Jonesing for Mexican

Next time you crave authentic Mexican, try Burrito Express, a quaint family-owned restaurant that has been serving delicious Mexican food from unchanged recipes for more than three decades.

From the shredded-beef burritos to the savory sauces (available in mild and spicy), the menu has not changed much since the corner restaurant was founded in 1977. To top it off, the same cook’s been sizzling and seasoning the time-tested dishes for the past sixteen years.

“People like what they are getting already — so we try not to change it,” laughs current owner Wil Orozco. Orozco was only eight-years-old when his Uncle Ranulfo Roses started working in the restaurant. Now a strapping young man, Orozco just acquired the restaurant from his semi-retired Uncle this past year.

The self-proclaimed chimichanga addict couldn’t be happier to have his run of the place. “The beef is just succulent,” the proud owner says. Unlike other eateries, Burrito Express has a sizzle only policy: nothing frozen and nothing ever microwaved. The kitchen is always piled high with fresh vegetables.

These high-standards are reflected in the taste. There is nothing quite like the first crunch of a taco- plump with tender pork and fresh vegetables. Many diners admit they can’t seem to shake the delicious taste of spicy green and mild red from their tongue. Dabbing their fingers in the sauce, they devour the dishes right to the last lettuce-rind. “People love our sauces, Orozco adds. “People come in and, you know, they get sauce on the side and they take it home.”

You can snag one of their breakfast burritos starting at 8am for your morning commute. There’s nothing like a little egg soaked in chorizo to eradicate that nasty wine hangover. Customer favorites also include the bean and cheese burritos doused in green chilli sauce and the cheese enchiladas served with rice, beans, chips and a little salad. Or if you are feeling adventurous you can also try The Ross Perot, one of the dig’s four personality-inspired dishes. Named after the former presidential candidate, the burrito is overflowing with three kinds of meat, fresh guacamole, sour cream and beans.

It was Ross Perot himself who aptly said “Spend a lot of time talking to customers face to face. You’d be amazed how many companies don’t listen to their customers.” That might as well be Burrito Express’s mantra. “People like the service we gave them also and they like knowing – we know their names when they come in and they know our names,” Orozco says.

In a plot-line fit for the hit series Cheers, customers are greeted by name when they enter the establishment. That’s not a hard task considering the average employee has been working the counter and kitchen for 5 to 6 years. With that also comes efficiency. “One of our biggest things is also we’re really fast even when there is lot of people,” explains Orozco. Famished Pasadenians can also phone in their orders at (626) 798-0844 for a speedy pick-up.

If you aren’t up for the 3 hour drive from Los Angeles to the Tijuana heartland, Burrito Express also caters personal parties. According to the owner, Pasadena natives are most eager to get their fiesta-on during New Year’s Eve. Burrito Express rakes in the most orders at the start of the year.

Affordable and addictive, Burrito Express is a destination spot for customers in-the-know. “We can’t come in to Pasadena or the Pasadena area without coming here at least once,” says Orozco, repeating a popular refrain spoken by regulars that have moved away. Anytime these customers near the 210 or 110, they are hooked by the Mexican magnet with some diners returning three and even four times a week. It’s not uncommon to see office runners from Burbank and beyond packed into the small eatery mid-day making the lunch-time pilgrimage for Burrito jonesing employees.

For those who have left the greener pastures of Pasadena, they too have their ways of getting that much-desired Burrito Express fill. Two decades ago, the restaurant was renowned for flying their frozen burritos to Pasadena-expats and loyal flavor fans country-wide. They’ve since discontinued the service, but that doesn’t stop customers from sending the delicacy to their loved ones. With a look of excitement, owner Wil Orozco explains that one man comes in monthly to purchase two dozen frozen burritos which he ships to his college-going son. Jury’s still out on whether the burrito’s brain enhancing properties live up to the muy bueno taste…

Burrito Express is located on 1597 E Washington Blvd in Pasadena. You can eat in or take out.