Mexican Sushi

I work in San Francisco's Tenderloin, an area known more for pho and fast food than for fine dining. But, sometimes what I'm looking forward to for lunch is nothing fancier than a plump veggie burrito.

Luckily, nearby, there is a tiny Mexican restaurant, Castillo B on McAllister Street (Castillo A is a few blocks away), too humble to have a website, but they have the smilingest burrito maker in the city and he rolls a mean lunch.

The flour tortilla is heated on his griddle with mild cheese, then spread by a nonchalant flick of his spoon with rice, black beans, salsa (I like wimpy mild and the chef knows that but he always teases me first by threatening with a twinkle to add the spicy one), crema, avocado and lettuce (shredded ice berg - we are not snooty here, folks!). Roll that puppy up and you've got lunch for two days! He will even cut it in two and wrap the other half for tomorrow. They give the chips free on the side and they have a great juke box with plaintive Mexican ballads or lively salsa beat to see you through to the afternoon's activities.

You can ask for one of several kinds of meat, and I sometimes do indulge in the carnitas, but recently whenever I walk the two blocks down to this restaurant, it's the Mexican sushi I'm after.