Jordan Howlett, better known to millions as Jordan The Stallion, published a new video featuring San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. trying the now-iconic Crab Rangoon Burrito from Slurp Thai Street Food. With a combined following of more than 35 million across Instagram and TikTok, Howlett’s reach is massive, and his latest collaboration puts a national spotlight back on one of San Diego’s most talked-about menu items.
In the video, filmed over a kitchen island with a box of the deep-fried creation front and center, Howlett leans into his signature delivery. “I’m gonna get you ready for the game, I got it! The Crab Rangoon Burrito,” he tells Tatis, before handing him a pair of glasses—a nod to his now instantly recognizable on-camera persona. Moments later, the two are dancing, fully committing to the bit. Tatis takes a bite, pauses, then delivers the verdict: “That’s good, that’s really good.”
It’s the kind of crossover moment that feels distinctly San Diego. Howlett, an Oceanside native, has become one of the most influential food creators in the world, building his audience through his “Fast Food Secrets Club” series and understated, deadpan humor. His rise, from sleeping in his car while chasing a baseball dream to commanding tens of millions of viewers per post, has made him one of the region’s most unlikely breakout stars.
And fittingly, the dish at the center of this moment is equally unconventional. Slurp Thai’s Crab Rangoon Burrito has become one of the most viral food items in San Diego in recent years, dominating TikTok and Instagram with its golden, crispy shell and rich, cream cheese-and-crab filling. Originally launched at Liberty Public Market in Point Loma, the $10 creation quickly turned into the restaurant’s defining menu item, drawing lines of customers and millions of views online. Its success has already fueled expansion to North County and an upcoming location at Westfield UTC, cementing it as more than just a trend, it’s a full-blown local phenomenon.
It’s the kind of crossover moment that feels distinctly San Diego. Howlett, an Oceanside native, has become one of the most influential food creators in the world, building his audience through his “Fast Food Secrets Club” series and understated, deadpan humor. His rise, from sleeping in his car while chasing a baseball dream to commanding tens of millions of viewers per post, has made him one of the region’s most unlikely breakout stars.
And fittingly, the dish at the center of this moment is equally unconventional. Slurp Thai’s Crab Rangoon Burrito has become one of the most viral food items in San Diego in recent years, dominating TikTok and Instagram with its golden, crispy shell and rich, cream cheese-and-crab filling. Originally launched at Liberty Public Market in Point Loma, the $10 creation quickly turned into the restaurant’s defining menu item, drawing lines of customers and millions of views online. Its success has already fueled expansion to North County and an upcoming location at Westfield UTC, cementing it as more than just a trend, it’s a full-blown local phenomenon.
That makes the pairing almost inevitable: a viral food star, a viral dish, and a franchise player in need of a spark. Because while the vibes in the video are light, the timing is notable. Tatis has opened the 2026 season in a slump, currently batting .214 with just one RBI and no home runs. For a player of his caliber, considered one of baseball’s most electrifying talents, the slow start has raised early-season questions about rhythm and timing at the plate.
If nothing else, the Crab Rangoon Burrito might be as good a superstition as any. San Diego athletes have long leaned into rituals, routines, and anything that might reset momentum. Whether it’s a specific walk-up song, a pre-game meal, or now, apparently, a deep-fried, cream cheese-stuffed burrito, the logic doesn’t need to be scientific, it just needs to work.
And in a city where food culture and sports culture increasingly overlap, moments like this carry weight beyond the screen. They reinforce how San Diego’s identity is being shaped in real time, not just by wins and losses, but by the places, personalities, and platforms that define what the city looks like to the outside world.
For Slurp Thai, it’s another surge of attention for a dish that has already proven it can break the internet. For Howlett, it’s a homecoming of sorts, spotlighting a local creation with global reach. And for Tatis, it might just be the most unexpected pregame adjustment of the season.
Whether the Crab Rangoon Burrito can help turn things around at the plate remains to be seen. But if it does, San Diego may have just found its most unlikely performance enhancer.
Originally published on March 31, 2026.
