tutsiwarrior Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 this thread is a great opportunity to discuss 50 years of burrito history and it's significance to thailand burrito cuisine... in the 1950s tutsi's mom was a spanish speaking public health nurse in southern California and proprietors of local mexican restaurants were her clients and we useta go weekly to restaurants and there were never any burritos on the menu...just the usual combination dishes with enchiladas, tacos, chile rellenos with rice and beans and etc...tutsi's dad was a fluent spanish speaker and loved them ethnic places and with my sister we useta have corn tortillas from the fridge for a snack when we got home from school warmed onna stove gas burner with butter... thru the years until the 70s there were no specialty burrito places, many mexican restaurants featured different dishes at different times of the week like carnitas and birria and the real working mens dives' always had menudo for the hang over... then, in the mid 70s fast food burrito places started to appear and the first place that turned my head was Rod's on Lincoln Blvd in Venice CA...there was a place further up the street on the corner with Ocean Park but I always favored their carnitas tacos in soft corn tortillas with the most fabulous home made salsa instead...we always had the USD0.50 Taco Bell red and green variety since the late 60s but these were something else... then I visited a pal in SF and he took me down to a place near 16th and Valencia and I observed that the specialist burrito take-away place was emerging big time...never seen it before...I thought it to be a fad, just like 'chimichangas' and 'fajitas': some gabacho bullshit to attract the gringos but the burrito joint has endured... so we can say that the burrito as a popular item of mexican cuisine has been around for over 30 years with plenty of time for local entrepreneurs to adapt to what folks like the best...I haveta go back to work in vietnam soon and wish that I could fill my suitcase but I ain't got enough space in my freezer at home... the discussion on this thread has been interesting...anyone got anything to contribute to the history of the 'popular' burrito? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Tutsi, I grew up a stone's throw from Rod's place near the border of Venice and Santa Monica...and ate there at various times... though my personal favorite was the imitation Tom's 2 burger joint at the corner of Lincoln Blvd. and Rose Ave. and their chili burgers. And while I'm duly (and seriously) impressed with your historical sense here, I find it more than a bit hard to figure that Rod's played any kind of meaningful role in the emergence or development of Mexican food in So Cal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Tutsi, I grew up a stone's throw from Rod's place near the border of Venice and Santa Monica...and ate there at various times... though my personal favorite was the imitation Tom's 2 burger joint at the corner of Lincoln Blvd. and Rose Ave. and their chili burgers. And while I'm duly (and seriously) impressed with your historical sense here, I find it more than a bit hard to figure that Rod's played any kind of meaningful role in the emergence or development of Mexican food in So Cal... Lincoln Blvd and Rose? by the supermarket? don't remember any eats near there probably because if we headed up that way to eat we ended up at Rod's which was just up the street...my digs (1976-80) were on Innes Place just behind the liquor store on Main Street near the Venice post office... it's not that Rod's was significant with regard to mexican cuisine in general terms...I want to discuss the emergence of burritos and their specific influence per the focus of this thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Ya, in the grocery store/drug store complex at the corner of Lincoln and Rose... It probably had different name tenants over different eras... But through the late 70s and 80s when I lived there, right next to the gas station at the corner was an imitation Tommy's burgers...which itself changed names at various times... Toms.... Thomas', Tom's #2, etc etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 I thought that the only original Tommy's outlet in the area was near the entrance to the SM Pier...no matter as I thought that Tommy's burgers were over rated... hey...did you ever go to the Fox Venice when Les Blank screened 'Garlic is as good as 10 mothers'? he did his 'aromaround' number with garlic toast in toaster ovens with fans...it was rumoured that Werner Herzog was in the audience one night...the 'ol Fox Venice; saw Bonnie Raitt and David Blumberg on separate occasions there...almost a riot when Blumberg delayed his appearance... he declared as righteously as James Brown: "I ain't gonna be your fool no mo'...'...outstanding... them were the last days of cheap livin' in Venice; I managed on $105 per week unemployment benefits, goin' surfin' everyday...tutsi files his claim at the un-employment office and the lady sez: 'you say here that as a logger in Oregon you resigned because your supervisor called you a - cocksucker...' 'that's correct...' 'but, isn't that common language for people in that profession?' 