This beauty was found in a stall in Exmouth Market. Verdict: tasty but soggy towards the end. Photo credit: Kathrine Anker

At best, a burrito is the tastiest tortilla wrap crammed with the freshest and finest beef, beans and rice, accented with that zing of spicy salsa – wonderful gastronomic satisfaction. At worst, it is a galling and messy gourmet ordeal, leaving you with a bloated feeling for the remainder of the day. The First Pint went out savouring burritos at a handful of London’s Mexican eateries – and here’s our verdict:

Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle on Charing Cross Road, the newly opened eatery from the popular U.S. franchise (the first of its kind to open in Europe), boasts an all-round, highly palatable steak burrito, with its fresh, assorted ingredients neatly complementing each other; the chilled and refreshing, lightly crispy romaine lettuce works well with the piquant marinated beef to create a melding of quality and distinctive flavours.

One significant drawback emerges in the course of the eating: the steak is actually more fried than chargrilled, leaving you with less of a delectable, broiled taste, and certainly more of those oily, flowing meat juices pouring all over your hands and fingers.

Burrito: ***
Service: ***
Interior / Ambience: **
OVERALL: ***
Steak burrito £6.95

Chipotle Mexican Grill
114-116 Charing Cross Road
London WC2H 0JR
Mon-Sat 11-23
Sun 11-22
tel. 0207 836 8491

Tortilla
A resoundingly disappointing culinary experience – the water-laden lettuce à la ‘Sauerkraut’ makes the wrap soggy; the risotto-esque lime-cilantro rice fills you up to excess; and, the cube-squared, chewy, fibrous steak mini-medallions are served without any hint of marinade (let alone – of ‘meat’ flavour). You can imagine this burrito feels like meat – but without the meat taste. On a brighter note, the burrito’s price is right, the cosy interior with smart wooden tables and benches inviting – and they sell Snapple, as well as a delightful condiment from stateside named Bone Suckin’ Sauce!

Burrito: **
Service: ***
Interior / Ambience: ***
OVERALL: **
Medium steak burrito £5.20
Large steak burrito £6.20

Tortilla
13 Islington High Street
London N1 9LQ
Mon-Wed 12-22
Thu-Sun 12-23
tel. 0207 833 3103

Burrito Bros.
Purists of Tex-Mex cuisine – not to mention ranch hands from the Wild West – will love the full-flavoured refried bean paste that coats the inside of your tortilla wrap. What’s more, the mildly overcooked, braised, shredded beef provides a unique meaty oomph to your usual burrito fix. But very soon, your taste buds will detect an immoderate amount of salt embedded in your steak. Salt-lovers and Tex-Mex zealots will embrace this bang-up burrito – all others should take a smidgen of culinary caution when approaching this salty, hefty beast.

Burrito: ***
Service: ****
Interior / Ambience: ***
OVERALL: ***
Steak burrito £5.50

Burrito Bros.
17 Clerkenwell Road
London EC1M 5RD
Mon-Thu 11:30-23
Fri 11:30-00:00
tel. 0207 336 0679

Chilango
Your quest for that best burrito this side of the Atlantic ought to end here – what Chilango offers is a wholesome, well-balanced burrito replete with the most succulent chargrilled meat on the market. The steak here is flawlessly marinated, with little in the way of dripping juices compelling you to reach for a new paper napkin every 5 seconds. Good to note that the spicy salsa is not too overpowering. Do be sure your burrito ‘sandwich artist’ on duty doesn’t overload with that essential dollop of sour cream – you don’t want a dairy fest in your meal.

Burrito: ****
Service: ****
Interior / Ambience: ****
OVERALL: ****
Steak burrito £5.90

Chilango
142 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2BP
Mon-Fri 11-21
tel. 0207 353 6761

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An array of truffles in Borough Market. Photo Credit: Lilly LeClair

My first Christmas overseas, and my husband and I—besides each other—are sans family. The week was spent doing quintessentially London activities, but how would we spend the actual holiday? By cooking up a storm.

I heard that Borough Market was open every day leading up to Christmas. Of course the popular Thursday thru Saturday event is a great place for free gourmet samples and lunch with friends, but I had hoped to do a big grocery trip here someday. This was my chance, and my empty fridge begged to contain something besides a lonely carton of minestrone soup.

We head out early towards Angel tube for the four-stop ride to London Bridge. Though just before 9am, the market is already bustling. I feel my senses being pulled in every direction. I look around and Southwark Cathedral (the oldest in London) stands majestically before me. Bundled musicians play Christmas favorites and a jolly man offers free Prosecco tastings. Chestnuts are roasting over an open fire. Yes, it is definitely festive.

