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LA Weekly baits San Franciscans in Ask Mr. Gold's most recent column. Erica, a Los Angeles-based reader, writes in to ask about her "friend in town from Berkeley" who loves burritos but is set in her Bay Area commie pinko burrito eating ways. What should Erica do?
Mr. Gold responds:
Dear Erica:Bay Area residents tend to have peculiar ideas about burritos, which they regard as monstrous things wrapped in tinfoil, and filled with what would seem to be the contents of an entire margarita-mill dinner, including grilled meat, rice, beans, guacamole, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, orange cheese, and probably a lot of other things that neither God nor man ever intended to see the inside of a tortilla, much less the soggy steamed pup-tents that are but mandatory up north.
Gold then further tempts the trolls by mentioning that Angelenos were eating burritos for decades, way back when our \Mission District "was still an unreconstructed Irish neighborhood." SFist asked Burrito Justice for comment, who explained, "Awwww. LA, their burritos are as cute as their hipsters."
But what say you, Bay Area? Does Mr. Gold have a point? Are LA's slightly less oily, somewhat more user-friendly, and arguably tasty burritos better than our alleged monstrosities? (Check out what Los Angelenos are saying about the burrito wars over at LAist.)
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when I don't want a Bay Area monstrosity (and I usually do), I order tacos.
hahah who cares? who the fuck wants to live in la?
Remember, without LA below us, SF might as well be Portland 2.0. And no one in their right mind wants that.
first off, this snobby cali shit doesn't fly anywhere else in the country....so while you might have some distaste for portland, the rent's cheaper and there's prolly considerably fewer smashed beer bottles sitting around...but whatever....
http://www.conniescantina.com/
that is the best/biggest/most expensive burrito you'll ever have though...thank you mr. editor...
"first off, this snobby cali shit doesn't fly anywhere else in the country"
Our snobby Cali shit may not fly anywhere else in the country, but neither do we. We fly over the rest of the country, remember? Never forget it. Ever. ;)
Rent is cheaper in Portland? Dude, rent is cheaper in every other city in America, including Manhattan. It's true. I looked it up.
Ever been to NYC? They perpetually look down upon their little stinky sister New Jersey (as repeatedly spoofed on SNL). People in Boston and NYC have a rivalry that goes beyond baseball and the people in Maine and NH wish that everyone south of them would stay the hell out. Southside Chicago and Northside Chicago? Townies vs Hipsters?
Nah, it doesn't go beyond California.
I love Portland, it's the best place in the universe, and actually prefer the burritos I've had there to what I've had in either SF or LA. The difference - potatoes. I love some potatoes in my burrito.
it's what white people like.
potatoes? jesus, dude, get a grip.
The burrito, as we know it, isn't really Mexican food. The Mission style burrito was invented in SF along with fortune cookies, Irish coffee, and the Mai Tai. However, in Northern Mexico the burrito resembles something more like enchiladas, and it is almost not even on the menu in other parts of Mexico. So the SoCal version of the burrito also isn't really the real thing either. Even in Mexico, the burrito is not really a very widespread phenomenon as it is in the US. Funny that everyone in the US considers burritos to be Mexican food, when in actuality, they are more like Californian food. LA and SF have different types of burritos. oh noes. But we do have a type of food unique to California, which we are now exporting to the rest of the US, and we can be proud of that.
Wait, according to you last night, it should be "México" - right?
w0rd.
Irish coffee was invented at Shannon Airport in Dublin. My sister-in-law (from Michigan!) told me this as we drank Irish coffees in the BV and I laughed at her poor hick-ish beliefs - only to have our waitress confirm that the Shannon Airport story is true. I was totally pwnd.
Well to be fair, irish coffee was invented when an irish guy tried to hide his alcoholism by sneaking some whiskey into his coffee. But hey, he didn't capitalize off of it.
I hate mission style burritos. What is described here sounds better, but I'd have to go to L.A. to find out. Where is L.A. again?
Did Mr. Gold forget about San Diego? Had a damn fine burrito there over the weekend. L.A. doesn't even count.
Agreed. LA Burritos are whatevs. San Diego burritos are the only good thing about San Diego. And they're damn good.
Eh, the stretch running from downtown to Point Loma has a few things going for it. But otherwise, yeah. I can't be arsed to go down there, even if my favorite brother has been after me to make a visit for months.
i love our monstrosities. makes me feel like i'm gettin' a good deal! it's good enough for an entire meal.
mmmmmmm orange cheeeese AGHLGHGLGL!
(seriously though... orange cheese??? Where does one find this so called "orange cheese" in a mission burrito?)
yeah, what is this orange cheese?
i don't ever get sour cream/ gauc/ or cheese on my burritos anyway, it messes with the taste of the Pastor.
