Durango Grill

Culinary Adventures have been a bit few this week as I've spent the latter part of the week down with a stomach bug. So we've been sticking to the tried and true, the easy and close-by. One of our local favorites that meets this category is Durango Grill on Imperial Highway in Brea (between Brea Blvd. and Randolph). This casual taco shop used to be one of the outposts of the Taco Mesa family, but a couple years back changed its name, although the owner I believe is the same. We've been eating there frequently since we moved to town 4 years ago.

I'm picky about my burritos. And frankly most places don't live up to my expectations. I hunger for those Mission Burritos in San Francisco, which I know many would argue are not "real" burritos. Nontheless, I like that combination or rice, beans, cheese, choice of meat, salsa, maybe lettuce and tomato all rolled together that you find in every burrito spot in town. Give me "spicy chicken," any day. Having now lived here in the Southland and in Texas, the burritos have often been weak in comparison. And let's not even talk about Wahoo Tacos. What is with that place? If I have to *pay* for my salsa in taco shop, there is just something absolutely wrong with the place.

Durango Grill is my favorite joint around. It is the place we go to if we don't know what else to have for lunch or we need something quick. Our daughter has gone there since she was an infant and now asks for the place by name. So child friendly it is. The owner's own son is sometimes there helping out dad. The daughter person loves the kids quesadilla plate with rice and beans. She can devour the entire thing, and it is not a small amount of food.

The husband usually has a burrito plate, often a special called "the phoenix burrito." I tried this last week and it was very good with veggies and chicken, served wet. I, however, almost always have the tacos, either blackened fish or blackened chicken. This week I had the blackened fish covered with cajun spices and grilled quickly, then served on soft corn tortillas with cabbage slaw, to which I added a bit of lime and some *free* salsa. If I'm really hungry I'll get a couple of these with some rice and beans, but I ask for black because otherwise you get white beans.

I've already pushed the place on most of my local friends, but if you are close by and haven't checked it out, bring the kids over for lunch today! Oh, and they have dollar tacos on Tuesday. Can you beat that?