Burrito Wednesday #2: June 9th – Pedro & Vinny’s cart

09 Jun 2010 #burrito #burrito wednesday

Pedro and Vinny's burrito cart on K St

Burrito Wednesday Week #2: June 9, 2010 — Pedro and Vinny’s Burrito Cart. (Warning, that’s one of the most obnoxious websites ever).

This is one of my more frequent burrito sources. It’s a block from my office, vegetarian and delicious. Styling little cart at 15th and K Sts with a generally long line. Plus, check out the awesome new sticker on the side. The key here is the fantastic selection of hot sauces. He has 3 homemade ones – the infamous classic mango habanero, a tasty cilantro and a new spicy brown sauce I believe he’s calling “K Street Habanero.”

John Rider at work making a burrito, surrounded by the sauces.

There’s a whole system here. While in the (usually long) line you’ll give John your tortilla choice and yes/no to cheese – I go for tomato chili cheese. While you wait in line the tortilla steams and the cheese melts.

When you get up to the cart there’s a flurry of options to determine your burrito. My choice is usually medium (warning: small has no rice), black & tan (meaning both black beans and refried pinto beans), fresh salsa, guac, and various hot sauces. Usually the mango plus something else to make it hotter. Lately that’s been the “triple delight,” all three of his homemade sauces.

Burrito construction near completion

The total winds up at $6.50 for mine. Cash only and you make your own change. How’s it taste? Fantastic. The rice can be a little dry on occasion, and the beans can be a little bland. However when it’s loaded with good sauces, guac, etc it’s really quite flavorful and satisfying. My biggest complaint consumption side would be that it’s very messy to start and end. Take a look at when I pealed off the first part of foil.

Peeling back that first foil, it's mess as all get out. But it's going to be delicious!

However once the main burrito section is average messiness for a burrito. I feel like in the past (particularly pre-hiatus, he spent almost a year down in the Carolinas or Georgia possibly setting up a storefront down there, but came back) they were a bit more controlled and less messy. Regardless, it was tasty. You even get a free York peppermint patty at the end! I think these get a solid 4 on the arbitrary & meaningless scale.

Burrito consumed. Foil and paper towel carnage everywhere, and the peppermint patty steps up to bat.