London Burrito Research Institute

The following *coughs* article first appeared on the 7th September 2010

http://tattyrathbone.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/bore-ito/

Oh dear. It would appear that my first experience of a burrito chain was unusual as Chilango really does appear to be head and shoulders above the rest. Following a decidedly average experience in Chipotle on Charing Cross Road a couple of weeks ago (after a delightful trip to the pop-up maze on Trafalgar Sq) we decided it was time to try Tortilla. Or Tortilla: Mexican Grill to be more precise.

I’ve been meaning to try this chain for ages since spotting it by the DLR platform at Canary Wharf but had been advised by a trusted Burrito expert that it really ‘wasn’t all that’.

We’d just been to see the swishy haired Richard Herring talking about his moustache. It was the third time I’d seen him do it but it was still really funny and this put me in a good mood so I suggested that my companion join me for a quick burrito before heading off home. So off we toddled to Market Place (behind Oxford Circus) in the drizzle.

We both opted for a beef one (50p extra we were advised, although this was clear from the menu anyway). I chose guacamole (also 50p extra) and my friend chose lettuce (not quite sure why) and sour cream (I was not offered sour cream). I went for the black beans and he went for the baked beans (well, they were pinto beans really but they looked like insipid baked beans. I nearly went for them as, going by the colour, I thought they were going to be refried beans). We both went for cheese and the lemon and coriander rice.

The tortilla was briefly (blink and you’d miss it) griddled and the burrito was assembled. This man was no Chilango Miyagi but he was streets ahead of the Chipotle Clouseau

My first impression was that the tortilla was a bit doughy and undercooked. My second impression was that the whole thing was a bit bland. A bit blah. A bit meh. Nothing leapt out at me. The beef was surprisingly nice on its own but everything else was a bit lacking in oomph. I couldn’t find any evidence of lemon OR coriander in my rice. My guacamole (50p extra blah blah) didn’t really have much going on. I thought it might have been because I went for the mild salsa (I love chillis and I love heat and I have been known to competitively eat jalapenos but I don’t like it when the heat masks the flavour) so I tried my companions as he’d gone for a more punchy salsa but sadly his was also lacking in oomph.

The hunt goes on – I’ve tackled the chains so now it’s time to brave the small independent places. I’ve actually got HIGH hopes for this adventure, it promises to be a good one.

The following, erm, article appeared in another of my blogs on 19th August 2010 http://tattyrathbone.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/burrito-research-findings/

Indulge me please for a moment. This is my new thing. It will probably last for about five minutes before I get bored so, in the meantime, just pretend to care.

I’ve always avoided burritos when I’ve been out for Mexican (or even Tex Mex) meals. I had nothing against them but they lack the flamboyance and drama of the fajita and they always looked a safe (i.e. boring) option. And once I had been to Mexico I began to go for any option that included a soft corn tortilla, who needs tasteless wheat when you can have yellowy corn?

But then I began to get burrito envy one evening at Wahaca while watching a friend work her way through a magnificently plump looking pork creation.

I had my first one at lunch time in a fast food place in the rather frigid ambiance of a shopping centre – Chilango’s in Bluewater. I played safe and went for chicken. As I watched them pile on the fillings of refried beans, green rice, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cheese I wasn’t convinced there would be enough. Then I watched them adeptly rolling the thing up and it transformed into a gloriously voluptuous beast. Bearing in mind that this was my first ever one you will have to forgive my surprise at the addition of rice.

Anyway it was bloody lovely. Fat and full of my favourite flavours. I’ve since been back to the Bluewater branch and have also tried the one on Fleet Street and was equally happy with my new discovery. I’d not been this giddy about a new food since I’d had my first ever macaroon (or to be more accurate macaron).

Then on to newcomer Chipotle on Charing Cross Rd. This was good but averagely so. I need to go back as my experience was slightly spoiled by the rookie burrito roller whose creation lacked the taut finesse of the Chilango ones.

Last night I went to Wahaca. I have been to Wahaca many times and have always chosen many small dishes. Why limit myself to one flavour when I can bombard my taste buds and greedy gut with CHOICE? But I digress, this time our mission was SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH rather than fun. Now things had got serious. This was the first night of the London Burrito Research Institute. You may not have heard of this rather august institution yet, but one day my friend, you will.

I went for a steak one for a change (my previous ones have all been chicken). This was gorgeous, smokey and full of flavour. I greedily opted for cooked cheese and a side order of refried beans. I wish I could say that my eyes are bigger than my stomach but my stomach is, sadly, very big. My only quibble was that this was on a plate. I know that sounds really trivial in the scheme of things, and you’re probably right to roll your eyes at me. But, burrito novice I may be, part of my enjoyment is of holding an entire meal in my hands. A bit like a Cornish Pasty. Kind of.

Ah well, the research has started. I will keep you posted as to our findings. This is currently a London-wide search but we hope to take it nationwide before too long

ETA

I wasn’t expecting anybody to actually read my witterings so I might just have uttered a bit of a shocked swear word when this popped up on my Facebook feed on 13th Sept!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/posted.php?id=113801577654

The world

Bore-ito

Burrito Research Findings