Our local meat store, can’t honestly call it a butcher, recently started carrying flank steak and skirt steak. Angus flank and skirt steak. For 7.69 a pound.

The perfect cuts for making San Diego carne asada style burritos. I’ve seen many a carne asada burrito on menues outside of San Diego. They have absolutely zero resemblance to what I recognize as a carne asada burrito. The real deal has citrus marinated beef, guacamole, pico de gallo salsa. That’s it. No rice. No beans. No cheese. No creama. No corn. Three items in a tortilla. But if you add French fries you can call it a California burrito. But that’s a different subject.

Cost wise this is complicated emotionally. This burrito is slightly smaller than the real deal. Current price of the real deal from Roberto’s on El Cajon Blvd is $11.25. This homemade version was $9. Once you adjust for size they are pretty much the same price. I’ve always known that I couldn’t make them as cheap as j could buy them. Today was just proof.

  • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
    6·
    9 days ago

    carne asada burrito on menues outside of San Diego. They have absolutely zero resemblance to what I recognize as a carne asada burrito. The real deal has citrus marinated beef, guacamole, pico de gallo salsa. That’s it. No rice. No beans. No cheese. No creama. No corn.

    Exactly exactly exactly exactly. I didn’t order a California burrito. I ordered a carne asada burrito. It should have carne asada. Thats it. If I order a chicken fajita burrito, guess what? It should have chicken fajitas. Thats it. I also feel like anyone not familiar with like, the real Mexican food that comes out of the Los An-dieg-a-juana super region, they just don’t get it when we rant about the Mexican food. Its not a better burrito because you put a filler in it to spend less money on what the customer paid for…

    I have to rant about this EVERYTIME I can. Its like, almost impossible to get good Mexican food outside of the region. My favorite is in Barrio Carlsbad, Lola’s 7-up market, which has been a community pillar for something like, a century or more.

    After that, probably Lourdes in Escondido. Even though they are more famous for their chicken soup.

    Also, what the fuck happened with TJ tacos? They used to be like 0.25, and now they charge as much as they do for a real taco.

    • FauxPseudo @lemmy.worldOPM
      4·
      9 days ago

      I feel your pain.

      I’m afraid to even know how much a TJ taco costs these days. I remember 25¢. I left the area in 2004 and even then they were getting close to twice that. You go to a place advertising street tacos and they are over sized, not as fresh and you don’t get all you can eat charred radishes, jalapenos and scallions. And the beer is too cold. But that’s a nitpick.

      Collimas on University in North Part. Or the one in Oceanside a few blocks from the pier. Any Roberto’s. Never any Filiberto’s. Saguaro’s on 30th near University and Aiberto’s on University in City heights were only good for emergencies and carne asada fries.

      I was never able to think about budgeting for any Carlsbad taco shop. I generally only hung out there before heading off to a goth club’s parking lot.

      Now I’m in an area where burritos are served on a plate and covered in sauce. Completely defeating the entire reason for the existence of a burrito.