My Burrito

“You don't have to live a perfect life; you just have to live a little better,” is Lasse Nielsen’s philosophy. My Burrito’s owner has applied that philosophy to his Mexican cafe with impressive dedication.

His menu of burritos, tacos and quesadillas is entirely organic, save for a handful of specific ingredients (chipotle chillies, jalapeños, tomatillos) he can't find in organic form.

Image of My Burrito Kinkerstraat The packaging and utensils used in My Burrito also have ‘environ- mentally aware’ written all over them: the straws are bio- degradable, the cutlery is wooden and bio plastics are used wherever possible. Even the drinks cooler has an intelligent chip that learns the cafe’s opening hours, regulating cooling times and saving around 30% energy.

These green credentials are all well and good, but Nielsen doesn't make a big deal about them - unless nosy foodies like me come poking around. In fact, he says that he took a lot of care designing the interior, so that it would be attractive to everyone. My Burrito has a clean, modern look, and an open kitchen allowing customers to make “the connection between the process of putting the ingredients into the blender or pot and then into their burrito”.

Image of My Burrito Prior to opening My Burrito in March 2009, Nielsen spent five years in San Francisco, where cheap burritos are everywhere. “I liked the idea that it was fast food, but freshly prepared,” he told me. This inspired him to open his own burrito outlet in Amsterdam, despite worrying that the Dutch - who historically have closer culinary links to Indonesia and Surinam - wouldn't ‘get’ the concept.

It appears they do, even though many customers still ask what the difference is between tacos and quesadillas, says Nielsen. Or perhaps My Burrito's cheap prices are the draw. €5.20 gets you a large tortilla bursting with rice, beans, cheese and home-made salsa. Add a couple more euros for chicken or beef, guacamole, sour cream or lettuce. Tacos and quesadillas cost even less. Throw in a soft drink and you can eat well - and feel very good about yourself - for under €10.