Situated on
The decor is cheery and simplistic, and the layout is functional - it's a space where you can eat your burrito while people-watching then leave - it's not designed to be occupied for long. The staff are helpful and patient as the customers umm and ahh about what to add to their meal.
The beauty of
Both of us went for a burrito: I opted for a chicken burrito on a wholemeal tortilla with rice, black beans, lettuce, guacamole, cheese and soured cream while my companion went for the pork burrito on a white flour tortilla with rice, pinto beans and chorizo, lettuce, guacamole, cheese, jalapeños and soured cream. We both chose salsa verde, deciding to have the hotter chipotle as a salsa to accompany our tortilla chips to ensure we could taste each of the elements fully (basically we're wimps).
The chicken marinated and roasted in chipotle sauce and shredded wasn't particularly strong in flavour. On the other hand, the carnitas pork (slow cooked in orange zest, thyme and bay leaves) was bursting with citrusy notes and the meat was perfectly moist. From previous visits, I know that the veggie option - composed of pepper and onion - is pretty good too, as is the spicier ancho chile beef. The mild salsa verde was pleasantly fresh tasting, largely due to the addition of coriander. The chipotle provided a smokier taste, with the tomato and garlic flavours coming through despite the persistent heat of the chili. Paying extra for cheese (30p) and especially guacamole (70p) is a must: the mild cheese melts beautifully, adding to the gooey texture of the burrito, and the creaminess and colour of the avocado in the guacamole is always a welcomed addition. My Guava flavoured Jarritos soda was wonderfully sweet while my partner enjoyed his
Considering the huge amount of fillings of varying moisture that were crammed into each tortilla, there was very little drippage from the burrito itself - no soggy bottoms here! The portion size was great and even if you weren't able to finish your meal, the staff are very happy to wrap it up for you to take home - one of the servers gave us a takeaway bag for the chipotle salsa without us asking so we could enjoy it at home!
Mission is the ideal place for a quick informal pre-theatre bite to eat, or to get a wholesome meal on the go. It's worth noting that most items on the kids menu (ages 8 and under) cost £1 (including mini burritos), plus there are loyalty cards available and plenty of offers for students and non-students alike.
Total: £21.40 (£15.60 for two regular burritos with tortilla chips and salsa, £5.80 for drinks).