There is no shortage of great choices in southern Indiana and western Kentucky when a craving for Mexican food hits you. From tacos to burritos, to chimichangas, enchiladas, nachos, and more, no matter what you're in the mood for, you don't have to go far from home to find it. With National Burrito Day coming up on April 7th, I thought now would be as good a time as any to figure out which one you think is the best by letting you vote for your favorite.

History of the Burrito

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National Burrito Day is celebrated on the first Thursday in April each year. According to National Today, the earliest recorded mention of the burrito appeared "in the 'Dictionary of Mexicanisms' in 1895." The literal translation of the word is "little donkey," with "burro" meaning donkey, and "-ito" meaning little. It is believed they were inspired by the packs and bedrolls that were often strapped to the backs of donkeys and pack mules when they were used for traveling.

It took roughly three to four decades before they showed up stateside with the burrito we know and love today first appearing in the Fresno and Stockton, California areas in the 1930s. El Cholo Spanish Café in Los Angeles is credited as being the first restaurant to feature burritos on its menu.

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Of course, we've "Americanized" it quite a bit over the years. The first burritos were simply meat and beans. Today, we'll stuff a tortilla shell with practically anything and everything and call it a burrito. Meat, beans, cheese, vegetables, hot sauce, eggs, sausage, bacon, whatever. If it's food, we'll roll it up into a burrito. And the bigger the better. For example, the Big O Challenge at Don Mario's in Owensboro. A five-pound burrito filled with five different types of meat, rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, and topped with a generous amount of cheese sauce. Finish that bad boy off in one sitting and you'll be rewarded with a Don Mario's t-shirt and I imagine the worst case of indigestion you've ever had.

Which Evansville Area Mexican Restaurant is the Best?

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Regardless of the size of the burrito, or whatever Mexican dish we prefer, we all have our favorite place(s) we go to get it. Here's your chance to let everyone know your favorite is the best.

After an exhaustive search around the area on Google Maps, I found nearly 60 Mexican restaurants across southern Indiana and western Kentucky from Vincennes to Madisonville, Mt. Vernon to Owensboro, and everywhere in between. Each of which (to my knowledge) are locally owned businesses. There are no national or regional chain restaurants on the list.

The list is sorted alphabetically with the city, or cities, in the Tri-State where you'll find them listed next to their name. Find your favorite and cast your vote. And, encourage your friends and family to do the same by sharing this on social media.

NOTE: Voting closes at 11:59 PM on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6TH. The top 10 restaurants based on the results will be featured in a new article sometime on Thursday, April 7th (National Burrito Day).

[Source: National Today]

Top Evansville Restaurants According to Yelp

Here's the Evansville restaurants that were rated highly on Yelp.

Feast Your Eyes: 20 Tri-State Restaurants Diners Drive-Ins and Dives Should Feature

My pallet is very 'Kid menu' friendly, but I'll sit and watch Triple D all day. Now, not only has the show never been anywhere really close to us, it's been at least 9 years since Guy has filmed in Indiana. That in itself should be a crime. So, let's spread the word, and get these local eateries some national attention

 

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