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Category: Local Flavor [Edit]
459 Church Street2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M4Y 2C5
Neighbourhoods: Garden District, Church-Wellesley Village
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
29 reviews for Elite Event At Chino Locos
All Reviews
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/18/2009
Damn it Kat, you're making it hard to give you less than five stars.
Burritos: delicious, and interesting new taste sensations. Mark my words, I will be back to try more.
Beverages: Tasty, cold, and free - the trifecta
Backdrop: Easy to spot with all the Yelp balloons, and the staff really gave it their all with the costumes and generally being excellent people and what not. Kudos - massive, massive kudos.
Babble*: A lot of cool people, a lot of good conversations. Glad to see the Yelpers out again.
That's all four Bs covered - can't ask for much more than that.
* - Yeah, you try coming up with another one that starts with B.
Listed in: CMYEs and UYEs I've attended
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Really? Am I gonna get FTR on this?
All righty, here goes:
How can you not like a burrito joint that has Dita von Teese 2.0 and a masked Burrito Gimp serving up chicken chow mein in whole wheat tortillas?
Great to meet some Yelpers I hadn't met before (RJ P., Margs L., Maureen P., Kelly O., Connie T., Helen "I knew she's Asian" L., Vivian V., Noel D., and Carolyn "not scared of susan c. any more" B., Aeryn L., Devan "finally!" R., Melinda M., Jon S., Junichi Z....oh, crap, this is gonna be like one of those Oscar acceptance speeches where I forget to mention someone...)
The fluorescent lighting was harsh but the vibe was sexy mild. So much fun! And yes, I am drunk-Yelping.
That is all.
[EDITED TO ADD NEXT-DAY SOBERED-UP COMMENTARY]
- Awesome service from the burristas, va-va-va-voom von Teese lady, and masked Burrito Gimp who went out of his way to hand-deliver a yummy chicken-chow mein burrito to me.
- Keg-pumping Lady, thanks for keeping my plastic cup o' suds full.
- Dave "beer savior" O. -- You da man!
- All the peeps I got to chat with -- I heart you. (You know who you are.)
- Kat "Bestest CM EVar!" F. -- Luv that Yelp Elites got the sneak preview before Chino Locos even opened. You sure know how to throw a hella fun party, boss lady!
Listed in: Yelp Elite Events
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Not bad, not bad at all. Hope I didn't offend anyone with my picture taking last night. Kat F. gets angry when people don't show up in pictures. I did my best before my camera had a massive failure. Thanks to the sympathizers.
Shimmers of Brilliance:
+ Chow mien in noodles. I've seen everything. Glorious.
+ Masked wrestling gimp. Love.
+ Owners are both Chinese/Vietnamese (like moi). Got to support the cause. Hope they're not VCs.
+ Love the Yelp crew and appreciate that I didn't get 'shiv'ed' by someone who has a grudge against me.
Disappointments:
- Space needs a makeover...those lights be hurtin' my eyes!
- Pop a window, it's a little smoky...maybe it's because we ordered 500000000 grilled burritos?
- Sad Abby couldn't make it
Listed in: This is How I Roll...Elite…
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/9/2009
Mexican food is a bit like the James Bond or the Enterprise captain you were first exposed to and grew up with. That's your gold standard by which you judge everything else. Of course even saying Mexican food is to paint it with one big brush, like saying "Chinese food". There are regional variations within Mexico and points beyond. Mexican food is becoming like pizza. People adding local variation. If you don't like it, move along. Move along.
Toronto has always been a bit of a black hole for Mexican food but lot of that has change with Toronto finally getting on the Mission-style burrito bandwagon. It took about a decade for this to filter north of the Rio Detroit. But now that it's here, local indies are bringing rapid ubiquity to the cuisine. The next Thai food? Probably.
So, what's a new burrito joint to do? Spot the next trend in Mexican food and don't wait another bloody decade. The trend now is Mexican-Asian fusion. The "kogi" style is where Mexican food is heading:
http://kogibbq.com/our...
Chino Locos (spanish for "crazy cotton Gap pants") appears to be easing Toronto ("waddya mean Taco Bell isn't authentic?") culture into the kogi/Asian-Mexican fusion trend.
