This year the University granted students' wishes and opened one of the biggest cash cows on campus when they changed Sbarro to a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Express. I was one of the biggest supporters of this change and still am a frequent visitor in the basement of LaFun. However, like many of you, I quickly lose interest in the food options that are readily available for the Monopoly money loaded on to my student ID card. Chipotle is generally a suitable substitute, but its closing at 10 p.m. on the weekends still left Taco Bell the only late night option if you're craving a burrito. Or so I thought.
Enter Burrito Chulo. The re-branded store, formerly Julio's, provides a much-needed option outside of the on-campus and Eddy Street burrito stops. While it is a bit of a hike for those of you in the dorms (it's located on Ironwood next to Nick's Patio), it's open until 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday - and deliver within the area. I repeat: they are a Mexican semi fast-food place that delivers until 4 a.m. on the weekends.
Convenience and store hours aren't the only draw for Burrito Chulo. The combo menu offers a dozen options for entrées each coming with either rice and beans or chips and salsa, and a large fountain drink, all for $5.99. That's less than you'd pay for a single burrito at Chipotle. A la carte items are also available with everything ranging from three to seven dollars. In addition to being relatively inexpensive, the quantity of food is quite filling though admittedly no Chipotle-sized burrito.
In terms of taste and food quality, Burrito Chulo is as authentic as it gets for take-out or delivery. The burrito I got came filled with delicious refried beans, cilantro and lime glazed lettuce and black peppered chicken. My only complaint was that the chicken was a bit dry and the burrito could have used some type of hot sauce throughout, though the manager assured me that the California Burrito had just that. The side of chips and salsa were as fresh as one would get at a proper sit-down restaurant: the chips still warm and crisp from the fryer. The salsa was mild and thin for my taste, but certainly more authentic than the Old El Paso in my fridge.
Burrito Chulo is a solid option that should be added to your rotation of Taco Bell and Chipotle for a quick Mexican fix. It's open late, delivers and offers a lot of fresh, authentic food for a relatively cheap price. And how can you say no to a place called Burrito Chulo?
Contact AnkurChawla at achawla@nd.edu
The views in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
