington and DC. Believe me, i moved here and know EXACTLY what you feel. There is NOTHING here that comes close.. Because of the huge Peruvian and El Salvadorean population, mexican food is not as good as areas out west. California burrito (and Carne asada fries!) WILL be on the menu!

[tommyskitchen]

Sounds delicious, good luck! Lots of trucks folding lately, keep your eyes out for used ones on the market....

[MikeR]

Probably like looking for Texas BBQ or New Haven pizza. It's just not the same anywhere else as you think you remember it.

[ChewFun]

There is great Mexican food to be had here. Since you are in Alexandria I recommend you go to El Charrito Caminante in Arlingon. They do not serve wet burritos and they really don't wrap them, just fold them over, but they are very good. Another option is to drive down Route 1. Somewhat far down, you will find a Mexican community and Mexican restaurants authentic enough to have buche on the menu. They won't have Machaca and it won't be exactly like in California, but it will be good. It also won't have potato in it, like I'd sometimes find in LA.

[monkeyrotica]

I'm pretty sure the owner of La Mexicana is from San Diego. Send him an email and he might be able to hook you up. Either way, one of the better carne asada burritos around, with or without frenchfries.

http://www.lamexicanabakery.net/html/...

[ChewFun]

Also, try Tacos El Costalila. The food is as Mexican as it gets and the owner is willing to make things special for you if you ask and he has it.

[ipsedixit]

Cantina Mexicana.
http://www.cantinamexicanarestaurant....

[parjlarsson]

Their California burrito is decidedly not San Diego-style.

[hill food]

sorry. give up. sadly it's switch to Salvadoreno or make it at home. Burrito Brothers? disappointing. Chipotle? no comparison.

most of the "Mexican" you'll find is of the Casa Gallardo/Chevy's variety even in a mom'n'pop place, look closely for the Salvadoran on the menu and wait until your next trip West (and it doesn't even have to be farther than the Mississippi)

[ChewFun]

I totally disagree. I ate a very authentic Sope at a food truck in Montgomery County yesterday. If you go to Riverdale/Bladensburg, Maryland, you will find truly Mexican fare with liver tacos and nopales on the menu. You do have to be able to spot the Salvadoran places selling Mexican food. That is pretty easy. If they serve pupusas, they are Salvadoran.

[mdpilam]

Do you have a name/location for this truck?

[GraydonCarter]

Probably one of the 3 or 4 trucks lined up at the MVA in Gaithersburg. I like El Chilango.

[ChewFun]

Unique Thrift parking lot (this was on a Sunday) at Randolph Road and Viers Mill Road. There were 4 trucks. Two were Mexican. One was Salvadoran/Honduran and the fourth I didn't go past. I just had a Sope, which was pretty good though I prefer them with beans and not just meat and cheese.

[ChewFun]

I agree that it is its own thing, but that doesn't make it less Mexican. Culturally, Los Angeles and Southern California are an extension of Mexican culture. Mexican food in Los Angeles can be truly Mexican. I think that if you went to El Tepeyac in Boyle Heights and had a Hollenbeck burrito they might laugh if you said it wasn't Mexican. Sure, the inspiration of that particular Burrito is local, based on the requests of local police officers. For me, a Californian burrito is large, covered in a sauce and cheese, perhaps containing potato as well as lettuce, meat and beans, as served at El Terasco. If I was from San Francisco, a Californian burrito to me might be wrapped in foil. Both are expressions of Mexican culture and therefore Mexican.

[DanielK]

You can call it Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex, whatever, but if you can't find it in Mexico, it's not Mexican.

Just like Chop Suey, Chow Mein, Pepper Steak, etc. aren't Chinese food - they're American Chinese food.

[ChewFun]

Politically, California may not be Mexico, but a lot of it sure is culturally Mexican. I also understand that a San Diego styLe California burrito is a relatively recent invention.

[hill food]

slathered and unwrapped sounds like Sonoran-ish Burros I've had in PHX. damn good too.

wish all cities in the US had a better idea of the regions, like how we starting to understand other regional variations.

and you do have a point, one does have to remember on the political/cultural front, California was part of Mexico for quite a long time.

[agarnett100]

Many people forget Mexico is a very large country with a rich culinary history that varies by region

[ChewFun]

Very true. I really wish there was a Oaxacan restaurant in the area (though there may be and I haven't noticed it yet). There are some in New Brunswick, New Jersey just outside of downtown.

[Insidious Rex]

Theres Casa Oaxaca in Adams Morgan. Lots and lots of mole.

[GraydonCarter]

Y chapulines?

[mdpilam]

Si.

[hamster]

There's a scoutmob discount there right now. 50% off. I think you have to download the scoutmob app on your smartphone to access it.

[hill food]

I don't dispute that good Mexican can be found, but the OP is looking for a CA burrito which isn't really authentic Mexican in the first place. as you know it is it's own beast.

[Dennis S]

As is the other oft-mentioned request for Tex-Mex. I laugh everytime someone mentions that El Charritto isn't Mexican.

[GraydonCarter]

Does California Tortilla's "Burrito" come close? I don't see french fries anywhere on their menu.

[parjlarsson]

San Diego-style California burrito:
* carne asada
* french fries
* sour cream
* pico de gallo/salsa
* guacamole

...so, no.

[MikeR]

Gosh, I've been looking at houses in the San Diego area. If I have to get all that stuff on my burritos I think I'll stay here. ;)

[ChewFun]

No. They aren't particularly good or Callifornian.

[mdpilam]

You'll have a hard time finding a good burrito in the DMV, let alone a California burrito (I haven't seen one outside of SD though, and I lived in LA and the Bay for 12 yrs).

[parjlarsson]

Hmmm, maybe I can make one. Just gotta find a place that has carne asada cooked and get some fries and pico de gallo/sour cream/guacamole.

[MikeR]

Fries in a burrito? Are they still smoking banana skins out there?

Around here, what used to be, and maybe still is known as a "California burrito" was meat, lettuce and chopped tomato stuffed inside a tortilla and smothered with a mixture of melted cheese and salsa.

Other than the French fries, you might find the carne adovada (pork) burrito at Anita's (a small chain) somewhat familiar. New Mexico isn't that far from southern California.

http://www.anitascorp.com/

[mdpilam]

Us Californians like our burritos portable and wrapped (preferably in foil). Burritos were originally made so that the food (stewed meats) could be easily transported (by donkeys - burros). We tend to stay away from the (wet) knife-and-fork burritos.

[agarnett100]

Your either going to have to make it yourself or fly home - just go back from LA yesterday and got my fix satisfied for Mexican food

[ChewFun]

I don't know about portable burritos wrapped in foil. Where I grew up, in Los Angeles, a burrito always (except for the vending machine ones) wet, covered in ranchero sauce and maybe some melted cheese.

[christyar]

Carnival market in Pontiac, MI has a great one....

Also, buccharest grill puts fries in their shwarma in Detroit