That said, Chino Locos has foresight and a great staff if the Elite Event is any hint. They've hunkered down in a neighborhood that attracts a crowd that isn't going to go ape over finding chow mein noodles in their burritos (which has a really great mouth feel).
Thanks to Kat, of course, for knocking another one out of the park. You don't get this kind of royal treatment from Facebook or Wikipedia, I tell you.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Talk about getting a faceful of burritos on a Friday night. Gracias Chino Loco para es anfitriones tan amables y generosos! The burritos that I got to gobble on were delish. Love the noodles and the attitude. :) I think this was the brightest Elite event that I've ever been too, imagine that, the lights were on. I actually got to meet a ton of Elite Yelpers because it is so much easier to read their name tags.
I brought my S.O. to his very first Yelp event and afterwards he said to me "now I can see why you like this group so much". Highlights included having Carolyn B. join in the evening, getting a chance to chat up Will and of course treating Dave O's jacket like it was a Genie's Lamp....can you say tactile? Always lovely to meet up again with Yelp couples, Brian and Melinda (ummmm.....sorry about the beer fiasco Melinda :) and Chris P. and his lovely bride Danielle (ahem). Andrew you were looking your usual hot self....damn those guns on you are in good shape. Amazing how many people you can see when the lights are up. Love chatting and hanging with Dale, Carmen and cute little door girl Kat, who so kindly kept me supplied with my disappearing name tags.
Good job Kat! Missing from the Elite equation....Jay & Katrina, most obviously my beloved sista Yelper, Deanna (who was hosting Vivek & Mel C. in NYC), Shari (hope you are feeling better girl!), the lovely Hana, Abby and Farheen.
Loved Local 4 for the after party. Good call Kat! Reasonably priced booze and nice atmosphere, great service. The staff popped by our table a few times to make sure we had what we needed.
Oh and Chris....I'm happy to be the Mother (as long as its not the Motherf*cker, all is ok!). Just as long as your honey made it home safe and sound. :)
Again, thanks Kat. Otro trabajo bien hecho! Best of luck to Chino Locos in this new location.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
This is a review of the event only. I will include some suggestions for the food, but I fully understand that they are not open as of yet and have to work out the kinks.
Kat did a wonderful job in organizing a really fun and pleasant event. It was nice to meet some yelpers I had not met, while renewing the connection with others. The locale is interesting as was Ms. DeVille. I did miss her white cocktail dress, after she dressed down...Pity! Thanks again for making this event fun.
Tortillas: add an option with a blue corn one
Rice: Cook it a little less, a little more al dente
Noodles: Excellent
Fish: Excellent
Cooking time: please do not serve a visibly burned burrito
Service Attitude: the best
Take out: from the second-floor??? Signage has to be upgraded
Some pre-packaged salad options for those seeking a lighter fare
Salsas: excellent, do not change a thing...maybe add a 'suicide' version including scotch bonnets
Burrito Suggestions: smoked meat burrito, vegetarian poutine burrito
While people wait: chips and salsa, even for sale
Good luck to the crew at Chino Locos!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/9/2009
What a great event! Chino Locos has a great space, a hip and wonderful staff, and fantastic burritos. It would have been nicer for me had they not been two flights of stairs above the street, but c'est la vie! ;)
The food was delicious, I tried the pulled pork and fish burritos, both chow mein style, and they were fantastic. The eclectic mix of beans (including edamame) was a nice change from the standard Mission St. burrito. The whole wheat burritos were delicious, but a bit of a challenge with only a fork.
The chipotle sauce in the yellow bottles was robust and spicy, but the salsa verde took it to a whole other level. I had a huge glob on top of my fish burrito and I think I had my own "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer", I'm not sure where Chino Locos found the Guatemalan Insanity Pepper, but I'm glad they did. :P
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the staff prior to the event, and helping get everything set up. Many thanks to Kasey for keeping the drinks flowing, and to Kate "the underaged" M. for working the door with nothing but San Pellegrino to keep her going!
