countdown to freedom

Gosh, revision (and procrastination) has been getting the better of me lately!  I haven't been up to a great deal, so to make it nice and easy I'll summarise in montage form;

 job hunting - reed has been pretty good for a variety of jobs across the country

White Russian cocktails: Kaluha/Tia Maria, vodka, milk (or frijj)

nachos (of course) - these are from Oscar's and came with chili - absolutely delightful

baking (yoghurt cake with roll-out icing, with a raspberry jam and butter icing centre)

bingo! surprisingly enjoyable, I honestly now think everyone should go once

fringe. updates are likely.

Good luck to everyone with exams left!  Summer is, at long last, on its way...

Los Tres Joes, Lancaster

Revision period is always a risky time in terms of falling of the "healthy" wagon: although turning down a night out is manageable if your schedule is rigid enough, avoiding the boredom munchies is nigh on impossible... so here is my new coping method: planned feasts.  Preferably of the Mexican food variety (what else?!).

So, last Sunday, as a reward for a fairly healthy week, I was at Los Tres Joes, Lancaster - it's near Waterstones, underneath the Crows Nest hotel - and my gosh did we have a feast:

Nachos.  They don't exactly photograph well...

(Obviously)

Burrito (Sam had an enchilada) - apologies for the phone-quality pictures

Sangria? Oh, go on then.

For a light(er) bite, I still recommend GoBurrito, but if you want to enjoy a slower meal or have a larger party, then Los Tres Joes is brilliant.  The portions were massive, our waitress was lovely and the prices are reasonable (and include a 10% discount if you whip out your student card).  The menu isn't especially varied, but there are still options for those less inclined towards cheese-topped salsa-y goodness (ya little weirdos)!

I've got to stop here, I'm getting hungry.  Go forth, and enjoy!

Memo from GoBurrito, Lancaster

I’ll put my cards on the table now: I LOVE Tex-Mex food – tacos, nachos, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas… you get the picture.  It’s versatile, it tastes amazing, and quite simply there is no excuse not to like it.  I’ll end the sermon for now, but the current trend of little burrito-bars bursting into town centres means that, if you haven’t already, you should jump on the bandwagon and try some Tex-Mex soon.

Anyway, as most towns now host one or more of these dining paradises, I've been making it my business to try them as I see them.  Having now sampled a handful from Southampton to Edinburgh (and one or two abroad), I'm here to say: none has yet surpassed Lancaster’s GoBurrito.  Suitable for Tex-Mex virgins and veterans alike, GoBurrito has a solid menu, competent staff and a big personality, all packed into one modest little unit.

Now, with burrito bars, the most important part for me is the quality of the food – I like to know that if my favourite filling isn't available then my second choice will taste just as good.  GoBurrito totally nails this, and although the shredded beef has been a bit over-cooked once or twice, the meat in general is never fatty, and flavoured to perfection.  All the toppings and sauces taste pretty good too, and it definitely helps that you can see the ingredients being prepared and cooked fresh in the kitchen and kept hot in the bar as you order.

The menu is, of course, another big priority.  I'm a fan of chicken in Tex-Mex dishes, but in GoBurrito they offer a good meat and veggie chili - though I'm too carnivorous to try the latter just yet - the beef that I already mentioned, pulled pork and chorizo, as well as a vegetable medley.  On top of your main filling, you also get the choice of soured cream, cheese, lettuce, salsas (mild, spicy or both) and for a little extra there’s jalapeños and guacamole too!  Portions are in small, medium (best) and large, but if you’re not too sure on the foil-wrapped delight of a burrito parcel, then everything can be put onto nachos instead, and surely there’s nobody in the world that doesn't like a nacho?!

chili nachos -the burritos are too good to not devour immediately, so no picture of them at the moment, sorry!

The format is pretty standard; like Subway - pick your filling, pick your topping et voilà – but better, as the staff seem to genuinely enjoy their job, and whether the shop is packed or quiet, there’s always a friendly, upbeat atmosphere.  If you’re curious, you can find GoBurrito on Lower Church Street in Lancaster, opposite the taxi rank, and they have a blog, facebook page and a well-kept twitter page (@goburrito).  If that’s a little bit far from you, I’m really sorry! But I can guarantee this won’t be the only Tex-Mex on my memo, and I unhesitatingly urge you to go find your local outlet (and let me know about it)!

Finally, I realise that I've gushed a lot here, but in case there was any confusion: if we’re headed to a heaven, mine serves Tex-Mex.