Shanghai Secrets is a column series where we share great places, products, and things to do that would generally, fly under most people's radars. Think, hard to find places, or businesses that "you gotta know someone" to find out about... here are our curated selections of Shanghai's hidden gems.

If you find yourself craving some decent, dirt cheap, Taco Bell-syle-and-then-some Mexican at 2am – who knows what you could be doing at 2am, probably some sort of noble, selfless charitable acts or something – there's a new Mexican restaurant that's open laaaaaaaaate. It's called Burrito El Patron and it's in the food court of the Golden Eagle Mall in the center town area.

That's the crux of the story right there – it's what they call a "pro tip." It's a life hack.

A Little Backstory:

Burrito El Patron is owned and operated by an ex-finance guy from Jiangsu Province, Eugene who gave up the corporate life to pursue his F&B entrepreneurial dreams – a classic Shanghai story. Having worked in a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco during his college days, he's taken the experience gained there, along with his white collar savings, and opened this, his first, humble little counter restaurant in the back corner of the food court on the fourth floor of the mall. He literally reached out to his former boss in the US and said "Hey boss, I want to open a Tex-Mex place in Shanghai. Can you help?" His boss sent him the entire recipe book. #GreatBosses.

If you end up finding your way to the stall instead of ordering delivery, Eugene will probably be there at the cash register. He's a cool guy, that brought a little Americana back with him.

Burritos:

Aesthetically, it comes from a pan-American view of Mexi cuisine, with regional takes on the burrito represented on a surprisingly sizable and diverse menu. American cities are represented in burrito form. Classic flavors come from "California Burrito (45 yuan/US$6.41)," "San Diego Burrito (45 yuan)," and "Mexican Burrito (45 yuan)," and the choices spin out into a "Philly Cheesesteak Burrito (65 yuan)" and even a "NYC Breakfast Burrito (45 yuan)" for people starting their day's at 2 am.

(Batman?)

The top sellers are the "San Francisco Burrito," which features Mexican red rice, the "Chicago Burrito," and the "California Burrito," filled with tater tots. Within the myriad of choices, it's a build-your-own setup, and customers can choose from a variety of proteins, including the chicken thigh, shrimp, and Australian Angus M2 flap steak, along with their sauces and extra fillings.

Tacos and more:

For tacos, they're serving a Cheesy Gordita Crunch (a Taco Bell-inspired creation, but better!). Kudos to Eugene who brought Cheesy Gordita Crunch's to China before Taco Bell did.

Another banger is literally the Bang Bang Shrimp Taco. This is definitely a stand-out. Deep-fried shrimp glazed in a tangy bang-bang sauce, you won't want to share these. For those who are clueless, bang-bang is a popular Asian American fusion sauce that's creamy, sweet and spicy, usually a blend of honey, mayonnaise, and siracha. People swear by their Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos. They're inspired by the tacos of the same name at Bonefish Grill in Florida. These tacos are so popular that a simple Google search will turn up pages of recipes for them.

The Fried Fish Taco is solid too. They've also got empanadas, with the Cheesesteak Empanada being a popular one. There are also a couple of nacho options and totchos (nachos, but with tater tots instead of tortilla chips) apps to share.

Notables:

If you're up past midnight haunting Ele.me, you'll see quite a few other Tex-Mex options. Hell, there's even another Tex-Mex joint in the same mall a stone's throw from Eugene's.

What sets Burrito El Parton apart from the others: The Shrimp.

The Shrimp Burrito, the Shrimp Bowl, and the Bang Bang Shrimp tacos... they don't skimp on the shrimp (like some places). Especially the bowls, it's a real bang for your buck sort of thing.

Prices:

Prices are great. 2006 kinda great. Big, filling burritos mostly at 45 yuan, with the more involved ones around 65 yuan. Tsing Tao and Coronas for 12 yuan if you want to keep the night going. Special discounts for one and two-person combo meals as well.

There you have it. Late, (late, late) burritos (and tacos and tortas and quesadilla) for decent prices. Keep it in your mental rolodex for the next time you're cycling through options for late (late, late) night food. They're open from 10am to 2am, offering both dine-in and delivery services during those hours.

Getting There:

If you're too mashed up to head home and need some tacos to sober up, getting there is a little adventure past 9pm. You'll need to skip the main entrance to the Golden Eagle Mall and enter through the back entrance on Fengxian Road. Once you're inside, take the elevator to the 4th floor. You'll enter into the Mall's food court, which mysteriously, has most places still open handling only delivery orders.

If you go

Opening hours: 10am-2pm

Venue: 4/F, Golden Eagle Mall

Address: 278 Shaanxi Rd N. (Entrance is on Fengxian Rd after 9pm)

Tel: 159-2130-0860, WeChat: QueLiuJin