Had a craving for the simplicity of birria stuffed into handmade tortillas the other day, so I spent 2 hours in traffic to grab some, got a tinga burrito as well.
I remember these things being absolute magic, with fresh handmade flour tortilla being pliant and gorgeously griddled with savory, succulent birria inside… I guess those days are over? Parts of my tortilla were so tough I tossed them out. The birria meat seemed tougher than usual, too. The tinga was oddly dry.
Super sad.
Really hope they just had a bad day.
They also charge a $.50 credit/debit card fee, without disclosure, which is, according to others on this website, illegal… take that how you want.
California has a law, California Civil Code section 1748.1, that prohibits retailers from adding a surcharge when a consumer chooses to use a credit card instead of paying by cash. In March 2015, a federal court found the statute unconstitutional and prohibited the Attorney General from enforcing it. The Office of the Attorney General believes that this decision is incorrect and has appealed that order. However, as of now, the Attorney General cannot enforce the statute.
Although the Attorney General is enjoined from enforcing this specific statute, California law does prohibit a merchant from engaging in activity that is unfair or deceptive. So, for example, if a merchant charges a credit or debit card surcharge or offers a cash discount, but does not fully disclose this to customers prior to their committing themselves to the goods or services, or if the merchant does not clearly explain its policies regarding debit and credit cards, the merchant may be violating California law.
Precisely, I was never told about the fee. I only discovered it later when looking at my receipt. I would’ve paid cash had I been told about it. There is no signage indicating it either.
Sigh… Was hoping it was just an off day. They used to be so great :/[quote=“A5KOBE, post:2, topic:4645, full:true”]
I went about 2 months ago and they were very mediocre.
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The tortilla and birria are world class. My only tiny quip is that I wish they had more salsas. The salsa they provide isn’t bad per say but also not very memorable. I would love something with a little more heat, smoke or bite. 1st world problems. I go to the Santa Ana location and may or may not bring my own salsa.
I tried biting the serrano once but that’s not necessarily what I want with my burrito. I usually bring the peppers home and use them for guacamole or salsas.
Warrior: peony and I are fans. We have a tradition of eating burritos in El Monte before going on hikes around Azusa. I love the tight composition and simplicity of the burritos and the way everything works together.
I don’t mind it the way it is…but also I don’t make it a habit of eating straight peppers. The salsa is acidic and bright enough to play with the burritos for me.
My husband and the chowpups eschew the salsas entirely.
Yep. This is how Mexicans eat… That is why chiles, dried, pickled or fresh are always on the table. Hot sauce/super spicy salsa is used… but in different applications/dishes… Plus, for a burrito which is meant to be portable… nothing more portable and less messy to eat standing up than just a straight up chile!
warrior: I don’t get the raw whole chiles thing. They always cause me to hiccup, and they are too pungent to blend in well with the food. It’s similar to the mounds of raw onions served with Persian food. I don’t get it.
Get the plato especiale, the pork chile verde sauce they drown the burritos in is a little spicy and utterly delicious. I always mix the left over sauce with the beans and eat with the complimentary chips. They give you a piece of lettuce and tomato which makes the meal healthy.
