I found this description in an article on ‘the best burritos in the U.S.’
If I order a carnitas burrito, or an asada burrito, or whatever burrito, I want it to be filled with carnitas, asada, or whatever. I don’t want the wonderful flavour of dead animals diluted by cheap fillers such as rice or beans. I’m fine with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cilantro (of course!), sour cream, guacamole on occasion, and depending on the filling (ground beef), even cheese. But no rice or beans!
So here’s the poll: Do you like rice and/or beans in addition to the stated filling? Obviously I am excluding bean burritos, rice burritos (which I’ve never heard of), cheese burritos (which would basically be ‘rolled quesadillas’), and such.
I don’t get into face-offs with left-coasters over burritos. The NYC burrito is a red-headed stepchild.
That said, my personal preference – from Rachel’s Burritos, 5th Avenue, Brooklyn – is al pastor, grilled chicken thighs, rice, refried beans, guac, sour cream, and cheese on the inside, and salsa verde and a little more melted cheese over the top. Definitely needs a knife and fork, and sliced pickled jalapeños on the side.
I don’t even KNOW how to order a burrito in SoCal. Are you supposed to eat them out of hand?
Californian. Beans, yes. Beans are delicious. Half the time, I just want a bean burrito anyway.
Rice, though, is an abomination. You can’t have two starches. It doesn’t even make any sense. People who put rice in burritos are bad people, and their restaurants should be shut down.
I’ve come to appreciate burritos with no stated filling, just beans and rice, with some cheese and hottish red sauce for flavor. Not plain, white rice; something with some character. I like to savor the delicate flavors.
But those things the size of footballs are not burritos.
Beans I’ll take or leave. No really strong opinion on that subject. Rice is another matter entirely - bring on the rice! As noted, the rice makes for wonderful soppage and just help to tie thing together. If you don’t want rice in your burrito then no problem, I’ll happily take your share and thank you for your kindness.
Californian. Beans, yes. Beans are delicious. Half the time, I just want a bean burrito anyway.
Rice, though, is an abomination. You can’t have two starches[li]. It doesn’t even make any sense. People who put rice in burritos are bad people, and their restaurants should be shut down.[/li][/QUOTE]
Quite right! Rice in a burrito is disgusting. Beans and rice together as a separate dish, a la red beans and rice, or black bean soup (with sour cream and onions, yum) is perfectly fine; a treat to the senses, in fact. But in a burrito? No way, yanqui.
*Three starches, actually - the rice, the beans and the tortilla. Wrong, just wrong.
And tacos that are just barbacoa beef, onions, and cilantro on double soft corn tortillas that were quickly passed over an open flame, with a pepper sauce out of a bottle. No beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, tomatos, or nuttin’. Daughter adds cheese, but I think she’s channeling one of my Minnesota forebears and puts cheese on everything.
Yeah, I had the same reaction when I moved to the Bay Area, and everyone was raving about the burritos at La Cumbre. (The topic comes up here every once in a while, and I think it’s been speculated that’s where the practice started–though I could be wrong.)
Anyway, it has unfortunately spread, as owners of taco shops up and down the state realized they can save money by using rice to make a burrito seem bigger.
Plus beans. Plus rice. Plus lettuce. Plus damn near anything. Burritos can (and do) contain everything and the kitchen sink. Rice is standard at my go-to spot.