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Guanabee Labs Tries The Chipotle Burrito And Asks, "Is it Authentic?"
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11 Feb 2010 | 20:28
Comments: 28
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We here at Guanabee labs are dedicated to analyzing American food products based on Latino cuisine in a quest to learn whether or not they are authentic. Products are rated for their ingredients, look and flavor and given a score for each on the Guanabee Authenticity Scale, or G.A.S. The scale ranges from one to five chili peppers-–one being completely Gringofied, and five being ¡Como abuela hacia! Today's test subject:
Chipotle's Burrito
In the world of fast food Mexican, Chipotle Mexican Grill has become the go-to guy for big, fat burrito goodness. (Taco Bell will tear apart your insides like a roto-rooter wrapped in barbed wire.) Chipotle was founded by entrepreneur Steve Ells in Denver in 1993, [Ed. Note: are there Mexicans in Denver?] He later sold it to the evil, gringo payaso Ronald McDonald who spread Chipotles all over the country. In 2006, Ells bought Chipotle back from McDonald's having effectively used their capital to create his tortilla wrapped empire. Now, with over 900 locations you don't have to go far to get your Chipotle on.Ingredients
The burrito was born in Texas in the 1930's and consists of a flour tortilla filled with meat, cheese, beans, and a chili sauce. The burrito at Chipotle is also a combination of a flour tortilla, meat, cheese and beans. First you choose your meat: barbacoa, beef fajitas, chicken, pork carnitas, or veggie. Then you get rice and beans and your choice of lettuce, tomato, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and five different hot sauces ranging from totally mild to slightly hot. So, as far as the ingredients go, Chipotle offers pretty much the same options as a "regular" burrito. What's different from the original, however, is that the meat at Chipotle is organic, hormone free, and free range. The vegetables are also organic and brought in fresh to the stores every day. This differs from the taqueria burritos as they tend to be filled with whatever meat is being sold at the carniceria by the bus station. The organic stuff appeals to the Whole Foods yuppie crowd, and makes them feel good about scarfing down a Mexican meat missile at Chipotle.Four Chiles.
Look
The Chipotle burrito looks like a wonderful package of yum. If one were to go to a taqueria in Juarez and order a burrito from the sixteen year-old pregnant girl waitress with a black eye, [Ed. Note: Don't get mad. Have you ever been to Juarez? That place is crazy!], it would look not unlike the Chipotle burrito. Considering it would have been easy for Chipotle to make their burritos look more festive and wacky, like a southwestern Chinatown black bean wrap at TGI Fridays, we give them points for keeping it real.Four Chiles
Flavor
Flavor is where the Chipotle burrito loses points to the ones you get on the border. The original burrito is extremely flavorful, the meat having been braised for hours or grilled to perfection from marinated meats. The guacamole is homemade and looks like a kaleidoscope of colors. The chili sauce is fire hot, made from chilies picked by the devil himself and served in an old, plastic ketchup bottle. By contrast, Chipotle's burritos taste blander to be more palatable to your average American consumer. This tends to be the case with a lot of Americanized Mexican foods that sacrifice flavor for accessibility. Ultimately Chipotle tastes less like Mexican food and more like...well...Chipotle.Three Chiles
Overall Authenticity
On the G.A.S. scale we give the Chipotle burrito a total of four chilies since it looks and is comprised of the same stuff as the original burrito, but lacks some of the flavor.Four Chiles
What do you think?
- LOL
- CHISPAS
- AY DIOS MIO
- QUE CUTE
- NERDO
- NACO
- CURSI
- QUE COOL
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Comments
Chipotle Grill? Nah, brah, that stuff's wack. You need to try Baja Fresh. Only suburban housewives eat Chipotle Grill.
ReplyOne big minus at Chipotle is the price. Those suckers are expensive! But, I do like that the meat in the Chipotle burrito has very little fat. Whereas a burrito you get at the taqueria contains gristle in almost every bite. Chipotle is definitely not real comida Mexicana...but imo, it does taste good!
