The Great Burrito Search: Candidate 3 and sort of 4

Today I tried a joint farther south on 4th Avenue: Yuma’s Red Taco. It’s a new-ish place. Last winter, while the store was being readied, they had a taco truck out front. I didn’t stop by back then because the small parking lot was filled with contractors’ vehicles, customers and, of course, the taco truck. 

The speciality at Yuma’s Red Taco—in fact, about the only thing on the menu—is birria in one form or another. The story goes that birria comes from Jalisco and was inspired by similar stewed meat dishes introduced by the Spanish. Birria can be made with goat, mutton or beef, with the latter being the case here. And the recipe can vary a lot, depending on the spices and chiles used.

I’ve had some uninspiring birria before, so I didn’t want to commit to an entire burrito. So I ordered a taco. And it was very good, especially with the onions, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and a fiery but flavorful salsa.

I rate Yuma’s Red Taco an A-. I’ll be back for a burrito. Monday-Saturday 7AM to 9 PM, Sunday 7AM to 7PM.

On the way out of town, at the north end of 4th Avenue, I stopped by Mr. G’s Drive-In. It’s owned and operated by the same outfit as The Chile Pepper restaurant on 24th Street. They’ve also taken over the former location of my former favorite, Diego’s. So, whether they’re any good or not, they’re a big player around here.

The menu boards in Mr. G’s are crammed with small type and not-very-clear descriptions. That’s probably not a problem for regular customers, but I was wanting binoculars. I eventually found the listing for burritos and decided to try something new for me: a green chili burrito.

It was on the small side, but it was pretty good. Even better with the red salsa included in the bag. Although the burrito was flavorful I didn’t feel like I’d had a burrito eating experience. It’s not high on my list of things to eat again. Nevertheless, I give it a B+. Monday-Saturday 7AM to 9PM, Sunday 8AM to 8PM.