BY GENNA RIVIECCIO| If you aren’t familiar with a bäco by now, all you need to know is that it’s half-pita, half-burrito goodness that takes the concept of fusion in Mexican cuisine to the next level. The expansion of restaurateur Josef Centeno’s Fourth and Main empire is at last branching out of the downtown area and into the Westside, specifically Culver City.
Open for lunch as well as dinner, BäcoShop will offer what’s been sorely lacking from the Westside vicinity: quality food that’s quick (there’s counter service, too) and affordable. With so many offices and studios nearby, there’s no doubt that Centeno’s location choice is going to yield successful results to the famished working crowd. Though Centeno already has a slew of restaurants Downtown – the latest of which was the vegetarian-centric Ledlow – this is the first time he has gone for a more reasonably priced menu.
And with the versatility of the bäco shell, which can accommodate just about any filling – and usually does – the perfect doughy texture is sure to enhance any of the flavors your heart so desires, whether grilled steak or Chile shrimp. For those quintessential Angelenos looking to stay on the even healthier side, the selection of salads and side vegetables will also please the palate (though the buttermilk cucumbers might be breaking the calorie bank). Or, if you’re in an inexplicable rush to get back to your cubicle, there’s also the Grab & Go section, featuring hummus and pomegranate and walnut dip, among others.
Best of all, BäcoShop also serves beer (including their signature BäcoBeer Sumac Imperial IPA) and wine to make for the perfect pairing and midday pick-me-up. If you’re really looking to indulge, both in taste bud delights and time spent, don’t leave without getting one of the desserts: a simple but decadent choice of the daily soft serve flavor, rice pudding or a chocolate cookie.