ReplyI thought burritos were Californian?
ReplyNope, straight up Texan/Mexican. Proving yet again why the Lone Star State is better (nah, not really).
ReplyDidn't you make someone a suburban housewife?
ReplyWhen it comes to Mexican food, Texas is far superior to California. Sorry, Califas. Of course, you have to go to South Texas.
ReplyOverall Chipotle delivers a quality product. It does lack the mugrita taste though that makes Mexican food so good.
ReplyI beg to differ. You guys are a bunch of pochos. Burritos are authentic MexAmerican food. No self respecting Mexican would be caught dead eating the rice and beans equivalent of a Sherman tank that is a burrito. Moreover, at Chipotle the tortillas are lukewarm at best and the fillings are frozen cold. Mexicans abuelitas would have a conniption. Sincerely, The Grande Enchilada.
ReplyHey, Enchilada, we said it was invented in Texas. So, obvs. we are pochos and PROUD!
ReplyExcept for me. I am Mexican and guerito!
Replyi've never eaten at a Chipolte and probs never will. best burrito is the vegi at bunk ass Karlitas in San jose (on first & gish)
ReplyBest Burrito is made by Mari my maid in Mexico... Pan Arabe... Queso Panela Asado... Aguacatito... Jitomatito... Frijolitos... Pollito Asado... mmm vengase pa dentro papa!!!
ReplyShe made me a suburban housewife.
ReplyYou're all wrong. Everyone knows Cambridge, Massachusetts, has the best Mexican food.
ReplyIsn't authentic Mexican (pre-Colombian, I mean) food like chocolate and worms and chihuahuas, or something?
Replythe burrito in my pants gets 5 chiles and a dollop of sour cream
ReplyThat's just nasty. But funny.
ReplyNice one, "Patrick".
ReplyI luv me some Chipotle and Qdoba!
ReplyChipolte? Oh yeah, the upscale taco bell that stops cold when you order a "just pintos and barbacoa" burrito.
ReplyI'm Cuban but I'm a Texan, and all I'm saying is that if you want burritos and are in a hurry it is a good choice. I would never say it is the best burrito nor better than homemade. And yes, Texas will always beat Cali. ALWAYS.
ReplySo if it was invented in Texas, then why say Chipotle's burritos differs from one you would find in Juarez? Juarez is in the Mexican state of Chihuahua...A burrito has a harness there.
ReplyYou are joking, right? Ask any self-respecting Mexican if they like Tex-Mex tacos and burritos, and you will get a sound hell-no. Example: tacos come with your choice on cilantro, cebolla and salsa, with a side "rabanos" or guacamole. NEVER do they have rice, sour cream or heaven-forbid, lettuce!!! Mexican burritos have meat and salsa, that is it. Again, cheese, sour cream and Gua are a Tex-Mex thing. GUACALA!
ReplySorry, Mexican food is not better in Texas. What you like is called Tex-Mex food. Please do not confuse those two.
ReplyActually, believe it or not, Texas DOES have Mexican food that hasn't been Americanized or fusion-ized.
Replyno, NOT always!!! ;) i mean seriously, the burritos over here in SF (veggie, i don't eat none of that meat crapola) are the fuckin' isssh. meat eaters i often consume burritos with also say the same. BUT, being the dual person i am, i have to say tex-mex is way better and i actually miss it when i'm not in texas. when i'm not in cali, i don't miss cal-mex....most of the time. and in chipolte's defense, you know, sometimes i do want something that resembles mexican food with a different corporate flavor. i will never mistake it for mexican food, but those bell peppers they have are pretty nomnommy.
ReplyGuest, you've obviously never eaten mexican food in south texas, so leave your California tex-mex restaurant experience out of this.
ReplyBut the burrito is not really Mexican. It is Tex-Mex, so your point is moot.
ReplyLogin or Register to contribute.