San Francisco Burritos at La Corneta
"Of course, I wanted to be all down with the people, so I asked for 'an ess-pess-cee-ahl burrito.'"
The second burrito of my trip to San Francisco: A "baby burrito" with carnitas, black beans, cheese, and hot salsa. "Baby," which is about half the size of a standard, because I had already eaten lunch and still had to eat dinner.
Essential SF Burrito Resource
Burritoeater.com was a helpful resource on this trip. Though it ended up serving only as a wishlist, since I only got to visit one taqueria while in SF, Burritoeater at least assured me that the one I habitually visited was solid, with an "Overall Mustache Rating" of 8.13.
I've been in San Francisco since last Saturday, visiting the girlfriend's family for Christmas. In that time I've eaten three burritos. So far.
Now, some folks would say that's a piddly number for six days, and I would tend to agree with them.* But when you've got family dinners and friends to visit, there are only so many burritos you can fit in to a trip.
So far, all my burritos have been from one place: La Corneta in the Glen Park neighborhood. That's because it's close to home base and is essentially on the way coming and going via the BART station there. Yeah, I've gotten recommendations for La Taqueria and Pancho Villa in the Mission, and I swear, I've tried, but circumstances and bum luck** always led me back to Corneta.
Anyway, I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm a burrito expert after only a handful of burritos, but as any fool can tell you, these San Franciscans know how to make burritos. From the quality and flavor of the innards to the all-important perfectly executed wrap, these things are tight little torpedos of deliciousness that don't get gloppy and fall apart on you like many burrito places (I'm looking at you, Chipotle).
Yes, San Francisco knows burritos. I'm just not sure I know how to order them.
My third and final burrito of the trip. (I fly out in a couple hours, with no time to get another round.) It's an Especial (standard size) with carnitas and refried beans.
Case in point: At La Corneta there are three burritos on the menu: Regular (rice, bean, meat), Especial (rice, bean, meat, cheese), and Super (rice, bean, meat, cheese, sour cream, guac). The GF invariably gets the regular, saying that's how real San Franciscans eat theirs, but I wanted cheese, so I went for the Especial.
Of course, I wanted to be all down with the people, so I asked for "an ess-pess-cee-ahl burrito."
The woman was like, "WHA?"
Me, sheepishly: "Um, ess-special burrito?"
"Ah! What kind of beans?" she asked.
Somehow I knew going as gringo as possible would work—I'm sure that's what's expected. The burrito woman and the customers behind me all had a good laugh at my expense.
Whatever. That's how you pronounce it in Spanish. Am I right?
So, yeah, I had an Especial with black beans and carnitas.
If you've ever known a San Francisco expat, you are familiar with their complaints about how there are no good burritos where they now live. After only a few burritos here in the City by the Bay, I'm beginning to see why. I only hope I get to do more research in the near future.
But to jump-start that research, lemme ask all you SF burrito partisans out there: Where can I find the best burrito in San Francisco?
La Corneta
2834 Diamond ST, San Francisco CA 94131 (b/n Kern and Wilder streets; map)
415-469-8757
lacorneta.com
* The girlfriend, however, would say it's too many. I would disagree.
** This is the kind of bum luck I'd always like to have, truth be told.
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17 Comments:
another plea here for you to visit la taqueria. i confess that i love their quesadillas and licuadas so much that i arranged to do a student internship at san francisco general hospital for the sole purpose of eating there after work every day.
and get yourself a pastry at dianda while you're at it.
cybercita at 12:48PM on 12/26/08
It really depends on what you're looking for in a burrito. Do you like ones whose innards are very moist (Gordo's,) or do you want your burrito grilled after it's been filled (Cancun)? Do you like your meat to be marinaded before grilling (Papalote) or do you prefer the meats sans marinade before grilling (Pancho Villa)? Do you like your carnitas crispy (Tres Hermanos) or a little chewier (Zapata)? Do you need lots of bean options (whole, refried, black, or pinto) or are you fine with just pinto? I think you should try a whole bunch from different places and just start refining your burrito vision. My platonic ideal is a special carne asada or pollo asado from El Toro with black beans, hot salsa and sliced avocado.
mlt43 at 12:56PM on 12/26/08
I've had many burritos at La Corneta in Glen Park (and their Mission Street location) and have almost always left satisfied. I love that you can get a baby burrito which will fill you without overstuffing you. La Taqueria, Cancun (for the veggie burrito only), and the many taco trucks around the city (the ones run by Los Compadres -- I haven't been to the others) are all good and worth checking out. IMHO, Pancho Villa is wildly overrated, and I would rather eat Taco Bell than subject myself to another one of their burritos, long lines and poor service. Also, if you're here six days, you could easily fit in six burritos -- you can never eat too many!
sfgoo at 1:19PM on 12/26/08
C'mon burritos aren't even authentic Mexican and ones with rices and black beans and whole beans in them aren't even Mexican..its Cali Mexican.
KingT at 3:41PM on 12/26/08
The San Francisco burrito is good for what it is, but San Diego is where it's at. Beans and rice are side dishes. A burrito is about the meat.
antrobin at 4:47PM on 12/26/08
My favorite is Pancho Villa, but one day I'd like to eat at all the taquerias in the Mission, if such a thing is possible. But whatall is up with peas in the rice. Even at Pancho Villa! Lame. I don't know of any good burrito places in the Sunset/Parkside, where I live though, which is uberlame.
marchpane at 5:11PM on 12/26/08
It's funny that the term "baby burrito" showed up in this post...I often refer to the burritos I get from Chipotle/Qdoba as 'baby burritos' or 'wet baby burritos' due to their size...being almost that of a newborn baby. A bit disgusting, I admit. But definitely accurate and funny if you have a sick sense of humor. Teehee.