This was a fun event, and I can't wait for the next one, keep the good times going Kat, you are truly l'embajadora mas fina!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Since I'm a fan of Chino Locos #1 (Queen & Greenwood), I had to be one of the first to check out Chino Locos #2 (Church & Alexander). So how awesome is it that there was an Elite Event happening there before the place even opened to the public?!
New huge open space, but they kept the same friendly faces from the first location. Same delicious burritos, the free beer was definitely welcome, and oh yeah - it was nice to meet some fellow Yelpers.
I'm glad I was invited, I'm glad I came, I'm glad I ate, I'm glad I drank, glad glad glad. It was (dare I say) "loco". Yup, I went there.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/10/2009
What to say what to say...but yummy burritos.....fun event
This is now my 3rd Elite event, I'm the +1 just so you know...I haven't earned my own Elite-hood yet, but I'm always along for the ride. Every event I have been to has had it's own feel and flow to it, and this was no different.
First of all, I could see everyone at the event with out having to be an inch from their face. I have to say it was kind of odd having been to the others where the lighting is dim and the mood has been more club like. I think I like the club live events better.
Secondly, it was perfect to have an even close to my house....no TTC required and it was in my bubble, if there was hard alcohol involved I could have stumbled home!
Thirdly, it was amazing to see new people come out to the event, it wasn't like I saw the same faces as I do at most events. Either more people have become Elite or the neighborhood brought out a different kind of Elite member.
Over all the even was fun and the perfect length of time. If I didn't have a date, I would have moved on to the after party.
Kat did a great job hosting and Kate held down the check in like a pro! Shout out to Viv for always letting me tag along!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
My first impression walking up the stairs to Chino Locos for last night's Yelp Elite event was "Oh no...this is way too bright for an Elite event". Not to say we all look better in the dark but, well, I do. Luckily, I don't look that good in any light so there wasn't much difference.
On to the event, featuring a bevy of burritos and a keg full of Tankhouse Ale (what a perfect combo, btw). I heard from Underage Kate the pork was excellence while Tiny Nick claimed the fish and noodle was even better. That sounded even better so I went with the fish. I can't say if it was better but I can say it was very good, though I did find it a bit on the spicy side, even without the hot sauce (Susan C found this to be particularly funny). I'll definitely be stopping by to check out the rest of the menu next time I'm in the Village.
As usual, the event seemed to be well planned and went as smoothly as Kat's silky, porcelain skin. The staff at Chino's were friendly, helpful and oddly dressed, which was nice. It was nice to see how accommodating they were, not only opening early for our little party but also serving the aforementioned keg upon Yelp's request.
Just in the interest of continuing to make alcohol based complaints I'll suggest that a new rule should emerge for all forthcoming Yelp events: shots must be available.
Yelpers were in fine form once again, mingling like no one was watching. A few months after the first Yelp event and it definitely seems like we're getting to know each other, at least we seem to have more to talk about (ie the last Yelp event). I like some of you so much I may even let you play golf we me sometime (I stole that).
Going to Yelp events is important to me because it gives me a chance to explain some of the more ridiculous things I've said here on Yelp. It's not often we're given such an opportunity and it's something I appreciate very much. And by that I mean it's nice to be able to say whatever I want and then later blame everything on "misinterpreted internet tone".
Sorry I missed some of you at the after party, I'll make it up to you, just wait.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/9/2009
Well, better late than never right?
*Thanks* Kat for an awesome event! I really appreciated the invite, (and what's not to love with free food and good company?) And of course, thanks Chino Locos for the yummy treats!
So, thanks to Chino Locos and Yelp, I've now seen the light. Chow mein in burritos should become standard. Period.
(It also furthers my rationalisation of pasta and nachos! But that's another story... XD)
Also loved the mix of chow mein with slow-roasted pork (Yuuuuuum!) - I'm usually a vegetable-only snob when it comes to my noodles, but their house signature burrito (aka "Sweeeeeet") may well have converted me.
The shame. ;)
Is it true that we were only given half of a normal burrito portion? 'Cause Dude. Leftovers. Meaning: one price, twice the fun!
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try the Pollo (poyo) Loco or Da Finest, since I was so done after the one (half? Really?) Which incidentally may have been their crafty way of ensuring I come back at least twice more, heh.
