New Burrito Place

[elektrified]

I was there a week or so ago. The food was good and the young host was friendly. The salsa was not picante like one or two others pointed out, in fact it was very mild. It was not authentic Mexican food, but it was good and fresh. Overall, a good experience and a nice addition to Chiang Mai.

[Ulysses G.]

They certainly try hard and give you lots of free food.

It is not a big place, but it has been full every night lately when I walked by. They must be doing something right!

[PeaceBlondie]

I agree that authenticity is not crucial to enjoying Mexican food. Living in San Antonio tuned my taste buds to Tex-Mex, not to Mexican food. Nacatamales are like the national food of Nicaragua, and they make great steaks in southermost Mexico, and fairly good Domino's pizza with Italian sausage. I intend to try Diablo's, even though I do not eat half-kilogram burritos.

[gpdjohn]

Good luck Dusty. Thanks for attempting to model yourselves on SF Mission District burritos, the best in the world. Oneman is correct, the burrito shells should indeed be warmed. He says on a grill. OK I guess. In the Mission District, they have specialized burrito shell machines that appear to maybe be steamers that they put the shell in when it is ready to be constructed, press it down for a moment and this instantly warms the flour shell. I think you really should look into a way to warm the flour shells. Best wishes for success.

Ok, growing up in a little town ( Yuma ) on the Mexican border and eating burritos and tortilla's since I can remember...or could walk for that matter...

What the heck is a "burrito shell" ??? or a "flour shell" ???

Something from the Misson District maybe? Like a "taco salad" ( my mexican friends always laughed at this concoction.."pinche gringos" I'd always hear.. )

[mistavengeance]

I thought the chips were pretty subpar, but at least served as a vessel for the salsa. The burritos, though, were great (for Thailand) - much better than Migeul's up the street. For example, the vegetable burrito actually had vegetables in it! Go figure! The guacamole, for an extra 30B, was served liberally, which surprised and pleased me. I don't know anyone who would walk away still hungry, either. I recommend it.

[WaiWai]

Do hope the owner of Diablo's will get himself added to the Meals on Wheels service .

[brennanstimpy]

Diablo's is pretty awesome. I think their chips are incredible. They remind me of Fritos, which I miss a lot. Those spicy pickles they give you are amazing too, and hot. I don't remember what my burrito tasted like because I ate it so fast. They make Miguel's look like amateurs. All they need is to iron out their game plan and service a little bit. The food stands up to any in town.

[brennanstimpy]

Has anyone actually talked to the guy? He is not claiming authentic Mexican. He is from New Orleans and all he claims is his food is good. And it is.

I was there a week or so ago. The food was good and the young host was friendly. The salsa was not picante like one or two others pointed out, in fact it was very mild. It was not authentic Mexican food, but it was good and fresh. Overall, a good experience and a nice addition to Chiang Mai.

[sabaijai]

I suspect some of us would eat a mini-burrito and say im-laow or lahm-tete.

The Tacos are pretty much small burritos with soft corn tortillas. Are they not?

Basically the main difference between a burrito and a taco is that the former always uses wheat flour tortillas and are always rolled. In Mexico tacos are usually folded, but sometimes rolled, using soft corn tortillas.

Americans often refer to the rolled kind as taquitos, though in that reference they're usually fried.

http://images.google.co.th/images?q=taquit...sa=N&tab=wi

However in Mexico I rarely heard the word 'taquito'. When a taco is fried, in Mexico, it's referred to as taco dorado (golden taco, referring to the deeper color after frying). Not as common as the standard soft taco.

Looking forward to a return to Chiang Mai to try the new burrito place. Here in Bangkok my latest discovery is Tacos and Salsa, excellent little spot on Suk Soi 18.

[DustyRhodes]

EL DIABLO SAYS- thank you thank you thank you for your comments and interest in our humble attempt at burrito making.

We aim to please but realize that it’s a big old critical world and we can’t always make everybody happy so it seems to us that the best we can do is to keep doing the best we can and serving up dishes that we are proud of and personally consider delicious.