Smoosh at 8:58PM on 12/26/08
El Matate, in Belmont, CA. Every time we head back to the Bay Area, my husband makes a stop here for his "Mission-style" burrito, which is not available in his native Los Angeles. Be warned - their burritos are quite huge. This was a favorite lunch place for him and his coworkers.
toastykitten at 9:43PM on 12/26/08
I thought I'd been to most of the Taquerias in the Bay Area. I guess I miss one. I'll have to try La Corneta. My problem with burritos is most of the Taquerias put way too much rice in them. I like good burrito without the rice. Put the rice on the side. But that's just the way I like them. Now I have a new place to try. Thank you for the info. I will also added them to my site.
my compliments to the photographer. makes me want to go out in order burrito.
Don
http://www.discovering-sanfrancisco.com
DONTK at 4:49PM on 12/27/08
I still haven't found a burrito (pastor or chorizo, por favor) that rivals those dished up at El Ojo de Agua, adjacent to the Fruitvale BART in East Oakland.
http://californiatacotrucks.com/blog/?p=46
cfarivar at 7:24AM on 12/28/08
Adam, you've found it. I lived just outside Glen Park for the last couple of years and La Corneta is very very high on the list of things I miss about the city now that I've moved away. I've eaten other good burritos in SF but I've eaten none that are better than La Corneta's.
Thankfully (I can't believe I'm about to write this and that it's true), I've landed back in Charlottesville, VA where the local Chipotle serves carnitas made using only local, Polyface farms pork using a recipe designed just for that pork and this store. It's remarkable and the burritos they turn out using it rival many San Francisco options. So I can get a fix now and again.
And, KingT, no one here claimed that San Francisco burritos were even remotely authentic Mexican. Adam asked only where to find good San Francisco burritos.
ccbweb at 12:17PM on 12/28/08
I would say you should have pinto beans with carnitas instead of black beans. And make sure to get a good spicy salsa.
tugttw at 8:48PM on 12/28/08
Taqueria Can-Cun in the Mission gets my vote. Although my all-time favorite in the Bay Area is Taqueria Santa Rosa (in Santa Rosa).
yogurtsoda at 1:16PM on 12/29/08
try a trip down to the mid market area, in particular, Taqueria Chile Verde, just off market on 6th street. they make a super shrimp burrito that is to die for. there is also a Can-Cun there as well, it faces market, i like the roja chicken from Can-Cun. and lastly if you want to sit down for great mexican and strong margs next time, obviously try Puerto Alegre.
boulderrider at 2:22PM on 12/29/08
The burritos in SF are OK, but I prefer them the way I find them in San Diego and Los Angeles without the flavor muting, pasty texture, and heavy carb load that comes from these unwarranted fillers. Beans and rice are OK in a bean and cheese or vegetarian version, but don't really belong in a burrito if it has meat in it. Should really just be meat, guacamole (optional); pico de gallo, onion, or cilantro (all optional); and some type of strongly flavored, high capsaicin salsa. To each his own though.
PommeDG at 6:04PM on 12/29/08
I live in the SF Mission, but I don't really get the obsession with the Mission burrito- the rice heavy carb monster that has become the cliche for Mission taqueria food. I think a better, more authentic beast is the mission taco- and if you look at what most of the hispanic population eats, I feel reasonably sure you'll find it significantly more popular. A huge $7 super burrito loaded with dairy when you can get by just lovely with two $1.50 tacos with two bucks left for a chelada on your lunch break makes the burrito kinda the gringo food.
That being said, I swear that the best tacos in the mission come out of a taco truck- El Gallo Giro at 23rd and Treat. Their carnitas are particularly spectacular. Their one downside is that they close in the evening, while a hallmark of most brick and mortar Mission taquerias is the fact that pretty much all of them are open after midnight or better and within staggering distance of bars. Then again, considering that that Hell's Angel got shot about a block away, perhaps it's just prudence. Although, I've been known to drink on the bar at the corner in question and stagger to Taqueria Vallarta (nothing to write home about), so what does that say about me?
Oh, and whoever said Pancho Villa was any good must have had an entirely different dish than the three or so I sampled. I thought they sucked. I'm also fairly fond of La Corneta and Can-Cun, though I swear that my favorite California-rice-and-beans burrito joint is still in Santa Cruz, where I used to live. No joke. Jalepenos, down at the end of Pacific or (more often for me) the Soquel location. I still sometimes miss their chicken mole, though now I know many places that make superior chili verde.
Ravara at 11:45PM on 12/31/08
I do like to think of myself as burrito expert of some degree. I got into the 3 burrito a week habit some years ago...
For my money no burrito shop offers a better burrito or taco than...
Taqueria Mi Familia in San Rafael on 55 Bellam Blvd.
The three keys to finding a good burrito shop:
Menudo is served on the weekends
Sour cream and guacamole are standard
They don’t have whole wheat torillias
I use to believe the best shops were cash only, but these days it seems everyone takes plastic.
As for those who argue San Diego offers a better burrito, you can’t compare the two... They have nothing in common with each other
Jeff
http://screamingfresh.com
screamingfresh at 5:08PM on 01/02/09