Yanna’s Cafe
Brotha – 5/9/17
In an unassuming location off of Sheridan Blvd and in what appears to be a former Pizza Hut, this Greek diner has a vast menu full of appealing options. You wouldn’t think a place like this would sub-specialize in Mexican breakfast-fare, but Yanna’s serves everything from huevos rancheros to rellenos to a wide range of BBs (including the “Veggie BB” and the massive “El Greco (As Big as a House).” Today I will be reviewing the “Mazatlan Burrito” – a bundle of eggs, avocado and bacon smothered in the house green chili.
Tortilla
The tortilla is soft and nicely absorbs the green chili around it. Structure is solid without tears or leaks. Ends are folded-in without forming too much “bulk tortilla.”
Rating: 8/10
Textures
Upon my first bite, I was immediately struck by the playful interaction between the soft avocado and crunchy pieces of bacon. These components integrated nicely with the eggs which made up the bulk of the filling. Eggs were slightly mushy but did the job.
Rating: 8/10
Flavors
Flavor abounds in this bad boy! Just as the avocado and the bacon played off each other texturally, so too did they dance in terms of flavor, with the buttery-sweet ‘cado standing up nicely against the saltiness of the bacon. This union was further amplified by the mild grease of the scrambled eggs fresh from the griddle. Although the green chili is described below, I felt it was good enough to deserve mentioning here as well (see Willie Wonka quote below).
Rating: 9/10
Use of Potatoes
In an interesting twist, this BB came with hash-browns on the side: a classic and smart move. The potatoes were perfectly browned giving a nice crunch which could be scooped up with chili and burrito to create a dynamite bite. I almost asked for more green chili to smother those puppies when the burrito was gone. They were difficult stop eating. That said, serving them on the side was a slight cop-out as a sharp burrito should stand alone, so I have to make a slight deduction.
Rating: 8/10
Smother
Imagine a silky-smooth tomatillo-rich chili base with big chunks of pulled pork and tomatoes and you’ve got Yanna’s green chili. This stuff is green gold. If I could re-write Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory I would make this stuff come down the waterfall, knowing full well that I’d be the kid who falls in the river.
Rating: +
Impression
Solid burrito with simple yet harmonious contents and a smother of some of the best green chili around town.