Light Your Mexi-Cali Fire

I was milling around Washington Square, deciding whether I wanted to hop on the bus or grab a bite, and then I happened across El Fuego. Not one to turn down the promise of pseudo-Mexican food, I decided that a burrito was exactly what I wanted for lunch.

For all of you puritans: yes, El Fuego is a lot like Qdoba and not a lot like La Lupe, but it was still a nice lunch experience. The restaurant is hip and designed well, and offers the usual fare: burritos, tacos, quesadillas, home-made guacamole and a variety of salsas. They do step it up in the meat department, though—featuring slow cooked spicy beef and chorizo. But the thing that sets them apart from all the other burrito joints I’ve been to? They have beer. Cerveza abounds in their fridge alongside Jarritos, Topo Chico and Snapple. And the beer is pretty cheap–$3 domestics, $3.75 imports and $3.25 Tecate cans. I love to have my guac and chips with a side of Negra Modelo or Dos Equis, so I’m definitely heading back. My vegetarian burrito was really good, too—all the “fixins” tasted fresh and the sautéed bell peppers were delicious.

Not that I’m a gourmet, but El Fuego definitely lit my Mexi-Cali gastro-fire. Pop in if you’re in the area for a cheap, fast and filling lunch. Alexis, Uwishunu.com