Baja Fresh Vs Chiptole, a strange tale.

[MustISO]

When Baja Fresh opened here on the east coast it was awesome. Loved it from my first visit. Not sure how it's run now but at the time all the meat was straight off the grill and nothing was sitting in warming bins. The kitchens were open so it was very easy to see what was going on. The shop we went to went down hill after about 2 years and got bad enough that we never went back.

We now have a Chipotle near us and while I do like it a lot I hate the short fat burrito that they use versus the longer thinner type that Baja rolls. It was so much easier to eat the Baja fresh burrito than the ones at Chipotle which just make a mess.

 

[BoomerD]

If I had to choose from the two, I'd pick Baja Fresh every time.

I've only tried Chipotle once...and it was so bad that I said I'd never go back.

I'd MUCH rather have good Mexican food from a "mom & pop" restaurant than anything from the "beloved patriot messican" chain places.

 

[schneiderguy]

Chipotle

high-quality gourmet food

I lol'd.

 

[mnewsham]

Around here chipotle is staffed by the Hispanic kids, and if you order in Spanish, double meat is free.

 

[dingster1]

I only eat Chipotle's salad bowl. I'm sitting right now with a Shrimp bowl from Baja Fresh! Their Diablo shrimp burrito is the bomb!

 

[Anonemous]

One thing that pissed me off when I first went to Chipotle was how they charge for chips and extra salsa.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Around here chipotle is staffed by the Hispanic kids, and if you order in Spanish, double meat is free.

That's cool. The few times I've gone, that put so little food in the burrito that I know they've been trained to premeasure what to put it. For the price, I feel like I'm being ripped-off. And it doesn't even taste that good.

When I go to Ana's Taqueria or Boca Grande(both local places), I get a bigger tortilla and they jam so much food(with more options) in them, it's almost too much for them to close up the burrito. Plus, they're more than a dollar less for a burrito.

 

[Xellos2099]

When Baja Fresh opened here on the east coast it was awesome. Loved it from my first visit. Not sure how it's run now but at the time all the meat was straight off the grill and nothing was sitting in warming bins. The kitchens were open so it was very easy to see what was going on. The shop we went to went down hill after about 2 years and got bad enough that we never went back.

We now have a Chipotle near us and while I do like it a lot I hate the short fat burrito that they use versus the longer thinner type that Baja rolls. It was so much easier to eat the Baja fresh burrito than the ones at Chipotle which just make a mess.

The one I went to grill their shrimp on the spot too. You can just taste it is fresh grill not lurkwarm. I can't be the only one who appreciate a hot meal. Also look their free chip and mango salsa. Before hater, I KNOW Chipotle grill their meat too but it is keep on hot water afterward.

How can anyone say no to this:

 

[Ksyder]

The one I went to grill their shrimp on the spot too. You can just taste it is fresh grill not lurkwarm. I can't be the only one who appreciate a hot meal. Also look their free chip and mango salsa. Before hater, I KNOW Chipotle grill their meat too but it is keep on hot water afterward.

How can anyone say no to this:

I have to agree with you on this one here.

The hot water think you mention is true, but the correct terminology is "steam table."

 

[zerocool84]

Chipotle is water warmed meat? LOL! I guess the guy grilling the meat and chopping it fresh right behind the serving line is just a figment of my imagination.

Can't wait to get home and get a steak bol with guac.

It definitely tastes like it. The meat is bland as hell.

 

[SheHateMe]

Sorry you guys have shitty Chi-pottles near you.

 

[Cobalt]

I live in the Chicago suburbs so there is no shortage of real, and really good, Mexican food around me. Eff that chain garbage.

 

[purbeast0]

I live in the Chicago suburbs so there is no shortage of real, and really good, Mexican food around me. Eff that chain garbage.

oooh you are one of those cool people who is too cool to like food at chain places and can only like real authentic mexican food.

im one of the losers that is only cool enough to like both of them.

 

[shortylickens]

oooh you are one of those cool people who is too cool to like food at chain places and can only like real authentic mexican food.

im one of the losers that is only cool enough to like both of them.

Like I said, I'm surrounded by mexicans. They actually dont make great food most of the time. And many of them LOVE the chains.

Americans are just brainwashed into thinking they gotta have cool things that no one else likes.

Theres 300 million of us. We cant ALL love exotic things. Its impossible. There isnt that much shit in the world to experience.

 

[Mixolydian]

I live in the Chicago suburbs so there is no shortage of real, and really good, Mexican food around me. Eff that chain garbage.

Please share, I need some new places to go to. :hmm:

 

[Cobalt]

Please share, I need some new places to go to. :hmm:

Los Fernandez Taquieria in Streamwood/Hanover Park and El Burrito Fantastico in Roselle are two of my favorites that are close to you.

 

[Mixolydian]

Los Fernandez Taquieria in Streamwood/Hanover Park and El Burrito Fantastico in Roselle are two of my favorites that are close to you.

i will have to try those, thanks!

