Mi Rancho is a special place. At the intersection of W. Beach and Walker in the industrial section of town, across from the odd murals of the old timey buildings, its a lunch spot for truckers and workers. Again, super burrito was definitely not the correct order, but I'm more than halfway through (excluding restaurants, counter order only), so what the hey.
I had to order over the shoulders of two loud, greasy men who were sitting at the counter directly in front of the register in order to visit with one of the proprietors. I requested a carnitas super burrito and was provided a basket of chips and a nice, spicy salsa at my table. I saw a paper that described the building as historic and Mi Rancho's effort to open here worthwhile. I did not read the paper and do not know the history yet.
The burrito arrived with a fork and knife, but I made due with my paws. I had not consider that such a platonic ideal could exist, but this was the very perfection of a super burrito made by someone who makes excellent food, but does not really make a lot of super burritos. It was a delicious carnitas plato wrapped up and carefully placed inside of a unheated tortilla. Just carnitas, beans, rice, and a little onion and cilantro garnish. At first resistance made me uncertain, but halfway though the beauty of the wrap revealed itself to me and the joy blossomed.
On the way out I studied the walls again and noticed a sign for Tortas Ahogadas, a specialty of Guadalajara that I have only ever seen outside of Jalisco once ('drowned sandwiches' - an especially firm bread roll covered in a spicy tomato soup/sauce). The man confirmed that they have them, and it might have been the Spanish talking, but I believe he said they only serve them between six and seven.
Next time, and there will be a next time, I will order a Torta Ahogada at 6:30pm and burn my lips.
Saturday, May 18, 2019
10 - Watsonville, CA: Taqueria Mi Tierra #1
See post 4, re: Taqueria Mi Tierra #2 for additional context. TMT1 has the same menu and same salsa bar as TMT2. The same guy who told me to stop talking to the cooks last time was working the register today and was very welcoming and friendly. I was extra hungry and I'm always tempted anyway, so I placed an order for a California Burrito. For the uninitiated, no the California Burrito is not turkey and avocado wrapped in a gigantic leaf of lettuce, quite the opposite. It could perhaps more appropriately be called the American Burrito, but given its origins in San Diego, I could see California standing in for America (in the smaller world of the border).
Anyway the California Burrito has carne asada, french fries, cheese, and usually only one or two other things unless specified. In San Diego they are best ordered at any Taco Shop with the suffix -bertos, and many of the best places make their own french fries (Aibertos, Rolbertos etc.). TMT1 does not make their own, and really probably should have thrown in a few more. Nevertheless, a California Burrito is a powerfully satisfying lunch and I left feeling quite happy. Distribution was good and the lime juiced cabbage provided an excellent balance to the heaviness of the beef and potatoes.
Anyway the California Burrito has carne asada, french fries, cheese, and usually only one or two other things unless specified. In San Diego they are best ordered at any Taco Shop with the suffix -bertos, and many of the best places make their own french fries (Aibertos, Rolbertos etc.). TMT1 does not make their own, and really probably should have thrown in a few more. Nevertheless, a California Burrito is a powerfully satisfying lunch and I left feeling quite happy. Distribution was good and the lime juiced cabbage provided an excellent balance to the heaviness of the beef and potatoes.
9 - Watsonville, CA: El Herradero
El Herradero is a little neighborhood cafe type place with a fresh fruit juice bar. It has perhaps the lowest online profile among the results of a map search for "burritos" in Watsonville. Such a search, by the way, is the traditional start of my weekly burrito lunch venture. El Herradero is one of the places at which super burrito is not the star of the menu. They're still happy to make one though.
They were out of the pork option I ordered, so I picked the other pork (I can't remember which at this point a few weeks later). The burrito felt very homemade, which I find coincides with a place that specializes in other things, and which in reality means the ingredients are good but the proportions and distribution are off. The rice was good. There was oregano and chile de arbol in little dishes on the table, which probably points toward pozole being a smart order... next time!
