

Mix well then place your flank steak into the bowl and coat it with the mixture. In a bowl, combine six minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, the juice of three limes and one lemon, one teaspoon of cumin, and a dash of salt and pepper. To make a California burrito, first marinate your steak. However, if you’re planning a visit to the mothership (aka the San Diego area), Cailan has a couple of specific California burrito recommendations for you: “Today, whenever I find myself in San Diego, I do California burrito crawls from The Taco Stand to Juanita’s, but my absolute favorite is Don Carlos in La Jolla, CA.A California burrito is a classic staple of West Coast cuisine which consists of steak, cheese, french fries, and guacamole, all rolled up into a warm flour tortilla. Nowadays, California burritos aren’t restricted to SoCal in fact, they can be found throughout the state and the country. That crunch and having the potatoes be like little nuggets of fried bursts in each bite takes a regular burrito to the next level! It’s what makes it Californian.” Where to Get a California Burrito

Tots in a burrito add a whole element of texture that burritos don’t typically have. So in this case, the French fries are tater tots, to give it a breakfast twist. One of these chefs is Rouha Sadighi of The Rooster in Los Angeles, who likes to give her California burritos a brunch-appropriate twist: “At The Rooster, our most popular order is the Rico Suave, which is a large burrito with crispy tater tots, eggs, bacon, avocado, cheddar & cojita cheese blend, molcajete salsa, and cilantro crema. While California burritos seem fairly straightforward, the inclusion of fries opens up abundant potato-based possibilities for fillings, allowing chefs to embrace their creativity. California Burritos are Highly Customizable My favorite burritos also have a good amount of pico de gallo, and some added spice from the marinade for the meat, as well as fresh jalapeño or Serrano in the pico,” Lemmer tells The Manual. The best part is using shredded cheese so you get the ooey gooey cheesy stretch with each bite. “I love the unique ‘mouthfeel’ you get while eating a California burrito – there’s some leftover crisp from the French fries (any decent place knows to make them extra crispy to combat the steam trapped inside from rolling), with a creamy guacamole and sour cream layer. The benefits of the California burrito are incalculable, but a few attributes make it a particularly unique addition to the Mexican-American culinary pantheon: French Fries Add Substance Without Overwhelming Flavors and TextureĮxecutive chef Colten Lemmer of Union Kitchen & Tap in San Diego touts the textural benefits of the French fries inside California burritos as their crowning glory.Ī flawless fusion of Mexican flavors and elements of classic Americana, this hearty treat brings enough carbs, spice, and fat to stand up against even the most painful hangovers. Carne asada, shredded cheese, sour cream, and French fries! It rocked my world, I devoured the burrito like I’d never had one before.” So when I got old enough to drive, I took a road trip with my boys down to Vista, California, and that was when I experienced the great California burrito.

I grew up in East LA, we ate bean and cheese burritos and carne asada burritos. It’s the go-to burrito when you’re south of Encinitas. Jon Gorr/Getty ImagesĬhef Alvin Cailan of Eggslut in Los Angeles still fondly recalls his first encounter with a California burrito, telling us that “the California burrito should really be called the San Diego burrito. However, the California burrito also contains a secret weapon: French fries in lieu of rice and beans. Like the Mission burrito, the California burrito comes wrapped in a flour tortilla, and its fillings include meat, cheese, and condiments. While California burritos can be found throughout Southern California, they’re truly a San Diego creation. The combination of carne asada, fries, pico, and cheese in a warm tortilla is known to cure the worst hunger pang or hangover.” What Is a California burrito? It’s what you order after a night of drinking or a day of surfing. In the words of executive chef Richard Ortiz of Beerfish in San Diego, “Simply put, California burritos are a staple in. A flawless fusion of Mexican flavors and elements of classic Americana, this hearty treat brings enough carbs, spice, and fat to stand up against even the most painful hangovers (and the most ravenous stoner munchies if that’s what they are confronting). However, another West Coast creation might just be worthy of dethroning the Mission burrito: a SoCal specialty aptly known as the California burrito.
