When I invited photographer Diane Kulpinski and High Desert Oasis’ Kristie Lemon to join me for breakfast at The Original El Burrito, Kristie was beside herself. Being a physical trainer and swim instructor, she’s doesn’t usually get quite as excited about food as I do. So her enthusiasm took me by surprise, especially since El Burrito has only been doing breakfast for a couple of months. But word of mouth doesn’t lie, especially when it travels that fast.
My friends and I started what would turn into a breakfast extravaganza with a Mexican version of biscuits and gravy. The original isn’t exactly my favorite, which is precisely why I would never have ordered this one. But when owner Jason Fuentes brought out a sample, we dove into what would prove (despite stiff competition) to be our favorite dish of the day. Soft, homemade cornbread—substituting for traditional biscuits—had a nice crunch on the outside. A hint of sweetness played into the deep flavors of the dark red Mexican gravy accented with mellow, back-of-your-tongue heat and smoky andouille sausage. Chorizo probably would have been the more obvious choice, but the subtler and less greasy andouille sausage worked beautifully.
Just as we had all agreed that we had to return to order Jason’s unique Cornbread and Gravy with an egg on top, the egg house specials we had ordered this time arrived.
The Huevos Rancheros were as good as I’ve ever had, maybe better. Fried eggs topped with shredded cheese and avocado slices crowned tender chunks of pork in a mildly spicy tomatillo sauce. The flavors of the egg, cheese, avocado, Chile Verde, rice and beans (you get your choice of three different kinds) melded together like a perfect ski run that makes you sing out loud as you fly down the hill.
The disparate tastes of the Huevos Benedictos, a vegetarian version of Eggs Benedict, didn’t meld quite as well for me. I think the sweetness of the slender asparagus threw me. Still, the dish was delicious. It’s hard to argue with perfectly poached eggs, lovely fresh spinach and lemony, jalapeño-spiked hollandaise. Other vegetarian options on the menu include build-your-own tofu scrambles, wraps and potato boats.
The Chilaquiles featured super thick, sautéed pieces of tortilla, chilies, tomatoes and onions simmered in a pico de gallo-style red sauce, along with fluffy scrambled eggs. A sprinkling of jack and cotija cheeses and cilantro made the rich dish that much better.
We probably should have stopped there. Our bellies and our palates were already plenty happy, especially since we had split a Bloody Maria and a Tequilibrio, a positively tasty concoction of tequila and almond-flavored liqueur with orange and pineapple juices. But self-restraint would have meant that we would have passed up our second favorite dish of the day.
The Torrejas—El Burrito’s version of French toast—is another not-to-be-missed original. Thick slices of wheat sourdough soaked in a cinnamon, nutmeg and Grand Marnier egg batter set the scene. The star of this show, however, is the homemade orange and star anise syrup. You’ve got to taste it to believe it. The dish is also served with sliced bananas and vanilla yogurt topped with wheat germ. We quickly ascertained that combining all of the above in each bite was the highway to nirvana. “My tail is wagging,” said my friend Diane.
I could tell you about Jason’s creamy, utterly decadent, home-built ice-cream, which he churns one gallon at a time, even making his own marshmallows for his Rocky Road. But I wouldn’t want to incriminate myself. So I’ll just say that you need to beat a path to The Original El Burrito’s breakfast before everyone else discovers it. In the words of my friend Kristie, “You’ll be stunned by the yum.”
The Original El Burrito
335 NE Dekalb Avenue; Bend
541-382-2177
Owner: Jason Fuentes
Restaurant Hours: Breakfast Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-2p.m.; Lunch Monday Friday11-3, Saturday 11:30-3; Dinner Monday-Saturday 3-8.
