Burrito Trail
Some burritos win you over with flawless execution. Others charm you with atmosphere and authenticity, even if the details are uneven. La Gran Chiquita, a Mexico City-style taqueria on Richmond’s 23rd Street, aims for both and almost pulls it off.
La Gran Chiquita sits on a corner directly across from the back of the Richmond Police Activities League building and Tacos El Rulas. It is at that little nub of 23rd Street on the other side of Macdonald Avenue. The restaurant is big. It is not a cramped taco stand or a window on wheels. The Oakland veterans who opened their first Fruitvale location in 2001 have brought their Mexico City credentials to Richmond, along with plenty of seating and something you will not find at most of our beloved taco trucks: a full salsa bar.
Burrito Trail - Grandview Independent
The Grandview Independent has been embarking on a culinary adventure to explore every taqueria, food truck, and restaurant in Richmond. This initiative, dubbed the “Richmond Burrito Trail,” aims to showcase our city’s diverse and delectable burritos.
Soren Hemmila
We ordered the Super Carnitas Burrito.
It arrived like a brick of promise; tortilla-wrapped anticipation, warm in the hands and radiating that unmistakable carnitas perfume. Inside, there were big, buttery chunks of avocado, dollops of sour cream, and generous portions of tender pork. The carnitas were soft enough to fall apart with the lightest nudge, rich with the fat that makes them worth ordering, yet somehow still our burrito was a little dry.
Midway through, we realized something about those avocado chunks we’ve been getting in our burritos recently. While they were creamy and rich, they did not deliver the zing of guacamole. There was no citrus bite, no hit of salt, no cilantro to cut through the fat, just plain avocado. Good, but missing that seasoned punch that makes guac such a perfect burrito partner.
Melted cheese hid in pockets throughout, creating sudden bursts of gooey, creamy, salty flavor. Still, the burrito’s lunch tray construction, with ingredients grouped in sections instead of fully mingled, meant each bite was a gamble. One might be all rice, another all beans, and then, just once in a while, you would hit the jackpot with everything in perfect balance.
The rice fell victim to Richmond’s recurring burrito curse of mushiness. Overcooked and clumpy, it worked as filler but not as a feature. The refried beans were steady, if unspectacular, structurally sound, and holding everything together without complaint.
Where La Gran Chiquita truly stands out is the salsa bar. In a city where even the best taco trucks usually ration out one or two thimble-sized containers, having multiple fresh options feels downright decadent. The undisputed star was maybe an ancho-tomatillo salsa, a vivid orange, fiery sauce that made us sweat and cleared the sinuses, the kind of condiment that transforms “just one more bite” into “I’m finishing the whole thing.” We also laddled out some fresh tomato salsa and a salsa verde (for science) that we had most of both when we finished our tube lunch.
La Gran Chiquita brings Oakland’s proven Mexico City-style cooking to Richmond with mixed results. The roomy dining space and salsa bar are genuine upgrades over truck-side dining, and when the carnitas land just right, they are worth the trip. But uneven execution and those plain avocado chunks keep this from breaking into the top tier of Richmond burritos.
The Super Carnitas Burrito, which weighed in at 776 grams, comes with chips and salsa for only $15.35. We ate every bite, but probably should have stopped earlier.
We want your tips: Where is your favorite burrito in Richmond, and what is your go-to order? Let us know in the comments or by email.
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