Jolie Myers
The State News
WE PUT 3 TO THE TEST TO NAME THE BEST
What do you get when you combine basic Mexican staples with a tortilla and hot sauce? The answer is too delicious for words. As the doors to three local Mexican food restaurants opened, the quest to find the perfect burrito began. What unfolded turned out to be not only a search for the king burrito, but also a soul wrenching deconstruction of our beloved Mexican treat. If we could transmit taste through the paper, we would. But until that convenience becomes possible, we brought together four seasoned judges to taste, argue and finally declare one burrito the champ. The results may not be too astounding, but they are mouthwatering. This is the Burrito Throwdown.
The basic burrito consists of meat, cheese, beans and vegetables wrapped in a tortilla. It's a collection of boring and typical ingredients. So how did this Mexican basic become so popular? Apparently, it took a cue from a real estate logo and focused on "location, location, location."
Welcome to the college campus - home of Sparty, late-night study sessions and beer pong. To unite such a diverse community, Mexican restaurants invested in what has become a food empire. Mexican cuisine has become the food of choice for thousands of college students. Mexican food in general, and the burrito specifically, is arguably the all-around best food for college students.
First of all, the burrito is fast to make. If you've ever been inside Panchero's, 125 E. Grand River Ave., you know how efficient the service is. It takes 15 seconds to get your order, 120 seconds for your order to be made and 30 seconds to pay. In-and-out service allows more time for college students to get back to studying, right?
Besides being the perfect example of fast food, the burrito is the perfect on-the-go meal. Lupe Holguin, the manager of El Azteco, 225 Ann St., demonstrated how the burrito is meant to be eaten.
"You're meant to hold it like this," Holguin said, as she demonstrated how someone would hold a delicate (and delicious) tubular burrito with one or two hands.
Although they vary a great deal in size, the same basic shape is consistent among burritos: cylindrical and closed off on the ends. The typical college student usually has one hand tied up with holding an iPod or cell phone, so any food that takes only one hand to hold and consume is a plus.
Lastly, the burrito has evolved from a small part of a meal to an entire meal in itself. You might not realize it, but when you order a burrito from Big Ten Burrito, 403 E. Grand River Ave., you are also ordering a small dumbbell. Packed to the brim with meat, vegetables and cheese, the burrito is a complete meal. Add a beer, and a college student's nutritional pyramid is complete.
So while the importance of the burrito may have eluded you in the past, don't forget the next time you walk by the many Mexican food restaurants in downtown East Lansing just what a great nutritional feat it has become.
Let's say you've gotten this far. You already admire the burrito for all that it represents to a college student. How do you decide which one to get?
We have to face the facts. MSU's campus is a restaurateur's fantasy. From Italian pizza to Japanese sushi, there's no reason to go hungry. But what if you're looking for the best? That's where we come in.
The monumental task of determining the king burrito began in late July. From narrowing down the restaurants to painstakingly choosing the judges, this assignment was not an easy one. Burritos are big business and need to be taken seriously.
After consulting several Mexican food aficionados, the restaurants were narrowed down to Panchero's, Big Ten Burrito and El Azteco.
If you consider yourself a customer of Panchero's, you've probably seen manager John Rosas behind the counter more than once. Rosas, who has been in the business for 32 years, said his first priority is service. Remember that cheesy mantra your high school gym teacher told you everyday - "There's no 'I' in Team?" Well Rosas' cast of employees personifies it.
"We all work together and help each other out," Rosas said. "We have good morale here, and the customers can see that."
Besides an apparently happy staff, Panchero's takes the cake when it comes to cleanliness. With a preparation station in front of customers, every stainless steel cover sparkles in the light. According to Rosas, the staff cleans the cooking station at every possible opportunity.
"I am not afraid to let anyone come in the back," Rosas said. "We keep it very clean."
Besides cleanliness, Panchero's focuses on freshness. Rosas' staff does not prepare large batches of products in advance. Instead, employees make smaller amounts as customers order, Rosas said.
Move east on Grand River Avenue and you'll hit Big Ten Burrito. Opened by MSU alumnus Luke Bostic and his father, the burrito stop offers more than fast Mexican cuisine. Walking inside the narrow shop offers a trip back to the psychedelic '60s. If you can take your eyes off the crimson-colored walls, you'll be sure to get lost in the terraced ceiling. Metal sheets illustrate a repetitive and artful design.
Once your eyes have been satiated, move on to your stomach. Big Ten Burrito doesn't have "burrito" in its name for nothing. Beginning in Ann Arbor, the franchise has focused heavily on the college population. During the school year, the restaurant leaves its doors open until 4 a.m., allowing a lot of time to fill up with MSU's bar-frequenters.
"Right now, we're busiest around lunch time," Bostic said. "But during the school year, we fill up after the bars close."
It seems no secret that since its opening last fall, Big Ten Burrito has become the favorite of many partying MSU students.
Travel one block north and you'll hit El Azteco. Differing from the previous stops, El Azteco is a sit-down restaurant that offers take-out service. Walking inside is reminiscent of walking into any restaurant south of the Rio Grande. It's that type of charm the restaurant is known for, Holguin said.
To commemorate the restaurant's 30-year anniversary in August, mariachi bands will be strolling through the restaurant, Holguin said. In addition, the restaurant offers rooftop dining in warm weather.
Besides burritos, however, the restaurant offers a broad menu.
"Our burritos are good," Holguin said. "But we offer a wide range of Mexican food, too."
And so the stage was set. The clash of the titans, the brawl of the century. Who would come out on top?
In one corner, we had the pork burrito from Panchero's. Known for its handmade tortillas, this burrito would be sure to come out swinging. In another corner, Big Ten Burrito offered its namesake. A classic burrito so good that it named a restaurant, this titan cannot be underestimated. In yet another corner stood El Azteco's frijoles and onion burrito, a taste straight from Mexico ready to fight it out.
As four judges sat down to determine who would come out on top, they were hit with sucker punches and quick jabs. When all was finished, though, burritos were devoured and the decision as to the winner was unanimous.