Published 2012-09-19T11:17:00Z”/>
Paul Smeltzer
When the sun is high and empty stomachs are gurgling, checking the time has no immediate purpose, because everyone already knows what time it is. Burrito time.
Burritos are plentiful in Chico, but there are some top burrito joints with delicious, reasonably priced options served in relaxing atmospheres that really stand out as the complete package.
<strong>Aca Taco</strong>
Operating two blocks away from campus, Aca Taco sits at 133 Broadway Street and usually has sports games displayed in HD on three different flat-screen plasma TVs. One is toward the back of the restaurant and two are behind the bar, where Bud Light, Pacifico, Negra Modelo and Sierra Nevada’s Old Chico are kept on tap.
Black and white photos of Acapulco’s coast staggered into an ocean landscape are offset along one side of the eating room’s walls. On the other, a painting of a hammock draped between two palm trees on a beach hangs to calm the hungry customer.
Much like Chipotle or Chronic Tacos, food is served from behind a glass box containing the rice, beans, lettuce, meat and other ingredients that compose Aca Taco’s creations.
Britany Silva, a senior accounting major, especially enjoys Aca Taco’s taquitos, she said.
“I come here about five times a month,” Silva said.
However, these burritos come out to $9.12 with a drink, and the beef can be a little bland and hard to taste between the ample amounts of avocado, sour cream, cheese and other filler that drown out the meat flavor.
<strong>Gordo Burritos</strong>
On the other side of town, there’s a 30-foot white GMC taco truck called Gordo Burritos in the parking lot of Downtown Liquor and Market at 598 East Eighth Street.
It’s a favorite place to get food for biology graduate student Andrew Rich.
“I like the flavor of the meat and usually get the chicken burrito supreme with black beans, spicy, for $5.36,” he said.
Customers can eat their food in front of the truck on red picnic tables, shaded under umbrellas. But without the air conditioning that comes with indoor establishments, it’s likely an uncomfortable place to sit during the hotter days in Chico.
<strong>Teddy Malibu’s</strong>
One place that strikes a balance between food quality, environment and price is Teddy Malibu’s on the northwest corner of Fifth and Cedar Streets. The menu, on a surfboard horizontally hung above the cash register, has a wide selection of Mexican dishes that includes the California burrito.
Cooked on the spot, the meat is served in chunky slices rather than bird-pecked pieces. Black beans, rice, guacamole, beef, cheese and crunchy fries make up the California burrito.
Photos and paintings of surfers on Hawaiian waves are hung throughout the restaurant, creating a tropical setting. Patrons can sit outside on the patio or watch a soccer game inside, but don’t expect anything in HD or for a game to always be playing. There may just be a Spanish soap opera on and no remote control in sight.
Paul Schatzman, a senior communications studies major, finds that burritos from other restaurants are of lesser caliber, he said. The $8.25 cost of the California burrito is a reasonable price to spend for a well-prepared, large burrito and fountain drink.
“They have pretty good Cali burritos and five for $5 tacos,” Schatzman said.
So, while Aca Taco’s atmosphere could be the deciding factor when choosing where to eat for some students, others prefer to sacrifice a little comfort for the less expensive but well wrought Gordo burrito. And for those who walk the middle ground, Teddy Malibu’s hits all notes, balancing price, food quality and atmosphere.
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<strong>Paul Smeltzer can be reached at</strong> <a href=”mailto:[email protected]”><em>[email protected]</em></a>