I would definitely come back just to sit in there, it made me wish I lived down the street.
Next time I'd order a soup or a special plato.
They were out of the pork option I ordered, so I picked the other pork (I can't remember which at this point a few weeks later). The burrito felt very homemade, which I find coincides with a place that specializes in other things, and which in reality means the ingredients are good but the proportions and distribution are off. The rice was good. There was oregano and chile de arbol in little dishes on the table, which probably points toward pozole being a smart order... next time!
I would definitely come back just to sit in there, it made me wish I lived down the street.
Next time I'd order a soup or a special plato.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
8 - Watsonville, CA: La Chilangita
I ate at La Chilangita's food truck a couple weeks ago, but I couldn't tell if they had burritos on the menu, and they advertise themselves as serving Mexico City style Mexican food (hence their name), so I ordered a chavindeca to try something new. This was a delicious two-corn tortilla quesadilla with a lot of meat and cheese inside. Not a burrito though, so I went to the restaurant of the same corporation to eat one today.
The place is on the corner of East Lake and Holohan in a small strip that seems to see a lot of cars pass by and very few stop. It was nearly empty when I arrived and empty by the time I ate. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and was the first person in 8 tries so far to engage with my question of a meat recommendation. Asada is most popular followed by carnitas and then suadero. Suadero is brisket, which is the meat of my people, so the choice was clear. I asked if poco carne was possible and she went back to check with the kitchen, which spoke directly to the operation's attention to detail. She offered chips and then gathered three (3!) separate table salsa bottles from the fridge, in addition to a cup of chip salsa which was bright red and a little smoky.
The burrito was stand out. The distribution was close to perfect and the level of moisture was perfect and consistent throughout. Mouthfeel is more than half of the point of eating a burrito, and La Chilangita has mouthfeel dialed in, or at least whoever was cooking today does. The brisket was juicy and its umami permeated most, but not all of the bites. The rice was quite honestly ethereal, and somehow everywhere there was rice, there was a touch of cheese. I think the only other strong opinion I've had about rice in burritos is that I wish there were less of it. I tasted two of the table salsas and found them a little off, but the third, a dark red, was almost exactly like Tacos Moreno's famous table salsa and I used it heavily. The tortilla was grilled and crispy, and my only complaint, and I never would have though of this if the burrito hadn't been so freaking good, was that the whole thing was a little too big.
That last thought may be a little controversial, but most of the burritos I've counted so far have been just the right size. That size being the size at which you can finish the burrito, including the delicious butt, and feel a little more full than normal, with a pleasant, glowing joy from being enchilado and super-sated. The Watsonville super burritos are definitely in conversation with the San Francisco style behemoths, but they easily beat them out by being the right big size, rather than too big. I'm sure there's plenty of men in their twenties or who work as bike messengers who would disagree, but I'd rather get back on the bike and feel slow and good than slow and bad.
Next time I would order a suadero super burrito and I might actually ask if they could make it a little smaller. Or I might not.
The place is on the corner of East Lake and Holohan in a small strip that seems to see a lot of cars pass by and very few stop. It was nearly empty when I arrived and empty by the time I ate. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and was the first person in 8 tries so far to engage with my question of a meat recommendation. Asada is most popular followed by carnitas and then suadero. Suadero is brisket, which is the meat of my people, so the choice was clear. I asked if poco carne was possible and she went back to check with the kitchen, which spoke directly to the operation's attention to detail. She offered chips and then gathered three (3!) separate table salsa bottles from the fridge, in addition to a cup of chip salsa which was bright red and a little smoky.
