Spring Break
Boston Burrito Battle
Matt Yosca and Dan O’Brien (HBS Staff), Featured Columnists
Issue date: 11/12/02 Section: A&E
El Pelon on Peterborough St. in the Fenway is the quirkiest and most ambitious of the burrito joints on our list. This little shack in the shadow of Fenway Park was Boston.com's favorite and does well with us too.
Their strength lies in their commitment to quality ingredients and their willingness to stray from the usual staples and provide options like fish burritos and tacos. The shop itself is just plain cool and they host events like chili pepper eating contests and pumpkin carving parties to keep their customers loyal and dedicated. We like it too, but disagree with The Globe's assessment once again. We have to admit that they make a damn good burrito but it isn't on par with Boca. They use too much rice, the tortillas are baked and the meat isn't as succulent. However, if you like fish in your burrito, you'll love their attempt to bring the West coast a little closer to Boston. Finally, the homemade chips were tasty, different from the 'Tostitos' style at Boca, but the salsa was too chunky and unoriginal to win us over.
Real Taco, which opened shop on Mt. Auburn a week ago, brought a burrito place to the square for the first time since the mediocre Be-Bop Burrito closed a couple of years ago. We stopped by for lunch to see how they'd fare against our strict standards. We immediately hit some trouble when we opened the door and found ourselves at the end of a disorganized line. After a few minutes of waiting, we got our orders in, but not without difficulty.
Everyone in the store, customers and employees alike, seemed a little confused as to what ingredients were included in the burritos. When we finally got our burritos, they were ok but lacked character. The meat tasted too much like adobo seasoning which made the chicken and pork taste very similar. They weren't bad but left much to be desired. The chips and salsa were like El Pelon's, which some people may prefer, but a meager cup of salsa left half of them dry. They did, however, have killer guacamole that we agree is top notch. We're hoping that once they get their act together, the product and service will improve to meet our high standards.
While the burritos in Boston may not rival those of the west coast, the scene is improving with each new shop that opens. Slowly, burritos are making a presence in town and taking away more and more of the market from pizza and subs. In our opinion, it's about time.
Their strength lies in their commitment to quality ingredients and their willingness to stray from the usual staples and provide options like fish burritos and tacos. The shop itself is just plain cool and they host events like chili pepper eating contests and pumpkin carving parties to keep their customers loyal and dedicated. We like it too, but disagree with The Globe's assessment once again. We have to admit that they make a damn good burrito but it isn't on par with Boca. They use too much rice, the tortillas are baked and the meat isn't as succulent. However, if you like fish in your burrito, you'll love their attempt to bring the West coast a little closer to Boston. Finally, the homemade chips were tasty, different from the 'Tostitos' style at Boca, but the salsa was too chunky and unoriginal to win us over.
Real Taco, which opened shop on Mt. Auburn a week ago, brought a burrito place to the square for the first time since the mediocre Be-Bop Burrito closed a couple of years ago. We stopped by for lunch to see how they'd fare against our strict standards. We immediately hit some trouble when we opened the door and found ourselves at the end of a disorganized line. After a few minutes of waiting, we got our orders in, but not without difficulty.
Everyone in the store, customers and employees alike, seemed a little confused as to what ingredients were included in the burritos. When we finally got our burritos, they were ok but lacked character. The meat tasted too much like adobo seasoning which made the chicken and pork taste very similar. They weren't bad but left much to be desired. The chips and salsa were like El Pelon's, which some people may prefer, but a meager cup of salsa left half of them dry. They did, however, have killer guacamole that we agree is top notch. We're hoping that once they get their act together, the product and service will improve to meet our high standards.
While the burritos in Boston may not rival those of the west coast, the scene is improving with each new shop that opens. Slowly, burritos are making a presence in town and taking away more and more of the market from pizza and subs. In our opinion, it's about time.
