Little Burro – American-style burritos hit Hong Kong

The first time I was introduced to an all-American burrito (not to be confused with a Mexican burrito!), it was love at first sight. There was guacamole, meat, beans, rice and cheese, all wrapped in a tortilla… how could I resist? So ever since I left the States to return to Hong Kong, I’ve been deprived of my much-loved hearty burritos – until I found Little Burro, that is!

Little Burro, the brainchild of Roger de Leon and Magnolia chef Lori Granito, is in a part of Causeway Bay that I don’t normally travel to. On Leighton Road, it’s a little removed from the large suitcase-toting crowds of Times Square and SOGO but that just means that you won’t have to elbow your way to get to one of these yummy burritos – and that certainly hasn’t stopped the masses from finding out about the place, as it was already packed at lunchtime (no wonder they’re already scouting for more locations in Central and Kowloon!).

As with most restaurants in Hong Kong these days, the best way I can describe the décor is “ghetto chic”. With street art graffiti on the walls and a chilled outdoor area round the back, it’s definitely a no-fuss low-key kind of place, but I can easily see myself meeting friends on weekends for a laid-back afternoon – even if it’s a little too busy to linger too long.

We tried a nice mix of Little Buro’s signature tacos, burritos, salads, a burrito bowl (aka everything you get in a burrito but served in a bowl – awesome!) and the holy trio of chips, salsa and guac. While Rach took photos of the food, the rest of us happily attacked the homemade taco chips and guac; it’s hard to find good guac in Hong Kong, but Little Burro’s was a perfect balance of buttery avocado and just enough kick to make this a moreish dish!

Our pork carnitas tacos were delish, if lacking a bit of a kick, although I would suggest eating them fast – ours got a little soggy, but I blame Rach and her long photography session! The star of the show was initially our vegetarian black bean and guacamole burrito bowl (especially compared to the rather more boring chipotle chicken salad)… until we took a bite of our Barbacoa beef burrito. I’m always a little hesitant to order beef or pork carnitas since I’ve had many bad experiences where the meat was dry and stringy, but fortunately, this was not the case at Little Burro! The beef was extremely soft and tender, and full of rich smoky flavour, and our burrito was packed to the brim with delicious ingredients.

The servings at Little Burro were also very generous, leaving most of us waddling to the door after we were done, and we thought prices were pretty reasonable, costing $58-68 for most of the mains. Definitely come here hungry, otherwise you’ll end up eating your leftovers for your next meal!

All in all, I would give a Little Burro two thumbs up, but I do wish they had a few options with more spice to them. Since you can customise your burrito, they have a selection of salsas you can choose from, but sadly, they were too mild for me! I would love to see a spicy habanero salsa on the menu soon.

Little Burro also has very limited seating, so I can foresee this more as a takeaway spot rather than a place for long lunches. But with their vegetarian and customisable menu, there will definitely be something for everyone and there’s no danger of not feeling full after a lunch stop here. Now if only they do deliveries!

Little Burro G/F., 125 Leighton Rd Causeway Bay
2336 3909 www.little-burro.com