The burrito was stand out. The distribution was close to perfect and the level of moisture was perfect and consistent throughout. Mouthfeel is more than half of the point of eating a burrito, and La Chilangita has mouthfeel dialed in, or at least whoever was cooking today does. The brisket was juicy and its umami permeated most, but not all of the bites. The rice was quite honestly ethereal, and somehow everywhere there was rice, there was a touch of cheese. I think the only other strong opinion I've had about rice in burritos is that I wish there were less of it. I tasted two of the table salsas and found them a little off, but the third, a dark red, was almost exactly like Tacos Moreno's famous table salsa and I used it heavily. The tortilla was grilled and crispy, and my only complaint, and I never would have though of this if the burrito hadn't been so freaking good, was that the whole thing was a little too big.
That last thought may be a little controversial, but most of the burritos I've counted so far have been just the right size. That size being the size at which you can finish the burrito, including the delicious butt, and feel a little more full than normal, with a pleasant, glowing joy from being enchilado and super-sated. The Watsonville super burritos are definitely in conversation with the San Francisco style behemoths, but they easily beat them out by being the right big size, rather than too big. I'm sure there's plenty of men in their twenties or who work as bike messengers who would disagree, but I'd rather get back on the bike and feel slow and good than slow and bad.
Next time I would order a suadero super burrito and I might actually ask if they could make it a little smaller. Or I might not.
7 - Watsonville, CA: Taqueria Delicias #2
This is a special place. I don't think I've ever felt more like I was eating at a Mexican restaurant in the United States, in the sense of a restaurant that was brought from Mexico here. Spanish was necessary to complete my order with enough specificity. Parts of the menu are written on paper plates and tacked to the wall. The place was packed and noisy. A plato lunch special is something like five bucks. A burrito costs $3.75, and the whole scene made me assume that it would be a little Sonoran style burrito, so I came close to also ordering a torta. The friendly woman said they did have a super option, which I opted for, and recommended al pastor. $5.25
And it was regular super size! Good thing I didn't also get the torta - they should have a warning sign up. This is the best deal by far.
I've decided that I won't order pastor anymore unless I can see the meat on the spit. Often it just refers to the seasoning, in which case carnitas makes more sense to my taste. This pastor was indeed just seasoned, and was fine. The burrito felt a little thrown together, but the distribution was very good, which gave it an extra appeal, a casual excellence. There was a delightful core (no, not a Cheesy Core TM) of lettuce with a significant amount of cilantro mixed in that tempered every bite. Great balance is what I'm trying to say. The tortilla was grilled and a little crispy, and the roll was quite squat (a little shorter but fatter than average). I was given one small plastic container of salsa that was pretty good and I managed to stretch for the whole burrito.
Next time I'd get the especial del dia or the caldo de pollo or some other soup. The price is right.
And it was regular super size! Good thing I didn't also get the torta - they should have a warning sign up. This is the best deal by far.
I've decided that I won't order pastor anymore unless I can see the meat on the spit. Often it just refers to the seasoning, in which case carnitas makes more sense to my taste. This pastor was indeed just seasoned, and was fine. The burrito felt a little thrown together, but the distribution was very good, which gave it an extra appeal, a casual excellence. There was a delightful core (no, not a Cheesy Core TM) of lettuce with a significant amount of cilantro mixed in that tempered every bite. Great balance is what I'm trying to say. The tortilla was grilled and a little crispy, and the roll was quite squat (a little shorter but fatter than average). I was given one small plastic container of salsa that was pretty good and I managed to stretch for the whole burrito.
Next time I'd get the especial del dia or the caldo de pollo or some other soup. The price is right.
6 - Watonsville, CA: El Frijolito
El Frijolito has the feel of a community classic, which it reportedly is. The building its located in is one of those triangle buildings on a block where two formerly parallel streets come together. The result of this is that there is just a concrete wall on the backside of the restaurant, into which they have fashioned a 'take out' window. It looks like a real time city, the collection of busy, waiting people and the food flying out the window, if you squint your eyes at least.
