Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Chipotle goodness

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-20-2006, 08:11 PM:

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, Chipotle burritos are a gift from the gods...and they're giving them away for free.

Go into your local Chipotle (if you don't live near a Chipotle slap yourself, then move near one) and buy a burrito tomorrow. (Wednesday, June 21st) Then bring that receipt back to Chipotle within the next 7 days and they will give you a free burrito. It's part of their summer solstice program.

Just thought ya'll would want to know. [Wink]

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-20-2006, 08:21 PM:

They are great indeed. 1,000 calories of pure goodness!

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 06-20-2006, 09:29 PM:

There you go Joe, I have provided you with yet another Chipotle burrito. [beer]

Now you need to buy me a Chipotle burrito.

Incidentaly Brad, Chipotle and Qdoba (Zteca) both started in Denver. [Razz]

Qdoba was better when it was Zteca.

I wish they made small burritos as well. I should no longer eat a burrito the size of my head.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 06-20-2006, 09:36 PM:

Chipotle...great stuff! They have some great radio commercials...more than show up on their site.

Has anyone tried the online ordering system?

RAVE Theatres in Far North Columbus has a deal with Chipotle...show your ticket stub and get a free burrito at the local store. A great deal...get a $5.75 burrito with a $6.00 matinee ticket!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-20-2006, 09:46 PM:

quote: Mark Lensenmayer
Has anyone tried the online ordering system?

How do you get your burrito? Do they fax it to you?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-20-2006, 09:51 PM:

Don't have any of 'em in Lawton. Can't say I've even seen any in Oklahoma. Guess I'm stuck microwaving Patio Burritos until the Chipolte folks realize the plains Indian wars have been over since the late 1800s.
[Frown]

Oh well, I might be down in Texas a couple times next week. Any locations in Wichita Falls perhaps?

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 06-20-2006, 09:53 PM:

I hacked the fax-burito and made a torrent. Now everyone can have free buritos whenever they want!

91RA73 8UR170Z R0XX3RZ J00!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-20-2006, 09:56 PM:

Oklahoma officially sucks, as indeed there are no Chipotles there.

Looks like your closest Chipotle is in Denton.
1800 S. Loop 288
Denton, TX 76207

Sucks to be you. Pack your things.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 06-20-2006, 10:06 PM:

And I thought this thread would be about the actual chipotle smoked peppers. Love that stuff. Makes a great augmentation to any barbecue sauce.

Back on thread, I like Chipotle's burritos too. Will have to do this deal tomorrow. The cheap but crappy 7-11 burrito I had for lunch at work today just didn't cut it.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-20-2006, 10:59 PM:

I don't know. Maybe it sucks to be them. I might drive 200 miles to see a good movie in 70mm at a good theater. I'm not driving that far just for a damned burrito! Guess my dollars will go in someone else's register.
[Razz]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-20-2006, 11:08 PM:

Bobby, Chipotle is to burritos what GCC Northpark Cinema I was to movie theaters. Yeah, it's worth the drive. [Razz]

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 06-20-2006, 11:17 PM:

If i had one, I might as well put it in the toilet, because thats where it would end up after I ate it. [thumbsdown]

But thanks for the heads up anyway.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-20-2006, 11:38 PM:

Allison you might as well just do that with all of your food, then.

I have a Chipotle about a mile or so from my place. Made by 100% official illegal immigrants. Chipotle obviously likes me better than they like Brad. Oh wait, I bet he has illegal immigrants as well.

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 06-21-2006, 02:35 AM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
Guess I'm stuck microwaving Patio Burritos

is the neighbor's dog getting into your yard, bobby?

around here there's no shortage of burritorias and chipotle's nothing special. i did have the worst margarita ever at a chipotle. i hope they just messed it up and that's not how they normally make them.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-21-2006, 05:39 AM:

Actually as far as Tex-Mex chain restaurants go I want a Tias or On The Border built in Lawton. At least there's a pretty good chance of that happening sometime soon.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 06-21-2006, 07:56 AM:

If they are the same franchise we have 4 of them here in my area.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 06-21-2006, 10:32 AM:

I'm already out the door & around the corner to obtain this wonderful deal [thumbsup]

Posted by Jeffry L. Johnson (Member # 453) on 06-21-2006, 10:51 AM:

I prefer my local Que Tal? to the McDonald's chain Chipotle.

