Restaurant review: Pedro and Vinny's
Southwest corner of 15th and K Streets

Street vendors and their carts are good for half smokes and Utz potato chips, right? Maybe a bottle of water on a hot day. But burritos?

Pedro and Vinnys, run by a friendly chap named John, must be the best burrito cart in Washington. (Another burrito cart has been spotted only blocks west, and a recent Washington Post article hints at more good things to come...)

The cart has been around for years, but word seems to have spread over the past 18 months or so--including several mentions on a certain Washington Post food critic's online chat--and the line has stretched. So choose a nice spring day (or a nasty, rainy day when everyone wiser stays inside) and snag yourself a tasty, vegetarian lunch.

Veg burritos with beans and rice are the name of the game. As you near the front of the line, call out your choice of tortilla flavor (flour is always a safe choice) and preference for cheese or no cheese; everything else takes place once you reach the front of the line. (This allows your shell to stew a bit before the magic takes place.)

When it's your turn, decide on the burrito's size, type of beans (refried, black beans, or a "black and tan" mix), salsa/no salsa, extra toppings (sour cream/guac), and type of hot sauce. A former favorite was Blair's Mango Habanero, but it was so popular that John started to make his own. It's good, but not quite up to Blair standards.

Beware: some of the sauces pack one helluva wallop, even for the most hardy of souls.

The genesis of the name? Pedro refers to the lunchtime burritos, Vinny's to the former late afternoon role of the cart: serving pasta to GW students near Foggy Bottom. The pasta mission ceased in 2005, but the name remained.

Bottom line: Not worth the long line by yourself, but bring a companion and enjoy the fresh air.