I was cruising for a burrito the other day and remembered the burrito truck that joined Mandy’s on the corner of San Carlos and Sunol in central San Jose. I had eaten there before and it was pretty good, so I cruised on over.
To my surprise, that truck was gone, but Mandy’s was still there… however, the name was hidden behind a big paper sign saying, “Tacos.” It appears that Mandy’s was taken over by the folks in the taco truck, and Mandy’s truck was better-equipped.
No problem for me – I ordered a vegetarian burrito (took a little time – the idea that you might not want meat had clearly never occurred to them) and waited while they made it fresh.
The menu looks good – plenty of “the usual,” along with a few unusual items (huaraches) and some unusual things for a truck (enchiladas, chiles rellenos).
I was presented with my burrito; I noted that it had been toasted on the grill after wrapping to give the outside a nice, crunchy texture. The burrito had pinto beans, Spanish rice, cheese, a little crema, some lettuce, pico de gallo, and chunks of avocado. With a little salsa, it was very good.
The seating area is actually pleasant, with some tables and chairs and a nice canopy with papeles picados hanging from the supports. There is a small counter with napkins, salsa in a bucket of ice, and utensils.
The bottom line: good food and a nice place to sit and watch as the world goes by on San Carlos. I don’t know if it will draw me back or not – let’s hear more from the carnivores out there!