The 'Fisties: Best Burrito
A dialogue between SFists Rita and Jeremy on the eternally-debated question of the best burrito in San Francisco
Rita: Let the burrito debates begin! Lincoln/Douglas rules! (I have absolutely no idea what that actually means, but doesn't that sound all high-school debate-team-y?)
RESOLVED: that Papalote has the best frickin burrito in town. Mmmmm, I love me the Papalote fish burrito. The buttery fish, the just-the-right-amount-of-flour tortilla, the tangy organic tomato/onion/cilantro, and if you eat in, the world's best smoky dip for the chips? The grainy, cinnamoned horchata totally caps off the experience! Sure, it's yupscale and trendy and Beck doesn't play there, but it wins my best burrito vote hands-down (just like it did on Burrito Eater last year). Sorry, Pancho Villa/ Cancun/ La Cumbre, we don't play that "best of the bay for the last 15 years running" game over here at the Fist!
I understand that you might feel differently, Jeremy: so go on, Trimeth -- defend your boy!
Jeremy: Hey, I won't deny that Papalote is pretty good -- very fresh, an original take on some classics. It's in my 'hood, I go there with some frequency (remember this?). But burritos are comfort food and, the way I see it, are all about being excessive. Sloppy. Not healthy (Soy chorizo? come on, now), not innovative, not hip. Not neat and clean. Not reasonably portioned, only reasonably priced. Papalote does a pretty good job; they certainly try hard. But maybe they try a little too hard.
My ideal burrito place? Taqueria Castillo "B" down at the Civic Center, 86 McAllister ("A," over on Golden Gate, is pretty good too, of course). It's clean, it's authentic, and the custom touches (like the totally to-die-for green salsa) enhance the experience. For "cheep cheep cheep" you get a big, fat burrito with just about anything you would want on it. Check out the lunch rush, with the folks from U.N. plaza crowding in there for better-than-anywhere burritos at cheaper-than-Taco Bell prices.
In fact, I'll put Pancho Villa/El Toro and Taqueria Can-Cun a head and shoulders above Papalote as well. I'm glad it's in my neighborhood, but I wouldn't travel for it. Taqueria Castillo "B" is the only burrito place I'll go out of my way for -- one of two Mexican food places I'll do that for are (the other is Nick's Crispy Tacos, but for the fish tacos, not for the burritos -- pardon the digression). Taqueria Castillo "B" gets my 'Fistie.
The debate rages on, after the jump
Rita: Fair, fair, these are all fair points -- the foofy burrito versus the burrito of the people is a time-honored debate. And certainly, I've enjoyed plenty of burritos on the triumverate Axis Of Asada (PV/Cumb/Cancun) -- but we live in San Francisco! Home of fusion cuisine! In evaluating burritos, I find myself craving a new fresh twist on the burrito experience -- for instance, I tried out that aggressively non-ethnic Mariachi's (the one across Valencia from La Cumbre, with the bright blue sign) and you know, I kind of liked the user-friendly seared chicken breast filling. Authentic? Probably not. But it sure was tasty.
And these days, a burrito from the Axis ain't all that cheap either! I can get a better deal on banh mi or a deal that's just as good on a shawarma. I might as well spend a little more and get something that tastes really good.
While evaluating burritos, I also worry that I curtail my burrito experience -- I go to the same handful of places and get the same burrito all the time -- I've never gotten a burrito from the Harrison Street trucks, for instance, and I've never had a tongue meat burrito either. Does one who loves the burrito of the masses also venture out to new and uncharted burrito climes?
Jeremy: You are right -- I think in general we must indeed exercise culinary adventurism. However, this is a debate about the burrito--when you throw the word "fusion" into a burrito debate, you're essentially talking about the "wrap." That changes the subject and brings up a whole special can of worms, what with the good (great Indian food places having curry in wrapped in naan and the like) and the bad (I have actually had a rosemary and pesto tortilla filled with cheese tortellini and tomato sauce--and I survived, albeit barely. Yuck.). That no longer fits the bill, in my opinion. Please, let's keep any thoughts on "fusion" -- and thus "the wrap"--out of this. Sorry, Rita, we should keep it to burritos, pure and simple.
I'll finish my piece with a theory: Burritos are a comfort food, and the best comfort food comes from simplicity and abundance. I'll bet those lunch-truck-burritos that neither one of us has gotten around to trying yet could be excellent. But when the vegetarian version of something involves TVP rather than keeping it simple with just vegetables--and when the price of a burrito is double the cost of a typical fast-food meal--I think you're removed from being called "the best." Papalote is good. El Toro and Pancho Villa are really good. Can-Cun is excellent . . . but when I'm giving a 'Fistie, it's going to Taqueria Castillo "B" and its cousins.
Rita: But Jeremy! How can we talk about burritos if we don't talk about its contents? The only reason to eat a burrito is because you love the tasty inside! If I want to spend a minimal amount of money for any ol' filling inside a bread wrapping, I'll just get a McDonald's apple pie. (caution: contents may be yummy!) Though that tortilla with the tortellini inside sounds like tor-trouble; I'd be skeptical of fancy-pants fillings after an experience like that too. (I feel also that this is not the place to admit that I used to love that World Wraps by the Safeway on Church Street where they had a lemon chicken, asparagus, and mashed potatoes combo. Guilty pleasure!)
Awww, hugs! Let's never fight again, Jeremy! Meet you over by the burrito trucks!
And the 'Fistie goes to.....:
The burrito of the people: Taqueria Castillo "B". 86 McCallister.
The burrito of the yuppie people: Papalote. 3409 24th Street.