Anthony P.
Yelp
I work in healthcare. On occasion, I meet with medical staff at other hospitals and bring lunch while we meet or plan or discuss our mutual goals and lines of service. For this particular luncheon, the nurses had asked for La Azteca. Having spent years in ELA and my wife growing up here, I was actually embarrassed I never heard of this place.
The framed reviews lining one wall spoke volumes of what this place is known for: the chile relleno burrito or simply, the La Azteca burrito. Don't get me wrong, they have other offerings, including a fresh nopales (cactus) salad and breakfast faire, but the go to was the chile relleno.
The flour tortillas were made by hand as the sign so proudly read, "hecho a mano." There was a vibe of home made authenticity that made sense given these tortillas were part of the experience.
Parking is non-existent and the restaurant, itself, is more of a waiting area. Sure, there are a few tables and one long counter, but most people, including myself, got my order to go (para llevar). The sign by the counter warned customers that orders came out as they're prepared, not in the order it was placed, meaning a guy can come in 5 minutes after me and only want nopales and walk out in 30 seconds while I might wait for 15.
We were smart enough to order ahead and our order was waiting for us. We were at the counter for about 2 minutes and had a bag, a very HEAVY bag, handed to us. But after smelling the burritos and seeing how there were made, we ordered two additional La Azteca burritos for us (we only ordered for the nurses). That one, small addition added almost 20 minutes to our wait (read the sign, brother...).
We finally got our orders, complete with 2 bottles of Mexican Coca Cola, and we lugged our order the 1/4 block to our car. I say lugged because our entire order had to have been close to 8 or 9 pounds. Each burrito easily came in over a pound or more like a pound and a half.
The first bite was met with cheesy goodness. The tortilla wasn't overpowering, meaning the first bite wasn't all tortilla. It was skillfully wrapped so that every bite had tortilla and cheese or chile or beans. It was simply delicious. It's size belied its heft. It was a girthy burrito that made use of every square inch of the wrapped tortilla. While not exactly a two handed affair, it was weighty. The salsa roja that came with it, was a perfect spice compliment to give just the right amount of heat.
If you look at the pics, you can see how it compares to a fork and an iPhone 14 case. You can also see the first bite of cheese. The last bite, like the first, was similarly cheesy with just the right amount of tortilla. No matter which way your turned the burrito or which end you bit first, the first bite and the last were exactly the same.
There's true artistry with a burrito like that. And a wonderful way to remember a first bite with a lasting one...