# I chase that burrito dragon... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104 "2016-02-03T22:41:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/21 "2016-02-04T03:30:44Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > What I don’t get is people who are on the one hand saying that XXXX isn’t “authentic [insert ethnicity] food”, and on the other saying they’d rather go to their local authentic [insert ethnicity] food joint. You might as well say Chipotle isn’t real authentic Mexican, so you’re going to get fondue. > > A) Chipotle isn’t \*not \*Mexicanish. It’s got beans, rice, cilantro, dead cows, pico/salsa… all the components of foods I’ve enjoyed in Mexico. The gigantic rolled in a flour tortilla presentation isn’t common to Mexico, but if I deconstructed it and served it with warm corn tortillas, it would pass a real Mexican food in places I’ve eaten in Mexico. > > But even more, B) If it’s not Authentic Mexican Food, then why would I go to an Authentic Mexican Restaurant when I want Chipotle? They won’t have what I want. > > When I want real tacos with lengue and cilantro and white onions, I go to a taqueria. When I want Chipotle, I go to Chipotle. I second this. I’ve never claimed Chipotle to be authentic mexican. I’ve only claimed that I like their style of food wrapped in a tortilla. And for some reason, every now and then, you get an amazing tortilla-wrapped food to die for. Though that Santacruz place linked to above does look pretty damn tasty too! [This](http://www.yelp.com/biz/mucho-mas-north-hollywood) is my goto place for authenticier Mexican burritos…The Chile Verde is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. Plus it is stumbling distance to my house. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/22 "2016-02-04T04:06:57Z")
The one time I ate at a Chipotle, I got the most incompetent burrito I’ve ever had. I don’t mean _bad_ - I mean _incompetent_. As in, it wasn’t so much a burrito as a tortilla wad. It wasn’t wrapped, it was bundled. It looked like it should be tied to the end of a stick and carried by a hobo. Didn’t taste all that great, either. Probably not fair to write off the entire chain off of one bad experience, but considering I’d have to drive past five family owned Mexican restaurants just to get to the nearest Chipotle franchise, I’ve never bothered to try them again. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/23 "2016-02-04T04:40:10Z")
I ate Chipotle tonight. I don’t know what a burrito dragon is, but my burrito bowl, as usual, buckled my knees in delight. I had to sit down while I was sitting down. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/24 "2016-02-04T04:42:33Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I ate Chipotle tonight. I don’t know what a burrito dragon is, but my burrito bowl, as usual, buckled my knees in delight. I had to sit down while I was sitting down. Does it always do that to you? Or only once every 10th or so time? If the latter, then that’s what I’ve been yammering on about. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/25 "2016-02-04T05:11:16Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Does it always do that to you? Or only once every 10th or so time? If the latter, then that’s what I’ve been yammering on about. I would say once every tenth time I have a less-than-spectacular bowl. It’s that 1-in-10 that I always hope to avoid. Call it the burrito mosquito. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/26 "2016-02-04T06:26:22Z")
I sent my daughter to pick up Chipotle this evening. Pretty good burrito, even if I _am_ paying for it with some heartburn. Still, it’s the only way I’ll ever eat their food. I don’t have any patience with the idea that I need to personally supervise the construction of my burrito. I have a similar attitude toward Subway and sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/27 "2016-02-04T08:02:27Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Great googly moogly, if you have access to California Mexican food, why in God’s name would you go to a Chipotle? It has never occurred to me to go to Chipotle, but reading all this about some kind magical burrito does have me curious. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/28 "2016-02-04T12:23:45Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Tacquiera Santa Cruz does not use lard, **WordMan** , thus they get my (vegetarian) business. Ah, there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/29 "2016-02-04T14:29:51Z")
