When chef Lydie Lovett first came to Denver she brought fried chicken. Next came the San Diego-style brunch spot Wilde in Sunnyside. Now, the California native has launched Baja Burritos.
Though Baja Burritos takes over the Wilde space during the week, running everyday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the restaurant will still host the popular brunch service on the weekends. Unlike the more formal concept, the burrito one will be fast-casual with counter service and dishes meant for crushing rather than idling.
“This is the only restaurant that does Baja-focused stuff and each menu item, what inspired it, it’s all [from] a favorite place in San Diego,” said Lovett. “I can think of the place that me and my dad would walk to in Encinitas that was right by the beach. I can think of the place I’d go to when I was hungover or drunk…or both. So it’s kind of like the best of all those places, all on one menu. I wanted to keep it simple. To keep it small, I aimed to stay concise. I wanted to make everything the best it could be.
Breakfast burritos begin at $13.75 for the Cali Bacon, rising to $15.75 for Surf n’ Turf. Baja style features crispy fries and guacamole on every item. The Hot Chicken is an exception, a nod to the original Chicken Rebel.
For lunch, burritos exclude eggs and include several proteins, including carne asada, beer-battered fish, shrimp, and marinated chicken. Also new to the menu, Lovett’s Sol Sauce, a chipotle crema she hopes will get people talking and coming back for more. The pro move, she said, is to pour it all over the burrito so each piece gets a small kick. Soon, added the chef, the burritos will feature a large, 14-inch tortilla similar to the ones found in California. Though, she said, these ones get made closer to home in Grand Junction.
“If it’s a burrito, it’s all about the tortillas. I can try to replicate [the ones in San Diego] and it gets pretty close, but they’re the only ones that do it right [in Colorado],” said Lovett, describing the hard-cooked, slightly doughy tortillas she grew up with. “Every time we go back to San Diego we’re just eating tortillas, it’s pretty ridiculous.”
The menu also features fresh guacamole and homemade chips, a side of elote, and Baja fish tacos, the only taco, said the chef, that you’ll find on the menu. Make sure to try the house-crafted salsas, one even pays homage to Colorado with fire-roasted green chilies.
Inside Wilde/Baja Burrito it feels like a slice of San Diego too. The sunrise mural on one wall is the dream of any social media influencer. There’s an array of vintage-looking skateboarding photos decking another surface, and the coastal hues give one the sense that the ocean isn’t too far away. Start playing some surf sounds on your phone while you dive into a fry-laden burrito, and you just might believe you’re on the West Coast.
Visit Baja Burrito Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wilde on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.3618 Tejon St., Denver, baja-burritos.com and wilderestaurantdenver.com
