The Chipotle Thread

[impolyt_one]

I like the standard fajita burrito, I get all of the salsas, sour cream, and lettuce and cheese, guacamole on the side to dip in alternation. Ate a lot of those through college.

Brian, there's a new taco place in Seoul, they've ripped their interior scheme and menu setup off Chipotle for the most part. The food is a bit different but it actually tastes GOOD, if it were in the US I'd still possibly frequent it, they're doing things mostly right, even a tortilla machine at the front with an LA area code phone number on the service/repair sticker. Really surprising. The location is generally ****** (Jongro 3-ga up from Kyobo bookstore, and then a store at COEX) but it's halfway between my house and Dongdaemun where I go everyday, so it's magically convenient for me. It's fast food rather than family style (ie On the Border) but it's still pretty expensive, 13,000w for two carne asada tacos and a coke. I've been requesting double tortillas on mine lately and they do it for me since I'm a repeat customer, so that is nice, their tortillas are pressed hella thin but taste great since they're fresh. The rest of those places in Korea have a lot to learn now, to catch up.

 

[tacitvs]

I eat here almost every Friday. Barbacoa Burrito is tops, especially with the Fajita veggies and spicy sauce. I am lucky it is 20 mins away or I probably would be about 15 pounds heavier!

 

[Cavalier]

I haven't had chipotle in months and I am actually starting to miss it.. Going to start ordering bowls + extra rice, beans and fajita veggies to make it two meals like others have said.

Can't wait to get back to Columbus though where I have my choice of many taco trucks

 

[ruben]

People are too quick to praise stuff based soley on some misplaced idea of authenticity.

I know too many pople, who can't get enough ******, "authentic" mexican, no matter how half-asses the preparation, and can't wait to snarkily judge anyone who walks into a mecian chain.

I'm not a huge chipolte fan, but I have a feeling those who are aren't under any delusions that it's authenticly mexican, they probably just like the way it tastes.

I've sat through plenty of terrible "authentic" meals (Chinesse, Mexican etc) surrounded by people ignoring how bad everything tasted because they wanted to feel supperior.

I'm not saying un-americanized Chinesse, or Mexican or whatever is bad, I'm just saying it's not intrinsicly better than versions of the cuisine influenced by america, and it's more than possible to perpare it badly.

 

[forex]

Holy ****,such a long threak.Chipotle is good,I used to almost eat there everyday but it gets to you,you can't eat that mexican **** everyday.

 

[tacitvs]

Originally Posted by ruben

People are too quick to praise stuff based soley on some misplaced idea of authenticity.

Completely agree. And that can be said for a lot more than just food can't it?

 

[ConcernedParent]

Originally Posted by ruben

People are too quick to praise stuff based soley on some misplaced idea of authenticity.

I know too many pople, who can't get enough ******, "authentic" mexican, no matter how half-asses the preparation, and can't wait to snarkily judge anyone who walks into a mecian chain.

I'm not a huge chipolte fan, but I have a feeling those who are aren't under any delusions that it's authenticly mexican, they probably just like the way it tastes.

I've sat through plenty of terrible "authentic" meals (Chinesse, Mexican etc) surrounded by people ignoring how bad everything tasted because they wanted to feel supperior.

I'm not saying un-americanized Chinesse, or Mexican or whatever is bad, I'm just saying it's not intrinsicly better than versions of the cuisine influenced by america, and it's more than possible to perpare it badly.

It's the bastardization that bothers most people. When white surburbanites start thinking Panda Express is good chinese food we have a problem.

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by ConcernedParent

It's the bastardization that bothers most people. When white surburbanites start thinking Panda Express is good chinese food we have a problem.
That's definitely one side of it. I don't think it's as black and white as ruben describes, though. A majority of the people who are championing authenticity are doing so because it either a) tastes better on the whole or b) tastes better to them because that is what they have grown up with. I mean, I personally don't know anyone who eats **** on a regular basis just to impress someone else or make themselves appear superior; it's possible but can hardly be called a significant part of the population since people usually taste, chew, and swallow food for themselves. I also don't buy the generalization of the lack of preparation. It completely depends on which restaurants you're comparing, ie, a taco stand vs. El Torito isn't the same as a taco stand vs. Del Taco. And for that matter, for the people that are buying "authentic" just for its sake there are just as many people buying the Americanized version because they can't handle anything else. The real irony, however, is how some people would rather go down to Del Taco for a cheap ground beef taco than a well-known taco stand for a cabeza taco when not only would the taco stand be "better prepared" but would also be using the same kind of meat anyway.

 

[Johnny_5]

I was in the mood for some authentic Mexican so I went to chipotle today

. I was Really disappointed since it was badly rolled and came apart after the first bite. It just goes to show that a burrito can only be as good as the person who rolls it.

 

[ChicagoRon]

On Authenticity.... I am a lover of authentic ethnic foods... I eat most of my Chinese food in a "china town" of sorts.. but that doesn't mean Panda Express doesn't taste good (ok.. maybe that one is a bad example).

I compare it to NY vs. Chicago or California Pizza. To me.. Chicago and Cali Pizzas are not really Pizza. But they taste good. So what if they're different. What's in a name? The important thing is flavor.

If I had a choice between the ladies making fresh tortillas on Sunday morning at the Maxwell St. Market or Chipotle right next to each other right now.. I'd pick the former. But if I can't get to the market.. sometimes Chipotle will do for a quick lunch. I don't see any harm, especially if the alternative is a burger and fries.

 

[oodam]

Exactly. It may not be the most authentic thing, but that's not to say that there's anything wrong with it, as fast food goes. Especially for myself as a vegetarian, I can often find more to eat at "Americanized" places than authentic ones.

 

[Blog Marley]

anyone know any good authentic mexican spots in N.Va or the GWU area?

 

[Ahab]

Because I am totally into authentic Mexican food I sometimes get my burrito to go, take it home and open up an authentic can of chili, nuke it, pour it on my now naked burrito and then top with cheese, onions and whatever. Just like they used to do in Mexico 100 years ago.

 

[Stokely]

****. I wish I lived in Frisco. Mission Street.

 

[esquire.]

I don't care about authenticity; I just care about flavor and taste.

There was this small Mexican place by me that hand made their tortillas, but it didn't really matter in the end because you literally had to bring in a packet of salt and a lime with you to flavor their under seasoned food.

In the same vein, I don't really care about the conditions under which Chipolte's food was raised, if it is free range or organic or hand raised by Farmer John, unless that translates to a better tasting food.

I went to Chipolte's for the first time this week to take advantage of their buy 1 get 1 free special and because I've been curious about their food given their stock price, but I thought it was still over priced even with this special. I knew their burritos were going to be more expensive because they pay more for humanely raised meat, but where's the beef?

I couldn't even taste the difference in their meat because they overloaded their burritos with cheap filler crap like rice and beans. You could have substituted the industrial beef every other fast food place uses, and it would have tasted the same in those burritos.