The inside of the place is warm and friendly. An elder of the family that owns the place takes your order and you sit down with a number. The place was packed when I ate there. First you get chips and salsa service (when chips are brought to your table at a distinct time before your food arrives). Then later your food arrives. My burrito, chile verde con poco carne, tasted just like the place looked: comfortable, warm, and homey, but not spectacular.
The beans were that kind of refried pinto beans with a loose soupy consistency, but with whole beans in the mix. A little bland and a little hearty. I suspect the man who took my order may have given me poco frijoles instead of poco carne. The chile verde beef was delicious, but the rice dominated and was only okay. The salsa was nothing special.
Next time I'd order a plato, I think its more of a plato place than a burrito place. And I would go back for the warm atmosphere.
The inside of the place is warm and friendly. An elder of the family that owns the place takes your order and you sit down with a number. The place was packed when I ate there. First you get chips and salsa service (when chips are brought to your table at a distinct time before your food arrives). Then later your food arrives. My burrito, chile verde con poco carne, tasted just like the place looked: comfortable, warm, and homey, but not spectacular.
The beans were that kind of refried pinto beans with a loose soupy consistency, but with whole beans in the mix. A little bland and a little hearty. I suspect the man who took my order may have given me poco frijoles instead of poco carne. The chile verde beef was delicious, but the rice dominated and was only okay. The salsa was nothing special.
Next time I'd order a plato, I think its more of a plato place than a burrito place. And I would go back for the warm atmosphere.
Friday, March 1, 2019
5 - Watsonville, CA: Super Taqueria
I remember Super Taqueria from when I was a kid and I would stop with my dad after a sports game or whatever brought us to Watsonville. I think the Superman logo is very appealing to the young. Plus, its hard to get more superlative than super.
I ordered carnitas super burrito but it was cash only so I had to go to the ATM. This gave me time to notice the carne asada they were grilling right then, so I changed to asada. The area where you order is a large open space, feeling like a fast food restaurant, and the tables are in two wings sprouting off this efficiency zone. They do a lot of takeout - throngs of people were coming in and then quickly leaving - and the parking lot is gigantic.
The tortilla was exclusively steamed, not my favorite, but the beans were exceptional. The asada was also very good. They have a blended salsa verde and a blended salsa roja, both of which were good, but neither of which especially complemented the burrito. This is a new line for me: to what extent does the salsa pair with the food, aside from its individual merits on a chip? In this case it wasn't quite a match. That said, the pico de gallo in the burrito was the most well distributed I have ever encountered. Every bite had a tiny bit. In general, the distribution was superb, cheese in every bite as well.
I ate at table and divided my attention between the burrito, my fellow diners, and an article on "Workism" which argues that work is the new religion. There were a surprising number of kids in the restaurant until I remembered that Wednesday is a short day for Watsonville schools. They were all in good moods.
Next time I'd get the Super Veggie burrito because the beans were that good.
I ordered carnitas super burrito but it was cash only so I had to go to the ATM. This gave me time to notice the carne asada they were grilling right then, so I changed to asada. The area where you order is a large open space, feeling like a fast food restaurant, and the tables are in two wings sprouting off this efficiency zone. They do a lot of takeout - throngs of people were coming in and then quickly leaving - and the parking lot is gigantic.
The tortilla was exclusively steamed, not my favorite, but the beans were exceptional. The asada was also very good. They have a blended salsa verde and a blended salsa roja, both of which were good, but neither of which especially complemented the burrito. This is a new line for me: to what extent does the salsa pair with the food, aside from its individual merits on a chip? In this case it wasn't quite a match. That said, the pico de gallo in the burrito was the most well distributed I have ever encountered. Every bite had a tiny bit. In general, the distribution was superb, cheese in every bite as well.
I ate at table and divided my attention between the burrito, my fellow diners, and an article on "Workism" which argues that work is the new religion. There were a surprising number of kids in the restaurant until I remembered that Wednesday is a short day for Watsonville schools. They were all in good moods.
