The only thing more annoying than a Californian going on and on about In-N-Out is a Californian going on and on about burritos. Danny Bowien opened up Mission Chinese a few years ago, or maybe a couple of years ago, and I loved it. More recently he opened up Mission Cantina, a Mexicanish pan-Latinish joint. I enjoyed Mission Cantina to an extent, though I certainly wasn't as floored as I had been by Mission Chinese. A few months ago there were rumblings that Cantina started serving a burrito that could perhaps be compared to the California burrito tradition. I was curious. Here are my impressions.
I ordered the masa fried catfish burrito. All burritos are filled with beans, avocado, Mexican white cheese, salsa fresca and crema, although I ordered mine without the crema. The fish was nicely fried with a delicate corn crust. The burrito was a heavy bastard, very dense. The tortilla was nicely browned and very compact -- it held its contents well. Let's cut to the chase: I enjoyed the burrito sort of, but it wasn't super flavorful. That may be because of my choice of protein -- catfish is tasty but perhaps not suited for a burrito. The salsa fresca was seemingly sparingly used -- the salsa verde which came on the side with chips may have been useful within the burrito. The beans were not bursting with flavor. Overall it was a somewhat satisfying burrito which seemed more on the bland side. I will go back to try the carnitas or lamb, as perhaps these meats will offer more flavor.
