4/5 stars

La Costeña is back. After closing down to allow space for a housing project, the popular burrito shop has reopened in a new location at 235 East Middlefield Road. The favored restaurant has some new changes, but still serves the same great burritos.

The most notable of these changes is that the new La Costeña is now a sit down restaurant. Before, the shop was connected to a market and lacked an indoor seating area. The new restaurant has booths and tables, adding to the eating experience and improving the ambiance of the restaurant.

Another big change is the new ordering system. At the old location, ordering worked like an assembly line. The customer would follow the burrito through its creation and tell the chefs what ingredients he or she desired, much like Chipotle.  After the burrito was complete, the customer would head to the front of the market to pay for it. At the new location, the ordering and payment happens all at once. While this does make things a bit more convenient, it also allows for more errors in crafting the burrito.

Overall, the food still has the same authentic taste.  The menu still has the same popular items such as the chicken mole and the carne asada. The burritos are generously packed with ingredients and come in three different sizes. The prices remained consistent and the menu has not changed with the advent of the new location. All in all, the new La Costeña restaurant provides the same great taste as the old restaurant while also improving the overall environment and experience.