Ben’s Burritos, the latest restaurant to open in the area, should be first on your list of things to do early in 2017. Put it right under the category of “eat more good food.” Lewiston-Auburn-area diners hungry for a variety of Mexican-inspired foods will enjoy the assortment of tasty options Ben Scott and Trish Tomlinson are dishing up in addition to the namesake burritos.
The lunch restaurant had a soft opening on Dec. 19. and a grand opening on Dec. 26. Since then business has been brisk and fun.
Tomlinson, who has worked in a number of different businesses, loves cooking. She said she feels like she was “raised in a kitchen” and all the recipes she’s known have been part of her family kitchen experience. But a family trip to Mayan ruins in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula when she was 22 opened up her eyes to the delightful flavors of that country and she’s been passionate about Mexican-style cooking since then.
Stepping off Lisbon Street and into Ben’s Burritos, whether you’re eating in or taking out, is a bit of a vacation for the eyes and soul. The walls have been painted in a deep shade of blue, which Tomlinson said was mixed by Sherwin-Williams using “different blues and blue-red tones to come up with what we called ‘Ben’s Blue.’ The design and feel of the shop was inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.”
The most important thing, though, for Scott and Tomlinson, is to keep things “very simple.” Tomlinson says she wants the food to be “clean, sustainable and not overly fussy.” She said the goal for them is to “play with the ingredients we have around us and have fun with that.”
The menu at Ben’s Burritos is not overly fussy. There are three burrito options. Ben’s Basic burrito comes with a choice of beans (black or pinto), rice, cheese, salsa and sour cream in either a 10- or 12-inch tortilla. The Benster is the basic burrito plus an additional choice of meat or sweet potato. Eben’s Loaded Burrito (named for Tomlinson’s son, who she says likes burritos “if we can call them chicken tacos”) is The Benster plus guacamole and poblano crema (a rich creamy sauce flavored with poblano peppers).
Simple.
Then there’s a “Trish the Dish” option, which is a burrito bowl, or a burrito without the tortilla for vegan and gluten-free customers.
There’s also a quesadilla and a taco option, plus a short list of sides, including a gluten-free corn cake made using masa and cornmeal, homemade pickled onions and cilantro lime rice.
Not overly fussy.
There’s also some fun menu items and specials that change daily, like a “roasted sweet potato and butternut squash bisque” or a “deconstructed tamale pie” made with a choice of meat, chili or sweet potato over a tomatilla salsa-glazed cornbread with cheese and chipotle sauce.
And if that doesn’t sound like fun food, there’s always a chance you’ll hit Ben’s Burritos during a “dance break.” “We listen to music, we take a dance break,” said Tomlinson. “We want to have fun here. If you’re not having a good time and enjoying life, you’ll taste it in the food.”
But such breaks are usually short because the lines at Ben’s Burritos have been long and there have been a few days when they’ve sold out of burritos.
Tomlinson is committed to using as much local meat and produce as she can, and keeping things authentic. All the beans and meats are slow-cooked and they’re currently making their own salsa, guacamole and cashew cream. Soups and chili are from scratch, too.
Another fun offering is the Frito Pie. Although the exact origins of the dish are unknown, it’s often served as Mexican street food and made in a small bag of corn chips. At Ben’s, they serve the corn chips in a dish, smother them with chili, cheese, pickled onions and jalapenos. Tomlinson admits it’s “not necessarily ‘clean’ food, because Fritos are processed.” But it’s on the menu because “we wanted to have some funky stuff, too.”
Finally, there are daily-changing made-from-scratch desserts lovingly created by Tomlinson’s sister Lindsey Tomlinson-Peck. Sour cream streusel cake, Mexican cola cake and chorros cake with cream cheese frosting, just to name three.
The opening and the early success has been part of an exciting whirlwind for Ben Scott and Trish Tomlinson. And while there is a little bit of “figuring it out” on a day-to-day basis, Tomlinson is also looking forward to new food combinations and flavors. “We would like to do some fusion foods in the future,” she said. “Maybe a Korean barbecue kimchee burrito or a chicken divan burrito.”
Julie-Ann Baumer lives, cooks, and writes from her home in Lisbon Falls. Read her blog www.julieannbaumer.com or follow her on twitter @aunttomato
Ben’s Burritos
97 Lisbon St.
Lewiston, ME 04240
207-740-8363
bensburritos@gmail.com
Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mexican cola cake
Ingredients:
1 cup Maine Root Mexicane Cola
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Coca Cola glaze
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup coca cola
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray bundt pan with baking spray or butter it and coat with flour.
3. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl.
4. In a small pan, place Coca Cola, oil, butter, cocoa powder and espresso powder (if using) and bring to a boil. Pour the cola mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.
5. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla. Stir into the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes on the middle rack.
8. When a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, the bundt is ready.
9. Let bundt cool in pan for at least 30 minutes (it’s a bit on the fragile side).
10. Make glaze by combining all ingredients.
11. Drizzle over cooled cake and garnish with chopped pecans.
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