Burro's Fish Burritos Best in Toronto?
This is part 2 in a series where I attempt to discover Toronto's best burritos.
My quest for Toronto's best burrito has brought me to Little Italy. Burro Burrito is only days old - or at least the canvas sign is - as an end to a partnership has resulted in a name change for the burrito joint formerly know as Bar Burrito.
The good news - at least for fans of Bar Burrito - is that the name is the only change. The food, staff and service are all the same as before.
Today I came here for one of the recent additions to the menu - the fish burrito. Not too many places in Toronto offer seafood burrito options so when I see fish (or in the rarer case - shrimp) on the menu I usually go for it. At Burro Burrito though, it'll cost you. $7.50 for an 8 inch and $8.75 for a 12 inch. More standard steak, chicken or soya burritos here top out at $6.85.
When I ordered the burrito, I was advised that it would be about 10 minutes because the fish is cooked fresh to order. No problem. Some things, I have come to learn, are worth the wait. Would this be one of them?
Unlike the burrito at Mexitaco, this 12 incher comes straight up, rolled in wax paper and folded with some napkins in a basket. Inside, a slightly toasted flour tortilla is filled with rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, unidentifiable (but tasty) sauce and, in this case, freshly grilled chunks of superbly spiced, lightly-breaded tilapia. (I opted to have mine without the cheese as they don't offer any non-dairy alternatives)
The verdict - as if I didn't already give it away - is that the burrito ranks up there with the best I've had in the city. At 12 inches, it was big enough to make a meal and the toasted burrito, fresh toppings and succulent fish are definitely the game changers.
That said, the $8.75 plus tax price tag creates a bit of a dilemma given the Fish Store down the street offers a cheaper and very tasty fish sandwich alternative for a little less.
Previously in this series: Mexitaco
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Thanks for all of the great restaurant reviews. I've had a chance to try a few of your recommendations, and I haven't been disappointed. Please keep up the good work.
Is it just me, or should someone who can't eat / chooses not to eat dairy not be writing food reviews? Isn't that sort of like a colour-blind guy writing art reviews? Cheese is a pretty important part of a lot of burritos, and more broadly, dairy is an important part of food. What's the deal?
Hey Michael,
Fair comment but there are also lots of people who don't eat certain things (dairy, meat, gluten etc.) are are forced to read review after review which doesn't consider alternatives to a traditional North American diet of corn fead, hormone-infused meat and dairy.
Hi Tim - have you tried Burrito Boyz? They have a Halibut Burrito that is worth the [sometimes] 20+ minute wait in their little shop on Adelaide.
Hi Eric,
I've had a few different burritos at Burrito Boyz. I remember the chicken being ok and the ground round being pretty awful. But I'm gonna head back there for the Halibut and will post about it.
I think it is quite funny that you would comment on Burrito Boyz and their chicken being ok?! You and all other burrito eaters out there should know the truth about Burro Burrito. Next time you go there ask who the owner is, mention the name Dina and I am sure you will get a response to that name. It just so happens this Dina person use to be an employee at Burrito Boyz, when the Boyz first opened. She then said she had to quite because she would be returning to her country. But instead, her and a few other family members conveniently decided to open their very own Burrito Shop. I am a true Burrito Boyz fan and it is important for me to make sure everyone knows the truth! Burrito Boyz remains on top above all competitors simply because they are the originalZ. It is hard to compare anyone else's product to the original product. Believe me the Boyz know what they are doing and they just can't be stoped! long live Burrito Boyzzzzzzzzzzzz
Dude, relax.
It's a burrito...
We tried these burritos last night during the Taste of Little Italy ... and they were okay, not great. I won't be rushing back. In my mind, Burrito Boyz is still the best in Toronto!
Cheese in a burrito? Dude, I just moved here from SF Bay area, home of the original burritos.. There is no decent burrito here in Toronto. Burritos should not be grilled.. there is no cheese inside. It should be about the meat, no rice, and definitely beans.. and lettuce??? are you kidding me.. All you so-called burrito experts - buy a plane ticket goto San Francisco's mission district and go buy a gigantic burrito (has to be al pastor, none of this chicken or fish-save those for tacos) for only $4.95 and your burrito life will never be the same.
wow @ all the pretentiousness over a damn burrito.
anonymous (read: owner of Burrito Boyz), I personally don't digest originality so I could care less if its made by a former employee of another establishment.
Cali - calm down buddy, we're talking about some meat & toppings inside a piece of flower, not the Mona Lisa. If it tastes good, it tastes good. Again, originality is not something I eat.
Haha ... yeah I'm with Paul about the snobbery (or should I say snoburri:) Burritos were most definitely NOT invented in SF. They came from Cuidad Juarez in 1910. I've lived in L.A., and al pastor may be the way they do it there in Cali, but even in Mexico sometimes they'll put cheese and lettuce in them. Sorry there's only one place in the world that you'll eat, there, Cali! Just had the Burro Burrito experience and found the ingredients fresh, and authentic to what I remember from Tijuana - I never did the fish tacos in Mex because they looked horrible, and the roach coaches are not the most trustworthy ;)