There’s talk about our food lacking Mexican ‘authenticity’. I do suppose the only way to achieve this would be to make sure that all the ingredients (and possibly the cook?) actually came here from Mexico. And we would have no problem doing that--if we claimed to be cooking Mexican food.

But please!!! WE DO NOT CLAIM TO BE A MEXICAN RESTAURANT.

We would never be so pretentious, silly or numb-skulled as all that.

The style of burrito we serve is South-West/West-Coast/Latino-American (Chicano) and probably originated in California.

With all due respect to the people and eating establishments of that splendid land South-of-the-Rio-Grande, (my son was conceived there) ‘authentic Mexican’ food is full of lard and animal fat. This gives it a distinctive flavor which is great for the taste-buds but hel_l on the heart and arteries.

Please do try and forgive us for straying from tradition, but we use soybean and olive oils and trim away and cook out any and all excess fat from our meats.

We’ve learned to like it this way, unauthentic as it may be.

I actually lived in Mexico for a couple of years—far, far from the border--about 25 years ago, and burritos and much of what is known as Mexican food were unknown and definitely not part of the local cuisine in Chiapas or Oaxaca states then.

I did see some genuine, authentic Mexican burritos being sold from a push-cart on the street of Mexico City one sunny afternoon. They were made from chopped, boiled wieners, raw onions with mayonnaise and green chile. Not as bad as they sound—I had two. Don’t think we’ll be adding them to the menu anytime soon, though.

*What is being referred to as ‘the shell’ is a flour tortilla, and yes, we emailed Meals on Wheels several days ago but are still waiting for them to get back to us.

Coming soon: mango pudding with whip cream.

Keep on eating,

El D

PS Big cheesy pizzas are not authentically Italian, either. Surprise!--it’s those darn Americans, again.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not really sure why everyone with less than 3 posts feels it is nessesary to slam Miguel's Mexican to prove that you prefer Diablo's. Vote with your feet.

Mark does a great job at Miguel's and the place is often full with Americans - full year round - when other places don't have a customer, so he must be doing something right too.

By the way, Miguel's has gotten rid of the former owner's policy of collecting money when ordering food. You pay when you leave.

[hodg]

i've been to miguel's and el diablo each a couple of times, and i've got to say that i really liked both, but if i wanted a burrito, i would go to el diablo. as it has already been said, their menu is pretty limited. the burritos, however, are excellent. i used to live in chicago and got used to $5 burritos "as big as your head" that turned into two meals. these aren't quite that big, but they are tasty. whole cloves of roasted garlic in the burritos. before i left the states i loaded up on burritos, thinking i wouldn't be able to get a decent one here. i was totally wrong. had i known i could get spicier salsa, i would have.

and street noise and tuk-tuk fumes? come on, this is chiang mai! of course there's noise and fumes.

overall, i really liked the place and will keep coming back.

[sabaijai]

Americans love culinary innovation when it starts on their end, ie Americanisation of Mexican or Italian food, etc. But let Japanese cooks take on the hamburger, for example (Bangkok burger thread), and they go nuts.

[Jingthing]

Americans love culinary innovation when it starts on their end, ie Americanisation of Mexican or Italian food, etc. But let Japanese cooks take on the hamburger, for example (Bangkok burger thread), and they go nuts.

Thats an interesting comment but hardly a trait exclusive to Americans. Italians do it. French do it. Etc. Etc. Case in point, popular California style burrito places in San Francisco, many Mexican customers, mostly not ordering burritos but more authentic tacos instead. An exception may be the very famous El Cumbre which does simpler basic burritos, closer to the Mexican ideal. Burritos also a regional dish of Northern Mexico while hamburgers indeed a national US dish.

[sabaijai]

Americans love culinary innovation when it starts on their end, ie Americanisation of Mexican or Italian food, etc. But let Japanese cooks take on the hamburger, for example (Bangkok burger thread), and they go nuts.