'it may be common language but I don't haveta put up with it...' benefits approved, stamped and sealed...so I was free to think about my future for a year...then, a friend won some drugs offa an opponent in a chess game and said 'here, enjoy yerself; drugs are stupid...' and then, after ingesting, the path revealed itself... then there was the math instructor at SMC who showed me how algebra works and the path was then illuminated... then I saw local Venice surfer Alan Sarlo tear up the place in knarly surf that mortals could not ride and thought: 'I gotta be serious now...' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoliaOpima Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Spolia, I think most people know where Soi 18 is relative to Asoke... But maybe you can get your locational comments straight at some point... A location "almost at the southern end of the soi" wouldn't be quite so convenient. But I don't know how far down 18 it will be. I ran into Jorge a couple of weeks ago and he said he has a new location on Suk 18. Not the first location he used to have there, but further down almost at the southern end of the soi. Point taken. I thought you simply didn't know that soi 18 was near a BTS station. What I meant to say is that Jorge said it was towards the southern end of Soi 18, but as I've never been very far down the soi, I don't know how far it is. I know there are motorcycle taxis parked at the north end of the soi, so if it's too far to walk for some people, easy enough to hop one. But let's see where it ends up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 the Rembrandt hotel is on soi 18 and is easy enough to get to...I was there a few days ago to load up on stuff from the indian spice shop to take back to VN...got a motorcycle taxi to get back to my hotel near soi Nana and burnt meself twice on de <deleted> exhaust pipe to the delight of local observers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Tutsi, what does the Rembrandt Hotel have to do, if anything, with Jorge's plans??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 dunno...someone mentioned a new restaurant on soi 18 an' the Rembrandt is located there about half way down...a bit of a landmark, I woulda thought... I was only trine to help... (tutsi is maudlin as he has to go back to work soon...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Tutsi, I was just asking....not complaining or criticizing... I doubt Jorge's new place will be at the Rembrandt...unless you knew something the rest of us don't... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphodbeeblebrox Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 (edited) Tutsi, I was just asking....not complaining or criticizing... I doubt Jorge's new place will be at the Rembrandt...unless you knew something the rest of us don't... Towards the end of Sukhumvit Soi 18. It's already open, but I think the grand opening is next weekend. Edited December 30, 2010 by zaphodbeeblebrox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 nah...I wuz just offering the info as a directional guide to the general area as I stayed at the hotel a couple of times...no doubt you BKK folks know the area a lot better than us up country yokels... (sniff...) I feel better now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 So I guess I have to walk past Senor Pico's to get to Tacos and Salsa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 As the song goes, James, "Just walk on by...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 As the song goes, James, "Just walk on by...." well, i like Jorges food so will def give it a try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Jorge is (or was) a member here, and used to post re T&S from time to time, and other things... Has anyone seen if he's been posting anything on the details of his new place elsewhere here on TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Burt Baccarah and Dione Warwick were 60s western popular music institutitons...nice touch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 it's 1987 and tutsi is post-coital with a woman who may become his wife and smoking cigarettes...tutsi sez: 'Karen Carpenter (70s popular music artist) had the most wonderful voice but her material was for shit...'...waiting anxiously for the reply... she considered and looked at me quizzically and said: 'everyone knows that you fool...' and then she put out her fag and etc, etc we were married about 3 months later...(another question was 'I like the film Jean de Florette...' she replied 'who doesn't...?' and then she initiated fellatio...) the marriage turned out to be a disaster as tutsi fell for all the tricks...I'm quite sure that she lied about Karen Carpenter's voice... tutsi reveals all on the TV best burrito thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Dedicated hereby to BKK James... Walk On By Artist: Dionne Warwick Album: Walk On By If you see me walking down the street And I start to cry each time we meet Walk on by, walk on by... Burt Baccarah and Dione Warwick were 60s western popular music institutitons...nice touch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 ...tutsi sez: 'Karen Carpenter (70s popular music artist) had the most wonderful voice but her material was for shit...'...waiting anxiously for the reply... she considered and looked at me quizzically and said: 'everyone knows that you fool...' Carpenter's material was fine, but we were all pretending not to like it, because she was not considered "cool" at the time. She had the last laugh though (well, she would have if she were still alive) when everyone started covering her songs a few decades later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoliaOpima Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) I think Jorge's had it with Tv, got tired of debating the 'right' way to make Mexican food with members who know little about Mexican cuisine I noticed on Facebook that his grand opening will be on 7 January. It's at 49 Suk Soi 18. I haven't been there yet. