**** This location of Santana's has closed and is now Tony's Mexican Food
Santana's is part of the "rotation" at the office, along with El Cuervo and Chi-Poodles Chipotle. We usually order from one of these three places about once a week.
Doesn't it look like Santana's is having a little cerveza there? Once one of my favorites, I've been rethinking that designation based on 3 "surprises" on my recent orders.
I really only get two items from Santana's; either a Carne Asada Burrito(CAB) or my favorite cholesterol bomb; a California Burrito(Cali). The Burritos that Santana's serves is relatively large, and wrapped in the usual flour tortilla:
Well here's the first surprise. Santana's had raised their prices 50 cents since our last visit, and the Cali now costs $4.25. Not really a big deal. For those who don't know what a California Burrito is; in San Diego, it's a burrito that contains at minimum Carne Asada(marinated and grilled beef), Cheese, and most importantly, French Fries. Santana's version also has pico de gallo(tomato, onion, cilantro, and chile garnish).
This burrito had a pretty good amount of carne asada, and fries and cheese are always great, right? But here's the next surprise, the carne asada was extremely salty. So salty, that all the other flavors were eliminated. It had become a "salt lick" burrito……The usual starchy, meaty, cheesey, and mildly spicy burrito was utterly ruined.
Well, two weeks later the office decided that it was time for another Santana's run. This time I decided on a Carne Asada Burrito($4.25). I had believed that my previous experience was just a blip on the Taco Shop radar, I opened up my burrito:
First thing I noticed was that my burrito was somewhat "swollen", in a water balloon like way. Sorry to say that this is the only photographic evidence that I have of my Xiao Long(soup) Burrito. For as soon as I cut into it to set-up a photo, a huge amount of liquid poured out everywhere; creating a new office game – chase the soup. My third surprise! I really don't know how Santana's managed to get all of that brown meaty liquid and salsa into the burrito. At least this time it wasn't too salty! Could you imagine if I had just held my burrito and bit into it? Saved by Food Blogging again. Maybe Santana's has been dipping into the cerveza……I'm just wondering what surprise is in store the next time, if there is a next time!
Santana's Mexican Grill
719 W Washington St
San Diego, CA 92103
i like that, soup burrito 🙂
Hi Kirk,
Interesting to find french fries in a burrito. Glad to see that the prices are much lower than ours though….*sigh*
Hi Clare – It really made a mess on my desk.
Hi Reid – And here I was grumbling because they raised their prices 50 cents.
Really? French fries? Here I am living in San Diego and I didn’t even know what a California burrito was.
Too bad you didn’t get a picture of the soup burrito–I would have liked to have seen that!
Mmm…Santana’s is my favorite burrito chain. They also have a location in PB (at the Grand/Garnet split). For sharing, we always get an order of carne asada fries and two tortillas. Roll & eat as you go.
Hi Angie – Never had or heard of a California Burrito? Oh My… There’s also another spin on this, replace the carne asada with pollo asado and it’s called a Texas Burrito; how’s that?
Hi Mabel – I usually will stop by the Morena location when I have my car serviced – usually on a Sat morning, and walk over and have a Machaca Burrito – it’s delici-yoso! Seems like that location is better then the Hillcrest one.
I tend to favor the Morena location as well although you get some interesting characters there late at night.
Hey Jack – You mean early in the morning, don’t you??? :o)
Oh man…I’ve heard of the famed San Diego burrito…with the fries…first time I’ve actually seen one…looks awesome…
Hi Elmo – when it’s made right a “Cali” is really good stuff.
7-24-06
2:28am
I ordered a Carne Asada burrito with cheese only, and recieved a California burrito plus cheese.
The staff after midnight really like to screw with the customers, and screw with their orders.
I goto Santana’s a couple times a week, same location, but after midnight, crappy workers with no care for the people.
This is the worst place to get mexican food in the history of mankind. I have tried to give them a chance more times than I can count. I order food and EVERY single thing I order is wrong. Its like they take 19 dollars from you and make a bag of random stuff. I can’t take it anymore… I don’t even complain about stuff but this is ridiculous. I would rather chew off my own thumb than order from santana’s again.
Santan’s california burrito’s are the BEST…we moved and still crave them, they really are the best, go hungry they are full of stuff, and full of flavor. People rave about them, this person doesn’t know what they are talking about