Next time I'd get the Super Veggie burrito because the beans were that good.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
4 - Watsonville, CA: Taqueria Mi Tierra #2
Taking a real lunch break and eating a delicious burrito is really growing on me. I get happier and happier with every bite. I just need to watch out for getting too full!
At the cash register I asked for recommendations and receive the traditional list of most of the meats on offer. I ordered carnitas but fortunately for me they have run out, which gives me the opportunity to poke my head in the kitchen window and ask for a recommendation. Understanding that I like pork based on my carnitas order, they agree that chile verde is the right choice for me. Then a guy, perhaps the manager, approaches me from the restaurant side and asks me to stop talking to the kitchen so they can focus on cooking. It all happened so fast though I can't be sure that's what he said.
I took some photos of the inside of the restaurant, the menu, the life-size cutout of the owner wearing a TMT hat holding an AK-47 right near the mural of a traditional looking courtship taking place on the edge of a plaza. It felt weird taking the photos though. First of all, in Watsonville I am an outsider, both as a gringo and as a government employee there for work. My presence is welcomed, as is my business and my appreciation of delicious food, but taking photos made me feel like even more of an interloper, like a tourist. For the most part there are only two kinds of food photos: photos taken as a tourist and photos taken as a local. Eating lunch in the middle of my workday puts me somewhere in between, I'm local adjacent. And I am not really interested in turning myself into a tourist in the midst of the community I serve. So, no photos here, I have a feeling that even publishing the ones I took would retroactively turn me into a tourist. Perhaps if I had a more digitally native relationship with my phone and social media I'd feel differently...
The burrito itself was solid. Well-mixed. The chile verde was cooked really well. My favorite thing was the salsa bar which included a lime marinated cabbage 'salad'. I took a lot of this and felt like I was eating a falafel in Israel (one of the only thing I liked about visiting Israel). I placed a quantity of cabbage or escaebeche on top of every bite, getting my veggies in with my beans and rice. The only problem was that the marinade's flavor was pretty unipolar and by the end my mouth just tasted sour. I love that kind of interactive, all-you-can-eat topping experience though, so I'd try it again, though next time it will be at TMT #1.
Next time I'd ask a regular what they like and order that.
At the cash register I asked for recommendations and receive the traditional list of most of the meats on offer. I ordered carnitas but fortunately for me they have run out, which gives me the opportunity to poke my head in the kitchen window and ask for a recommendation. Understanding that I like pork based on my carnitas order, they agree that chile verde is the right choice for me. Then a guy, perhaps the manager, approaches me from the restaurant side and asks me to stop talking to the kitchen so they can focus on cooking. It all happened so fast though I can't be sure that's what he said.
I took some photos of the inside of the restaurant, the menu, the life-size cutout of the owner wearing a TMT hat holding an AK-47 right near the mural of a traditional looking courtship taking place on the edge of a plaza. It felt weird taking the photos though. First of all, in Watsonville I am an outsider, both as a gringo and as a government employee there for work. My presence is welcomed, as is my business and my appreciation of delicious food, but taking photos made me feel like even more of an interloper, like a tourist. For the most part there are only two kinds of food photos: photos taken as a tourist and photos taken as a local. Eating lunch in the middle of my workday puts me somewhere in between, I'm local adjacent. And I am not really interested in turning myself into a tourist in the midst of the community I serve. So, no photos here, I have a feeling that even publishing the ones I took would retroactively turn me into a tourist. Perhaps if I had a more digitally native relationship with my phone and social media I'd feel differently...
The burrito itself was solid. Well-mixed. The chile verde was cooked really well. My favorite thing was the salsa bar which included a lime marinated cabbage 'salad'. I took a lot of this and felt like I was eating a falafel in Israel (one of the only thing I liked about visiting Israel). I placed a quantity of cabbage or escaebeche on top of every bite, getting my veggies in with my beans and rice. The only problem was that the marinade's flavor was pretty unipolar and by the end my mouth just tasted sour. I love that kind of interactive, all-you-can-eat topping experience though, so I'd try it again, though next time it will be at TMT #1.
