I went to Chipotle today for the first time in a while (3.5 days). I ordered a chicken burrito because I don’t hate myself, and watched as the girl with the crooked-yet-endearing smile flashed me a knowing wink before heaping on great mounds of fire-grilled chicken. During the wrapping stage a new employee encountered trouble when the burrito burst under the girth of its delicious contents, and the girl with the crooked smile was forced to leave her post and assist in wrapping the thing she had so recently designed for my now-gaping maw.
“¡Es un burro!” the novice said, which basically means “This is huge!” but literally translates to “It’s a donkey.”
Indeed it was. A fresh tortilla was steamed to take over where a weaker one had broken and I stood by watching, rapt with delight.
And then I ate it in just under 6.4 seconds.
“Jesus, you eat Chipotle fast,” said my friend Morgan, causing me to beam like a 6 year-old girl who’s just played well at her first piano recital.
“It’s good to be back,” I thought.
-Wetzler
This entry was written by , posted on January 19, 2009 at 8:17 pm, filed under Chipotle and tagged ave, barbacoa, carnitas, chicken burrito, chipotle diaries, steak, university way, uw. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Mmm…carnitas. Like a nice punch in the stomach…
Believe it or not, before two days ago I had never tried a carnitas burrito at Chipotle. This is because I suspected it was bad, and also because I had been told it was bad. Still, I decided to find out for myself, and this is what I found:
First Bites:
Bland, starchy, dry—the first few bites of the carnitas burrito made me think of what it must be like to sit down for your first meal at a minimum security federal prison. This was partially the fault of the person who made the burrito (she dribbled on sour cream as if afraid she might run out later that day), and partially mine for not having the gall to ask for more.
Anyway, the first four bites were the four worst bites I have ever had at Chipotle, and that includes the time I was so eager to dive into a chicken burrito that I accidentally took a bite of the plastic tray.
The Meat of It:
“Naturally raised pork, seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries and freshly cracked black pepper”—I can’t tell whether Chipotle’s describing a food item or a Christmas wreath. Still, the middle of the burrito is where Chipotle shines, and the mixing in of the hot tomatillo, fresh tomato and sour cream actually went better with the carnitas than I would’ve thought, almost making up for the awfulness of the first few bites. Almost…
Finish:
Though most Chipotle burritos end in a cacophony of flavours (spelling intentional), aromas, textures, lemon-rice with cilantro, freshly grilled meat, tomato and spices leaping onto your taste buds and sending Cupid’s arrows into your nostrils, I was disappointed with the carnitas’ finish. I don’t know if it was the composition of the meat but by the end it seemed almost watery, like the rest of the carnitas had dumped all their moisture into the last few bites to form a pool of slush. Finished, I stuffed my napkin into the red plastic basket, looked at Barry and said, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Rating: 4.5/10 CHIPOTLES
For a detailed visual explanation of the CHIPOTLE Rating System, click image below:
Next on Where’s Wetzler?:
Early New Year’s Resolutions: Ten Things I Want to do in 2009
This entry was written by , posted on November 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm, filed under Chipotle and tagged carnitas, Chipotle, disappointmen, prison. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.