La Burrita, Durant Ave., Berkeley

Written by Casey Deeha

Many a burrito blogger will claim that Berkeley has no claim to the burrito. 'Mose' from 'The California Burrito Blog', for example, will tell his readers that burritos in Berkeley are something 'to avoid'... Given that 'Mose' is writing in a time warp (his last post was in '09), I would be inclined to steer clear of such writers and sequester them within the category of what Jay Barmann refers to as 'arm chair' analysts. Touche I say indeed and to 'Mose' I say that perhaps much has happened since '09...

Maybe Cal has become a bit more serious - 'conservative' - even. I can tell you that my time there quickly dispelled a worldly image of UC Berkley being a cosmic place where revolution is served a-la-cart; the guardians of academics reign supreme there and their old ways have slipped perhaps center right - there is a conservatism hiding behind the curtains. But, perhaps this more rigid structure has bled into the surrounding streets, permeating the hippie/post-hipppie/neo-hippie scene on Telegraph to create a much better burrito - much better that the days of '09 and 'Mose'.

LA BURRITA - I do love thee. To date, it is only the second place where I have personally thanked the majestic burrito maker on my way out (feel free to tweet me to find the second). This burrito was lovely - pure and simple - so lovely, I shall write a lovely little poem:

Oh veggie burrito
Sadness fills  my heart for your completion is never at end
I ponder as I sit at my wobbly little table, small iron chair, hot concrete, sun blinding
I give myself to you
oh greatness of blends
oh wonder of balance
oh beauty of soft salsa
of cheese not cold
of sour cream dispersed
of guacamole freshly made and blended
of wetness that is dry
Completion at end, I ponder you to no end
endness is in ending my end.

I would turn to the tower at Cal and thank the guardians for their rigid structure, but I am too proud. In stead, I will continue to return to Berkeley for this treat and bask within the glory of a conservatism buried beneath a liberal cloth, contra-positive - a binary - that through the mesh of structure and non structure emerges a blend of veggie burritoness that encapsulates both order and chaos.

Salsa Rating: Hot Tamale...