Benny's Tacos

Benny's Tacos
427 Lincoln Blvd
Venice, CA 90291

Review: Like all of my childhood friends, my entry in to burritos, quesadillas, and nachos exists because of Gordo's on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. A hole in the wall taqueria 1/2 mile from home, Gordo's is known for its Super Burrito which contains a steamed-and-cheese melted tortilla, authentic rice, beans, meat (shredded chicken, crispy carnitas, marinated steak, and grilled chicken), sour cream, guacamole, and hot sauce all for $5.35.

Perhaps Gordo's carries nostalgic cred, but I have yet to find a burrito in LA that stands up to the ideal. The issue tends to be in the tortilla and rice: Gordo's does it thin and steamed with short-grain and almost sticky mexican rice. Everything else here is thick and grilled, dry and almost chinese-like.

Then it happened, as most stumble-upons do: I was in the mood a for a burrito, and spotting Benny's Tacos I pulled over. Like the initial impression of any bi-themed restaurant (Benny's is Mexican and Mediterranean) I was a tad skeptical, but nonetheless I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Opting for the burrito with steak and carnitas, rice, pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and extra chips I forked over $8.73 after being given (without asked) a 10% discount and card for all future purchases. Grand! Walking out I grabbed a few (ok six) little containers of mild salsa (pico de gillo) and medium (green).

Verdict?

YAY! The size of a football and expertly rolled, my Benny's burrito was not only satisfying and exactly what I had ordered, but it reminded me of my usual order from Gordo's at home (minus the hot sauce). Topping off at sub-$9, Benny's won a coveted weekend OTC post. So, go. And if you try something from the mediterranean side, do report back.