I was making my way to the airport recently when I decided it was truly important (worth-nearly-missing-my-plane important, as it turns out) that I make a quickety-quick detour.

If something were to happen, I hastily reasoned, and my plane to San Francisco began an irreversible hurl toward the Pacific Ocean in a wild ball of flames, what would be my biggest regret?

That’s easy: Not gorging down one last breakfast burrito from Nick’s Deli in Seal Beach.

Well, OK, maybe that wouldn’t be my biggest lament, but these breakfast burritos are so popular that I wouldn’t be surprised if there are people out there who actually feel this way.

Here’s why: The breakfast burrito ($4.99) is wrapped efficiently with equal amounts of spicy chorizo, eggs, crispy bacon, potatoes and cheese inside. The generous strips of bacon are baked for crispiness over grease - pan frying, really. The potatoes, peeled fresh daily, are pan fried, so never soggy, and mixed with chorizo and eggs.

Each burrito is made to order in taste: mild or medium. Accompanying hot sauce is served in tiny plastic cups with spoons so you can slather each bite with a piquant dollop. The sauce is also legendary, made from New Mexico chili hot sauce and a “secret” blend passed down from the owner’s grandmother.

Beware: You may very well encounter a wait, as there are usually lots of other people craving a Nick’s burrito.

Nick’s serves other breakfast items as well: sandwiches, salads and desserts that are also due praise.

I feel obligated to point out the buttery-sweet coconut-cookie bar ($1.85).

Wrapped in cellophane, this substantial cavity generator is made with a thick graham cracker base and layers of chocolate chips and shredded coconut that are all solidified with loads (LOADS) of melted butter. Served in squares after its hardened, it’s a major calorie-fest.

If you love the breakfast burrito, check out fellow gluttonista Jennifer Muir’s quest to find a burrito that beats Nick’s. So far she’s visited El Burrito Jr. in Seal Beach, The Filling Station in Orange and Athenian Burger #3 in Buena Park.

Nick’s Deli

223 Main St., Seal Beach.

562-598-5072

and

10900 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos

562-795-7766

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 5:41 pm and is filed under Breakfast, Breakfast Burrito, Restaurants by price: $0-$14. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.