Posted by Kyle Caudill (Member # 1252) on 06-21-2006, 11:30 AM:

Nothing like that here, just an On the Border and a few chains here.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-21-2006, 12:03 PM:

I live in Montana, we don't eat damn burritos. (We maintain a lot of Taco John stores to accomodate the tourists and teenagers.)

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 06-21-2006, 01:54 PM:

Brad,

while your in Houston try a Freebirds Burrito. They are better than the Chipotle brand and they are Texas based not part of a big chain like McDonalds.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 06-21-2006, 02:14 PM:

I nearly ate at a Chipotle in Minneapolis a couple of years ago, but the friend I was with wouldn't let me because she thought that a company with links to it was unethical - buggering up the environment or something like that. We eventually found somewhere which met her ethical standards (after she objected to three other places on similar grounds), but it took 40 minutes to get served and the food tasted crap and was overpriced. After that experience, I think I'd actively go looking for a sign that says 'Guaranteed: no less than 10 acres of virgin rainforest slashed and burned for every steak we serve!', or 'We only hire Africans with a Kalashnikov under their arm and life expectancy of under 35 to harvest our coffee beans' above the entrance of a restaurant before going in! Only joking...

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 06-21-2006, 03:28 PM:

Take a look at the menu for Que Tal? it's like so 7-years-ago in price. Imagine a burrito for $6 it seems like every time I order a burrito now it is an $8 burrito.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 06-21-2006, 04:10 PM:

I went to Chipotle. No one knew about the free burito. I asked to see the manager. He told me that corporate had sent out an email to all the stores telling them not to give any out this year.

I enjoyed a burito anyway. [Smile]

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 06-21-2006, 06:53 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I live in Montana, we don't eat damn burritos. (We maintain a lot of Taco John stores to accomodate the tourists and teenagers.)

I had a burrito for dinner in Forsyth in 1986. HA! I defy you silly locals.

I prefer Qdoba to Chipotle. Not that I'd turn Chipotle down...

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 06-21-2006, 07:26 PM:

Is that the chipotle.com website? That must be the most annyoing website ever created. Lots of animations and funny sounds, but no clearly navigable menu, for instance with a store locator.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 06-21-2006, 07:57 PM:

The only good place to get a burrito around here is Taco Bell! [Big Grin]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-21-2006, 09:02 PM:

Did I just read "good" in the same sentence as "Taco Bell"??? [Eek!]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-22-2006, 02:50 AM:

Texas has the WORST food ever! That includes Chick-fil-A that Bathtub Scott cums over! AND! THAT includes their beef products/steaks!

I have yet to find a decent restaurant other than a small mom & pop place.

Tex-Mex is pure crap! West-Mex ***IS*** the BEST!

The BEST BBQ is in Memphis followed by Kansas City!

All the rest of the places are just jerking you off!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-22-2006, 02:54 AM:

Gosh Phil, you seem to be a little territorial and are starting to sound like Mark! [Razz]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-22-2006, 02:57 AM:

Well Brad, you know me... I just tell it like it is! [beer]

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 06-22-2006, 10:44 AM:

quote: William T. Parr
while your in Houston try a Freebirds Burrito. They are better than the Chipotle brand and they are Texas based not part of a big chain like McDonalds.

I agree Freebirds is a step above Chipotle IMHO. There are 2 Freebirds in the Dallas area. One on Greenville, and one in Addison.

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 06-22-2006, 11:19 AM:

I'm still waiting to see someone order, then try to eat a Super Monster from Freebirds. [thumbsup]

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 06-22-2006, 11:27 AM:

I'm still waiting to see someone order, then try to eat a Super Monster from Freebirds. [thumbsup]

Freebirds

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 06-22-2006, 12:29 PM:

For those of us in the upper midwest: offer does not apply [Mad]

Sadly, I called & the local store manager told me that their company often does regional promotions.

Just another piece of wood on the burning fire of why I can't make a road trip south [Frown]

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 06-22-2006, 01:09 PM:

quote: Phil Hill
Tex-Mex is pure crap! West-Mex ***IS*** the BEST!