I love Chipotle and agree that snubbing it because it isn’t ‘authentic’ is fairly pointless. I’m in Ohio so there isn’t exactly “authentic” Mexican food available here. I don’t know anyone who thinks “Oh, a burrito bowl with chicken from Chipotle is just like being in Mexico!”. It is damn a delicious, filing, and fairly reasonably priced restaurant. I also find the comments about empty stores due to the e-coli stories, etc., to be interesting. We get food from Chipotle once or twice every couple weeks and I’ve never been there when there wasn’t a line of people nearly to the door. Every single time. I’d be curious to see how much sales are really down because my anecdotal evidence is people kept showing up for their crack burrito! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/30 "2016-02-04T14:38:37Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I also find the comments about empty stores due to the e-coli stories, etc., to be interesting. We get food from Chipotle once or twice every couple weeks and I’ve never been there when there wasn’t a line of people nearly to the door. Every single time. I’d be curious to see how much sales are really down because my anecdotal evidence is people kept showing up for their crack burrito! 🙂 [It’s really a thing](http://qz.com/607133/chipotle-finally-solved-its-problem-with-long-lines/). In fact, when my wife and I went last night at dinner time (around 5), there were two tables occupied by four people. Obviously no line. We went there for lunch a few weeks ago, and I don’t remember the exact numbers of diners, but there was definitely no line, which was strange for this location at lunch time. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/31 "2016-02-04T15:23:43Z")
I’ve had Chipotle a handful of times; they’ve been solidly good, but nothing spectacular. When I want a burrito, [Freebird’s](http://freebirds.com/)is my first choice. Been eating their burritos since I started college in Fall 1991. Quick question for the Californians- are tamales not a thing in California-Mex? I looked at the menus of both the places listed, and didn’t see a single tamale on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/32 "2016-02-04T15:30:53Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > [It’s really a thing](http://qz.com/607133/chipotle-finally-solved-its-problem-with-long-lines/). In fact, when my wife and I went last night at dinner time (around 5), there were two tables occupied by four people. Obviously no line. We went there for lunch a few weeks ago, and I don’t remember the exact numbers of diners, but there was definitely no line, which was strange for this location at lunch time. I could see location (within a city center, suburb, and by city/state) may be a factor. The main location we go to is immediately adjacent to our downtown and right by the city municipal and court buildings. So lunch time food options are not large and Chipotle is well located to get a lot of business. Evening crowd is typically the people who live in the urban neighborhood it is located in, so again a lot of traffic there. The other location is very close to a small college campus and again, lots of foot traffic. Damn, now I want Chipotle for lunch… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/33 "2016-02-04T16:06:10Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Quick question for the Californians- are tamales not a thing in California-Mex? I looked at the menus of both the places listed, and didn’t see a single tamale on the menu. In Chicago (which last I knew was not in California, granted) tamales are street food. I don’t see them on the menu in restaurants here, either, unless they are a special. If you want tamales, you go to the little old lady on the corner under the umbrella, and she pulls them out of a blue cooler of dubious food safety standards, but high deliciousness standards. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/34 "2016-02-04T17:11:24Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Quick question for the Californians- are tamales not a thing in California-Mex? I looked at the menus of both the places listed, and didn’t see a single tamale on the menu. Tamales are absolutely a thing in Californian/Mexican cuisine. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/35 "2016-02-04T19:30:41Z")
So of course I just got Chipotle for lunch…not a dragon. Better than normal, though. Maybe a gecko. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/36 "2016-02-04T20:50:05Z")
I wish there were a Chipotle here in Hawaii. When I lived in California I’d eat there two or three times a week. I don’t care if it doesn’t seem authentic Mexican. The food is high quality, and very tasty. Although I just looked it up, and the particular burrito I used to get has 1910 mg of sodium. Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104/37 "2016-02-04T21:12:53Z")
> [@bump](#): > > When I want a burrito, [Freebird’s](http://freebirds.com/)is my first choice. Been eating their burritos since I started college in Fall 1991. I like Freebird’s as well, and dislike Chipotle. The “dragon burrito” thing applies there as well, though the difference is probably lesser. Even if you order the exact same thing every time, some burritos will taste better than others, and it’s difficult to pin down why. The individual ingredients are fairly consistent, as are the proportions of the main components. So what varies enough to produce a significant difference in flavor? My conclusion was that the difference lies in sauces/extras, which are less consistently measured. After careful observation and some slight variations to my order, I determined that the biggest factor in getting my magic burrito was the amount of lime juice. I always got lime juice, but some servers used just a dash, while others applied it more vigorously. Asking them to go heavy on the lime juice has gotten me consistently better burritos–even though the difference in flavor profile was not particularly citrusy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-chase-that-burrito-dragon/745104.md?page=1)