Al & Bea’s Chicharrón Burrito vs Vargas’s

By kiki

I paid a visit to the vampire at Norris Cancer Center early this morning, and after the vamp pulled its fangs out of my arm, I needed to look for a place to chow down. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I remember that somebody on Facebook had mentioned Al & Bea's on First St. in Boyle Heights, and since I was in the Heights, I decided to look for the place. I drove south on Soto St. to First St. I then made a right on First. I went a few blocks west past St. Louis St. As I drove under a freeway, Beto, one of my imaginary friends who was riding with me, said, "orale boss, you've just passed Al & Bea's," so I made a u'rie right in the middle of the block, "you're going to get a ticket" said Beto. Once we had passed back under the freeway, I pulled over and parked to see if I could spot the food joint. As I looked east and west, I noticed that I was parked right across the street from the Hollenbeck Youth Center, the same place that produced some outstanding amateur boxers (my son Tony fought there). As I was looking at the center, I noticed Al & Bea's was next door on the east end of the center. I got off my truck and slammed the door on Beto "hey, I wanna eat too," cried Beto. I then jaywalked across First St. I found Al & Bea's to be a small place with a few outside tables but no indoor seating that I could see. I checked the menu on the wall, and I found what I was looking for, a "chicharrón burrito" It was good, but not great; I'll give the Vargas's chicharrón burrito a slight edge:. (Vargas' is in Pico Rivera)…After eating, Beto and I headed east on First St. towards East Los Angeles. As we drove east, I tried talking to Beto, but he wouldn't talk to me; I think he was pissed at me for not letting him get off the truck to eat. As we were driving east on First St., I realized how much I miss the Eastside. Even though I was not raised as an Eastsider, I did run the streets of East Los as a young teen, plus Connie, the kids, and I lived at different times in different parts of ELA...I got back home to find Chata, the British Bulldog pissed at me, shit, first Beto, now Chata! By the way, Beto is still sitting in the truck; he said he wouldn't get off until I apologized; I tried telling him that I was afraid he would get run over because people can't see him. I let him sweat a while in the hot truck, then he was happy to get off.