Next time I'd ask a regular what they like and order that.
3 - Pajaro, CA: Pajaro Food Center
Coming back from Los Osos we stopped for a weekend burrito at the Pajaro Food Center. Supposedly David Kinch (sp?) recommends it. I think he maybe recommends the gorditas though.
The food counter is in the back of the store, which by the way sells pre-made tlayudas (just the base - not cooked ones). We ordered burritos and the woman declined to make a recommendation. I surveyed the meat options and selected pastor, which I immediately regretted because it wasn't cooking on a pastor. I've resolved to avoid that in the future. Everything was good, but the composition of the burrito was the worst I've every had. It fell apart while I was eating it, which I have not experienced since my days at the Ivy Room's burrito bar in college, when I was the one overstuffing my own burritos.
The refried beans stood out. There was no salsa on the table and no salsa bar.
Next time I'd buy the tlayuda shells and make tlayudas at home.
The food counter is in the back of the store, which by the way sells pre-made tlayudas (just the base - not cooked ones). We ordered burritos and the woman declined to make a recommendation. I surveyed the meat options and selected pastor, which I immediately regretted because it wasn't cooking on a pastor. I've resolved to avoid that in the future. Everything was good, but the composition of the burrito was the worst I've every had. It fell apart while I was eating it, which I have not experienced since my days at the Ivy Room's burrito bar in college, when I was the one overstuffing my own burritos.
The refried beans stood out. There was no salsa on the table and no salsa bar.
Next time I'd buy the tlayuda shells and make tlayudas at home.
Monday, February 25, 2019
2 - Watsonville, CA: Taqueria La Buena
Second stop on my journey, Taqueria La Buena is a cheerful, narrow space tucked in next to a bunch of big brands like Starbucks and Target. I asked for a recommendation and the woman working the register was disinclined, naming all the meats. Alambre caught my eye. Its a word I know I've seen before, but La Buena has English translations of all the meats and it was a revelation: beef and bacon. The path before me was clear. Super burrito con alambre, poco carne.
At La Buena, they have a 'poco carne' button on the cash register, so it showed up on my receipt.
Normally in Watsonville I go shopping at the supermarket formerly known as Mi Pueblo (now Cardenas), and I don't know if I've ever seen another white person there. At La Buena there were some white people eating a business lunch. I guess Starbucks is just a few steps away.
La Buena has a table salsa bottle, a roasted salsa verde, that is a stand out sauce. Table salsa bottles are my very favorite way to have access to salsa. Thicker than a hot sauce, but thin enough to come out the opening, I love applying a topping without utensils or dipping. And, free, in endless quantities. This one is a very good one. It has that slightly oily feel of a roasted salsa, and a wonderful sharp flavor.
The burrito itself was excellent. The refried beans 'loose' (which is how I think of refried beans with plenty of whole beans, not too smashed up). The rice was flavorful. Ingredient distribution was excellent. The alambre was incredible! The beef was cooked just so, even a little pink, and the bacon added quite a depth.
Next time I'd order the same thing, Super Alambre Burrito with poco carne.
At La Buena, they have a 'poco carne' button on the cash register, so it showed up on my receipt.
Normally in Watsonville I go shopping at the supermarket formerly known as Mi Pueblo (now Cardenas), and I don't know if I've ever seen another white person there. At La Buena there were some white people eating a business lunch. I guess Starbucks is just a few steps away.
La Buena has a table salsa bottle, a roasted salsa verde, that is a stand out sauce. Table salsa bottles are my very favorite way to have access to salsa. Thicker than a hot sauce, but thin enough to come out the opening, I love applying a topping without utensils or dipping. And, free, in endless quantities. This one is a very good one. It has that slightly oily feel of a roasted salsa, and a wonderful sharp flavor.
