EDitorial ± 22-Dec-2010

Ipswich Lunches: El Taco Loco

I was going to begin by saying that previous Christmases, we've gone somewhere a bit nice, like The Alex or The Oaks. Looking it up, I see that last year, me and Grenvyle made it all the way to, er, Asda. Our plans, like Morrissey's dreams, have a knack of just not coming true.

Idea had been to hold a Defiants festive jolly at the newly opened restaurant of a local TV chef slash pig farmer (clue to follow). Would have been lovely. Then it snowed, transport was tricky, and here we find ourselves alongside TK Maxx in the Buttermarket shopping centre (home to Cafe Giardino and Cafe Moda) in the newly reopened upstairs food court. Lovely.

It's as it was before, but subtly altered. What was once Burger King is now Wimpy, Just Spuds does what it says on the tin, and that pizza slice place has blended into Bean2Cup. All this has happened before, and all of it will happen again, if you get my galactic drift. Newest and least familiar eatery is El Taco Loco. Go on, guess what they sell. Need another minute?

There's perhaps four or five main choices, a pleasant change. Quesadilla for Andy, burrito for me. Spoke too soon: rice or black beans or refried? Mild or medium or hot salsa? Guacamole? Is it free? No, that's extra. Finally the decisions are over and here's my foil-wrapped Mexican lunch. One last choice: in which of the many multi-level seating areas will we plonk ourselves down, and can we avoid da yoof?

Table taken, tastebuds get to work. Thumbs up for my burrito, first such takeaway I've had since Harvest At Jimmy's. Maybe we'll make it there next year?

If it was a car -- Nissan Tsuru.
If they were passing by -- Eli Wallach.