642 West Chapman Ave.
Orange, CA 92886
I've become quite obsessed with restaurant review videos on Instagram. I love watching them and find that they are an excellent resource for a restaurant that has not caught my attention. These videos have inspired me to consider doing two-minute restaurant reviews on my social media channels. I'm seriously thinking about it, but I am taking my time to ensure I know what I'm doing before jumping in.
Super Antojitos came across my radar when I watched Grub With Greg visit a few months ago. He enjoyed his time here and called this one of his top ten restaurants in Southern California. He was also very enthusiastic about the burrito he consumed here, calling it the best he had in his life. Very high praise for someone who has eaten at tons of places. The food looked great, and I wondered if this was just hyperbole on his part. I decided to find out for myself.
I met my friend Jeff at Super Antojitos on Thursday just before noon. This popular spot is located near the intersection of Chapman and Parker, just a couple blocks west of the historic Orange Plaza. Parking might be challenging around peak meal times, as I counted only 11 parking stalls. Street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood, but be prepared to walk a bit.
Like many Mexican restaurants, this one is family-run. The Rodriguez family came to the US in 1968, and after hard work and determination, they transitioned into the restaurant business by first waiting tables at the Arches in Newport Beach. 1985, their dream was realized when they opened their first Super Antojitos restaurant in Santa Ana. It's not there anymore, but three other restaurants appear on Yelp with the Super Antojitos name. This Orange location has the most positive reviews and has only been open for close to two years.
Their dining area is small but bright and colorful, thanks to the tablecloths and art hanging on the walls. The menu features all-day breakfast options, combo meals, appetizers, fajitas, molcajetes, burritos, enchiladas, and specialty plates. Only some seafood selections exceed the $20 mark, with most other items hanging out in the $15 neighborhood. Let's see if we were as excited as Greg was about Super Antijitos food.
When we sat down, even before we ordered, we were presented with chips, salsa, and a bowl of refried beans. Getting bean dip always feels like a bonus, which usually adds to an upcoming great experience. The chips here were fresh and went well with the refried beans. The salsa was spicy, even for me, but I would have liked a little more chunk to it. It would definitely be a welcome addition to any taco or burrito.
For some time now, I've been searching for my favorite Choriqueso ($13.99) in OC. So far, my favorite is from El Maguey, located in San Juan Capistrano. This one at Super Antijitos was good, but it could not topple the one from down at El Maguey. I really enjoyed that they put this under the broiler to get the cheese a bit crispy and bubbly. It was scorching when it came to our table, and it was torture waiting for it to cool down so I could try it. We were given three tortillas to eat with this, but we could have used more. The cheese was on point, very stringy, and delicious. This could have had more chorizo, as it got pushed to the side by all the cheese and did not really stand out. This was still a good start to our meal.
You can never say I'm not a gracious person. I came into Super Antojitos thinking I would get the Chapman Burrito ($17.99), but my good friend Jeff wanted to try it instead. This was the burrito that Greg had said was the best burrito of his life. This burrito comprises carne asada and chorizo mixed with refried beans, rice, and pico de Gallo, all simmered in a spicy roasted tomatillo salsa. It's then wrapped in a large flour tortilla with melted cheese and avocado on top of a hot, sizzling plate. Jeff was not as enthusiastic about this burrito as Greg was. However, he liked it much more when he took the other half home and had it the next day. He claimed it came out so hot that he could not enjoy it while he was here, and it burned his mouth. I tried it once it cooled down and felt it was a solid burrito. I liked the inclusion of both the chorizo and carne asada, which you rarely see on many menus around OC. The avocado helped balance out the richness, and I feel that if Jeff had gotten the sour cream that usually comes with this, it also would have helped elevate this burrito. It's not the best burrito of my life, but it is worth trying.
Since I did not get the chance to have the Chapman burrito, I went with my second choice here, the Chapman Chilaquiles with Carne Asada ($18.99). I'm a chilaquiles fiend and liked this version. This also was served on a sizzling skillet and came out red hot. This seemed to be a trend for us here. These chilaquiles came not in a red or green sauce but a spicy cream salsa, which was a nice little twist. It was mildly spicy but did not overpower the rest of the meal. The beef was cut into strips and was a little overcooked. I liked that the cheese got crispy on the edges because it was served on a hot skillet. The chips were a little limp, which is understandable because there was the meat, queso fresco, a fried egg, and sour cream layered on top of them. This also came with a side of refried beans.
Was this the best burrito of my life? Is Super Antojitos in my top ten restaurants in all of Southern California? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is no. It is, however, worth a visit if you are in the area, and I can see us eating here before Ducks games this upcoming season. The menu is varied and large enough to warrant return visits. I'm curious about their carnitas, combo plates, and the deluxe burrito, which measures a whole foot. Challenge accepted. We experienced excellent service while we were here. Our food was out promptly, and everyone was amicable and made us feel welcome. Even though Greg and I don't see eye to eye on this place, I still see myself turning to his excellent videos for restaurant tips. Someday, I will follow in his footsteps.
Out of five law books (because this restaurant has a lot of items named after the street it's located on, and Chapman Avenue is named after Alfred Chapman, one of the founders of the city of Orange, who was also a lawyer), five being best to zero being worst, Super Antojitos gets 3 law books.
For more information about Super Antojitos, head to their website by clicking here: https://superantojitosmexicanfood.com/
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