Tijuana Flats, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Moe's are definitely successful Mexican chains for a reason. But, if you are looking to support local business with your burrito enthusiasm, check out these restaurants that wrap up the local Gainesville flavor.
Burrito Brothers
1402 W. University Ave.
If you've ever wandered down the small parking lot alleyway to the right of Target Copy, you might have noticed a sign questioning if a burrito is worth getting your car towed. Walk a few more paces forward and you'll realize that you've stumbled upon one of Gainesville's best kept burrito secrets.
The small nook of an establishment features a walk up window, a small patio and a whole lot of personality. The popular chicken primo-style burrito features, steamy red rice, melt-y Monterey Jack cheese, crisp lettuce and the house made green tomatillo sauce all wrapped up in a thin, almost paper-like tortilla Add the crucial addition of zesty guacamole, which is perfectly balanced with creaminess and whole chunks of avocado, to make the burrito even more satisfying.
Burrito Brothers also offers a welcomed twist to the standard ingredients with the "SPOT" or Sweet Potato Burrito. The burrito comes stuffed with mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, Jack cheese, lettuce and fresh roasted corn salsa.
Burrito Brothers might be hard to find, but alumni and students alike put this eatery on a burrito pedestal. There really is no need to advertise — these burritos will speak for themselves.
Boca Fiesta
232 SE 1st St.
Situated in the heart of the Sun Center Plaza, Boca Fiesta offers a variety of tasty burrito options. On the dinosaur-themed menu, you'll find meat burritos can be stuffed with beef, chicken, pork, blackened tilapia, steak or alligator. In addition, vegetarian- and vegan-friendly burritos can be loaded up with tempeh, TVP (textured vegetable protein), okra or stir-fried veggies.
On the carnivore side, the alligator reigns supreme. The meat is beer-battered and deep-fried to greasy perfection. The chewy consistency and salty flavor resembles chicken but not quite. On the herbivore front, try the tempeh burrito. Somehow, Boca Fiesta perfectly highlights the subtle nuttiness of tempeh, while still provoking a satisfying Mexican flavor.
In terms of burrito construction, the thick tortillas effectively keep your burrito from the messy fate of bursting and spilling out the back seam. For the full Boca Fiesta experience, definitely splurge for either the regular or vegan queso. These T-Rex sized burritos will keep you full for hours.
El Indio
407 NW 13th St.
El Indio is the McDonalds of Mexican food in Gainesville. By this I mean that with $10, you can basically buy dinner for you and your three roommates. This drive-through or walk-up establishment features a wide array of inexpensive Mexican food. For just $2.09 you can get a black bean burrito filled with salsa fresca, lettuce and cheese. For a splurge of $0.80, get the more substantial chicken or ground beef burrito. No. 50 on the menu, an apple burrito, is unique to this eatery. The bundled concoction is a deep fried flour tortilla stuffed with apple filling and smothered in honey and cinnamon. For delicious, cheap Mexican food, El Indio will not disappoint.
101 Cantina
1612 W. University Ave.
For more upscale Mexican dining, 101 Cantina is the place to go. The classy interior hosts a bar and outdoor tiki-style lounge. Here, a burrito features lettuce, fresh tomatoes, seasoned rice, a blend of cheeses and sour cream all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. The choice of protein is yours and Cantina offers not only the classic chicken or beef, but also cactus and corn or shrimp.
Few will ever attempt Cantina's "El Cinco Loco" challenge. For $25, a brave soul can try to down a massive five-pound burrito loaded with queso, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and either chicken, beef or pork. If successfully consumed in under an hour, the burrito is free and the champion receives a T-shirt, his or her name displayed on cantina101.com and a $50 gift card.
For more from Becca Goldring, check out www.becca-bakes.com.
Posts in Chomp and Chew appear on Fridays.
