Editorial Review
Taqueria Tres Amigos (Half Moon Bay, CA)
Score: 8 / 10 Reviewed by: Chris
While i was once a semi-regular of Tres Amigos in San Mateo, the rumor mill (from multiple independent sources) all said that the Half Moon Bay location was the best one. Finally finding myself in Half Moon Bay, i had no choice but to check out these rumors. Sure enough, this is a darn fine burrito.
The first thing to notice is that the place is big and modern, yet maintains a proper taqueria feel. Chairs, stools, and tables are all dark woods, the tv is playing Latin American soccer. The smells of the grill fill the air. You walk up, you order, they deliver your food to you. The kitchen is in sight behind the counter but the grill is not. Those of you who know De Amigos in San Mateo will notice that the menu is identical- down to the styling and layout. There is common ownership of the two places, as i understand it.
My hopes for a quality burrito were high. I ordered a super chile verde. It was incredibly hot (temperature), and i had to wait a couple minutes to open it. Inside everything was done right. The slab was stable, ingredients were well proportioned throughout, and there was not too much of any one ingredient. The chile verde was good, but not strong enough for my liking- the tomatillos did not take prominence in the flavor. But otherwise, not much to complain about here.
The salsa bar is not as good or varied as the Tres Amigos location in San Mateo, but it is better than that of De Amigos. You have the choice of a pico, a smoother red, and a mixed greeny-brown-colored salsa. You can also get pickled jalapenos, onions and carrots. The free chips are good, but nothing special- like the other location, it's a medium for the salsa.
Overall, this is a very good burrito. Is it better than the location in San Mateo? That's a tough call to make based on a single chile verde burrito. My gut tells me this location has a slight edge over it's sibling, even though the salsa bar is a bit inferior. Regardless, the care and quality assembly tells me they're serious about making proper burritos, so i'd never have a worry about coming here.
–Chris
posted 7/24/2009 6:42 PM, updated on 7/24/2009 7:14 PM
