6.4.09

Faburrito

I love going to restaurants that throw creative changeups on their menus. Not just the same old standard fare, but perhaps reinvented versions of the standards or completely original dishes. I look for it at the simplest lunch places and the fanciest restaurants. Having creativity gives a place instant points in my book – when it tastes just as good as it sounds, well that's when I remember a place and that dish for a long time.

Recently, when at Clyde's in Georgetown (M street) with Julia and friends for brunch, I noticed something quite different from other restaurants in the Clyde's family that normally consists of brunch food, salads, sandwiches, burgers and seafood. Clyde's does actually often have pretty interesting versions of these things, which is why I like the place, but not always must-order type dishes. In this case, it was nothing more than a breakfast burrito, a dish most restaurants wouldn't even care to serve let alone make awesome. It was a fresh tortilla rolled up with scrambled egg, chorizo, house made refritos and melted cheddar cheese, and it was topped with a large amount of fresh, chunky pico da gallo.

A perfect dish. It was the perfect size, texture and above all, flavor. Everything just melted together perfectly, and I'm not even a huge fan of refritos typically. The cheese and bean layers were thin and flavorful but didn't overpower the soft, fluffy egg or the generous layer of spicy, savory chorizo. The pico on top was the perfect cool, fresh and acidy complement that the rest of the dish needed. Plus, it was maybe only about the size of your fist or a little bigger, so it packed its flavors tightly but didn't leave you stuffed with them.

I know this is a dish I won't be able to find at most places, but it's this level of creativity that I yearn to see. I'll go back to that Clyde's for sure just to have another chance to order that unique item (though unfortunately their menu changes intermittently), but I will also go back to see if they have any other creatively mouthwatering dishes. And any restaurant I find that shows me that special touch once will probably earn a place near the top of my list of places to return to again.

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