First things first: protein. Sensing our indecision, a butcher recommends stuffed duck. Without a thought, we hand over 12 quid. Next we find an ostrich filet dealer. I ask a woman how to prepare it and she replies: “I like to sauté mine with red wine and garlic.”

Now time for fruit and veg. Long stalks of brussel sprouts, artichokes, shallots, potatoes, exotic mushrooms, bunches of rosemary and sage, and big juicy berries fill our bags. We walk towards the cheesemongers and purchase Welsh favorites along with fresh baked bread.

Lingering over the ample dessert displays, we arrive at an endless row of chocolate truffles and scoop up assorted varieties like hazelnut praline, fresh mint and apricot brandy.

Suddenly a fragrance beckons. It was definitely time for some mulled wine. Bendales wine shop is cosy, and the friendly staff help us choose our holiday pours while we warm up with the spicy concoction.

Overloaded, we make for a quick exit, but are caught, and because this is likely our only London Christmas, we can’t say no. One pork pie, please.

“How long do we heat it?” I ask the man behind the counter. His eyebrows raise and he responds in a thick British accent: “No, you don’t heat it. Take it out of the fridge and let it sit for 30 minutes. If you are going to do it right, serve it for breakfast with a glass of whiskey.”

Whether we follow instructions or not … well, that’s a story for another day.

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So go ahead—share your year’s moments with us! Consider this pulpit (erm, comment box) a New Year’s gift from The First Pint to you.

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.

Living in the most expensive city in the world as a grad student on a budget proves to have its difficulties, especially on weekends. Somehow, I wake up every Saturday and Sunday morning with an empty wallet, a headache, and faint recollections of the previous night’s shenanigans.

Dinners in this city have affirmed to be nearly as expensive as my excessive nights out. There are few places in London where you can enjoy a gourmet, candle-lit meal for £10—wine included. Imagine swapping a grease-soaked, albeit tasty, kebab at a roadside eatery and a bottle of Heineken for filet de loup de mer—seabass fillet with crushed new potatoes and minted pesto accompanied with a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio.

Le Mercury, a charming French bistro housed in three-floors of a Victorian building on Islington’s Upper Street—is my haven of cheap, yet choice, French eats. Deciding between dishes like slow roasted honeyed pork belly with confit Celeriac and Granny Smith apples or seared fillet of Scottish salmon with sautéed spinach and lobster sauce proves to be the only arduous part of the dining experience. But the almost ridiculous reasonable price of £6.95, with starters at £3.95, will beckon you to return again and sample the remainder of Le Mercury’s tempting fare.

The Boulettes de Pomme Terre—sautéed potato dumplings with baby artichokes, parmesan foam and wild rocket salad is a mélange of savory flavors with hints of lemon that melt in your mouth with every tender chew. The toffee sticky pudding adds the perfect sweetness to the finale of an already amazing meal.

Le Mercury makes me feel better about being a struggling grad student—It’s a cheap eat in a very well disguised splurge.

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The friendly staff beckons towards a cramped table near the front of the restaurant, but the back room, adorned with wood beams and funky crystal chandeliers is the place to be. The server offers to move us when a table is available. Once re-seated, a £12.95 bottle of Spanish Rioja arrives.

Overwhelmed by the menu of options at my fingertips including tuna, duck and falafel, I ask the waiter for recommendations. The server replies without hesitation: “The beef is the best!” I choose the Le Raj, made with Scottish Angus beef and coated with Indian spices and mango chutney. My dining partner orders the Hache Cheeseburger topped with two generous slices of mature cheddar.

The burgers arrive on huge, but soft, ciabatta buns, alongside a scoop of specialty garlic mayo. Each bite unravels layers of flavor unlike any burger in my discerning past. Admittedly the meal is messy (and perhaps not the best choice for a hot date), but the constant influx of taste makes every shirt-stain worthwhile.

Restrooms are a quick trip downstairs, and allow a peek into the kitchen along the way. The guys behind the chopping block are more than happy to talk about their favorite choices, which range from the Lamb Moroccan, to the Steak Louisiana, a burger that combines peanut butter and cheddar.

Hache is French for “to chop”. Save for the sickening sounds of Hootie & the Blowfish playing throughout the restaurant, it should mean harmonious. These burger geniuses know how to make quality ingredients come together and sing and new ideas appear regularly on the seasonal menu.

If you are an American like me, who hankers for a good burger on a cold night, this place is worth the average £8.95 cost.

Hache has two locations in Camden and Chelsea. Visit hacheburgers.com for more information.

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