And there's something to be said about being waited on by a masked "mexican wrestler". (Now if all servers wore such masks, would there be such thing as a server "pet peeve" list on Yelp? LOL)
This was my first time meeting up with Yelpers, and I had more fun than I had imagined I would (I always get nervous when meeting people for the first time, heh.) Despite my awkwardness, I got to shake hands with Kat F, Susan C (she's *NOT* scary, who knew? :p), Randy G, Mel D, RJ P and Margs L (aka Abbott and Costello, erm... respectively? lol); also waved at Sam G and Ariel G, all of whom were fun, happy people to be around and chow down with.
And Swag. I snuck off with a Tangerine flavoured Yelpstick (lip balm) that I can't wait to try out once my raspberry SoftLips is done. XD
Thanks for the great evening, all!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
Thoroughly enjoyed my first elite event (even though I'm really just a guest of an elite). Kat did a stellar job of choosing the venues: Chino Locos & Local 4. Food, drinks & yelpers = a delicious combination.
Loved Chino Locos - even though I thought the veggie burrito w/ rice, was kinda bland, the fish burrito w/ noodles was incredible. Absolutely incredible! I also tasted the fish burrito w/ rice just to compare and there was no comparison. The fish burrito w/ noodles is where it's at. 'Nuff said.
Local 4 & its totally chill atmosphere was awesome. The wait staff were super attentive and they totally added to the charm of the place. Good times.
Kat + yelpers + burritos + drinks = amazing!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Walking up the stairs to the new, as yet unopened Chino Locos restaurant, and my first Elite event, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I turn the corner to find a brooding circle of robe-clad Elite Yelpers, tightly gripping large wooden paddles while salivating at the thought of indoctinating me into their club, a la the legendary Stonecutters episode of The Simpsons? Not quite.
That said, I was immediately blinded both by the everpresent fluorescent lighting and the immediate and overwhelming sense of openness and friendship pouring off fellow Yelpers and the incredible Chino Locos staff. And while there were no robes, there were some costumes, notably the Chino Locos luchadore who helpfully recommended the best tastes to try.
As far as Chinos Locos goes, I can't say enough about the food, except that I'd add to others' reviews that the salsa verde was insanely good, and a half cup of red wine isn't enough to quench the resulting thirst.
As for the subsequent event at Local 4, the staff was incredibly friendly, working hard to ensure that I tried their Chocolate Cake shot of vodka and frangelico + lemon. Though that late night shot of Liquid Cocaine wasn't half bad either... does that mean I have a problem? (Don't answer that.)
Overall, it was an incredibly fun night. Massive props go to the always thoughtful Kat and her spunky sidekick Kate for making all of this possible. Count me in for the next one. :D
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
As always it was great to see a lot of familiar faces and meet some new ones.
I tried my best to polish off the keg of tasty Mill Street Tankhouse and paid the price for it the next day.
The food was excellent but unfortunately I didn't have enough room to try all of the flavours. Fortunately for me this new Chino Locos is right around the corner from my humble abode so I'll likely be back soon!
Thanks to all of those that helped make this event a success!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
This was my first elite event, and hot damn, these are some fun peeps! It was great to meet so many new faces, and also relive some good memories from the cupcake crawl. There really isn't much I can add about the food...it was awesome! And it proved to me that you can pretty much wrap anything in a tortilla, press it, and magically have handheld deliciousness!
Thanks to all the Chino Locos staff for the great time, and especially Kat and Kate for their host-y goodness!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
My first Elite event and what a start! I got to meet a lot of the people I've been reading online, including Susan C! And, I got to see some other people who I haven't seen since the Ossington Bar Crawl (Will, Christine, Kat), and I also learned my husband is jealous of my elite status! All in all, a great night! :)
The staff at Chino Locos are going to make this place incredible. They are all so committed to delivering a quality product, and are so enthusiastic, friendly and fun. I really look forward to returning and seeing them succeed, because they really deserve to.
