Chubby contenders
The latter. The name comes from notorious art forger Elmyr de Hory (the subject, incidentally, of Orson Welles' documentary F for Fake). The decorating motif of the burrito joint originally featured paintings in imitation of art greats. Original works now share the wall space, but you can still find a large look-alike of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" on the wall of the enclosed patio and a faux Picasso and hand-scrawled caricatures in the bar.
The "original fakes" of Elmyr de Hory have themselves become valued collector's items, and Tex-Mex dishes are showing similarly ambiguous concepts of authenticity. Depending on their country of origin and their willingness to experiment, chefs can put unique stamps on traditional dishes, and were you to compare quesadillas from La Fonda, La Paz and El Myr, you'd never guess they were the same entree.
El Myr's chubby burritos are worthy contenders in a city that offers hearty competition, such as Tortillas and Willy's Mexicana Grill. El Myr even has a diagram on the wall and in the menus that shows how to eat a two-fisted burrito -- "Simply peel from the top!" -- with arrows helpfully showing how to remove the aluminum foil. The thick, chewy BBQ Chicken Burrito ($5.75) tastes pleasantly akin to steak sauce, and can be so juicy you wish you had a third fist for hanging onto your napkin.
Where the soft tacos at a place like Taqueria del Sol or Taco Veloz tend to be petite, worth only two to four bites, El Myr's are nearly as large as their burritos, almost qualifying as a meal on their own. The soft tacos and burritos each come with black and pinto beans, Monterey Jack cheese, red leaf lettuce and salsa fresca on whole wheat, lard-free tortillas. Particularly notable is the fish taco ($4.25), which replaces the cheese with tartar sauce -- a light enough portion to keep it from being gloppy and still allowing you to taste the fish meat.
The menu includes such vegetarian-friendly choices as the meatless "Hazeadilla," a vegan quesadilla with mushrooms, broccoli, rice, bell peppers, red onions and spinach, and the impressive, richly flavored green burrito ($5.50), which features spinach, broccoli, guacamole and jalopeos on a spinach tortilla. You can pay extra for ingredients such as sunflower sprouts, tofu and banana peppers, as well as more standard sides.
El Myr's quesadilla tortillas are far too crispy for my tastes, crumbling with every bite. Also, unlike the taquerias that offer complimentary chips and salsa, El Myr charges $3, and they're scarcely worth it. Save the cash for a bag of Doritos and a jar of Pace Picante on the way home.
El Myr Burrito Lounge is located next door to Little Five Points' Variety Playhouse in the modest Barfield building. The structure dates back to 1937, making it, in Atlanta terms, practically as old as the pyramids of Egypt. One interior wall is covered by a huge graffiti mural, and that motif extends to the restrooms, where the blue walls and every other surface are so covered with scribblings that you can barely see yourself in the mirror.
With friendly but lackadaisical service, El Myr is probably more fun as a bar than a dining destination, as it offers nearly 30 kinds of tequila and an excellent jukebox. You can sit at the window by the street and watch the passing of young panhandlers with puppies, or huddle with friends on the sofa and armchair around a coffee table shaped like a painter's palette. But be sure to try some food, as El Myr's renditions of tortilla meals are anything but fake.
