Chipotle's Mexican Grill

[rotuts]

I didn't see a thread on CMG , so I though Id start one.

 

Im a big fan of Carnitas Burritos.

 

we all know about CMG's various issues over the last few years.

 

there is one not far from me , so I was out and about and decided to take a CMG carnitas burrito home.

 

hopefully I won't be taking a few hits for the team later.

 

Ice cold Tecate at home  you see.

 

I added a bit of everything to the burrito.  including guacamole. the didn't add very much , but its part of the burrito I enjoy at Mex-Tex places I know

 

there is one of those that makes a great carnita burrito near me, with pork that's been crisped up before filling the burrito.

 

CMG  is a fast food sort of place as you work you way along the counter pointing to what you want added to your dish.  the carnitas is soft , and their business model

 

would not support crispin up that pork.

 

the food was very good. considering this is a chain and not a hole in the wall.

 

Ill go again.  is was 8 bucks for the burrito , and then 2 bucks for the not very much guacamole.  that guac must be their gold mine.

 

it was a substantial amount of food.  tasty food.

 

so if you are out and about , and only see various chains and are in a hurry.

 

consider CMG

[MelissaH]

My usual is a barbacoa burrito, black beans (well drained), brown rice, corn salsa, lettuce, cheese, and just a touch of sour cream. I never saw the sense of adding guac when you have sour cream, as their role seems pretty similar.

[MSRadell]

We've never been a lover of Chipotle's, try them a few times when they first opened but have not been back. We have too many other local Tex-Mex places around as well as some very authentic ones that have better food at cheaper prices. Of course all the issues they had with salmonella etc. over the last few years hasn't helped our view of the place either.

[Porthos]

Haven't been in a couple of years. No particular reason. I go for the carnitas bowl with black beans and I don't remember what else. For us it is a change-of-pace place. Don't hate  - don't love it.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@MSRadell,

 

That is my view on Chipotle's chain, too. I can go to my choice of sit down restaurants of either the Tex Mex variety or authentic taquerias and Mexican or Salvadoran restaurants around here cheaper. Gorditas (no, not like Taco Bell's misnomer), sopes, huaraches, pupusas and complimentary salsa bar, anyone?

 

I won't say the food is better, because the only time i darkened the door of our local outlet, my husband and I looked at the line, looked at the prices, and walked out to go visit a more welcoming place. If I have to stand in line and pay a la carte for every little nickel and dime addition, it better be at a discount, not a premium.

 

I do respect their philosophy of purchasing better raised ingredients, and wish them much success. The more mainstream demand for better products, the more the costs of supplying them will be brought down for all of us.

[Dave W]

CMG is fine I guess, I usually only hit them up when I have a 2/1 coupon and then I can get 2400 middle of the road Mexican tasting calories for my $9 purchase. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

It will be hard for Chipotle to get a foothold here, at least with me, with places like Rancho Grande and The Esmeralda Grill to contend with.

[Toliver]

Too bad they don't have drive-thru's! But they an eco-minded company and drive-thru's are an "eco-no-no" for them. 

So I wave at the Chipotle while driving thru the nearby In & Out restaurant. 

[KennethT]

They're everywhere here in Manhattan...  I have 2, each within 2 blocks of my apartment (although 4 blocks apart from each other).  While we have some new, good quality mexican places that are more authentic than Chipotle, Chipotle is cheaper - unless you want to go to the outer boroughs like parts of the Bronx, far away in Brooklyn.... then those Mexican places are really good, and cheap... but here in Manhattan, good and cheap are almost always mutually exclusive...

[rotuts]

for a National Chain , in spite of their Troubles

 

they are doing a fine National Job.

 

hole in the wall Mex-Tex probably always better  ..........

 

@Toliver 

 

probably in Bakersfield their are many M-T's hole in the walls.

 

kudos your way for that 

[Toliver]

Oy!

"Chipotle Is Finally Adding Drive-Thrus, but You Can't Order From Them"

Quote

Chipotle is trying to move us into the future by adding drive-thrus to its existing locations, but the twist is that you won't be able to order at them. They'll be used to furnish burritos ordered online or via its app.

I understood they were originally against drive-thru's because drive-thru's are bad for the planet, overall. Wasted gas while waiting in the drive-thru, exhaust fumes, yada, yada, yada.

And now?...so much for "Save the Planet". 

Now they've given in and they're going to finally have drive-thru's...that you can't order from!

Maroons! [/Bugs Bunny] 

 

[rotuts]

Chipotle send me some coupons.

 

there is a new location about 3 miles from me.

 

so I went there and got the three soft corn carnitas tacos.

 

I decided to eat them there as they didn't look like they would enjoy even a short trip to my house,

 

and a free Chips and Queso.

 

Ive had the carnitas burritos and brought them home and microwaved then to get them hot.

 

the carnitas at Chipotle is not fried at the end of cooking , like most Tex-Mex places

 

which for me makes the dish.   but it was not bad.

 

the tacos were over all OK :   corn tortillas , heated and soft , a little brown rice , some black beans , carnitas

 

the some hot salsa , cheese , sour cream and lettuce.

