Calexico 01-05-2010

Location: 122 Union St. BK
Time: 8pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: "Hello, my name is Ramen and Friends, and I am a Calexico addict." That is all I have to say about this amazing taqueria in my neighborhood. I had heard all the raves about their cart and the restaurant, but I somehow never tried it until my coworker, RRowe brought me their delivery menu.

I have been on the exploratory adventure to find a decent Thai and Burrito joint in my neighborhood since last year. My burrito journey has now come to the end. Calexico is a little piece of burrito heaven, and I feel utterly foolish for ignoring this place for the past few months.

Calexico is not the most authentic taqueria. It has a rather hip, casual feel with some edge. What I most love about their food is their fresh ingredients and meticulous execution. My vegetarian burrito with black beans ($8) was full of addictive flavors and textures. The refreshing acidity from the lime, perfectly cooked rice and beans, delectably creamy guacamole and fresh roasted tomato salsa were all rolled up in a crispy yet soft flour tortilla. It was not soggy or mushy at all as most burritos can be. There was a definite bold flavor to it without being overbearing, and I kept wanting for more, especially with the additional the aptly named, "crack sauce"! This homemade chipotle sauce can make the burrito irresistible and better than any burrito I have ever tasted in New York.

We also shared tofu grits ($8 for large, stone-ground, hand-milled organic grits with cheddar, corn and jalapeno). It's not everyday you find grits at a taqueria, so I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting twist. It was incredibly creamy and cheesy (two Lactaid pills, por favor), and the corn was perfectly al dente and gave a nice texture to the soft grits. The crack sauce went quite well with the grits as well...Actually, the crack sauce would go well with anything, and they don't call it "crack" sauce for nothing. It is highly addictive.

The only thing I can think of right now is Calexico's burrito and crack sauce. I am not sure if I could ever eat burritos elsewhere in the city again. I am happy to find a great place, but I am not sure if I was ever ready for this burrito addiction.