Bruce's Burritos - Yarmouth, Maine

I had a sudden craving for Mexican fare while grocery shopping the other day. Luckily, it was lunchtime and Bruce's Burritos was just down the street.

We arrived shortly before noon - and thankfully, in advance of the lunch rush. By the time we had finished placing our order, there was a line of people behind us, and a steady stream of customers during the remainder of our visit.

As quick as fast food, our order was ready in minutes - and at a reasonable price. We ordered chips & guacamole, three tacos, a burrito, and shared a Nantucket Nectars lemonade - all for $20.

The chips & guacamole that served as our appetizer did little to wow me. Yellow corn chips were not house made, and the guacamole was bland -- it desperately needed more salt, lime juice and cilantro.

The tacos and burrito could be ordered with a choice of chicken, pork, tofu, sweet potato or beef - we chose the chicken for both. The tacos lacked substance; they were sparsely filled with the chicken, sharp cheddar cheese and an abundance of shredded iceberg lettuce. The burrito was much more substantial, filled with the tender chicken, rice, cheese, salsa, sour cream, black and pinto beans.

Unfortunately, the salsa that accompanied both the taco and the burrito suffered the same fate as the guacamole - it was bland and tasted more like a sweet ketchup than salsa. Thankfully, I found bottles of hot sauce on the counter and doused each bite of the burrito to satisfy my quest for flavor. My husband shared my disappointment with the guacamole and salsa, so he created his own sauce on the fly. He mixed equal portions of sour cream and hot sauce, making a tasty dip for the chips and the remainder of the burrito.

My craving for chocolate is relentless, so we indulged in one of Erin's (Bruce's wife) "famous" brownies. The woman at the counter told us that Erin had been working to perfect the brownie recipe since she was 10 years old, so I was really expecting something spectacular. The brownies lacked the intense chocolate taste and fudgy quality that I prefer; I wish I had ventured across the street to Clayton's for a chocolate macaroon instead.

Based on the foot traffic inside Bruce's, clearly they have a loyal following and do a steady business. And though I expected more intense flavors, I found that the food was fresh, the service quick, and the prices reasonable. Burrito! (in Westbrook) serves better Mexican standards, but Bruce's Burritos is a convenient lunch spot when in the Yarmouth area.