 

[sjwaste]

baja has more variety but chipotle def fills me up more and it does a fine job at clearing out my pipes. i wish chipotle would add shrimp or some type of fish to their menu. Usually I just get the veggie bowl with guac

I hear you, but it wouldn't work. Everything Chipotle makes is done in batches and held on the steam table. It needs to either hold up on a warmer (chicken thighs, steak) or hold up in its braising liquid (carnitas, barbacoa). Shrimp have to be held cold, cooked to order and served hot. They can't do that, especially during rush times, so food quality would suffer.

Folks can say what they want about Chipotle vs everyone else, but they are consistent.

 

[sjwaste]

Like I said, I'm surrounded by mexicans. They actually dont make great food most of the time. And many of them LOVE the chains.

Americans are just brainwashed into thinking they gotta have cool things that no one else likes.

Theres 300 million of us. We cant ALL love exotic things. Its impossible. There isnt that much shit in the world to experience.

Hahahhaa im laughing because it's true. DC area has a ton of south and central american restaurants. Some of them are horrible. Most are just ok. A select few are excellent. Just like any other cuisine. I lived across the street from the Ballston Chipotle. Mexicans loved that place. And for good reason, it's good food. Might not be 100% authentic, but why does something have to be in order to get consideration?

I lived in Arlington for 6 years. I still can't tell you where to get good Mexican food. There were a couple of incredible Salvadoran places though.

 

[Xellos2099]

Please share, I need some new places to go to. :hmm:

Know any good place by Niles? Somewhere by Fresh Farm.

Food..... has change

No longer it is about fresh, hot, tasty food.

It is endless hours of rush hour, served on steam table or cold.

Chain, and its huge production of lukewarm fast food, has become a well oiled machine

Food has change

ID tagged worker, go to ID tagged chain, ordering ID tagged food.

 

[tcG]

Reasons people don't like Chipotle:

1) They have developed a taste for processed food, low quality fillers, and MSG.

2) They only get the burrito, which is noticeably more bland than the bowl.

3) They went to a bad Chipotle. What you have at Chipotle is high quality food being prepared from scratch - by minimum wage workers. The result is variation in preparation - the culprits I notice the most are chicken that isn't charred and under-seasoned rice. Well-prepared Chipotle is a flavor explosion.

EDIT: 4) They just don't like rice mixed with the ingredients Chipotle uses. Perhaps you like enchiladas or something else. I can understand that.

Note: I live in South Texas and also love authentic - mostly from taco trucks - Mexican food.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Reasons people don't like Chipotle:

1) They have developed a taste for processed food, low quality fillers, and MSG.

2) They only get the burrito, which is noticeably more bland than the bowl.

3) They went to a bad Chipotle. What you have at Chipotle is high quality food being prepared from scratch - by minimum wage workers. The result is variation in preparation - the culprits I notice the most are chicken that isn't charred and under-seasoned rice. Well-prepared Chipotle is a flavor explosion.

EDIT: 4) They just don't like rice mixed with the ingredients Chipotle uses. Perhaps you like enchiladas or something else. I can understand that.

Note: I live in South Texas and also love authentic - mostly from taco trucks - Mexican food.

I dont go to Chipotle when I want Mexican. I go to Chipotle when I want Chipotle. It just happens to be on the lower spectrum of choices for me in my area with so many other better places.

 

[eits]

Chipotle is water warmed meat? LOL! I guess the guy grilling the meat and chopping it fresh right behind the serving line is just a figment of my imagination.

Can't wait to get home and get a steak bol with guac.

I was going to post the exact same thing. I laughed when I read his bullshit explanation as to why BF was more fresh than Chipotle.

By the way, Chipotle gets it's ingredients from local farms. That, I think, is cool.

Also, around here, in DC, where there are a shitload Of Hispanic people, Chipotle wins. You can't want into a Chipotle and not stand in a long line that will take you a good 15 minutes to finally order. The lines wrap around the interior of the restaurant. Probably 60% of that line consists of Hispanic people. I've NEVER seen that at BF.

 

[eits]

Reasons people don't like Chipotle:

1) They have developed a taste for processed food, low quality fillers, and MSG.

2) They only get the burrito, which is noticeably more bland than the bowl.

3) They went to a bad Chipotle. What you have at Chipotle is high quality food being prepared from scratch - by minimum wage workers. The result is variation in preparation - the culprits I notice the most are chicken that isn't charred and under-seasoned rice. Well-prepared Chipotle is a flavor explosion.

EDIT: 4) They just don't like rice mixed with the ingredients Chipotle uses. Perhaps you like enchiladas or something else. I can understand that.

Note: I live in South Texas and also love authentic - mostly from taco trucks - Mexican food.

Where in South Texas? My ex-gf's dad lives in McAllen.

 

[diesbudt]

What I find interesting is Chipotle's quality really changes between stores.

Last 6 or so years lived in East Ohio, and the Chipotle there was amazing. Not only was the meat really good and normally fresh as it was always busy thus rarly meat just sat around. But the Burritos were stuffed to the point the tortilla would rip and they would have to double wrap it.

For the last year now I have lived in middle indiana, and I can say, the chipotle here in no way shape or form compares to the one I ate at in Ohio.