Jalapeños’ breakfast tacos are the perfect wake-up call

I was introduced to Jalapeños Mexican Restaurant when I started working in downtown Lansing nearly 10 years ago. Before then, I never understood the appeal of breakfast burritos. Mixing eggs and salsa together sounded disgusting. But I was young and foolish. Now, I’m pretty much addicted to breakfast burritos.

The small Tex-Mex eatery on South Washington Square is one of the oldest restaurants downtown. The menu features burritos, nachos, tacos, enchiladas and other Mexican staples, served with a side of rice and beans, a bag of chips and a choice between mild and hot salsa.

While Jalapeños is a great option for lunch, it’s the breakfast menu that keeps most customers coming back. Anyone who works downtown has probably had breakfast delivered from Jalapeños to celebrate employee birthdays or other special occasions. However, you don’t need an excuse to pop in on a work break and grab one of the famous breakfast burritos, whether ham, bacon, sausage, chorizo or vegetarian. All options are stuffed with a basic mixture of eggs, cheese and hash browns. The burritos are already huge, but if you want a little extra, you can add other fillings for an additional fee.

I try to get breakfast from Jalapeños at least once a month as a special treat. Although I love the vegetarian breakfast burrito, it’s extremely filling. So, if I want a lighter option, I order a veggie breakfast taco with mild salsa. It’s basically a smaller version of the burrito, and it’s just as good, though messier to eat. Since the tortilla isn’t fully wrapped around the fillings, they’ll probably leak out, especially if you order any extra sauces or ingredients. For that reason, I’d recommend asking for some plastic silverware.

Still, the veggie taco is delicious. The eggs are fried to fluffy perfection, the small hash brown pieces are nice and crispy, and there’s plenty of cheese. If you haven’t experienced the combination of eggs and salsa, prepare to have your mind blown. What once seemed disgusting to me now feels like the best food pairing since chocolate and peanut butter. The salsa gives the taco an extra bit of spice that really wakes you up in the morning.

It’s easy to see why Jalapeños has endured while other downtown Lansing restaurants have come and gone over the years. Hopefully, it will remain a staple for residents and visitors for many years to come.