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tacos-Salsa/81407936165?v=info Edited January 2, 2011 by SpoliaOpima Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Well Spolia, there's an easy solution to that problem.. Just stop posting here. I think Jorge's had it with Tv, got tired of debating the 'right' way to make Mexican food with members who know little about Mexican cuisine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoliaOpima Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Well Spolia, there's an easy solution to that problem.. Just stop posting here. I think Jorge's had it with Tv, got tired of debating the 'right' way to make Mexican food with members who know little about Mexican cuisine Well, chandler, obviously he wasn't debating with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britannia Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Miguel's in Chiang Mai hold its own, and definitely deserves mention in Western Food in Thailand (as opposed to the Bangkok forum). Here's one worth checking out www.rashers.co they're in khon kaen and seem to have the lot, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillR Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Miguel's in Chiang Mai hold its own, and definitely deserves mention in Western Food in Thailand (as opposed to the Bangkok forum). Here's one worth checking out www.rashers.co they're in khon kaen and seem to have the lot, While that link has nothing to do with burritos, I do have to say that is the most amazing website evahhh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRS1 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 @SpoliaOptima, it's true that La Monita's aren't authentic Mexican, but in my opinion they're pretty authentic SF-style, which is usually what people mean when they talk about burritos. A true Mexican burrito is basically just a rolled up taco on a flour tortilla anyway. For me La Monita comes as close to the real Mission-street variety as anything I've found outside the Bay Area. That being said, I don't think "authenticity" is necessarily the best criterion for judging food--for me how it actually tastes is somewhat more important. With La Monita I have only 2 complaints: the meats (I've tried carnitas, al pastor, carne asada, and chicken chili verde) tend to be too salty, and the prices are a bit high. I guess I still think of tacos and burritos as cheap food, when really in Bangkok they're not. I have to agree on what you write about authenticity. It is the taste what matters. As a San Diego boy, I love San Diego/Baja-type Mexican food (well, I am also partial to Oaxaca cuisine, but that is another story). But I am not ashamed to admit that I love the Jack-in-the-Box "tacos" (Jack-in-the-Box is a regional fast food burger place). OK, they are far from authentic, but what the heck, I love the taste. Those sir are the bomb, tore 4 up yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soidogs Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 If your in Hua Hin there is a fairly new Restuarant owned and run by 2 mexican cousins. The menue is small but the food is good and real Mexican. Its name is Margaritas and is on the Night market street across from all the seafood places. There Burritos are big and 160-190bht and they are homemade tortillas and warm salsa.REAL MEXICAN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyTheMook Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Did a $12 chicken burrito @ Los Montia's today. It sure was good - but dam near not TWELVE BLOODY DOLLARS good.... Would have been 6 or 8 bucks tops back home for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 (edited) Did a $12 chicken burrito @ Los Montia's today. It sure was good - but dam near not TWELVE BLOODY DOLLARS good.... Would have been 6 or 8 bucks tops back home for that. Vincent and Mia are at the restaurant Jackrabbit Slim's in the movie Pulp Fiction and Mia orders a 'Five Dollar Shake'...Vincent can't believe that a shake can cost five dollars but when he tried it he declared: 'that's a pretty good shake!...' lotsa popular culinary references in that movie viz the Big Kahuna Burger dialog immediately before gunfire and an orgy of slaughter... I noticed that when the taquerias appeared in SF in the 70s the burritos were expensive compared to a combination plate with rice, beans and tortillas in LA...but they were tasty... to come to the point, how did the burritos compare price wise to the combo plates at La Monita? Edited April 1, 2011 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyTheMook Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Vincent and Mia are at the restaurant Jackrabbit Slim's in the movie Pulp Fiction and Mia orders a 'Five Dollar Shake'...Vincent can't believe that a shake can cost five dollars but when he tried it he declared: 'that's a pretty good shake!...' lotsa popular culinary references in that movie viz the Big Kahuna Burger dialog immediately before gunfire and an orgy of slaughter... Yeah great film , except when you feel like The Gimp with someone tapping on your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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