I'll take sliced avocados though.
mmmm Farolitos.....
I think NorCal should start a monopoly on enchilada burritos! YUM!!
Cat! Cute!
To be honest, they're not as different as they claim. When I lived in Venice Beach, the one thing I noticed was that many of them would not have rice in them, which I prefer anyways because rice in burritos sucks.
And let's remember that LA is the place that invented the Korean Taco Truck with kim chi in the burritos. Which is of course, awesome, and all, but definitely not "mexican food."
Koreans have been putting kimchi in burritos since the beginning of time. Then again, we tend to put kimchi on everything. But there is truly, truly something special about a burrito with kimchi. Another happy marriage? A burrito with Sriracha sauce--the king of hot sauces!
Yup. I actually like rice in my burrito, I thought it was a little odd at first but I grew to enjoy it. FWIW, the burritos in Santa Barbara are more like the ones up here than not.
However, the tacos are a different story altogether, and for me, it's LA for the win... *ducks*
Ok, so I've been in SF for 6 years now and just don't get the whole burrito thing. As far as I can tell, it's just a bunch of cheap overcooked crap rolled in a tortilla. There's a time and a place for that, yes, but I'm not sure what about that gives it its exalted status. Maybe I haven't been to the right places. Dunno. Can someone explain to me what I'm missing?
While I'm at it, what's the difference between an LA and SF burrito? I lived in LA for years as well and never even knew there was such a thing as an LA burrito. Someone please enlighten me.
I don't get the whole donut thing. Isn't is just a piece of dough dipped in fat?
I don't the whole hot dog thing. Isn't is just bunch of crappy pork in a long bun?
I don't get the whole pizza thing. Isn't it just a triangular piece of bread?
Brother, that's just crazy talk. Been here for 6 years and you still don't get it? I got it when I had it at the age of 6. "If you don't know me by now...you will never never never know me..."
Check.
Check.
Check.
And, I'm afraid, Check.
But if you want to talk bacon, now that's something I can appreciate. Either American or English. Just don't waste my time with Canadian.
I don't get the po'boy -- isn't it just a bunch of crap on a roll?
Don't get the po'-boy?! What?! A comment like that is just plain below the belt and completely un-called for. :)
Oh, and well played, LibertyHiller. Well played.
Hey, this is the Internets, we play for keeps.
Seriously, though... when pizza is done right, it's damn good, even when it's that greasy Ragu-on-cardboard that they call "New York Style".
When hot dogs are done right - grilled buns, all-beef grilled frank, never boiled or made from pork - they rock. I don't think one has to go quite as far as they do in Chicago in terms of toppings (Irving Park Dogs used to pile on almost a salad) but YMWV. I've found that the best part of a Giants game is a dog with brown mustard and onions, with the extra garlic from the fries. Yum.
Doughnuts, not so much. Krispy Kreme makes me logy and Happy Donuts at 24/Church seems to have its touch. Any recommendations, people?
Only doughnuts worth eating are Krispy Kremes from the original Krispy Kreme on Stratford Road in Winston-Salem, N.C. The hot doughnut sign comes on and you head over after cruising the strip in a 1982 Camaro owned by a girl named Tiffany. Inside the woman with a hairnet uses the little plastic straw thing to pluck them off the conveyor belt... never removing the Virginia Slim from between her lips.
Well, you asked.
Yes, go to flyover country and experience the joy that is Daylight Donuts.
One of only two things I miss about Oklahoma.
I have never heard a serious discussion comparing our Mission Burritos to LA burritos. Sure some of my misinformed LA friends have piped up about thier Mexican food until a proper SF burrito caused them to STFU.
I have heard some discussion about San Diego burritos, but who cares about San Diego? I don't and neither do you. Think about it. It's true.
As Largo01 stated, what we know as a burrito isn't what a Mexican in Mexico would call a burrito. It is a California invention that started right here en la corazon of San Francisco. If we did nothing else for the rest of time, we can be confident that we have already contributed, through our burrito, our fair share to the overall happiness quotient of the universe.
As for LA burritos: walk into a tacqueria there and you'll see about 2 dozen different types of burritos. Beef, pork, chicken. With or without cheese. With or without beans. With or without rice. With or without lettuce. With or without salsa, etc. I look. I am confused. Sounds great, but where's the one with all ove the above? Where is the Super? Senor, tienes la Super? He looks confused. I look panicked. I'm sorry, this just isn't going to work out. It's not me, it's you.
Viva la Mision! Or something.
I would probably wind up having a "Five Easy Pieces" moment.
Your post made me laugh. Thanks.
i blame hollywood for the plethora of choices. too many yuppies want it their way. the market decides!