"West-Mex" is a trademark of 400-store chain Taco John's. [evil]

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 06-22-2006, 02:43 PM:

quote:
Texas has the WORST food ever!

Apparently you haven't had the awesome expreience that is Taco Cabana !

TC is worth the trip to TX... When I was in San Antonio, it was a regular haunt.

-Aaron

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-22-2006, 04:39 PM:

quote: Sam Graham
"West-Mex" is a trademark of 400-store chain Taco John's.

Yeah, so? BFD... [Shrug]

quote: Aaron Sisemore
Apparently you haven't had the awesome expreience that is Taco Cabana.

You're right Aaron... I've not been there. But will put it on my list a 20 things to do before I die. [Wink]

Hopefully, unlike MOST Texas Mexican restaurants they know how to make really good salsa. Most places there make it like it was from a jar and made in New York City! YUK!

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 06-22-2006, 06:02 PM:

Phil,

Next time you're in the Dallas area, here are a few Tex-Mex places to try:

Posados
Abuelos
El Fenix
Cozymels

Personally, I dislike Tias, On The Border, Panchos and the other cookie cutter "chain" food factories.

For a burrito the size of a small child [Eek!]

Freebirds is the place to go.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-22-2006, 09:27 PM:

quote: Jason Burroughs
I dislike Tias, On The Border, Panchos...

Yeah Jason, I totally agree! I've tried those in Ft. Worth and they suck!

Thanks for the list of "good" places, I will definitely look them up and try them on my next trip to Texas!

Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 06-23-2006, 07:05 AM:

Posados, Abuelos, Chipotle...man, you guys are making me miss home!! The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is stop in a Chipotle and get a vegetarian Burrito Bol. Yum! [thumbsup]

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 06-23-2006, 10:31 AM:

quote: Emma Tomiak
The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is stop in a Chipotle and get a vegetarian Burrito Bol.

I triple Dog Dare ya to go to Freebirds and get the Super Monster Veggie Burrito on Spinach or Cayenne Wrap.

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 11-06-2010, 12:40 PM:

It has been 1597 days since the last post.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-06-2010, 12:40 PM:

They just built a Chipotle in Erie and I went there yesterday.

Sorry... but I probably won't go back... [Frown]

Every fucking thing on the menu was doused in cilantro!
Just the mere thought of eating cilantro makes me feel like puking! [puke]

I've got no fucking idea why they would put so much of that vile, putrid shit on their food, nor do I understand why there wasn't a single employee in the place who knew what I was talking about when I told them that cilantro makes me ill.

My server spent a couple of minutes hunting around for the plain, white rice. Then she tried to put clilantro-laden tomato salsa on top of the pile and I had to stop her. She reached for the corn salsa instead. I had to stop her again, "No! That's got cilantro in it, too!"

Sometimes I can smell that shit when I walk into a room!
It tastes like dirty, soapy dishwater to me and it smells like squashed stink bugs! It is vile and repulsive and, like I said, just the thought of eating that crap makes me sick!

My wife is NOT allergic to cilantro and even SHE thinks they put too much of the stuff in their food. She says the food would taste great by itself but the flavor of the cilantro overpowers everything else.

How can a multi-million dollar company NOT know that 10% of the population doesn't like cilantro? How can such a company NOT inform their employees of this? Why do they have virtually NO alternatives? Why do you have to practically FIGHT to get food without that crap in it!

I can't imagine, for the life of me, why a company that SHOULD know this would STILL put something in their menu that makes people allergic yet claim that their foods are allergen free!

Quote from their website:
Chipotle.com

quote:
No matter what your unique dietary needs are, Chipotle has options for you. Unless you have an allergy to delicious food, in which case, we might have an issue.

You know, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I went there on two different days. On BOTH days, I went through the same fight! This was NOT an isolated incident.

So they claim to cater to people with food allergies. They cater to people with peanut allergies and gluten allergies. They cater to vegans and they put up special pages on their website devoted to them.

Celiac disease affects 1% of the polulation.
Peanut allergies affect only 1% to 3% of the population. (Depending on how you do your statistics.)

