Burrito Box takeaway review: punchy Mexican food with an Irish twist in a buzzy food yard

On November 5th, 2016, Bowie Thompson and Ray Murphy opened their new food truck in Greystones. They converted an old horse box and set about the business of selling burritos. Thompson, with a degree in tourism, had worked in kitchens and travelled around South America for inspiration, while Murphy had considerable experience from his time working as a chef at Musgraves.
This is not the type of Mexican food where the tortillas are handmade and authenticity is at the heart of everything they do; it is more about a big feed and punchy flavours. They call it Mexican food with an Irish twist. Their menu is printed on a large board, and there are two main options: burritos and boxes, and from there it broadly goes into options that include chicken, chorizo, bacon, pinto beans and sweet potatoes fries. There are four different salsas: a mild pico de gallo, a medium chipotle salsa, a spicy habanero salsa and a fiery ghost salsa, with four chillies on the sign to indicate the level of heat.
The Greystones burrito, the vegetarian burrito and the nacho box.
Very friendly. There is a clearly marked “Order here” sign at one side of the food stall. You place your order and wait for it to be called. This can be a bit of a wait during peak period, so get a drink from the pub next door.
This is wholesome food that is designed to fill you up. The tightly packed Greystones burrito is filled with chicken, chorizo, bacon, jack cheese, slow-cooked pinto beans and Mexican brown rice. Caution is advised when it comes to selecting a salsa: the spicy option has a fiery level of heat. The vegetarian burrito is similar to the Greystones, with guacamole instead of meat.
The nacho box could perhaps be a bit more generous with the guacamole, and the jack cheese is not melted, which would have been expected. There is also tzatziki and plenty of tortilla chips, which go nicely with a beer.
The burritos are wrapped in tinfoil, which is recyclable if clean, and the nachos come in a recyclable cardboard box.
€35.50 for dinner for three people: The Greystones burrito, €14.80; the vegetarian burrito, €10.75; and the nacho box, €9.95.
It is takeaway or eat on-site only. Open Wed-Sun, 1pm-9pm. You can order online for collection, call and collect, or order at the Boat Yard.
Yes, this is nice for a tasty feed, even if it’s not the full authentic Mexican experience.