Someone told us recently that there was a new Mexican burrito place called Cal Kitchen that opened up not that long ago on Dagu Lu, and being long-time residents of California, we decided to see if it lived up to its billing as place for authentic Californian/Mexican food.
Long story short, it doesn't. We ordered a big chicken burrito that in better days, might have been a contender—but as it was, it was a soggy and somewhat pathetic version of a proper CA burrito. If you're from a family of overachievers that often make you feel mediocre, insignificant, and inferior, then you will understand, perfectly, where this burrito was coming from. It was just like you.
Let's forget the "minor" oversight of not having any sour cream and skip to something important—the guacamole, which for some Californians, is a raging addiction. The guacamole at Cal Kitchen was a bit odd. Imagine a vaguely avocado-flavored toothpaste-like substance with strange bits of green stuff thrown in, and you get a sense of both the flavor and consistency of this so-called guacamole.
Since we've been ***-ish through this whole "review", we might as well keep going: the service sucked, but mostly because everyone was new and inexperienced, learning the menu, learning the ropes, etc. That's all forgivable ... but what is not forgivable is taking the name of California and Mexico in vain. The prices were okay—we actually didn't write them all down, but everything was in the upper 20s for a regular size to upper 30s for a super-sized burrito. They also had the stuff you'd expect: nachos, quesadillas, etc.
If you want to check out a website that doesn't even exist, check out their official website.
Cal Kitchen
376 Dagu Lu, near Chengdu Bei Lu
6340-1923
Open 11am-11pm
Also on Shanghaiist: Head to New York City for Shanghai's best (and biggest) burrito
Read the complete post at http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/shanghaiist/~3/180069369/cal_kitchen.php
Posted
Nov 05 2007, 08:23 AM
by
Shanghaiist