Big Burrito

Big Burrito lives up to its name, serving overstuffed burritos for a nice price ($3.95 to $5.65). This brightly painted Tex-Mex spot in Allston has a casual ranch-style ambiance, with picnic tables and bar stools, and offers many healthier alternatives to fast food. The burritos come in beef, chicken, pork, chili, steak, fish, or veggie versions, and the black beans, rice, cheese, and lettuce packed into the 12-inch tortillas are fresh and mostly fat-free. Healthfulness is a theme here: the salsa, black beans, sour cream, and barbecue marinades are also all fat-free.

Big Burrito cooks up other traditional Tex-Mex fare such as tacos ($1.95 to $2.50) and quesadillas ($2.95 to $3.75). Its spicy signature salad is called the Western, a combination of lettuce, corn, black beans, and cilantro topped with warm tortilla chips and cheddar and jack cheeses ($4.50, $5.50 with meat). For a hot side dish, try the jalapeño-and-cheddar poppers ($1.95 to $3.50), which are red jalapeños covered in cheese, then breaded and fried.

Big Burrito, located at 160 Brighton Avenue, in Allston, is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 562-0440.

-- Theresa Regli