Zantes

Zantes
3619 169th Street
Hammond, IN 46320 MAP
(219) 844-0222
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

April 24th, 2009. 5:00 p.m.

First off, Zantes is a Greek fast food restaurant known primarily for their gyros (big surprise). I discovered they offered burritos, steak only, when I stopped in for a sub sandwich and some soup last winter. They also feature hamburgers, Vienna Beef hot dogs, and more. Check out their menu here.

The steak burrito is $5.25. I ordered the combo with fries and a drink for $1.50 more (No chips and salsa available here). The burrito contained unseasoned steak, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and what seemed like a combination of shredded cheddar and mozzerella cheeses. The steak was absent of fat/gristle and was merely OK due to the lack of seasoning. The tortilla wasn’t the freshest and lacked chewiness. I asked for both hot and mild sauce and received a small tub of Louisiana Hot Sauce and a few packets of GFS taco sauce. I used the taco sauce, which tasted like Ortega taco sauce, to give some flavor to the steak. Overall not too shabby of a burrito from a Greek joint but definitely not ideal.



I can’t recommend Zantes for their steak burrito but I can for some of the other food I’ve had there. What I find funny is that their steak burrito ranks higher than quite a few authentic Mexican restaurants I’ve reviewed. Check out the rankings here.



Weight: 20.0 ounces
Length: 7.75 inches
Circumference: 10 inches
Price: $5.25 or 26.3¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

Flavor: 6/10 sombreros
Value: 6.5/10 sombreros

El Michoacano

El Michoacano
2003 Broadway
East Chicago, IN 46312 MAP
(219) 397-0251
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m
Friday – Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m

April 8th, 2009. 3:00 p.m.

Right next door to the Fiesta Palace banquet hall in East Chicago is El Michoacano. Upon review of the steak burrito and chips and salsa at El Michoacano, I believe it is pretty much the same as Fiesta Palace #2 in Merrillville.

The chips were fresh, very good, and accompanied by the same cabbage infused pico de gallo that I’ve only experienced at Fiesta Palace. The red salsa was excellent and proved to greatly enhance my steak burrito. The salsa verde was average.



My steak burrito, like Fiesta Palace’s, contained only steak and beans with tomato and lettuce on the side. I cut up the tomato and added it along with the lettuce inside the burrito. The steak was good overall with only a couple pieces of fat. The tortilla was rather dry and quickly developed a couple of cracks which made eating a little messy.



If you want to try El Michoacano, your best bet is to go to Fiesta Palace in Merrillville for a similar (yet better) dining experience. Not only is the steak burrito better, you won’t have to deal with the pollution and safety issues in the Harbor.



Weight: 13.3 ounces
Length: 7.25 inches
Circumference: 8.25 inches
Price: $4.00 or 30.1¢ an ounce
Beer availability: No

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