Rosarito’s #7 Mexican Food: Budget Burritos with Big Taste

I tried to imagine a world without Mexican food. First off, it would be a very sad place for me. Conceivably, you could do it just by eliminating the corn tortilla. There would be very little comida Mexicana without the lowly disc made simply from cornmeal, water and lime. The Aztecs, inventors of the tortilla, believed it to be sacred and a direct gift from the gods. It is the centerpiece, or key ingredient, in the vast majority of Mexican dishes — from tacos to enchiladas to my personal breakfast favorite, chilaquiles.

Now I am only talking the corn version. There are many types of tortillas, including the very popular flour and the healthier whole wheat. But any Mexican food purist will tell you that flour tortillas are just for burritos, corn is for everything else and whole wheat should only be used for things called wraps.

Thankfully, there is a world of Mexican food right here in Lemon Grove. has been around in one form or another since 1989. It used to be called La Posta de Acapulco's #7. The name changed, but the number and the menu (for the most part) stayed the same.

I ordered an all-corn-tortilla meal during a recent visit: three carnitas TJ street tacos for $4.15, and three rolled tacos with cheese and guacamole for $3.70. The beverage choice was horchata sin hielo (the ice just waters it down). My dining partner picked the California burrito for $4.25. The food appeared quickly and a gorgeously sunny afternoon in Lemon Grove allowed us to dine on Rosarito’s cute outdoor patio.

The very crunchy and delicious rolled tacos had a big mound of chunky guacamole and real cotija cheese on top.  I finished the trio quickly and made a mental note to possibly order five next time. They even offer a special nine rolled taco plate for the really big boys. My three carnitas street tacos were also good, lived up to their billing and were a very nice deal for the price.

My companion’s California burrito was as big as a brick and weighed about a pound. It was filled with tender and well-seasoned carne asada, cheese, guacamole, tomato, french fries and a little chopped lettuce, housed in a large and perfectly-grilled flour tortilla. A little dose of the homemade spicy salsa and this was one really tasty burrito. We took half of it home, where it made a second meal.

Another plus at Rosarito’s is the complimentary basket of fresh corn chips and large container of salsa served with the meal. We had enough chips and salsa left over that the next morning they went right into my breakfast of chilaquiles.

Rosarito’s #7 Mexican Food is located at 2805 Lemon Grove Avenue, on the corner of Montana Street. They take cash and credit cards. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Rosarito’s offers limited indoor seating and an outdoor patio. They don't have a website, but you can call them at 619-469-4227 to place an order to go.