Habaneros

Habaneros
1058 Joliet Street
Dyer, IN 46311 MAP
(219) 864-9333
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Update: November 30th, 2007.

CLOSED!

October 22nd, 2005. 1:30 p.m.

Upon entering Habaneros, I was greeted by a clean, nicely decorated interior (the restaurant is quite new) and Mexican music that was on the loud side. I then selected a seat that was as far away as possible from the three ladies loudly enjoying their early afternoon margaritas.

The chips were served warm and were thick. They had a hard crunch and were excellent. The salsa was smooth and mild to medium as far as spiciness goes. It also appeared to be very fresh. It should also be noted that only one basket of chips and salsa is complimentary. Every basket thereafter is $1.00.

A “Steak Burrito Grande” ran me $7.25 at Habaneros. It contained beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream. The beans had good flavor, as did the lean steak that was sufficiently juicy. The tortilla was fresh and had the favorable chewy texture I look for in a burrito.

The flavor rates quite well, however the value suffers for a steak burrito at Habaneros. I really can’t recommend Habaneros for its steak burrito based on the high cost. El Amigo is just a few miles east and a similarly new strip mall Mexican restaurant with cozy décor that offers a superior steak burrito at twice the value (and no limit on chips & salsa) is Chachan City Burritos.



Weight: 14.9 ounces
Length: 8 inches
Circumference: 8.75 inches
Price: $7.25 or 48.7¢ an ounce
Beer availability: Yes

Flavor: 7.5/10 sombreros
Value: 4.5/10 sombreros

Las Brisas

Las Brisas
6000 Calumet Ave.
Hammond, IN 46320 MAP
(219) 932-3406
Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Update: August 31st, 2009.

CHANGED OVER TO LUCY'S.

October 17th, 2005. 5:00 p.m.

Las Brisas not only serves Mexican food; they offer gyros, rib tips, fish sandwiches, burgers, and pizza puffs. You order at the counter and grab a seat in the somewhat disheveled interior.

The small basket of chips was good and was accompanied by both red salsa and salsa verde in squeeze bottles. The salsa verde was very hot and not very flavorful. The red salsa had a taste reminiscent of V8. The flavor was not the greatest but satisfactory.

My steak burrito contained beans, lettuce, and tomato. The steak was good with no fat or gristle present. The burrito would have been better if they included some cheese inside.

To close this short review I’ll say that Las Brisas nailed the basics on their steak burrito. No more, no less. Go there if you’re jonesin’ for a quick bite.



Weight: 14.5 ounces
Length: 7.75 inches
Circumference: 9 inches
Price: $4.49 or 31¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

Flavor: 7/10 sombreros
Value: 8/10 sombreros

El Loro

El Loro
99 Willow Bend
Crystal, MN 55428 MAP
(763) 537-9688
Hours:
N/A

October 14th, 2005. 4:00 p.m.

Coming back from our trip to Canada, we stopped in Minneapolis to go to The Mall of America and do whatever else we had time for (yeah, right). I came across El Loro when searching the web for recommended Mexican restaurants in the Minneapolis area.

Chips and salsa were very good. There was also what I would describe as a spicy ranch sauce. Good flavor across the board.

Once again there failed to be a steak burrito offered a la carte. This time I decided not to attempt something close to a steak burrito and review it only to be disappointed (see El Bracero and Acapulco). Instead I ordered a steak taco dinner for $9.00 and was thoroughly pleased although there could have been a little more steak in them. My wife’s chile relleño was very good as well.

Even though though this isn't a burrito review, the reason this is posted is because we took the time to find the place and I took pictures. Visit one of El Loro’s three Minnesota locations if you get a chance.

Acapulco

Acapulco
1303 34th St. SW
Fargo, ND 58103 MAP
(701) 297-0355
Hours:
Open daily at 11:00 a.m.

October 9th, 2005. 11:15 a.m.

When planning our trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba to visit friends we met on a cruise, I knew I wanted to get in a couple of burrito reviews along the way, eh? Fargo seemed like a good stopping point, and after a quick web search I found Acapulco to be the most favored restaurant in the area.

Chips arrived warm and were very good. The accompanying salsa was thin with a black pepper/vinegar/chili powder taste. It also had scallions in it. Quite different and o.k. at best.

Unfortunately there was no steak burrito offered as an a la carte item. The waiter directed me to the “Acapulco Burrito” which was described as “A large flour tortilla grilled with strips of carne asada, beans, tomatoes, rice, onions, guacamole, lettuce, cilantro, and jalapeños.” The burrito was also supposed to have a sauce on top, which I asked not to be added so I could eat it with my hands. I suddenly had a flashback to my visit to El Bracero back in June (that’s not good). When the food arrived my first impression was not good. The burrito was in no means large, it was folded open ended (see El Bracero), and barely weighed over one pound. For $9.75 I did not even get rice and beans on the side. This burrito is the poorest value on a cost per ounce basis by far. I will say that the steak was very good but unfortunately in small quantity. The rest of the filling seemed like just that – filling. The cheese appeared to be of the Kraft shredded variety, not authentic Mexican by any means.

Acapulco left me and my wife thoroughly underwhelmed. Even her chile relleño was lacking in flavor and substance. I can’t recommend Acapulco, and we won’t be going back.



Weight: 16.2 ounces
Length: 9.25 inches
Circumference: 7.5 inches
Price: $9.75 or 60.2¢ an ounce
Beer availability: Yes

Flavor: 5/10 sombreros
Value: 2/10 sombreros

Chela's Authentic Mexican Kitchen

Chela’s Authentic Mexican Kitchen
3325 45th St.
Highland, IN 46322 MAP
(219) 924-6833
Hours:
Monday: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Thursday: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Update: August 11th, 2009.

CLOSED!

October 2nd, 2005. 7:00 p.m.

Chela’s is a great place for a family meal or for a quick bite for one (like me!) with their great service and wide-ranging menu. Large groups and events such as graduations and weddings can also be accomodated in the banquet facilities.

The chips were merely decent yet made excellent by the pureed smoky brown salsa. The flavor was very good and was neither mild nor hot. I used the salsa quite liberally to flavor up the burrito.

The steak burrito ordered a la carte is normally served suiza (cheese on top), yet I ordered it non-suiza for measurability and easy handling. I should have asked for the cheese to be put inside if possible since the only filling other than the steak was beans, lettuce, and tomato. The steak was excellent: tender, no fat or gristle, and in fair quantity. I will say that the burrito became a little mundane quite quickly. Why, I don’t know. This is when I used the salsa to liven it up.

In short, you can’t go wrong dining at Chela’s. It’s just not the best place to get a steak burrito.



Weight: 21.1 ounces
Length: 8.875 inches
Circumference: 11 inches
Price: $7.95 or 37.7¢ an ounce
Beer availability: Yes

Flavor: 7.5/10 sombreros
Value: 6.5/10 sombreros