Have to say that Gold is right, we try to put too much inside a tortilla up here. They are not made to hold 10 ingredients with different consistencies. All taqueria food is basically the same 12 ingredients "packaged" differently, we just try to cram them all into the same food item. Solution? A plate.
To be fair, I think the Yelp crowd gives us a bad name up here. Direct quote from review of horrible, overrated taqueria: "When I'm craving for a salmon quesadilla I come here. I add mushrooms with it and pour the salsa verde (or is it verde salsa?)".
Garbage like that is why I tweaked etc\hosts with Yelp.com at 127.0.0.1...
People like that need to die.
The first time I really got into Mexican food was when I lived in Chicago, 25 years ago. As I recall, the burritos at the place we frequented over by the Howard L terminal were more of an LA-style, smaller and greasier.
I have to say, I much prefer the Mission Torpedo. Two fists of solid food; if you set it up right, it's almost a balanced meal.
I prefer fish tacos.
There's some sort of str8 guy/gay gal joke in that comment...
If you don't get this from LA Weakly, it seems appropriate here...
The History of the Alameda-Weehawken Burrito Tunnel
Why would anyone want to go to LA for a burrito when they can go to San Diego and get an even better one? Come to think of it, why would anyone want to go to LA for anything?
The SF burrito (which I consume 3-4 weekly) is a completely different experience.
Is this article trolling for me? I mean, seriously, is Brock just baiting me?
There's nothing wrong with LA burritos. Rice in burritos add to its structural integrity, as long as you don't go overboard a la El Farolito. San Diegans put fries in their slabs, which is arguable either way.
Incorrect. The "California" burrito served in SD contains fries or seasoned potatoes. A standard San Diego carne asada contains carne asada, pico de gallo, and quac. That's it. Simple and delicious (and for less than $4 no less, and you're getting meat, not something filled mostly with rice and whole beans). The other standard SD burrito is refried beans and queso or cheddar - also simple and tasty. No rice, no heat-wilted lettuce.
Seconded.
Way hotter than any LA burrito:
http://www.burritophile.com/blog/2008_09_01_archive.php
Sadly, I must agree with Mr. Gold. Tacos and tortas are much more satisfying.
Tacos are where it's at, hands down.
This burrito that is described as an LA burrito, it is also the burrito you will find yourself eating if you bother to visit an Oakland taco truck. Focus is on the meat, tortilla is grilled. Mostly delicious, a few in particular stunningly so. The problem with this style is that when it's bad, it's putrid. Gristling your way down a solid column of meat—unaided with fillers like salsa, sour cream, guac, rice—is so vividly wretched. Ugh. The memories of one particular place in Alameda, the chicken, the chunks of it, god, I can feel my nose filling with puke.
LOL!
The SF burrito wins because it has its own wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_francisco_burrito
la burritos are not as veg friendly as sf burritos. ergo sf burritos are better because they are more inclusive, kind of like sf in general. i dare you to find refried beans made without lard in la.
We're committing the same tired comparative error and compounding it to the Nth degree.
Look:
The Mission is ONE district. What's it got? 60 thousand people, tops?
Los Angeles is a the one of the nation's largest mega-sprawls, clocking in at around 12 million (I think, maybe more.)
Comparing the two is like comparing the cuisine in your corner neighborhood to the entire Napa region.
And the Mission STILL wins!
Before I moved out here from Texas the only burritos I ever saw were for breakfast, relatively thinly loaded, and had only one or two ingredients. If they were on the menu, it was because the place lacked any cooking technology other than a frying pan. No one ever ordered a burrito in a place with otherwise good Tex Mex.
Awww, not only does SF have longer average commute times, higher cost of living, worse parking, more self-denying hipsters, and some serious NYC envy, but shitty burritos. Boo hoo, boo boo hoo.
Hey, if SF is so great, how come you guys spend so much time looking over the fence trying to find new things to talk about how how "el terible" LA is? If your shit's so great, spend more time eating it and less time looking at mine.
Hee!
"Awww, not only does SF have longer average commute times, higher cost of living, worse parking, more self-denying hipsters, and some serious NYC envy, but shitty burritos. Boo hoo, boo boo hoo.
Hey, if SF is so great, how come you guys spend so much time looking over the fence trying to find new things to talk about how how "el terible" LA is? If your shit's so great, spend more time eating it and less time looking at mine."
Said the man from LA on the San Francisco blog.
*raises brows*
i'm not admitting to any allegiance to SF (but the fact i'm on here is ratting me out), but you sound a little bitter, BB.
you wanna snuggle over a cup of cocoa with little freeze dried marshmallows in it, and tell momma why u so angry?
Hee Hee!
my commute is 5 minutes, so i guess i'm not a real "sfist."...i do have some serious NYC envy tho.
