Casa Burrito–a home away from home for Winnipeg's burrito boys
When I was completing my university degree I had a hard enough time working three shifts a week at Angus Reid and still finding time for study and family.
I couldn’t believe that Vinay Iyer wanted to open and run his own restaurant while pursuing a computer science degree (his second) at the University of Winnipeg. But that’s when Sarpino’s Pizza vacated some prime real estate directly across from the U of W.
The 23 year-old student wasted no time approaching building owner Hart Mallin about opening a taqueria in the space. Mallin couldn’t believe it either. And neither did the banks that Iyer approached, refusing to finance him and business partner and friend Samuel Engelking.
And it’s not suprising. The pair knew practically nothing about restaurants beyond the dozens of websites (largely food and hospitality) they’d developed while living in Toronto.
But it was from that background, and a hog-town tex-mex hangout called Burrito Boyz, that they’d become inspired and convinced that a taqueria would fly in Winnipeg. Their commitment and vision was their only asset.
It was enough to win the support (both moral and financial) of Iyer’s family back in India. Unbelievably, it also won Mallin who turned down a sound offer from a Pizza Pizza franchisee in favour of the boys.
That was May 2008. Casa Burrito opened that October and has since developed a small, but fiercely loyal clientele.
There’s about ten customers who come in here every day, says Iyer. And one or two from the neighbourhood eat lunch and dinner here daily.
When you taste these burritos, you’ll see why.
