breakfast burrito angst

on the quest for the best....reporting from East LA (for my tunes, peep konstantsurprises.com)

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theee end (at Hawthorne, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp-ki0wlLcXCyBI6hT-ZpO46dHvTTSDW5KAO6A0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=e69toy82g0ms

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Ok, fine. 🌮🌮🍻☀️🏝😎 (at Taqueria La eufemia)

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UNSATISFYING (Video) by PARALLEL STUDIO

UNSATISFYING (Video) by PARALLEL STUDIO

an ode to those unsatisfying, annoying, frustrating moments in life….set to New Zealand Symphony & Andrew Schenck’s Strings Quartet, Op. 11: Adagio for Strings. Enjoy, and feel the angst….

https://vimeo.com/189919038

View On WordPress

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Moby & The Void Pacific Choir - "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?" (Official Video)

Moby & The Void Pacific Choir – “Are You Lost In The World Like Me?” (Official Video)

Moby teamed up with animator Steve Cutts to illustrate how our tech-dependent world is too addicted to smartphones and reality is skewed by what is seen through the screen.

I deeply concur with this video.

View On WordPress

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Bomba Estéreo - Soy Yo (Official Video)

Bomba Estéreo – Soy Yo (Official Video)

Love this brown girl power video from one of my faves, Bomba Estereo!

SOY YO!!!

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#cinco over and out 🌻 (at Opening Ceremony)

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Check out my 2015 #Top10Albums + Best of #playlist on #konstantsurprises.com or wp.me/p1Wrr7-1ch. Ft. tunes by @jamie___xx @bombaestereo @bobmosesmusic +more. Enjoy!

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CoFax Coffee Shop (Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA)

FINALLY. Finally. After all these months after hearing about you the DAY I move away from you. I’ve felt deprived. But today, work thankfully took me to a meeting on Fairfax Ave. (my former hood, le sigh) in the early morn and I got to meet you.

Even though I had just been fed, I HAD to pick one of you up while I was in the area. I texted my friend Will who first told me about you that I was about to meet you for the first time. Serendipitously, that same friend Will happened to be down the street and joined for the joyous occasion. I was, in turn, pushed to eat you in your freshest form (more like about 5 mins old for the time it took to drive you to my friend’s place to be consumed) instead of drive all the way home with you...which I then learned is the only way to really experience the REAL you. Because you’re special and you have special things inside of you that I previously did not know about.

- Contents: (I ordered the Veggie) Eggs, Cheese, and a Smoked Potato Hash with Red Peppers and Onions and Secret Tortilla Strips. It also comes equipped with a green, smoked-tomatillo sauce and a red chile de arbol sauce. -

Yes, to get the full experience, one needs to consume you right away to catch that crunch of the tortilla strips before it sogs into your tasty deliciousness. I felt that crunch in the first bite, then you were sog-city, but like, the BEST kind of sog city I’ve ever experienced! Your subtle smokey flavors were fluid, and streamed through the whole being of you. 

- The potatoes are king in this LA Breakfast Burrito Queen. And that is a lot for me to say as someone who usually stands their ground on shredded hash browns as being a key ingredient in a breakfast burrito for texture. -

But no, not for you. You are an exception. You complete my LA breakfast burrito kingdom. - The cubed potatoes work here because they are cooked to perfection and are so moist, they melt in your mouth with a flavor. -

And I forgot to mention your SKIN. Your skin is GRILLED to a perfect level of burn that is so alluring to the eye once you are unwrapped.

The salsas are simple and taste fresh, but are only necessary for every few bites because you are also so good just the way you are.

And after I had you, I did not feel like shite nor weighed down. I felt fine and fulfilled. It’s like you were made to be inside of me.

SCORE: 9.8/10

(.2 points docked for ONE potato cube being a bit too big and hot. Other than that one minor blemish, YOU WERE PERFECT.) Thank you for existing.

(shout out Buddah photo bomb)

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Taqueria El Tapatio (Glendale, CA)

So our friend Zac from New York was staying with us, and we were still feeling the night before....it’s breakfast burrito time, duh. After taking about 4 hours to actually get out of bed and look decent, we finally got out of the house....