And the food? I am only sorry I didn't try a burrito with noodles. I was so full from trying the pollo and beefsteak burritos with rice (traditional), that I couldn't try the chow mein versions once they started serving them. Rookie mistake, I guess. I'll do better at my next elite event! I promise! The burritos were among the best I have tried - great fresh ingredients, and much healthier because of it. Good selection of sauces too, although I was too wimpy to try the really hot one.
Thanks to Kat and her friendly helper (also Kat?) for staging a really warm welcoming event. The choice of beer was excellent too, and all free save for tips, of course!
Best of luck to the Chino Loco crew! I hope to come back in a month and see your business thriving.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
First-off, damn you Susan for getting FTR. Starfu*ker at best I guess.
If you've looked at my profile lately I'm pretty sure you can guess why this is a 5 star review. Burritos at Chinos +5 and liquid cocaine shots at Local 4 +10. Trust the amazing Kat F. to order a round of shots for those who hung out till the end! (I hope you are feeling better Mike when you read this!!).
Great to meet some new L33T's and to catch up with the old. Thanks Christine C. for playing mother for a short time for me at Local 4. :)
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
5 photos
This was my first Elite event, my first time dining in The Village, and, in all honesty, it's been a while since I've eaten a burrito. Here's my review of all three in four simple words - I LOVED IT ALL. Basically, I want to move to The Village and eat burritos for the rest of my life. Shout out to Kat for everything - it was amazing and you definitely got me hooked on http://yelp.ca!
I loved the fish taco with Chow Mein noodles - try it!!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/9/2009
How did I feel about the event itself? Fantastic! How did I feel about the food? Conflicted!
Chino Locos (translation..crazy pants?) is a cute enough place but the lighting was mega unflattering and fell somewhere between 'high school cafeteria' and 'work' in terms of the sheer fluorescent brightness. But lightning does not a good place make, necessarily. So I won't waste too much time on it. The staff were accommodating, informative and kind without a hint of attitude, which is always nice.
Now, the food.
The first burrito I sampled was veggie and had, what seemed on paper, to be a laundry list of delicious ingredients that could only lead to me smiling and rubbing my tummy in post-grazing appreciation. Unfortunately, I found the burrito to be almost flavourless. With guacamole, edamame, cheese, sour cream, peppers (and likely other ingredients that I haven't listed) it seems impossible to have anything less than an explosion of flavour, but there you have it. I blame the rice. Too hearty and grain-y without any inherent taste of its own.
Holding out hope that the fish burrito with chow mein noodles ( I think?) would be at least interesting flavour-wise if not legitimately good, I was pleasantly surprised that it was downright delish. I mean, you can't go wrong when you already have white fish and stir-fried noodles but I never would have thought, 'You know what this needs? A bread-based wrap!' I stand corrected.
Also, I managed to snag the last glass of red wine (Thanks for bringing it, Kat!) and actually drank some beer, which is a HUGE DEAL since I generally loathe the stuff.
Luckily, I was able to imbibe with proper liquor when the party moved over to Local 4, an adorable pub/restaurant with a neighbourhood vibe and attendant servers, and got to know a handful of super-fun fellow Yelpers.
All in all, a fun night filled with enough laughter and excited shouting to leave me hoarse the next morning. But it was so worth it.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
I'm feeling lazy, as can be noticed upon my lack of reviewing, oops! so this is going to go as such:
+ finally an event so close to my house. literally a hop, skip and a jump away. i counted. i'm not a fan of traveling and with the winter hunkering down on us, ttc is becoming my only option. talk about the worst way to travel.
+ meeting a single new person. i'm probably the least socialable person you will ever meet. so sorry if i ever looked like all sour puss like. just say hi, i promise i'm (kind-of) sweet.
+ free drinks other than beer. i hate beer, and im not a huge fan of wine. but it's a good thing i can't really drink right now anyway or i'd be super bummed about the lack of hard liquor.
+ i'm not a huge burrito fan, but chicken chow mein? puhlease, gimme more!
- no liquor. but again, i couldn't drink so i guess i should just shut up. but i'm always a fan of more options especially on a friday night. but it's a burrito place! i need to not judge.
wow is that it? i guess this yelp event rates high in my book! i love kat & kate. but they know that. shout-out to my lonely non-elite friend who has to spend all her time with me at these events. love you lindseyyyyy.
