# Educate me about burritos, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 15, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849 "2022-01-15T14:55:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/201 "2022-01-19T15:30:53Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever come across anything called a ‘rolled taco’. If it’s meat rolled up in a corn tortilla and fried, it’s a taquito (‘little taco’). If it’s (usually) mean and (usually) cheese rolled up in a flour tortilla and fried, it’s a flauta (‘flute’). Up here in the PNW, flautas are called ‘crispitos’. I always asked for flautas. I think they call chimichangas ‘crisp burritos’. (Also, they call potato wedges ‘jojos’, and fish tacos are almost always served in a flour tortillas. It is a silly place.) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/202 "2022-01-19T16:33:17Z")
In California, “Rolled tacos” are the exact same thing as corn-shelled taquitos. The toppings include any combination, or none of the following: Guacamole, lettuce, and shredded cheese. What’s on them and what they are called depends on the restaurant and local preference. Most call them taquitos, but I’ve noticed that a lot of places in the Inland Empire (just east of San Diego) call them rolled tacos. I speculate that the name caters to what in the recent past was a large population of elderly retirees from back East who might find a word like “taquito” to be a might exotic. On the coast, Mexican restaurants are more likely to use the Spanish names for menu items. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/203 "2022-01-19T20:00:21Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Most call them taquitos, but I’ve noticed that a lot of places in the Inland Empire (just east of San Diego) call them rolled tacos. Excuse me? We are due _north_ of San Diego, not east. (909 represent!) Most of the places I’ve been around here call them taquitos. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/204 "2022-01-19T20:10:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Excuse me? We are due _north_ of San Diego, not east. (909 represent!) Most of the places I’ve been around here call them taquitos. I was born and raised in Southern California and still can’t wrap my head around south facing beaches. I used to volunteer at a pinball museum in Banning. And that’s where I noticed that several restaurants refer to taquitos as rolled tacos. When I was a kid in 1970s Newport Beach it seemed weird that the grandparents of all my friends were in places like Hemet and Beaumont. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/205 "2022-01-19T20:25:01Z")
It’s Banning. They do things differently there. I’m also not surprised that they called them “rolled tacos” back then, either. Hell, it wasn’t until I moved from SoCal to Alaska of all places that I experienced non-Cantonese Chinese food! Actually, checking photos of menus, Roberto’s calls them “rolled tacos.” They are a San Diego institution, so there’s another data point. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/206 "2022-01-19T20:36:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@DesertDog](#): > > > > I won’t start making noises on what belongs on a fully dressed dog. > > Nacho cheese and pickled jalapenos, of course. > > Not to mention no-bean chili, cheese, and chopped onions. The Orange Julius in Westwood Village a billion years ago put grated parmesan cheese on their chili dogs, and I still l have cravings nearly 50 years later. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > it seemed weird that the grandparents of all my friends were in places like Hemet and Beaumont. A coworker of my sister once pronounced Beaumont as Bee-mont. We still call it that. _Never_ have I seen anything called a rolled taco. As above, little ones are taquitos and bigger ones are flautas. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/207 "2022-01-19T20:42:00Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Roberto’s calls them “rolled tacos.” They are a San Diego institution Before we moved from San Diego, we lived within (long) walking distance of [**Roberto’s #10**](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60750-d7253725-Reviews-Roberto_s_Mexican_Food_10-San_Diego_California.html), where we spent a considerable portion of our discretionary income. And would again. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/208 "2022-01-19T20:46:07Z")
Wienerschnizel for me. Yeah, they used American cheese; but that, combined with the very soft steamed bun made for the best stomach bombs. I made a copycat Tommy’s chili sauce, and found it to be pretty close to Wienerschnitzel. So as I’ve said, I avoid carbohydrates. I never liked rice in my burritos (being from San Diego), but I noticed years ago that one spoonful of rice adds 5 pounds to my weight. But all of this burrito talk is sorely tempting me to get a proper, large flour tortilla and make a burrito like I grew up with (no rice). Carne asada, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and a bit chopped onions. (Actually ground beef would be closer, but… Dude. Asada.) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/209 "2022-01-19T20:53:21Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever had a burrito with ground beef. That just sounds weird. 😛 But I’m with you on rice —no rice in my burrito ever. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/210 "2022-01-19T20:58:40Z")
Del Taco uses ground beef, as does Taco Bell. I mentioned Del Taco’s Macho Meat Burrito. Seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, chopped onions, cheese, and red sauce. It weighed at least a pound. I just looked up the Macho Combo Burrito (ground beef and refried beans instead of all meat), and it weighs 19 ounces. Surprisingly, it’s only 950 kilcalories. (And 100 g carbohydrates, less 16 g dietary fibre.) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/211 "2022-01-19T21:00:37Z")
I’ve never eaten at Del Taco. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/212 "2022-01-19T21:01:59Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I’ve never eaten at Del Taco Naugles ? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/213 "2022-01-19T21:02:16Z")
Nope! ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/214 "2022-01-19T21:03:05Z")
I don’t remember Roberto’s #10, and I lived right around the corner from there, on Louisiana and Meade. I probably spent too much time at the “Second Wind” bar. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/215 "2022-01-19T21:03:15Z")
I’m guessing you’re either a moderate drinker or that you totally abstain 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/216 "2022-01-19T21:07:13Z")
Lol. Looks like the Second Wind is now Gilly’s. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/217 "2022-01-19T21:08:09Z")
We were basically neighbors. We were on Louisiana near Adams. I’m guessing a lot of us generally went North (ie, over I-8) more frequently than we went South. But El Cajon Blvd really had a few hidden gems. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/218 "2022-01-19T21:17:14Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Naugles ? Trick question! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/219 "2022-01-19T21:44:29Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > As above, little ones are taquitos and bigger ones are flautas. El Indio says the distinction is in the shell. Corn = taquito, flour = flauta. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849/220 "2022-01-19T21:46:59Z")
I don’t think that restaurant gets to decide what something is called outside of their place. Flautas can certainly made from corn tortillas, and most likely usually are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-about-burritos-please/957849.md?page=12)