Thats an interesting comment but hardly a trait exclusive to Americans. Italians do it. French do it. Etc. Etc. Case in point, popular California style burrito places in San Francisco, many Mexican customers, mostly not ordering burritos but more authentic tacos instead. An exception may be the very famous El Cumbre which does simpler basic burritos, closer to the Mexican ideal. Burritos also a regional dish of Northern Mexico while hamburgers indeed a national US dish.

If you want to judge hamburgers by a Cleveland standard, that's your prerogative. If I want to judge tacos or burritos by a Hermosillo standard, likewise.

My comment was specific to (some) American ThaiVisa members -- for whom American pizza is best, American burritos are best, American croissants are the equal of Parisian croissants ... but don't dare deviate even slightly from their favorite burger recipe! -- .... and very much tongue in cheek

Like the burrito, the hamburger has migrated from one country to another. The hamburger is as popular in Mexico as the burrito is in the USA (if not more so); burger and hotdog carts are seen all over urban Mexico nowadays. Don't forget how popular they are in Canada, Australia, the UK etc. You could argue the hamburger no more 'belongs' solely to America than burritos belong to Sonora.

[Jingthing]

American pizza is best, American burritos are best, American croissants are the equal of Parisian croissants

All true of course! Especially the burritos.

[Ulysses G.]

Certainly true. Especially the burritos!

[Ulysses G.]

Americans love culinary innovation when it starts on their end, ie Americanisation of Mexican or Italian food, etc. But let Japanese cooks take on the hamburger, for example (Bangkok burger thread), and they go nuts.

In some ways food is like rock music, if a band in Sweden or Germany writes good songs (Abba, Scorpions) Americans will happily partake, but not very many foreign bands - outside of the U.K. - do.

The same goes for copying American food. If you can do it as good or better than we do (French fries in Belgium, steaks in Kobe or Argentina), then we will happily admit it (but not very many places do).

[Ajarn]

in Texas, some of the burritos weigh half a kilo.

I thought that was just a West Coast thing.

Half a kilo for a small

Also, not fried up hard as a rock, ala Miquels

[swain]

hmmm well no... they collected the money up front... Miguel's that is. 250 baht for chips salsa and a chicken burrito ... 60 baht for the salsa an chips alone. The burrito was smaller than Diablo and the chips were less in number. Hands down Diablo wins... their burrito is bigger their chips are free and the food is better. Included in the 250 baht price was soda water and lime which was 30 baht. so.. to be accurate it was 220 baht for less than what I paid 120 baht for at Diablos.. and the food is better. Sorry call em the way I see em. Hands down the my new haunt is El Diablos

i've been to miguel's and el diablo each a couple of times, and i've got to say that i really liked both, but if i wanted a burrito, i would go to el diablo. as it has already been said, their menu is pretty limited. the burritos, however, are excellent. i used to live in chicago and got used to $5 burritos "as big as your head" that turned into two meals. these aren't quite that big, but they are tasty. whole cloves of roasted garlic in the burritos. before i left the states i loaded up on burritos, thinking i wouldn't be able to get a decent one here. i was totally wrong. had i known i could get spicier salsa, i would have.

and street noise and tuk-tuk fumes? come on, this is chiang mai! of course there's noise and fumes.

overall, i really liked the place and will keep coming back.

[sabaijai]

Re Miguel's I like paying up front, it means you don't have to chase down a waiter/waitress after you've finished your meal. Easier to pay when ordering, all done in one go. Hope they don't change it!

[sabaijai]

American pizza is best, American burritos are best, American croissants are the equal of Parisian croissants

All true of course! Especially the burritos.

And Japanese hamburgers!

I rest my case

[Ulysses G.]

Re Miguel's I like paying up front, it means you don't have to chase down a waiter/waitress after you've finished your meal. Easier to pay when ordering, all done in one go. Hope they don't change it!

Mark of Miguel's told me that they haven't changed the pay first policy because of the way that the restaurant is set up. They feel that would have to expand even further to make it work. I thought that the policy had been changed because they keep telling me to order at the table, but I guess that do that for some customers who often order extra items after sitting down.

