Chavez Supermarket -- 4/5

Was taking the train to Redwood City for dinner and a movie the night before finals a good idea? Probably not, even if I did study during the "dinner" portion of the evening.

Was it entertaining and delicious? Entirely. (Burlesque was a thoughtlessly delightful joyride, Fair Game was a wake-up call.)

Was it necessary for maintaining my sanity? Absolutely.

Did I just get my butt kicked by 10 pages of French grammar? Nous verrons. We'll find out soon enough.

1. Food -- 5/5 My shredded chicken burrito was super authentic, fresh, and filling (maybe a little too filling, if we're being honest). It had just the right amount of kick, and the ingredients and flavors all came together seamlessly in a warm, fluffy flour tortilla. They menu is enormous -- for any dish there are about 8 different meat options, including multiple varieties of chicken, beef, pork, seafood, and even goat. The options extend even further when you realize that you're standing in the back of a supermarket and have an entire store's worth of drinks, desserts, and sides for practically pennies.
2. Service -- 4/5 Counter order. Burrito-making was super speedy, and they even had enough self control to not laugh at my Spanish (which, to be fair, is pretty good for a white Jewish girl).
3. Price -- 5/5 About $7 for a burrito -- I know that sounds like a fair amount, but a) it was really really good, and b) it was definitely enough food to split into two meals. Not that I did that, but it's totally possible if one should be so inclined. That was more or less the most expensive item on the menu -- other meat entrées ran around the same, and everything else was very cheap.
4. Location and Setting -- 3/5 Redwood City, within walking distance of the downtown (movie theater, train station, shopping center, museum, etc). Before I went, I didn't know if it was in a sketchy part of town or not, but it's actually pretty decent. Very low-key neighborhood-y place, next to the laundromat, with lots of seemingly regulars hanging out inside and out. The inside "restaurant" area is little more than a few tables in the back area of a supermarket, but it's clean and well-lit, and it's easy to take your food to go and walk to any one of the nice outdoor seating areas downtown.
5. Good for... late night Mexican food cravings, or lunch with your dudes. Bros. Whatever. When I say your dudes, I mean the ones who already love you (as a friend, or otherwise). Probably not a great first date venue, but maybe later along? Once the need for perfect breath becomes less critical? Either way, definitely a good place to stop for take out on the way to a [insert team of choice here] game, poker tournament (maybe tacos can make a nice pizza alternative on game night), or even a really hardcore study session.

Alright, so I'm gonna be on a bit of a hiatus for the next three or so weeks -- WINTERBREAK WINTERBREAK WINTERBREAK.

It's cool though, because no one reads this anyways. Except maybe my dad. Sometimes.

...awkward...