This guy I work with, the one who frequents the fried chicken shack around the corner from the methadone clinic near our offices, stopped by my cubicle to check out what I was eating for lunch. He spotted my bag from Burritoville and exclaimed that he was unaware there was a Burritoville in the neighborhood. I told him I hadn’t known about it either, nor had I been to any of the local chain’s 10 other stores, but I was about to pass judgment by tucking into my nachos. “You can’t judge a Mexican place by its nachos!” he said. “You need at least a burrito for that.” But upon closer scrutiny of my nachos, which were topped with a delicious and fresh sprinkling of green, yellow, orange and red chopped chili peppers, he admitted he might be wrong.
They were indeed very good, equally black-beany and Jack-cheesy, but the small portion for more than $6 seemed excessive to me. It seemed I was paying chiefly for the nachos’ rugged snap-top disposable carry-out container, as durable and long-lasting as a ski boot. Though I couldn’t deny the chain’s popularity; the place was positively packed for lunch and they were conducing a rapid-fire carryout business.
Burritoville
- (11 Manhattan locations)
- 352 W. 39th St. (at Ninth Avenue)
- (212) 563-9088
- Meal 22/52: nachos ($6.29).