Shrimp Burrito from Silva's Falls Short, Then Falls Apart

Life is all about second chances, is it not? Having had a experience with the "Carne Asada a la Diabla" burrito at   in Casa de Oro, I thought it was time that we took The Burrito Blotter back there for a chance at redemption.

A sign on the outside of the restaurant says "Seafood," so in an effort to allow them to showcase their specialty, I made it simple and ordered the shrimp burrito ($5.99).

Redemption comes to us all. Did it come to Silva's?

As always, we break it down by the ingredients.

Tortilla
It was very soft, and had a nice flavor, but much like the previous burrito, the tortilla was paper thin. I had a real problem holding the burrito, meticulously handling it like some kind of explosive device, for fear that the contents would come spilling out at some point. I could feel the shrimp and rice actually moving around inside. Throughout my eating it, the tortilla tore several times, leaking hot juice all over my hands. I eventually had to finish with a knife and fork, which completely ruins – yes, ruins – the experience.

Shrimp
The lone bright spot for this burrito was the shrimp. It was perfectly cooked and tender. There was a fair amount of shrimp in the burrito, and it was lightly seasoned, allowing for that fresh seafood taste to shine through.

Rice
The rice was unfortunately cooked in the same ketchupy-tasting sauce that tarnished the Carne Asada a la Diabla. It wasn't that good then, and it wasn't very good now. Maybe it's just my palette, but I didn't enjoy it.

Vegetables
In addition to the shrimp and rice, there was also a good amount of chopped vegetables in the burrito. They were slow cooked in the sauce and included peppers, tomatoes, and...wait for it....celery. Celery? Really? I've had hundreds of burritos in my lifetime, and this is the first one I can think of to have celery. It was completely off putting, and the veggie mix made reminded me of a heavy, thick vegetable soup, rather than the contents of a taco shop burrito.

Overall
This one totally through me for a loop. The way-too-thin tortilla, combined with the mediocre flavor of the sauce and rice, and the inclusion of a garden side salad just made it almost inedible. Maybe I'm being too critical. And there are thousands of people who enjoy Silva's. I don't even doubt that there are quality items somewhere on the menu. But so far, I'm 0-for-2, and my third visit seems somewhere in the distant future.

Rating: 2.0 (out of 5)