I had to try a new spot that was well reviewed, but close enough so we wouldn’t die of hunger (nor breakfast burrito angst?)....so after some quick research, I decided to try what the Internet calls the “best breakfast burrito in Glendale”. We drive over to find this little shack of a place that shares a parking lot with a laundromat. Classy times. Roll-up, order the “Chorizo Breakfast Burrito with Everything” through a window, sit and wait on some chairs with old pico de gallo crusted on the tables.

My name is finally called and I receive a mini warm pocket wrapped in paper on a paper plate. Gotta ask for salsa. I am handed both the green and red.

Unwrap and I find a dry looking tortilla. "Can’t judge yet.”

Contents: Chorizo, Egg, Rice, Bean, Onion and Cilantro

Oh wait, THERE IS NO CHEESE. I don’t know what to do.

And the onion and cilantro are really fresh, so the ONION takes over the whole experience. Too much para mi.

And there is barely any egg. What is this, lunch? (They were lucky it was already 2pm when we took our first bite, so our bodies could handle the LACK OF EGG in a breakfast burrito and was tricked to think it was a regular burrito.)

SCORE: 5/10

Never again Glendale, never again. But congrats, I guess, on somehow making it on all those “Best of LA” Breakfast Burrito lists. You’re lucky your counter chica was nice.

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Taqueria Los Gallos (Newark, CA)

While visiting my grandma in the bay area, my aunt took us to one of her fave nearby hiking trails to get a good nature workout in. Once we got in the car, my brother announced he was hungry....and Yelped for breakfast burritos, naturally.... I was half opposed to the idea because I felt that I should just have a green smoothie after a nice run, but....why give up the opportunity to try a breakfast burrito in a new zone? So we went there to consume the calories we just worked off. Woo.

And of course, when there, i HAD to get the most popular breakfast burrito on the menu: the #11 Breakfast Burrito

Contents: Chorizo, Eggs, Cheese, Beans, Pico de Gallo, and Potatoes

I don’t usually like beans in my breakfast burritos since the potatoes already check that carb/starchy texture off the list, but THIS. this.

I was apprehensive of the whole thing....until I took a bite....and all the flavors melted in my mouth, all at once. The refried beans just melded everything together, making it a very cohesive, savory, juicy, and heavy burrito...in a good way. My opposition to beans was transformed. The chorizo was the perfect level of flavor and oh so juicy. Not the mention, the melted cheese was present throughout the whole thing as well. glob glob glob. bob.

They had a plethora of salsas to choose from, and I only had the patience to grab 4 of the 8+. All good salsa, but honestly the burrito was so tasty on its own that I barely put any salsa on it. Good job, Newark.

SCORE 9.5/10

Honorable Mention: If you ever make it out there, and you like quesadillas and chicken, please do yourself a favor and order the chicken quesadilla. I had never seen anything like it. It was basically a juicy, tasty, massive grilled brick of melty cheese and chunks of chicken (oh and some lettuce and tomato). Gah.

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Pete’s Blue Chip (Eagle Rock)

What better food to get your day started before a road trip to San Francisco? My mom, bro, and I stopped by Pete’s Blue Chip to pick up 3 of their top-selling breakfast burritos before we hit the road: 1. Mushroom, Avocado, Egg, 2. Chorizo, and 3. Bacon.

No time could be wasted so we had to eat on the road (not safe, ok). These things are massive and heavy, and need the salsa to keep it tasting fresssh. So you can imagine how difficult this was driving (again, not safe, don’t do it). Luckily I had my bro Mar up in the passenger seat with me to be my salsa assistant.

Contents: All the of burritos i mentioned above also included hash browns, cheese, and salsa

Overall SCORE: 8.5/10 (for the M.A.E.)

M.A.E. (shout out to one of my fave bands in high school): This one was the best out of the 3 thanks to its lower sodium volume and fresher veggie ingredients. All the contents were proportioned and balanced so you got every ingredient in every bite. No need for a meat to over power this burrito’s goodness.