The burrito itself was excellent. The refried beans 'loose' (which is how I think of refried beans with plenty of whole beans, not too smashed up). The rice was flavorful. Ingredient distribution was excellent. The alambre was incredible! The beef was cooked just so, even a little pink, and the bacon added quite a depth.
Next time I'd order the same thing, Super Alambre Burrito with poco carne.
Monday, February 18, 2019
1 - Watsonville, CA: Fidel's Mexican Food
I have been to Fidel's many times to buy fresh tortillas. They make excellent fresh corn tortillas, larger than the normal regular size from tortilla manufactories (you know, the ones you can buy in quantities from 10 to 200). They also make excellent flour tortillas, about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Great for a quesadilla.
Every time I go to Fidel's for a quick tortilla pick-up, I'm tempted to order a burrito. The menu is stately, evoking a place used to serving large quantities of people at weddings or quinceañeras. There is a story on the wall about the transformation of Hector's Bakery into Fidel's and the family's history farming strawberries in Watsonville. They sometimes have a tinga chicken special meat sign up, and I love chicken tinga.
Then came a Friday when I had no leftovers ready for my lunch. I'll go to Fidel's!
I spent all morning wondering how they use the freshly made, medium size (definitely not burrito size) tortillas to make a burrito. At lunch, I got my answer. They use two tortillas! I had never seen such a thing. Its almost like a restaurant from New Mexico moved to California and on the first day of school learned that all the burritos are gigantic in comparison with those back home, and then scrambled to come up with something. In case you were wondering, my opinion is that the quality of the handmade tortilla does not offset the downside: a third of the burrito has a structurally necessary second layer, due to the overlapping. Its a little too much tortilla.
While ordering I asked what the favorite meats are, something I think people often worry too much about when answering, as though I might decide to leave if they name a meat I dislike. My view is that Taquerias typically excel at between 1 and 4 meats, but serve a much wider range because asi se hace. I decided on the chile verde pork, which was recommended first, and I asked for a small amount, which I've been in the habit of recently, the better to notice the other ingredients. The burrito was very good, I liked the pork and the beans. After I finished, the friendly woman who had advised me offered me tastes of the pastor and the asada, both of which I liked a little less than the pork.
I think at Fidel's I would order a chili verde pork quesadilla, though I never have.
Every time I go to Fidel's for a quick tortilla pick-up, I'm tempted to order a burrito. The menu is stately, evoking a place used to serving large quantities of people at weddings or quinceañeras. There is a story on the wall about the transformation of Hector's Bakery into Fidel's and the family's history farming strawberries in Watsonville. They sometimes have a tinga chicken special meat sign up, and I love chicken tinga.
Then came a Friday when I had no leftovers ready for my lunch. I'll go to Fidel's!
I spent all morning wondering how they use the freshly made, medium size (definitely not burrito size) tortillas to make a burrito. At lunch, I got my answer. They use two tortillas! I had never seen such a thing. Its almost like a restaurant from New Mexico moved to California and on the first day of school learned that all the burritos are gigantic in comparison with those back home, and then scrambled to come up with something. In case you were wondering, my opinion is that the quality of the handmade tortilla does not offset the downside: a third of the burrito has a structurally necessary second layer, due to the overlapping. Its a little too much tortilla.
While ordering I asked what the favorite meats are, something I think people often worry too much about when answering, as though I might decide to leave if they name a meat I dislike. My view is that Taquerias typically excel at between 1 and 4 meats, but serve a much wider range because asi se hace. I decided on the chile verde pork, which was recommended first, and I asked for a small amount, which I've been in the habit of recently, the better to notice the other ingredients. The burrito was very good, I liked the pork and the beans. After I finished, the friendly woman who had advised me offered me tastes of the pastor and the asada, both of which I liked a little less than the pork.
I think at Fidel's I would order a chili verde pork quesadilla, though I never have.
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