He also mentioned that there are a few reasons why some of his food is more expensive than competitors. Miguel's is probably the only local restaurant using real, imported U.S. pinto beans which are what they use traditionally on Mission Street in San Francisco and are very expensive here. Most other places seem to use black beans, which are OK, but not the same.

Also, he only uses corn chips made commercially. He feels that the taste and texture is much better than the home-made ones that other businesses are using. The problem is that buying them is much more expensive, but they fit with Miguel's emphasis on authenticity.

[Fishenough]

But please!!! WE DO NOT CLAIM TO BE A MEXICAN RESTAURANT.

We would never be so pretentious, silly or numb-skulled as all that.

Come on, how many places advertise the world's best cookie/hamburger/pizza/apple pie/cup of coffee; the list goes on. Competition is a good thing (think Starbucks).

You do yourself a disservice thinly veiling an insulting to another restaurant mentioned in the same thread.

I mean this whole heartedly; as a big eater whom has cravings for North American styled foods on a regular basis. Given the costs, new to me, of a Expat running a business in Thailand (work permits, registered capital, VAT payments, staff salaries and benefits – bet I'm missing something but I'm trying to learn); the test of time always show the truth.

I for one always click first on the "best (insert food here)" threads!

[Fishenough]

Ps – worked for an internet/cable provider for quite some time. Common compliant was having to pay for services before you received them.

Point is where/what is the big deal in paying for something before you get it. Wish the Toyota dealer here would offer me that curiosity of paying later.

[sabaijai]

Re Miguel's I like paying up front, it means you don't have to chase down a waiter/waitress after you've finished your meal. Easier to pay when ordering, all done in one go. Hope they don't change it!

Mark of Miguel's told me that they haven't changed the pay first policy because of the way that the restaurant is set up. They feel that would have to expand even further to make it work. I thought that the policy had been changed because they keep telling me to order at the table, but I guess that do that for some customers who often order extra items after sitting down.

He also mentioned that there are a few reasons why some of his food is more expensive than competitors. Miguel's is probably the only local restaurant using real, imported U.S. pinto beans which are what they use traditionally on Mission Street in San Francisco and are very expensive here. Most other places seem to use black beans, which are OK, but not the same.

Also, he only uses corn chips made commercially. He feels that the taste and texture is much better than the home-made ones that other businesses are using. The problem is that buying them is much more expensive, but they fit with Miguel's emphasis on authenticity.

I have found Miguel's to be one of the more efficiently run Western restaurants in Chiang Mai, and although I've never felt it was overpriced, I'm happy to pay the slight premium, if indeed there is one.

Looking forward to my next CM visit for a burrito shootout. Actually I've never had a Miguel's burrito, as I'm not a fan of the yanqui-style monsters anyway. But Sunrise in BKK has just about converted me. As long as they hold the beans and rice (from the burrito), I like 'em fine. In Sonora, where the burrito originated, they would scowl if you put rice in a burrito! It would be nice if all these places offered a smaller, less expensive Mexican-style burrito in addition to the amurrican gutbusters.

[beobob]

El Diablos

I ate there and liked it a lot. very tasty

Hope they stay in business

[gdthurston]

El Diablo's is definitely the best burrito in Chiang Mai, vastly superior to Miguel's (just calling em how I see em folks) and on par if not better than Sunrise Taco's in Bangkok. If your looking for a good burrito in Chiang Mai, head to El Diablo's...

Edited November 29, 2008 by gdthurston

[lannarebirth]

stopped by today for some burritos. 7 out of 10 I'd say. Better than Miguels but I don't make special trips into the city for health food (except for PunPun). If I have to ingest all that exhaust smoke at least use some manteca on the tortillas. That's where the flavor comes from. That said, very tasty salsa.

[Ajarn]

Diablos needs to make an 'away' menu. Now they have some photos, but none of burritos...

I drove over, parked down the street, and sent my gf in to order. NO BURRITOS!