Hermanos Mexicanos

Saturday started with a long run across the marshes. The rain rained, the mud splashed, and the sun resolutely refused to come out from behind the clouds. By the time I got home I closely resembled a drowned rat. Actually, I didn’t look like any old drowned rat, I looked like a drowned rat that had been had been fished out of the Lea, swished around in a dirty puddle, dragged through a bush and then dunked in Dagenham brook for good measure. Don’t get me wrong though, as damp as I was, I did enjoy my run. I enjoyed it because I like running, I enjoyed it because I like being out on the marsh, and I enjoyed it because going for a long run basically gives me a licence to eat anything I want. I usually start thinking about what I want for lunch on the last mile or two of a run. Pie and mash, something from the market, a fry up or pub lunch, there is an endless list of venues in Walthamstow where I can go and stuff my face. I made the decision about where I wanted to go on Saturday as I squelched along Low Hall Lane on the way home. I walked in to the house, stood in the kitchen in a puddle of my own making, and announced loudly, today, we are having Mexican.

Our destination was Hermanos Mexicanos on Hoe Street. It’s a bit of a trek from our place just off Markhouse Road, but my mind was set on Mexican food, and nothing else would do. After a light starter of a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich at home, we put the dog on his lead and headed up to Hoe street. This was our first visit to Hermanos, and I made a bit of a blunder. I thought we would be able to sit in and eat our food, so we dropped the dog off at a friend’s place on the way (thanks Liv), as we assumed it wouldn’t be dog friendly. Turned out it was take out only, but that didn’t make the food any less enjoyable. We walked in to the tiny green shop, the chap behind the counter said hello, and I just stood there, transfixed by the menu. All I could think was, burrito, burrito, fill me with burrito. When I finally regained the power of speech, I ordered a beef burrito, and watched as the young man layered on the meat, salsa, beans and sauce. It was all I could do not to drool.

Hermanos offer two sizes of burrito, small or regular. Glutinous me went for the regular, which cost six quid and was worth every penny. We paid the young man, who in turn handed us our silver foil wrapped parcels of goodness. We headed back along Hoe Street to our fiends place, stopping off at Clapton craft to get a couple of beers to have with our food. The burrito was amazing, it was stuffed to bursting point with rice, beans and perfectly cooked beef. It oozed sauce as I ate it, and rice cascaded out of the wrap and tinkled down on to the foil. Fingers were licked, and appetite was satisfied. The shop doesn’t just sell burritos of course, they also have Quesadillas for £2.50, rice boxes for £3.50, and the well-known Mexican dish of cheesy chips for £1.50.

Hermanos Mexicanos is only a small shop, which makes it easy to miss. But the quality of food is excellent, or at least it was on our first visit. OK, so you can’t eat in, and not everyone has a near by friend who can loan you their flat as a dog drop off point, and burrito eating station (thanks again Liv). But it is just around the corner from Lloyd Park, which is a perfect place to sit and eat your take out. Lloyd park is also a good place to walk off the burrito, which is exactly what we did. All in all, Saturday lunch time turned out pretty well, a fantastic burrito, a beer, and a stroll around Big Bills back garden, what more could you want. If you fancy giving this little Mexican take out a go, you’ll find it at number 58 Hoe Street.