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.