I love Chipotle's rice (white long grain, cilantro, salt). That said, the burritos are not bad - good for a filling, hearty snack.

But I'd still say Moe's and the small Atlanta chain Willy's are better. There is some place called Big House (I think?) in Colo Springs that had a damn good potato burrito.

FYI ... McDonald's sold off its stake in Chipotle after it went public two years ago. The chain started in Denver years ago ... apparently they serve "San Fran-style burritos." What the hell are those?

Labrat: Roving Reporter and Official Cellar Food Critic, at you service.

Friday looks like the weather is gonna be crap (again), so no running outside. Instead, I will work up a super-duper appetite on the treadmill in the morning, then head to our Chipotle for lunch with a pal and a camera.

Stay tuned muchachos!

Chipotle is cool. I like Qdoba better, for some reason. Both are ubiquitous in these parts.

Yay Labrat!
Don't let anyone tell you it's not normal behaviour either - my parents used to take pictures of food to show me when they'd never even heard of the internet...

I think they're normal anyway

ETA - I've just checked their website and have had to wipe a gallon of drool off my keyboard. Burrito salad bowl for me please - I'm not too keen on rice when it comes down to it. Can you tell me the price? Also I'd like then to clarify of "humanely raised" means free range. I suspect it doesn't, or they'd say that. I'll go veggie if I suspect their chickens are battery raised.

All the entrees are roughly US$6, depending on the meat you choose. Guacamole is the only topping that costs extra.

:thepain3:
£3
:thepain3:
That is me, green with envy, feeling the pain.
No wonder tourists complain about food prices in London.

According to a recent study, food prices (grocery store, at least) are 33% lower in Newcastle than in London, and I think most things are outrageous here. At least, I used to. Now I'm sort of used to thinking of the prices in locally relative terms, instead of globally relative terms.

Apparently there is ... one seems to have opened at the mall, but I am unlikely to go there ... a real Mexican restaurant, run by real Mexicans, has opened near the hospital, and we've been ordering from them about once a week.

Which reminds me, I should make a point of getting grub from them for Cinco de Mayo, even though I haven't the vaguest clue of what they're celebrating that day.

From wikipedia:

The holiday commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

From me: I thought it was Independence day, but apparently that happened in september
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo

Despite a rainy morning, the afternoon was perfect for a walk downtown to lunch. As I type this, the clouds are rolling in and the wind is gearing up for another round of storms, so whomever was responsible, a big 'ole thanks!

The outside of our Chipotle, as seen from the direction I came. It is in The Old Capitol Mall. It has a nice covered open air eating section, which is where we chose to sit.

As you walk in, there is a very large sign making you feel guilty for eating anywhere else.

A view of the ordering area, with close up of the menu. Prices average for lunch in Iowa City. $5.50 for vegetartian, $5.85 for chicken, $6.10 for steak, carnicas (pork), or barbacos (shredded spicy beef). I thought it was a sit-down restaurant, but you order and they make it right there. Your choices are burrito, fajita burrito, bowl (no tortilla), tacos, or salad.

Friend #1 ordered chicken burrito, mild tomato salsa. She liked it.

Friend #2 ordered steak with tomatillo green chile medium heat salsa. She said the salsa had just the right amount of heat.