Finding San Diego style Mexican Food in the Bay Area is not very easy. Even though a previous trip to Adalberto’s left Team Burritowings mostly unimpressed, the call of the South is too loud to ignore—at least for Cory and me, the San Diego transplants.

For me this trip was all about the torta. Finding a proper torta is surprisingly difficult in San Francisco. Delicious as they may be, the bread is never quite right. Considering the rolled tacos and carne asada burrito from last trip, chances were pretty good the torta would at least be mostly correct. After all, Adalberto’s is a San Diego restaurant. Even if that deliciousness isn’t fully exportable.

I ordered a grilled chicken torta and hoped for the best; I was not disappointed. The torta was on the exact type of bread I wanted and consisted of chicken, guacamole and lettuce. There may have been some mayo on it as well. The toppings were minimal, but the portion size was excellent, and the grilled chicken was seasoned and moist. As I ate, it fell apart in my hands, as a good torta should. The bread may have been the right kind, but it sure isn’t that sturdy. Eating a gyro is a similar experience; it may be a bit sloppy, but damn it is delicious.

Like Adalberto’s other menu items, the torta wasn’t perfect, but it offered an experience unavailable elsewhere in the Bay. There was no layer of refried beans, an essential element for a torta. However, for this trip it was the bread I was after. Cory had a bean and cheese burrito, and was satisfied with the beans, saying they “got them right”. I grabbed one to go for the next day, and was again, mostly satisfied. The cheap cheese that makes Adalberto’s rolled tacos hard to enjoy at least gets buried in a burrito. It may not be perfect, and Adalberto’s may have some serious flaws, but for the most part they get it right. At least for San Diego style Mex food in the Bay Area.