Were it not for its location next to the chic Metro station at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, El Gran Burrito could be in Tijuana. Or Fresno. Or the middle of nowhere. It resembles the kind of ramshackle roadside stand you d find well off the freeway, after driving for hours on an empty stomach without a rest-stop vending machine in sight.
El Gran Burrito s utilitarian architecture isn t an anomaly in Los Angeles, a land brimming with strip malls that hide gourmet delights. Whether they re drab or aggressively bright, gaudy or forgettable, these shack-like structures with signs announcing 24-Hour Comida Mexicana, Menudo and Tacos al Carbon offer up all kinds of incredible Mexican and Central American eats.