Tasty, fast burritos reach downtown at second That Burrito Place

This afternoon, we're grabbing a quick lunch at the newly opened That Burrito Place, in its second location on the downtown Ithaca Commons. No fancy tablecloths, no wine stewards, just a counter where you can get fresh burritos and similar fare made to your specifications, in a couple of minutes, and get out the door.

Unlike the Collegetown original, the new downtown version of That Burrito Place even has seating upstairs. The space formerly occupied by Juna's Café now sports an assembly line process with food very similar to a Chipotle, known for fresh and fast Mexican take-out. It's very much like the Collegetown spot, with a little bit more breathing room.

TBP offers handmade burritos with your choice of meats, such as chicken, shredded beef, marinated steak, or pork. Besides the meat, each burrito gets a choice of white rice (with cilantro) or Spanish rice, and either black beans or kidney beans. Or skip the meat and go with tofu or guacamole, or just lots of beans. Add peppers and onions if you like, try the corn salsa, and pile on lettuce and cheese. The hot salsa is spicy and tasty without being too hot, and we love the medium salsa verde. I usually ask for a little hot salsa, and a little corn salsa.

Any of the above can be turned into a bowl or a salad instead of a burrito, but I like the portable power of a burrito for carrying my lunch down the street, and there's a bench right nearby. There's no seating at the Collegetown original, but that's OK, there's really no room for you to stick around while people are lining up for their food, anyway. Grab a couple burritos here and a six-pack of Corona from Jason's and have your feast at home. Or, if you really want to sit, visit the downtown branch.

The burritos or burrito bowls or salads are now six or seven bucks, but we think you get your money's worth -- a filled, filling burrito that makes a complete meal. The guacamole is creamy but not all that flavourful, and I'm not sure it's worth two bucks extra on your burrito. Try it out with tortilla chips as a snack or a side, though. The combos come with a fountain drink and tortilla chips for a couple bucks more, and there are bottled sodas and water as well.

Plan on spending seven to eleven bucks for your meal. That Burrito Place is on the 300 block of College Avenue, not far from the Nines, and now on the western block of the Ithaca Commons, between Bank Alley and Moonshadow Tavern. Stop in, visit thatburritoplace.com or campusfood.com, or call 319-0661 for delivery late into the night.