Nick The Foodie Boston

http://olecito.net/

Location: Cambridge, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

Few things in life are as comforting as a good burrito.

When your job sucks, when the economy is imploding, when you’re feeling down and out – there’s always a bundle of tortilla-wrapped goodness out there with your name on it.

Nick the Foodie has surveyed a broad range of the more well-known burrito joints across the [refried] Bean and would like to lay down a summary of the results for you right here:

 

1. Olecito (Cambridge and Brookline) – The lovechild of nearby upscale Mexican eatery Olé, Olecito has been serving the best burrito in Boston for a while now. You can see that the street food progeny of Olé takes after its mother with some of the amazing flavor you get here. The standard carnitas burrito means something totally different at Olecito. The meat is perfectly cooked and seasoned, the flavors come together delightfully, and their picante sauce is out of this world good (and hot). Bring your appetite and order a baja taco to start, a carnitas burrito, and a carbonated apple beverage.
2. El Pelon (Fenway R.I.P., now in Brighton) – The El Guapo burrito here (steak, rice, beans, lettuce, jack cheese, fried plantains, etc.) was a rising star on my burrito scene before the Fenway locale burned to the ground *tear* and is still the #2 that I’ve tasted in the Boston area. I promised to meet El Guapo again at the new location in Brighton which appears to be doing well, see here.
3. Anna’s (Everywhere) – Anna’s will always hold a special place in my heart as this spot has fed me for at least six years. As many an anna’s-goer will tell you, it is a no-fuss burrito packed with all the standard goods. This is a solid go-to in my book and I’d highly recommend a super carnitas with gauc, beans, jalapenos, and hot sauce. For something different, try their HUGE cheesy quesadilla.   
4. Felipe’s (Harvard Square) – I swear I’ve recognized the same members of the burrito-slinging staff at Anna’s in this place before. That might be why they are comparable. Consistency is not quite as solid here as at Anna’s so I’ll knock them down a spot but still worthwhile.
5. Chipotle (Everywhere) – OK, I know, this is a chain. But I’m not the kind of Foodie that will only give props to local spots. Let’s admit, their burritos are tasty. My real beef though is that the creations here are so huge they’re almost over the top and you leave with that “I’m American fast-food full” feeling in your stomach.
6. Boca Grande (Porter Square, Fenway, elsewhere) – Oh, Boca. The notorious “competition” with Anna’s, I personally find these guys to be a far leap from my lady. These days I only turn here when there’s nothing else edible around and find their burritos utterly boring. It says something that flavor-wise they fall below a national chain.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 1st, 2011 at 4:23 pm and is filed under Best in Class, Boston Environs - Cambridge, Boston's Best Dishes, Mexican, Street Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.