Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

By Darien Bates

The burrito is easy to approach. It's humble. It doesn't parade itself like a steak or a roast, or expect the lavish praise of special sauces or soufflés. No, the burrito is simple; unleavened bread wrapped around rice, beans, and whatever else strikes one as appealing. It's a build your own meal; a culinary IKEA.

But like many things, simplicity and approachability does not mean that everybody can do it equally well. In fact with fast food Tex-Mex restaurants opening practically every day on every other corner the burrito has become as common as the burger, and just like the burger there are places that just do it better.

Burrito Brothers located in Idylwood Plaza off of Leesburg Pike is a place that understands what the burrito is meant to be; a filling and hearty meal without pretension.

The key to any burrito is a selection of quality ingredients. There are a selection of beans, refried, pinto, and black, a blend of cheeses, three types of meats, and other traditional Mexican condiments. Just a sampling of the combinations include: The beef and rice burrito is as hearty as a single dish can be. Zesty ground beef wrapped with beans and rice flavored with guacamole and sour cream is everything one can expect wrapped in a flour tortilla.

The delicately flavored pork provides another hearty option which even when simply mixed with rice and beans manage to fill out the flavors without any excess.

For a slightly lighter option, the chicken and spinach burrito is surprisingly fresh. While many burrito places focus on the meat and cheese, the addition of something as simple as spinach and cilantro is refreshing.

While the burrito is the namesake and the primary fare at the restaurant other options can be equally appealing. Among those choices is the fajita made with grilled steak or chicken and wrapped with onions and peppers. Just as the burritos satisfy with simple uncomplicated flavors, the fajitas are appealing in their rustic tastes.

For a light lunch option the cheese and spinach quesadilla is just enough to tide one over until dinner or works well when combined with a taco salad to create a balanced and filling meal.

Another staple of the Tex-Mex genre is the Nachos that can be served either with or without meat and is a great choice for a snack at any time.

Even the atmosphere of the restaurant captures the balance of being simple while at the same time tasteful. Being a fast food restaurant the choices are plainly accessible to the diner, but the comfortably furnished restaurant doesn't compel one to eat and get out quickly. Instead, one feels relaxed enough to stay for a bit, which is amplified by the fact that the filling food begs to be savored, not rushed. In all ways the restaurant captures the essence of a good burrito; a satisfying uncomplicated experience without bells or whistles. Just wrap it up and dig in.