A restaurant that started in Loveland and Greeley has made its way to Fort Collins, and it’s bringing game-changing burritos with it.

El Pueblito’s Mexican restaurant offers a sincere and relaxed experience, as well as some of the best Mexican food in town. However, unlike the unhealthy Mexican food that we’re used to, El Pueblito serves fresh and healthy food that contains no gluten or MSG, as well as lean cuts of meat with little to no fat. Located at 4619 S. Mason St. in Fort Collins, El Pueblito is serving tantalizing food that is both gentle on your wallet and your diet.

Before I get to the amazing burritos, I have to begin where any traditional meal at a Mexican restaurant begins: the chips and salsa. Simply put, this delectable appetizer won’t disappoint. The golden-brown chips are perfectly salted and the thick salsa is armed with the right amount of spice. If the appetizer is any indication of how the whole meal will go, then El Pueblito is starting off strong.

Although I had endless choices for an entrée, I decided to ask what the waitress recommended. I was pointed in the direction of the grande burrito fajita, or what I like to call the “legend of burritos.” Packed with grilled onions and green peppers along with the choice of chicken, pork or steak, this burrito couldn’t get any better. Then, it was smothered in a creamy white cheese sauce.

Other entrees on the menu have an equally compelling makeup. Seafood dishes range from octopus to breaded shrimp to fish tacos. Favorites include a delicious matchup of eggs and Mexican sausage paired with rice and beans, as well as classics like carnitas, chimichangas and chalupas. Vegetarian dishes like mushroom quesadillas, bean burritos and cheese enchiladas are available for veggie lovers, too.

While El Pueblito houses an incredible dinner menu, it’s the lunch menu that should have you excited. Delicious meals like the taco salad and chile relleno special are available for affordable prices. The speedy gonzalez, a taco and enchilada plate, is less than six dollars. This Mexican cuisine is perfect for any student looking for a quick and cheap lunch that tastes anything but quick and cheap.

For those not necessarily looking for a meal but maybe a snack, the special nachos are calling your name. I would recommend the cheese nachos topped with ground beef, chicken, beans, lettuce, tomato and sour cream. Whether you’re sharing this dish with your friends or hogging it all to yourself, these nachos will redefine your definition of delicious.

But don’t think you’re leaving El Pueblito without trying dessert first. The chocolate decadence cake is as rich as it is sweet, and the homemade flan is a legitimate taste of Mexican culture. But the one dessert that you can’t leave without trying is the fried ice cream. Sweet, soft vanilla ice cream rests inside a cinnamon-coated fried shell, and is topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

El Pueblito is the place to go for a quick and delicious lunch, a scrumptious dinner, or a couple margaritas. On a mission to feed the students of CSU, El Pueblito won’t stop cooking greatness until they’ve made a believer out of everyone. They surely made one out of me.

Collegian Entertainment Staff Writer Steven Jacobs can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.