PEACE
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
Yessums... as an Elite Event it doesn't get more exciting than an exclusive preview of a yet-to-be-revealed food joint. Ah ha! We are Elite! Major props for the hookup of made-to-order AYCE burritos and beverages, and of course, nice to see a full house of eager Yelpers.
It's nice to see a variety of events, and hey, it's all good that we ended up at a bar afterwards.... :) Great job, Kat.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
I initially walked past Chino Locos because I was distracted by all the fire trucks outside Maple Leaf Gardens... Walked up the stairs and my first thought was that it was too bright -- after the cozy atmosphere at the last Elite Event this place seemed a little less inviting, but that is my only complaint.
I was mad hungry when I got there so the smell burritos got me excited. I walked up to the bar and the guy asked me if I was a meat eater and pointed out the chicken and steak. When I said I would have the chicken he put the steak on my plate as well and said "Here, try both." I like being force fed like that. The steak was good but the chicken (with chow mein) was even better. I regret not trying the fish.
A keg of beer is never a bad idea. I'm still not very good at being social at these things (this was my second event) but I met some Yelpers for the first time. I will get the hang of it eventually... Thanks, Kat!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
What a fun night at Chino Locos!
Great meeting more Yelpers and putting faces to names. Burritos were unique and interesting...chow mein in a burrito = glorious! The hot sauce is a must and they get a gold star for it being homemade. Great food, drinks and company, what more do you want?
The staff at Chino Locos were friendly and eager to please. I wish them all the success when they open on Monday.
Thanks Yelp and Chino Locos!
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Woohoo! So many new faces! Yes I am Kate M, Kat F's lil sidekick! It was nice to meet all of you at the door, hope you enjoyed your name tags!
Okay let's get to this event! The staff are super nice and kept me full of burritos, and napkins because I confess I am a very messy eater. I had never had a fish burrito before last night, and what do ya know the noodle and fish burrito was my favorite! It also seems to have been the burrito of choice when I talked with most of you. Yay fish! As for the pork and bean which I also had, it was good but I'm not a big fan of rice (and that's my own problem I know). What was that red sauce? It was so saucy! Yum!
Bonus? Chino Locos is super close to where I live so it was an easy journey there and back!
Neil I hope that you camera is okay!
ps. The after party? ;)
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/7/2009
Yet another great Yelp event. The place was packed by the time I got there with lots of happy party goers. Everyone seemed to really like the burritos and the staff were amazing. They really went out of the way to make everyone comfy. It was really fun getting a "sneak peek" a their new location, especially since I have not had a chance to visit the original location.
Talked to a bunch of new folks and got to goof around with some good old friends as well. It was the perfect start to a really fun Friday night.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
On Friday, November 6 a select group of Yelpers scored exclusive access to an interesting and unique entry into Toronto's Burrito Battle Royale.
Opening soon, Chino Locos is a burrito bar with a twist. Rather than go for the "standard" burrito market that is all but cornered by players like Burrito Boyz, Big Fat Burrito and Burrito Banditos (others may say Chipotle, to which I scoff*), Chino Locos delivers a fun and novel spin on the ordinary.
I was too busy being plied with pints of Mill Street's delicious Tankhouse Ale to clearly recall the entire menu, but I do remember the three half-burritos I managed to stuff into my gullet (the third I consumed with some difficulty but loving it all the same). Those are some big burritos and their combined ingestion led me to appear as though I was carrying a burrito baby into third trimester.
I started with Pollo Locos, a zesty chicken burrito with rice and fairly standard toppings. From there, I ventured jaws deep into Korean Beef, with chow mein noodles instead of rice. Awesome! Really tasty and a neat novelty. My last tasting was the fish burrito (also with noodles), Dem Finest, which was also delicious, though its name escapes me. I discovered the salsa verde for this last burrito, and hearkened the advice of the daring Dave "dude, that's HOT!" O., who had scooped a heap of it onto his first round. A little dab'll do ya with this stuff - just put it on your plate and dip a little bit at a time. Each burrito normally sells for seven or eight bucks (criminally cheap for their size and flavour) and all were grilled.** The burritos get my vote, and I'll be back to try a few of the others after the doors open to the rest of Toronto.
