I had not seen tortillas made fresh since visiting the small tortilleria open on Sundays in my hometown. Well, that is until now. Panchero’s Mexican Grill has just opened near Broadway and University in Urbana. Offering similar great tastes of other gourmet burrito restaurants on campus, but better, Panchero’s Mexican Grill serves burritos, tacos and quesadillas made using fresh pressed tortillas from their on-site tortilladora, as well as healthier alternative options like a burrito bowl and salad.
At first glance, Panchero’s seems just like any other gourmet, made-to-order Mexican grill, but what makes them different is that they believe that not only do they make their tortillas fresh but their guacamole, salsa and queso is also made fresh daily.
Since I have never been able to quite master a monster-burrito, on my visit to Panchero’s I opted for two tacos with their cilantro-lime rice, black beans, carnitas, pico de gallo, veggies and a splash of sour cream and guacamole. With every bit of flavor in each bite, these flour tacos were nothing short of delicioso –it most certainly was a taste of home.
Why I recommend Panchero’s?
We all get that feeling when we just want to get as far away from campus as we can. Free from that feeling of last night mixed with that scent of broville. For those of us who don’t exactly want to make a trip to Dos Reales or Mas Amigos, or just want something different without the wait time Panchero’s is the place to go. It may be a bit of a hike to get their, after all it is on University, but for an afternoon while on the way home from a trip to the mall on a day like, I don’t know, maybe Labor Day, this fresh Mex grill doesn’t make you feel rushed to get your burrito and go. If you like, you can sit and stay, have a conversation with your girls.