¡Llegaron los Burritos!

By: Lorena Castillo

Our California Burrito made with carne asada

The origins of the burrito are unknown but the popular folk tale of Don Juan Méndez is often told as one of its genesis stories. Don Juan sold food during the Mexican Revolution in the city of Paso del Norte, today called Ciudad Juarez, my home town in Mexico. According to the tale, Don Juan Méndez, transported his baskets of tacos on a flour tortilla from his donkeys. When people would see him arrive they would shout, "¡Llegaron los Burritos!", "The burritos arrived" - burrito meaning Spanish for little donkey.

Although we cannot exactly pinpoint the real creator of this popular Mexican dish, we do know that it has become an international symbol of Mexican cuisine. The burrito is made with a flour tortilla, a staple of North Mexican cuisine. The tortilla is filled with a variety of ingredients and then folded to seal it tightly in one yummy package, and wrapped in foil to keep warm. Perhaps its ease of eating on the go has made it such a popular dish in America.

At Que Ricos, we make a variety of burritos. Our original is served with rice, beans, onion, cilantro, salsa, and your choice of our signature meats: asada, pastor, chicken, or carnitas. If you're looking for a little extra spice, you can upgrade your burrito to a Wet Burrito where we cover it in salsa, and top it with cheese and sour cream. It's a bit messier to eat, but worth every bite.

For those looking for something a little more special, we have a CA Burrito which is stuffed with your choice of meat, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and french fries which give it a delicious crunch. For our friends that don't eat meat we offer several vegetarian and vegan options that will fill your burrito craving.

We all know that breakfast is the best meal of the day and that's why we serve it all day. We have a great selection of breakfast burritos: machaca, bacon, ham, a la mexicana (mixed veggies), and our family's favorite - chorizo.

Burritos are one of Que Ricos' original menu items from 1993. Today it remains our most popular item. We'll never know exactly who introduced this dish to the world but I'm sure grateful for their contributions. What better way to show your appreciation than by indulging in one. Next time you get your weekly craving for burritos we're happy to help you pay your respects to Don Juan Méndez at Que Ricos Fresh Mexican Kitchen.