Not much to say about décor, since the place isn't ready yet. But they have a bit of a dining room, which is nice, and the menu is posted (in nice large print) on the wall in the dining area. They might do well to have another one where you order. I'm happy to speak to the character of the place, giving a shout to the Mexican wrestling dude serving burritos all night in an orange jumpsuit and goalie mask. It was hot, and this guy stuck it out. Awesome.
And of course, the company. Always so nice to get out to a Yelp event and meet more cool and interesting people than I knew existed. God knows I talked to a ton of people that night. Among a host of conversations that got blurrier as the night progressed, I got first-hand proof that Christine "sexy shoes" C. is off the market (met her very cool but yet-to-yelp SO), met Carolyn "it's not quite aerial photography, but it's close" B. and got to hang for the second time in a week with Carmen "y'all ain't seen no barbeque yet" M. A special shot to our hero of the day, Dave O. who has already been recognized for his haul down to Mill Street to replace a broken keg pump (but who deserves another pat on the back anyway). And who could forget walking in the front door to a smile and a hello from the adorable Kate "too cute for a nickname" M. Disappointingly absent were Shari "still sick" M. and Abby "no burrito baby tonight" R. God knows I saw and missed more people than just listed - not enough characters in this review for a shout out to everyone.
Thanks again to Yelp and Chino Locos! Looking forward to the next Elite Event!
*see my review at http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
** flat-grilling is crucial for maintaining structural integrity as the burrito is consumed
Listed in: Epic Birthday Bender
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/9/2009
Thanks to Kat for an event at a place I probably never would have otherwise tried... the burritos with noodles were a great new taste sensation for me! LIberally availing myself of the the keg o' Tankhouse Ale and seeing many of the usual suspects in high-definition under the hospital OR-grade lighting rounded out the fun evening.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/20/2009
My very first Elite Event was extremely memorable. I thought it was a fantastic turnout and was excited to know that so many Elite members take Yelp seriously and take the time to attend these events. Or maybe we all just like free beer and wine in addition to solid food from a location not yet open to the public!
It was great to meet members I have been chatting with for months now online, especially Kat. Putting faces to the first names and first initial of the last was awesome.
As for the burritos, they were good but I wouldn't feel comfortable saying they were great. Yes, I thought the non-standard burrito ingredients such as chowmein, edamame, and chipotle sauce were a great addition to the burritos. I also liked the option of whole wheat tortillas. Unfortunately they didn't nail the hammer on the burrito head for me. There was one burrito that I tried that was extremely bland, I believe it was the Pollo Loco. In addition to the lack of seasoning it was falling apart so badly I had to eat the rest of it with a fork. The basa fish burrito was nice but I could not help but compare it to the Legendary Hali at Burrito Boys, so it def fell short, and yes I purposely wrote Legendary with a capital l. The slow roasted pork house special "Sweeeeet" was good but again not great, I've had such phenomenal pulled/roast pork in my life that this was not even comparable. I'm used to the Ribfest pulled pork, or my cousin Rax's that takes your knees out like a concussion upon the first bite.
One feature I must absolutely big up is the fact that they grill the burritos after they are assembled. To me this step is so crucial and often overlooked by burrito providing establishments. Another great addition to the burrito was their salsa verde which was hot as folk. It could have been a touch sweeter but nonetheless solid, the Tankhouse ale was highly effective in controlling the flames in my mouth.
Overall my 1st elite experience was fantastic, yes the food wasn't all that and a bag of beef jerky, but I have no regrets and kudos to Kat and Yelp for throwing incredible jams.
P.S. Yelpstick is badass.
P.P.S. I regularly sport the "Kiss me I yelp" mini button.
Elite Event At Chino Locos
11/8/2009
I'm still not sure how you review an event. I mean, no one else can ever come to this thing. Well, unless they build a time machine. It was strange being out in the evening at a place so shockingly well lit. It's a good thing everyone at these Yelp events is so good looking. There was a Luchador serving burritos. What else do you need?
