God, we live in a great town. Each month, I can look forward to a special hot dog at James Coney Island, a special taco at Torchy's and a special burrito at Mission Burrito. Sampling these seasonal offerings is almost time-consuming enough to warrant not having gainful employment.
Then again, I need some money, because these specials aren't free. At Mission Burrito, the October burrito is not terribly expensive, coming in at $6.75. It's a slight up-sell, given that their regular chicken burrito is $6.50 (and $5 on Mondays), but one I'm willing to live with, especially if the burrito's "special" price comes with a "special taste."
When I visited Mission Burrito this past weekend, I learned quickly that what differentiates a chicken burrito from the creamy poblano special is simply that the chunks of white-meat fowl are liberally coated in a thick white sauce laced with roasted peppers.
This simple alteration was, however, worth the extra quarter. The sauce added the sort of richness to the burrito that comes with the inclusion of sour cream, but with the bonus of a spicy onion zest that highlighted the tender chicken. I chose not to add cheese to my creamy chicken poblano burrito, lest it distract me from the poblano sauce. Follow my lead.
I did give in to temptation and included guacamole as one of the fillings, along with tomatoes, pico de gallo, rice, lettuce, beans and, upon the recommendation of the staff, mushrooms. As a result, eating my burrito was a two-handed venture that involved a napkin bib. So if you are opposed to a drippy dinner and/or believe bibs are for children only, stay away.
If you're not, the good news is that you will enjoy Mission's creamy chicken poblano burrito. The bad news is that you've got roughly ten days to enjoy this monthly special. But remember, there's no law in Texas against eating burritos for breakfast, lunch and dinner.