Izzo's Illegal Burrito

OUT AND ABOUT

Izzo’s Illegal Burrito
625 West Prien Lake Road
Lake Charles, LA
337-562-7902
www.izzos.com


Seven days a week 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM $1 to $16

For me this “roll your own” place came about three years too late. We have a couple of establishments serving authentic Hispanic food along with a vanished taco truck lamented by many people including me. The mantra “more is better” sometimes does not apply to Mexican street food. That saying is something that is totally American. Let me state now this is just my opinion. This place seems to be a fine starting point for people who want to get the taste and flavor of Mexican fare but in a convenient place

That is not to say the food is bad here. The worst thing I ate was the burrito. You have to understand that I am not enthusiastic about this particular type of Mexican food. In fact I dislike it a lot. Since it was in the name of the place I tried it. I got Pork Carnitas with a cayenne tortilla, black beans, Monterey Jack and Cheddar, grilled onions, roasted corn, and tomatillo salsa. Picked up some lime wedges and the Izzo salsa at the salsa station. Following the instructions on the wall I dove in. It was very salty and bland and the deeper in the more soggy and unappetizing it became to me. Maybe I just chose the wrong things or it was a bad day. I may have to go back and give it another go.

Next up was the Burrito in a Bowl. I went with Steak, pinto beans, pico de gallo, romaine, red onion, diced tomatoes, sour cream and tortilla strips. I really liked this. The steak proved tasty and made this item turn into a great entree salad. This is coming from someone who doesn't really care for salad. The clincher on this deal was the Southwest Caesar dressing. It seemed nice and spicy with a strong cumin kick. I would not mind getting this again maybe with the chicken. It is pleasant to be surprised with something turning out to be nicer than you thought.

Last and certainly the best was a Quesadilla. I kept it on the lean side with a regular white tortilla, shrimp, Monterey Jack and Cheddar, grilled onions and pickled jalapenos with sour cream and guacamole on the side. The shrimp were tasty and not overcooked. They worked well with the cheese and onions. The jalapeno gave a nice kick with the tortilla nice and crunchy. Judicious amounts of sour cream and guacamole made it rich and savory. I washed it down with their machine margarita, not half bad. This would be my go to item. The main problem with this venue for me is my physical condition. I never did take to my artificial limb. Therefore standing around a long while on the crutches supporting all my weight is not thing I like to do. Going in my wheelchair is ok but the space is so tight that I cannot maneuver without causing a problem for other people. The atmosphere here is friendly and the food seems fresh. Since it is laid out if front you can make informed decisions on what you want. I think it is a good establishment for the lake area and would not hesitate to accompany my friends if they wanted to go here.

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