Wherever I wander, I must find the best local places to eat. It’s my way of connecting with a community and figuring out what makes local people tick. So, when one of my co-workers told me that El Burrito Mexicano in Lisle, Illinois often has a line out the door, I knew I had to try it.
Normally, a burrito the size of my face does not excite me. I approach places like Chipotle as well its cousin Burrito Beach and its dim-witted step-sister Panchero’s with an unethusiastic air. But, upon entering Burrito Mexicano, I felt like I had been transported to a taqueria in my hometown of Sioux City, where authentic Mexican food and culture is abundant. My interest was officially piqued. The scent of corn tortillas and spices wafted in the air and there was a line indeed.
The menu at Burrito Mexicano is pretty simple with two specialties including a Giant Burrito or Carne Asada, but upon closer inspection you’ll find items like tripe soup, which just heightened the authenticity for me. Though the tripe was tempting, I went for the Giant Burrito and it was truly giant. The contents were simple, well-spiced, and wrapped with a perfectly thin tortilla.
This might sound a little silly, but this place (along with the Lemon Tree Market in Downers Grove) has given me hope. Finding food and places that I truly enjoy is tough amidst the suburban hoardes of chains, strip malls, and supermarkets. However, this burrito place gave me one more place to love in the ‘burbs.
Small Town Stranger 