 

I didn't see any chopped onions 

 

the problem is that all the condiments are ice cold.   when added to the hot items for your taco

 

the net effect is a cloddish taco.

 

now that queso ;  seems like cream cheese w pimento , melted into a hot glop w some green bits in it

 

it was awful .   just to review ;  awful.

 

I dumped it out immediately .   the chips were thin , crunchy w no memorable flavor at all.

 

Ill stick to an occasional carnival burrito and bring it home to the micro when Im too lazy to go one town

 

over for one of the best carnitas burrito Ive ever had :  pork crisped up from a small hole in the wal

 

where very tittle english is spoken and all the fillings are home made.

Edited November 7, 2018 by rotuts (log)

[Chimayo Joe]

The taquerias here do carnitas very much better than Chipotle, but a carnitas bowl is still what I'm most likely to get if I'm at Chipotle. Less likely to get a barbacoa or sofritas bowl but I enjoy those, too. I don't like the gummy tortillas they use for their burritos. The cold condiments don't bother me because I always get takeout from Chipotle, and it gets zapped briefly in the microwave when I get home. I think Chipotle's guacamole is pretty good, but I don't care for their chips, so I just buy the guacamole and use supermarket chips at home.

Thanks for the warning on the queso. It's not something I'd be likely to get, but I'll definitely avoid it now.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[rotuts]

Ive ' followed' Chipotle vis the WSJ for some time.

 

I dont ' look it up '

 

I just read articles in the WSJ and NYT's about various business ' that interest me

 

SBX etc

 

this isn't for ' profit '  just an interesest in certain things

 

mostly food related

 

and CMG has had its issues and problems.

 

no matter to me.

 

the newer Chipotle is about 3 miles from another

 

odd

 

I will say this about their food and the food ' model '

 

the food to me is ' very good '

 

that is a way of saying all the stuff tastes to me like top quality food.

 

Top Shelf.

 

and you get your dollar's worth , esp if you ask for a little more rice , a little more ' salsa '

 

and the servers do not mind doing that.

 

but

 

there is very little ' Mex ' in the carnitas , they might have used cumin

 

but the owners have chosen a middle  ' non offensive ' path

 

the salsa either has no heat , or at the top  not too much

 

they did have tabasco sauce that you could add to your order near the napkins

 

and good for them , the green tabasco.

 

but nothing there reminded me of Pico de Gallo

 

and the like

 

remember :

 

this is a thought out Chain

they seem to be looking for a middle of the road

 

providing no affiance to any one

 

but supplying a decent amount of food , or a bit more if you ask

 

for a very reasonably price

 

I think I ve read they are going to do all sorts of new stuff

 

that will take time to do that

 

so much for the Swells counting their Beans

 

and missing the point :

 

salsa-ier salsa

 

some coriander in the carnitas

 

and dump that glop they call Queso

 

too bad they and McD  did not consult with me  

 

[ ed: at a very reasonable long tern premium : McD just melt the cheese ]

 

 

[Chimayo Joe]

Chipotle probably added queso to their menu because their main competitor Qdoba has it, and people were asking for it.  I've never had Qdoba's either.  

 

I'm less likely to go to Qdoba, but when I do,  my preferred order is loaded tortilla soup(Qdoba used to call it Mexican Gumbo.)  It's been a long time since I've been there, quite a while since I've been to Chipotle, as well.  I looked at Qdoba's menu a couple of minutes ago and noticed they have smoked brisket as one of their meat choices.  I don't recall seeing that before, but I may have just forgotten what Qdoba offers.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[quiet1]

8 hours ago, Chimayo Joe said:

Chipotle probably added queso to their menu because their main competitor Qdoba has it, and people were asking for it.  I've never had Qdoba's either.  

 

I'm less likely to go to Qdoba, but when I do,  my preferred order is loaded tortilla soup(Qdoba used to call it Mexican Gumbo.)  It's been a long time since I've been there, quite a while since I've been to Chipotle, as well.  I looked at Qdoba's menu a couple of minutes ago and noticed they have smoked brisket as one of their meat choices.  I don't recall seeing that before, but I may have just forgotten what Qdoba offers.

 

 

The Chipotle queso is so gross they need to figure something else out immediately. It is nasty.

[btbyrd]

The problem is that queso is an inherently unnatural product, and Chipotle is wedded to only using "real" ingredients (for better or worse). Thankfully, their guac more than makes up for their queso.

 

Every time I visit one of Chipotle's competitors, I'm disappointed. Moe's and Q'doba just aren't as good; they have too much behind the counter that they cared too little about. Muddy tasting rice. A million mediocre sauces and salsas. These places never tried to brand themselves on the quality or provenance of their ingredients because they can't. Variety may be the spice of life, but it's the death of quality in a fast casual dining establishment. Chipotle does more by doing less.  They should take that queso off the menu.

[BeeZee]

Of the "fast casual" type Tex-Mex chains, I liked Baja Fresh the best. Unfortunately they closed the one near my office a couple of years ago. They have a fresh salsa bar with 6 types of salsa, usually hot, med, mild (green?), pico, and 2 seasonals (IIRC) plus fresh chopped cilantro and some other stuff.

