BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A longtime Bellingham restaurant is now internet-famous, thanks to food celebrity Alton Brown and a distinctive burrito.
The food show host posted a complimentary video on Facebook after trying the potato burrito at Casa Que Pasa. It has nearly half a million views to date.
"Oh I was stunned, I was stunned,” said kitchen manager Kirsten Henry.
It was a surprising but welcomed celebrity endorsement for a menu item that's already earned prestige among everyday customers.
"I've driven up from Everett just to get a potato burrito and drive back home,” Wade Reinhardt said. “It's that good.”
The potato burrito is a gargantuan combo of pinto beans, chili creme sauce, lots of cheese, and deep fried potatoes, wrapped together in a way that seems to defy the laws of physics.
"I say it's about the size of a medium-sized cat,” Henry said.
The potato burrito is so popular, it makes up 70% of the sales at Casa Que Pasa.
Instagram is full of tribute photos.
And the fame is spreading.
"I took an amazing trip down to Savannah Georgia and was wearing a Casa shirt down there and someone came up to me in a bar,” Henry said. "They said, 'I love that place - the potato burrito!' All the way across the country, as far as you can get from Bellingham."
A jumbo potato burrito costs $10.99 - a pretty good deal considering it weighs in at two pounds.
"I've seen people devour them, once you start you can't stop,” Henry said, laughing. “It's insane.”
The restaurant also boasts a full menu of other Mexican dishes and more than 100 kinds of tequila.
Casa Que Pasa | 1415 Railroad Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225 | 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Daily
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