So, it’s been a hot minute since our last Mexican food fix. And also, after eating Thanksgiving leftovers for about the past billion meals, we felt we needed something that didn’t include turkey or potatoes of any variety. I mean, I love both … but a girl can only take so much.

While we’ve been to El Rancho several times over the years since they opened, being that it’s probably the closest Mexican restaurant to our house, admittedly we hadn’t done much in the way of carryout from there until this year. But not to any fault of this place in particular. I mean, prior to Covid we honestly were more apt to enjoy any of our restaurant meals – on Wednesdays, obviously, but also on weekends or other weeknights that we felt like enjoying food we didn’t cook ourselves in our own kitchen – in person at an establishment as opposed to delivery or carryout. I think if we can credit 2020 with anything, it’s for making us realize that our options for local takeout food extend far beyond pizza and Chinese food.

And while I would never consider us “regulars” at El Rancho, they are home to the title of being notoriously referenced as “the place that randomly delivered us free tequila shots” on one occasion as we were finishing up our meal. No celebration, no mention of a reason … just a server appearing with two shots and a message to “enjoy our evening.” Um, OK? Is this what we’re giving out as party favors now? Because those little Olive Garden mint chocolates they give you with the check can move right on out of the way if that’s the case.

Anyway.

Shane ordered the steak “Super Burro.” Which he claimed to remember as being “small” from the last time we dined in at the restaurant – even though that goes directly against what a “super burro” should be, but whatever.

So given that memory, he also ordered a steak quesadilla and a side of rice to go along with it. You know, to make sure he wasn’t hungry, what with his small burrito and all.

Um, OK.

Clearly his memory must be failing him, because what he ended up with was a burrito about the size of his head.

Oh yeah, AND that aforementioned regular sized steak quesadilla and a side of rice.

Good thing we like leftovers. Even this was a match for the often bottomless pit that is Shane’s stomach.

Meanwhile, I opted for the combo dinner, which gives you the option of two items from a list – so I chose the steak burrito (regular sized, not the “super” BS) and a cheese quesadilla.

So similar to Shane’s meal, but, you know, smaller.

We also got an appetizer side of con queso dip. Which, when I was calling in the order, was met with the response “well, you know you get complimentary chips and salsa with the order, right?” Um, yes. I would be sorely disappointed if there were no chips and salsa included with this carryout meal, but, like, I also really want some cheese dip, too, so stop judging me, OK?

So, um, that bag of chips is surprisingly bigger than it looks. We brought out the reserves in the form of our stash of Costco brand tortilla chips, just to have at hand because we figured we would never be able to survive on just that tiny grease-stained paper bag of tasty tortilla chips (especially with the extra cheese dip!). But it turns out we never needed to dip into the backup bag. I mean, I also think perhaps Shane’s gigantic burrito surprise (wait, that sounds bad …) may have pushed him away slightly from being heavy handed on the chips and queso, so truth be told I was perhaps the only one really putting a dent in them, but whatever. I’m owning that dent.

I will say I could’ve done without the sauce that came on top of my burrito (which I don’t remember being included the last time I ordered that same meal?) but other than that it was good. I also tend to lean toward chicken for my burritos, but as mentioned before we had been pretty heavy on the poultry lately so I opted for steak, and wasn’t disappointed. Although – full disclosure – the meal really is just some steak in a soft tortilla shell, and then the sauce on top. So if you’re looking for filling like lettuce or rice or cheese or, well, basically anything, to be inside of your burrito, then you’re better off to go with the super burro that Shane ordered, as that had all of the fixins.

Shane was still a fan of the super burro, and managed to eat all of it in one sitting, even though it was larger than his last memory of it. Maybe that was the time we were given the tequila shots, in which case I have to believe some memory malfunction might make sense? Just sayin’.