Angelinos always complain about the car stuff. Waaa, commute, waaa, parking, because everything's 10,000 miles apart. How do you drink? Do you just careen wildly, smashed out of your mind, from place to place?
Yes. See: Nicole Ritchie.
My commute time in SF is about ten minutes. And any NYC envy I had vanished once I read Ruth Reichl's account of being on a subway in August and having a man standing over her dripping sweat onto her lap.
That story along is enough to keep me renewing my lease.
Bay burritos FTW. I miss them so much. There were some really phatty ones with everything you could ever possibly want. I had no problem spending more $5-9 for something that would be all I need to eat for the day. There are so many great ones as well. There is a spot on Geneva, Ocean Taq, about 5 great ones on Mission and some dope ass tacos trucks in the East Bay. I miss them so bad since I headed south. Live in SD now and I have yet to find any burritos in SD or LA that are even close to as good. Every time I go back to the Bay I make it a point to get a phatty burrito cuz SoCal burritos suck. LA sucks. Dodgers suck. Truth.
Umm... wtf?
I grew up in SoCal, was pretty much raised on burritos and mexican food. I'm new to the bay area, but all the burrito's I've tried...
...HAVE TASTED EXACTLY THE SAME.
It's a fucking burrito. Some places shove everything in it, while others are far more purist. Strangely enough, both types of burrito vendors exist in both cities.
Fuck. Now I want a burrito.
Exactly the same??? You, sir, are nuts. I mean, yeah, they taste exactly the same if you get em at Chipotle! At Del Taco!
Exactly the same, he said. Ha!
I will take a note of this debate next time I fly up to SF.
All this debate makes make me wanna get a burrito after work.
To any and all you SFists possibly coming down here for E3 - let me take you out!
Maybe if I decide at the last minute to drive up for bay to breakers I will seek out your much coveted burritos.
What, no love for pupusas?
I love 'em.
Viva El Zocalo!
good point. the author totally misspelled "LA vs. SF ALL CENTRAL AMERICAN FOOD"
and really, for how long can comment posting be so fucked up?
San Diego-style, please.
Beans do not belong in burritos! Nor do steamed tortillas.
How fashionable!
@perlerorneq - your comment is exactly what I would expect from a SF burrito conversation. It's almost cliche.
I'm with hermano Gold on this one.
I love burritos they are great, very filling for a whole meal. I never think of them as being Mexican food since I am from the east coast.
My best friend comes from Jalisco and says there is no such thing in most of Mexico, and that it is gringo food.
That said, the best burritos I had in the last 6 months are at El Azteca on Church and Market, and La Taqueria on Mission which doesn't add rice, so you can taste the other flavors.
Gordos FTW
"Gordos FTW"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! That is the funniest thing I have read in a while! Thank you. That is just what this thread needs, a little humor to lighten things up.
Tonight we had to make a run to La Tapatia in So SF to get a pound of carnitas, some salsa and a pkg of fresh tortillas for dinner. Yum shall follow.
Oh, man, I love La Tapatia.
A lot of taco trucks get their ingredients there.
maybe i'm not experiencing what everyone else is. i get most of my burritos in the TL. there are lots of excellent and inexpensive taquerias in the TL. maybe these are different from the ones in the mission? my guess is that they're all a little different.
omg, really? after a night out at the Great American i risked a TL burrito recently. never again!! next time, i will take a taxi to Taqueria Cancun.
as for LA, why would you order a burrito there when you can get any number of things they make well...? like sushi or something?
well there are crappy burrito places everywhere. food in the TL isn't really much of a 'risk'. there are tons of great inexpensive restaurants. there's a good taqueria at golden gate and larkin, mcallister and leavenworth, la paz on turk st. is good. those are the ones i go to, but i'm sure there are others.
There's a reason the word(s) Mission style burrito is heard world round. Seattle based Taco del Mar, now a national chain, had that phrase as their damn title for awhile.
Two words: Chabela Burrito!
Brock: You really think that LA burritos are "much, much better" than SF burritos?
I rarely eat them. One burrito every two years at the most, maybe? But if pressed, yes, I prefer the ones I ate as a kid in Southern California.
Here's Brock's comment on LAist:
user-pic
Author Profile Page [5] | Brock Keeling
"pst, your burritos are secretly much, much better."
been living in SF for almost a year and there's no way in hell that I've found a better Burrito than in LA. Obviously, the SF burrito lovers up here have never tried Uncle Robbie's in Montebello or any Mex burrito joint in Pico Rivera. You want good LA burritos? That's where you're going to get them. Love the Bay Area, hate the lack of good Mexican. THEY DONT EVEN HAVE A WAHOOS UP HERE for heaven's sake...