Restaurant: Dona Rosa
Location: 577 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena
Type of restaurant: Mexican bakery and taqueria
We stipulated: We were in Pasadena and wanted to try something new -- but something fast, since we were waiting to pick up Maria's car from Rusnak (where it was being serviced).
What we ordered: Huevos con Machaca -- shredded beef and eggs, served with rice, beans and homemade tortillas (Maria; $6.25); La Dona Breakfast Burrito -- eggs, Mexican sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, spinach and cheese in a homemade flour tortilla (Mike, $5.75)
High point: Several. This is better Mexican food than you'd find at most sit-down restaurants, where you'd pay twice as much for lesser food. The ingredients were amazingly fresh -- our tortillas especially. Their salsa bar selection also puts any other restaurant, fast food or not, to shame: Selections included avocado green; tomatillo; tomatillo chipotle; sala quemada; and spicy red.
Low point: Impossible to find napkins. Which is important when you're filling as many mini cups with salsa as I was.
Overall impression: From the family behind El Cholo, Dona Rosa is another winner. It puts the other glorified fast food Mexican chains -- Baja Fresh, La Salsa, even Poquito Mas -- to shame. The food is much more authentic; its breakfasts can (and should) be enjoyed all day; and the environment is pleasant.
Chance we will go back: Pretty likely, given that we're going to try to be more economic in the coming months. Also, because it's still fast food, we can easliy bring Evan without incident.
For a complete archive of our Rate-A-Restaurant reviews, check out our newly revised companion ratearestaurant.blogspot.com website.
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