The Chorizo: Dryer than the M.A.E., even though the chorizo seasonings (aka flavored oil) made its way throughout the whole burrito. Too much salt and flavor packed in that massive burrito for me.

The Bacon: reminded me of a less intense Lucky Boy Bacon Breakfast Burrito. Good but still too salty for me.

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when you wish for something long enough, sometimes it's granted. groundbreaking #emoji updates bestowed upon the world today.

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Lucky Boy Drive-In

I had to make sure I tried what has claimed the name of the “best local breakfast burrito” in the San Gabriel region next. I want to check all of these reviewed “bests” off first to have my own take on them, before diving into the unknown.

So here we have the famous Lucky Boy Drive-In bacon breakfast burrito in Pasadena. Hundreds of diners have flocked here to experience what has made this place famous (in addition to their chili fries). There are other meat options offered (sausage, ham, and chorizo), but the bacon appears to be...taking the bacon...and that is definitely true. The bacon steals the show in this burrito.

But let me back up...I have to note that while I was ordering these little beasts, I caught a glimpse of the chef in the back lay a tortilla topped with carne asada on top of a wet rag...major turn-off to start things off, but at least I knew that wasn’t mine. I had to get passed it and complete this morning’s mission, and get out of there quick.

The burritos came out fast, despite the growing line of diners. Two big warm pouches wrapped up in a box. I made sure to ask for some ranch in addition to the salsa they were already giving me. I also had asked them to cut it in half when ordering it, as I heard other diners do. Smart move.

It was the perfect warmth and girth upon opening, easily split in half to view all the contents.

Contents: hash browns, eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, and LOTS OF BACON

First bite was glorious; all the ingredients captured in one bite (really key to a good burrito). Bites were even more glorious once salsa and/or ranch was added to provide a zesty/tangy balance. I was taken back to high school memories of my first favorite breakfast burrito ever, from George’s in Fullerton. The bar had been set with George’s in my younger years and Lucky’s came the closest to it (with salsa added is important). First few bites, I gave it a resounding 10.

But the salty bacon began to settle into my throat mid-half. I started to question my quest if it meant that being in a sodium-filled food coma accompanied burritos that I considered to be the “best”. I thought, “Yes, this is exactly the kind of burrito I had originally started this quest to re-find. But perhaps the more sophisticated, healthier older me doesn’t want coma angst post-burrito.” The burrito started to lose points as my sodium cap was being reached. I felt defeated and confused at the same time, and realized I needed to be real to my current self, not my high-school self. Perhaps it’s a new breakfast burrito I am trying to find.

There’s no doubt that Lucky Boy serves a really good burrito and one that does deserve its praise for what it is, a perfect warm gooey diner-style hangover cure breakfast burrito. But this experience has pushed me to really ask myself, “What is my ideal breakfast burrito now?” Perhaps I’ll further define what that is as the quest continues....

SCORE: 8/10

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Delia’s Restaurant

Figured my first post should be from the closest, most well-reviewed on Yelp breakfast burrito spot off York Blvd. called Delia’s Restaurant. The cashier was a nice young lad who told me their most popular breakfast burritos are the bacon or chorizo meat choices. He asked I wanted both in one, but figured I should try them separately. So I ordered with one of each; gotta try both of course (split between two people :). $5 each, cash only. The burrito was definitely freshly made is it was piping hot when it arrived. We split each burrito to try them both (chorizo on the left, bacon on the right). 

Contents: hash browns, eggs, shredded cheese, and meat of choice

I tried the bacon first: dry. added the salsa it came with which made it taste a bit better, but I was still stuck on the dryness. I tried a few bites with ketchup, but it still didn’t make it a 10. It was just a really hot mass of what it was. The chorizo burrito had a bit more flavor thanks to the nature of chorizo’s flavors in itself. Added tons of salsa and ketchup to balance out the dryness. In the end, I will say that although my expectations were high, I still was not too impressed with these burritos. May the quest continue.....

SCORES:

Bacon Breakfast Burrito: 5/10

Chorizo Breakfast Burrito: 6/10