Burrito! - Westbrook, Maine

I miss Granny's Burritos. Unpretentious and laid back, it was a perfect spot to enjoy a quick and filling Saturday lunch while doing errands in the Old Port.

With the closure of Granny's, I'm on a quest for their replacement. Bruce's Burritos serves average burritos, tacos and quesadillas from its strip mall location on Route 1 in Yarmouth. Unless you happen to be driving by, I wouldn't make it a destination. Burrito! on Main Street in Westbrook is a cut above Bruce's, offering a diverse Latin-American menu in a cheerful atmosphere.

New since we'd been there last, is the Burrito Bar, created when they took over additional space next door. In the tiny, colorful little bar area, seating only a handful of patrons on stools, margaritas are the drink of choice for many. Also new are the non-alcoholic smoothies, featuring ingredients such as chocolate, coffee, banana, coconut and honey, blended with tofu and soy milk instead of dairy.

Though the fish tacos (hard or soft shell) were tempting, I ordered my usual, the Veggie Burrito. The tomato wrap was loaded with pinto beans, sweet potato, scallions, rice, guacamole, corn kernels, cheese, and my choice of Salsa Roja (hot and spicy with a smokey flavor). The burrito must have weighed at least a pound; the sweet potato and abundance of rice made it extremely filling and a bargain for $6.90. The rice was a bit mushy for my taste; though the corn was a welcome addition to the version I used to enjoy at Granny's. I ordered a side of Salsa Verde to accompany the round yellow corn chips. The salsa, made from tomatillos, garlic, Serrano, peppers and avocado, was chunky and tart.

My husband selected the traditional burrito, filled with pan sauteed haddock, rice, a mixture of pinto and black beans, tomato, scallion, sour cream, cheese and Salsa Roja. The fish was a bit "fishy" tasting, indicating that it was not as fresh as it could have been, but not poor enough in quality to keep my husband from finishing the entire burrito. The Salsa Fresca he chose to accompany the chips contained diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cilantro and lime juice. The onion dominated the taste of the other ingredients, particularly the tomatoes which were pale pink and flavorless. Salsa is such an important part of Mexican cuisine, that investing in better tomatoes, such as Backyard Beauties' hot house variety (grown right here in Maine) would serve the restaurant well. Other salsas offered, in addition to the three we tried, include a spicier version of the Salsa Roja and a Mango Salsa for those who prefer a sweet and fruity accompaniment.

Burrito! is an affordable lunch spot for those who work in the vicinity, and probably a fun place to enjoy a pitcher of margaritas and a plate of nachos after work or before a movie. Cleaner and less grungy than Granny's ever was, the decor is cheery with lots of color, though this time of year the small space heater is not quite enough to take the chill out of the air.

I shall continue my quest for the area's best burrito. Let me know if you have any suggestions.