Burrito Giant's giant burritos served with a side of gym equipment

By Lori Midson Thu., Jun. 4 2009 at 3:35 PM

Categories: Midson: Gastronaughty

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Lori Midson

I first heard about the giant burritos at Burrito Giant, 4501 West 38th Avenue, from poster "Penguin 18," who commented on a recent Westword blog about the breakfast burrito wars between Jack-n-Grill, 2524 Federal Boulevard and Santiagos XII, which just took up residence directly across the street from Jack's joint at 2505 Federal Boulevard.

"Penguin 18" lauded the breakfast burritos at Burrito Giant, calling them "addictively good." Oh, yeah, really?

Well...yes, actually. Hefty and filling, but not so seam-busting that you can't drive 75 down the freeway without dropping the beast between your legs, the egg and potato burrito bombs ($3; $4 if you get it smothered) aren't the cheapest in the 'hood, but they are delicious, and the stew-y, pork-studded mean green chile -- vats of the stuff -- made every day by cook Ana Moreno, deserves a queen's crown.

"It takes me six hours a day to make one batch of green chile," she tells me. "Actually, I spend all my time making chile, but that's okay, because were all about consistency."

And, apparently, amassing gym equipment, too. That's right: Burrito Giant also has a gym crammed with work-out machines, which, somewhat ironically, occupies a full room right around the corner from the joint's trio of tables, the same tables from which you sit and stuff yourself. With big-ass burritos.

And those tables? They're surrounded by an empty bottle of Jack filled with pennies, lots of pottery and mosaic tiles and a desk with a few chairs that doubles as Moreno's office. Weird, huh?

The gym belongs to Mike, Moreno's uncle, who builds and sells equipment, while other family members -- grandmas, great-grandmothers, nieces, nephews, cousins and cousins far removed -- make the place run smoothly. "We all take a lot of pride in what we do, and we know that we can sink or swim together, so we're doing everything we can to swim," says Moreno.

She's also trying to keep the neighbors happy by offering a two-for-one burrito happy hour from 2 to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Hot burritos, hot deal.

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