[rotuts]

I will say this about Chipotle :

 

the food they use is of high quality.

 

they've dumbed down the Mex flavor to not offend anyone, a business choice Id say

 

but if i were out and about , and hungry 

 

and no ShakeShack nearby  ( the smokeshake , no fries )

 

Id be very happy with a Chipotle Fill-Up.

 

I can wait for the cilantro and cumin at home .

Edited November 9, 2018 by rotuts (log)

[quiet1]

On 11/8/2018 at 4:27 PM, btbyrd said:

The problem is that queso is an inherently unnatural product, and Chipotle is wedded to only using "real" ingredients (for better or worse). Thankfully, their guac more than makes up for their queso.

 

Every time I visit one of Chipotle's competitors, I'm disappointed. Moe's and Q'doba just aren't as good; they have too much behind the counter that they cared too little about. Muddy tasting rice. A million mediocre sauces and salsas. These places never tried to brand themselves on the quality or provenance of their ingredients because they can't. Variety may be the spice of life, but it's the death of quality in a fast casual dining establishment. Chipotle does more by doing less.  They should take that queso off the menu.

 

Our local Mexican place makes queso dip with sour cream, the right sort of Mexican cheese (which I am blanking on at the moment, it’s white and of medium density - not crumbly but not too soft - and plain the flavor isn’t super exciting,) and sometimes a sharper/stronger cheese (honestly I think they use up bits they have around that will melt,) and hot peppers. Nothing inherently unnatural there unless the cheese is a very stealth Cheez Food[tm] product. Maybe the right stuff in bulk is cost-prohibitive?

[MelissaH]

The last few times we've eaten at Chipotle, we've been disappointed. It seems like as they've expanded, they may have lost some of their QC, leading to the uneven results we're experiencing of late. That said, I think they're still better than Qdoba or Moe's or Fajita Grill (the only one like it in our town and god forbid I get hauled there). I tend to stick with the menu items they've always had, rather than the new stuff that appears periodically.

 

Last time we were in Rochester, we looked at the Chipotle, looked at each other, and instead headed across the street to a Chipotle-like Indian-ish restaurant called Naan-Tastic. Right now, I think it's a one-off rather than a chain, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it expand in the future. The general concept is about like Chipotle: you choose the general format for what you want (burrito, bowl, or naan taco), and then you choose each component (base, protein, sauce, extras, and finish). We enjoyed it, and should we find ourselves in the neighborhood again, we'd return rather than hitting up the Chipotle. The big difference between the two, apart from Mexican vs. Indian, is that there are a TON of choices. I always thought the genius of Chipotle was that the options are limited (although there are still a LOT of ways to mix and match them to get something you like), which in theory should make it easy to consistently turn out the product you expect to get. I wonder if not just the geographic expansion but the menu expansion is at the root of the issue we've tasted.

[quiet1]

17 hours ago, MelissaH said:

The last few times we've eaten at Chipotle, we've been disappointed. It seems like as they've expanded, they may have lost some of their QC, leading to the uneven results we're experiencing of late. That said, I think they're still better than Qdoba or Moe's or Fajita Grill (the only one like it in our town and god forbid I get hauled there). I tend to stick with the menu items they've always had, rather than the new stuff that appears periodically.

 

Last time we were in Rochester, we looked at the Chipotle, looked at each other, and instead headed across the street to a Chipotle-like Indian-ish restaurant called Naan-Tastic. Right now, I think it's a one-off rather than a chain, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it expand in the future. The general concept is about like Chipotle: you choose the general format for what you want (burrito, bowl, or naan taco), and then you choose each component (base, protein, sauce, extras, and finish). We enjoyed it, and should we find ourselves in the neighborhood again, we'd return rather than hitting up the Chipotle. The big difference between the two, apart from Mexican vs. Indian, is that there are a TON of choices. I always thought the genius of Chipotle was that the options are limited (although there are still a LOT of ways to mix and match them to get something you like), which in theory should make it easy to consistently turn out the product you expect to get. I wonder if not just the geographic expansion but the menu expansion is at the root of the issue we've tasted.

 

That Indian-ish place sounds like exactly what my SO would LOVE. What a good idea.

[rotuts]

there is one of these in Cambridge MA , and they have a second outlet in the area

 

the food is very good , and similar prices to Chipotle.   I usually get the lamb and its tender and not grizzly.

 

wish there were more of them

[MelissaH]

I'd even settle for a Chipotle to replace the Fajita Grill in my town. Or instead of the Taco Bell that's going to be opening up across town from me.

[captaincarl]

On 11/12/2018 at 10:08 AM, MelissaH said:

Last time we were in Rochester, we looked at the Chipotle, looked at each other, and instead headed across the street to a Chipotle-like Indian-ish restaurant called Naan-Tastic. Right now, I think it's a one-off rather than a chain, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it expand in the future. 

OMG, I was there earlier this year, and ate there, and it was amazing!  I was hoping that it was already a regional phenomenon that hadn't yet expanded into my home area.  And I DO hope it expands!