Buffalo Nickel Restaurant

Any visit to Catalina Island would not be complete without a trip to Buffalo Nickel Restaurant! We eat there every time we go. Just a short drive south of Avalon near the heliport.

Advertisements

Las Olas Mexican Restaurant

We’ve been branching out in San Diego’s north county coastal region lately. Recently we tried a great Mexican restaurant with locations in Carlsbad and Cardiff called Las Olas. In Spanish Las Olas means “The Waves”, and that could not be a more fitting name, particularly at their Cardiff location. You’re pretty much right on the beach here, separated by Hwy 101 though. Better view of traffic than the ocean. Still, you know you’re at the beach. Nice open, airy feel to the place. In business since 1981, it’s evident this is a very popular restaurant with really good food. It was packed the whole time we were there. Despite how busy they were, service was top shelf the whole time. 

I zeroed in on what seems to be one of their signature dishes, Burrito Platos Especial. Your choice of burrito or chimi blanketed with a red or green sauce, cheese, guac, crema, pico, plus two of three sides. I ordered it with shredded beef which was just excellent. Flavorful, tender and even a little crispy bark around the edges. Better than most “shredded beefs” I’ve had in SoCal. The red enchilada sauce is old school legit style which I appreciate. You don’t see a sauce like this very often today. Anyone who has grown up back in the day eating in San Diego Mexican restaurants knows what I’m talking about. And that cabbage salad was a big surprise! Kind of like a slaw but added thin sliced onions and bell pepper with a delicious (not creamy) dressing. I will definitely be ordering that again.

El Charro Cafe

One of my favorite things to order at any Mexican restaurant is a wet burrito! El Charro Cafe in Yuma makes probably the best one I’ve had. This one is called the “Red Saddle”. Smothered with a delicious red chili con carne. They also make a green chili version called… (are you ready for this?)… the “Green Saddle”. This is one of the most stunning dishes I’ve been served in a Mexican restaurant. I felt like I had to lay down after eating only half of it.

Mariscos Mar de Cortez

Mariscos Mar de Cortez for dinner recently. This big, beautiful “Supreme Burrito” is an absolute monster! Made with your choice of chicken or beef, filled with rice, beans, cheese, guac, sour cream, lettuce, kitchen sink, etc. This football sized burrito is then liberally blanketed with a flavorful chile relleno type sauce. The shredded beef was tender (albeit bland); everything else was well proportioned and tasty. Tortilla warm, soft and supple, just how I like it. Such an amazing value to get this huge burrito plate at an affordable price. I literally felt like laying down after eating this.

Hacienda Casa Blanca

Outstanding wet burrito lunch special at Hacienda Casa Blanca in El Cajon, CA! 😅

Manana’s Mexican Food

There is no better way to say “te quiero” to amá on Mother’s Day than with a wet burrito from Mananas Mexican Food! I’ve been eating burritos here for years and have never had a bad one. I love a good wet burrito and finally tried their interpretation this morning; it was outstanding! 

Any of Mañana’s burritos can be ordered “wet”. I chose a simple beef burrito, only $6.15. It was huge! Filled with a ton of tender, seasoned shredded beef. Also a few onions and peppers. No cheap fillers like beans, rice or lettuce, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Making it “wet” adds an extra $2.10. The whole thing is blanketed with a generous amount of their rich, flavorful enchilada sauce, then topped with some cheese. 

Service and all was nice as always for me. I particularly appreciate the chips gratis when dining in plus the excellent salsa bar. I noticed this morning that they now have pickled red onions which I dearly adore with Mexican food.

Beach Mex

One of my favorite places to get a wet burrito in El Segundo is (was) Beach Mex! Here’s their outstanding carnitas burrito smothered with a flavorful verde sauce. Sadly this place is reportedly closed.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Here I am back at Chipotle! And no, I didn’t wind up in the hospital LOL. Maybe because I’m sticking with my usual burrito bowl made with rice, barbacoa beef, cheese, salsa and not much else. I stay away from the beans, chicken, etc. Maybe that’s what’s kept me from meeting my deductible this year.

El Gringo Mexican Restaurant

Outstanding house chicken burrito at El Gringo in El Segundo! All the burritos here are served “wet” style with your choice of their delicious red or green sauce, covered with melted cheese. Inside includes rice, beans, lettuce, mater, onion and cilantro. The whole thing is then adorned with nice daubs of guacamole and sour cream.

Sombrero Mexican Food

Outstanding shrimp burrito at Sombrero’s in Lakeside, CA! One of my all time favorite chain of taco shops in SoCal. “San Diego-Style Mexican Food” at its finest for a generation.