Before I start, I must say that I'm Mexican and for the purpose of this review this does not mean anything else but: I'm proud of my food and I can be very strict with anything served as / associated with/ recognised as Mexican. Next, three facts:
1. Burritos can be found in their natural habitat only in the north of Mexico. And not all the north, but only some states. It's a very simple snack: a flour tortilla with a bit of beans and cheese (the most traditional one). You can also find burritos with other fillings (generally two, being one either beans or cheese). That's all, no rice, no cream, no guacamole, no salsa, etc...
2. Burritos are now a very popular fast-food snack in the US, possibly more popular in the south of the US where lots of Mexican immigrants live these days. Therefore, burritos are part of what is now known as tex-mex food. I've never tried a burrito in the US so I don't know how they are served but I presume this is where burritos took their now more popular looks and taste.
3. Los Cardos does not intend to serve real Mexican food or Mexican real burritos. They got the idea from the Californian tex-mex burrito and offer a healthier alternative to take-away food at a reasonable price, and using fresh ingredients and good quality products. This is what the website says (go and check if you want).
So now I think it will be fair to say that...
Los Cardos' "interpretation" and/or "re-construction" of burritos is a successful one and I think the success is the result of taking some common ingredients in Mexican food (beans, rice, salsa verde, coriander, cream, etc) with others not so common (like carnitas) and still leave room for the costumer's choice. Sounds like a winning formula, right? So basically, you choose the type of tortilla, the type of meat, the fillings, the salsas. How tasty your burrito will turn out to be, well... it's up to you.
While I was observing how my burrito was prepared (a carnitas burrito) with all the fillings I chose (cheese, cream, beans, rice, coriander, the whole lot really) the guy explained to me about the quality of products and freshness. And yes, very fresh and well prepared. So, what they say they offer is what you'll get. By the way, very friendly staff.
As a take-away you're not expecting the premises to be memorable. And as I was not planning to eat my burrito there, I didn't really pay attention to where costumers could eat. I do remember very vaguely to see a couple of tables with costumers.
I paid for my burrito a bit more than 5 pounds. A massive burrito. And I know it is a reasonable price for take-away food in the UK -and even more if good quality products are taken into account, but I still think it is rather pricy. Or perhaps I can't be objective enough (I can't help comparing prices of burritos in Mexico and they don't cost much at all... it's a snack!). Let's say that compared to other take-away snacks (kebabs, for instance), Los Cardos' burritos are probably within the price range.
So... Is this place good? I think it is. Is this good for Mexicans (especially the ones from the north)? Perhaps... it all depends how orthodox / flexible you are. Will I go back? If I'm in the area, quite possibly.
Being far from Mexico, not having "my" food here, has had many different interesting effects: I cook more, I've discovered markets and delis where I can find Mexican products (will write a review of Lupe Pintos soon!) but I have also learnt to appreciate other foods. To me, Los Cardos' burritos, as they say on their website, are purely inspiration. And as that, I take it... Yet, I was the most grateful Mexican when I first smelt the carnitas and a very subtle hint of orange transported me to a street market full of bright colours and music. Perhaps it was just an illusion or perhaps I was just... inspired. read more