All Harrisonburg lovers of food, and especially lovers of authentic Mexican cuisine, should be aware of the lovely La Morena less than a mile away from campus on Chicago Avenue. With the weather warming up, it is in an ideal location for a weekend stroll ending in delicious and affordable food. Or, if you feel like staying in, you can order delivery through several different companies. The one I would recommend is GiddyUp, a local delivery service that is conducted entirely by bicycle couriers. They partner solely with local businesses and are surprisingly timely considering they are on bikes rather than in cars. 

Though it has a humble exterior, La Morena houses one of the better kitchens I’ve had the privilege to eat from in Harrisonburg. The kitchen is in full view of customers, and while it seems small and a touch dirty, the best food comes from such places. The same dishes have been created time and again, ingraining their flavors and spunk into the very cookware. Every dish also comes with a multitude of salsas on the side to choose from, including a new peanut based one. As an added bonus, the restaurant also functions as a small supermarket with various beverages and items for purchase – although La Morena are currently renovating that section of the store. I will admit that I am a creature of habit and do have my go-to dish from La Morena, that being the Burrito Supreme. It is simply divine, stuffed full of beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and your choice of any of their proteins or vegetables. However, the buffet of ingredients does not stop there! After this scrumptious sack is sealed and toasted on their press, it receives the final touch, an oozing ladle full of hot melted cheese atop the entire burrito. While it does mean a fork and knife are necessary – unless you enjoy very messy fingers – it is well worth the extra cash to truly make the burrito supreme. These masterpieces of cheesy goodness are one of the more expensive items on the menu, but they still only come out to about eleven dollars after tax. On top of this it is usually enough food for a meal and a snack, if not two meals, making them well worth the extra price. Topped with some of their home-made salsa, it becomes a divine experience to tear into and well worth a try.