Hot take: that veggie burrito place I loved in Portland back in 2018 just isn't the same anymore

I stopped by my old favorite spot, Los Gorditos on Division, last weekend after a 5 year gap. The salsa bar had shrunk from 8 options down to just 3, and they swapped the handmade tortillas for store-bought ones. Am I crazy for thinking places get worse when they try to streamline everything?

3 comments

3 Comments

jennys7214h agoMost Upvoted

...and that's exactly what I'm talking about @the_morgan. The salsa bar thing really gets me. Makes you wonder if the cook who actually cared about flavor got let go too. I still stop by out of habit but every time I leave thinking "why did I do that to myself." Maybe I'm just chasing a memory of a burrito that doesn't exist anymore.

the_evan5d ago

You mentioned the salsa bar shrinking and that hit home. My buddy Jake used to rave about a taco joint in Austin that had a huge salsa selection, then they cut it to four basic ones after a remodel. He said it felt like they were saving money instead of caring about the food, and now he barely stops in.

the_morgan4d ago

@the_evan that line about saving money over caring about the food is exactly what I think happened at my old spot too. They swapped out the fresh salsa verde for a jarred version you can get at any grocery store, and the pico de gallo went from chunky and vibrant to this sad watery mess with pale tomatoes. You can tell the moment a restaurant starts treating their salsa people like an expense to trim instead of part of the experience, and Jake is right to barely stop in anymore.