Allergy to cilantro affects as much as 10% of the population.
The majority of that population simply think cilantro tastes like soap but as many as half those people (5% of the total population) think that cilantro tastes vile or get ill when they eat it.

Cilantro allergy is not unknown! I used to eat in an Indian restaurant that put cilantro in their food. I didn't know that I was allergic at the time. The waiter saw my reaction when I ate cilantro and he came right over and asked me if the food tasted all right. I told him, "No. It tastes like soap!" The guy whisked the food off the table and took it back to the kitchen. Five minutes later I had a new plate of food and the waiter was apologizing. He explained to me that some people are allergic to cilantro. I didn't even know it. HE explained it to me!

I went back to that restaurant dozens of times, simply because of that incident. Every time I went there they would leave the cilantro out of my food just for the asking. After a while, it got to the point where I didn't even have to ask.

That was almost 20 years ago!

It is unfathomable why an upscale establishment such as Chipotle would not know this.

That is why I'll probably never go there again.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-06-2010, 01:06 PM:

Wouldn't it be more beneficial to write to Chipotle corporate about this? They likely never have even heard of cilantro allergies. The other allergies they listed on their webpage are ones that are more well-known popularly, even if they did happen to occur less-often than one to cilantro.

Plus, I don't see why they *should* know about this. They clearly link to foodallergy.org which doesn't appear to list cilantro as one of their big, common ones.

Also, you should note that it is wrong to say that because they cater to people with problems with wheat that they are catering to 1% of the population. Why? Because Celiac Disese isn't Wheat Allergy; they are different.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-06-2010, 01:10 PM:

I've never heard of a cilantro allergy. That sucks. Damn those Chipotle burritos are awesome.

BTW, I can do without Freebirds. I must be allergic to something they put in their burritos because I always feel slightly ill afterwards. Of course if your thing is tattooed, pierced and various freaky body mutilation employees, Freebirds hires only those to serve you.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-06-2010, 01:31 PM:

I don't think this an allergy, it's an aversion.

Of course, I grew up on the stuff. Every once in a while I can pick up a very slight taste of hand soap.

So that pretty much leaves out Mexican and Thai food for you.

There's no such thing as decent Mexican food anywhere near Pittsburgh so no great loss.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-06-2010, 01:38 PM:

I think it's likely more than an aversion, since every time he eats something with it, he gets sick.

And if someone did have this allergy, if you visit to places outside of the Americas, few people will know WTF you're talking about when you say cilantro, since everywhere else it's called coriander.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-06-2010, 01:52 PM:

Coriander is the seed of cilantro and does taste different.

I remember when cilantro was called chinese parsley for some reason.

I have a nephew who breaks out in hives from cilantro, and his mother, my sister broke out in hives when I introduced her to Indian food, probably from coriander.

So yeah, people have allergies and/or intolerances for cilantro. I on the other hand, love it, though had to acquire the taste.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-06-2010, 02:30 PM:

What the flying eff is cilantro? This is the first I've heard of it. Do you mean those green specks?

What is the point of an allergy? It serves no function!

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-06-2010, 02:55 PM:

Yes, Joe, it's that chopped-up, leafy, green parsley shit they sprinkle in everything. It's often called "Chinese Parsley." It's just fucking gross.

The condition is often believed to be genetically based. There have been studies on identical twins. Identical twins have a much greater prevalence of sharing a hatred of the taste of cilantro than fraternal twins.

Julia Child was a cilantro hater. She was known to pick cilantro and arugula, a related plant, out of her food and throw it on the floor.

This is not an unknown condition. I have known about it for 20 years, obviously. The waiter in the Indian restaurant is the one who clued me in. He was well aware of it.

There are plenty of articles on the subject:

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html

quote:
FOOD partisanship doesn’t usually reach the same heights of animosity as the political variety, except in the case of the anti-cilantro party. The green parts of the plant that gives us coriander seeds seem to inspire a primal revulsion among an outspoken minority of eaters.

N.P.R. - National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98695984

quote:
I hate cilantro. As far as I'm concerned, it should be wiped off the face of the planet. And I'm not alone in my extremist views.

"It has that same sort of acrid sweetness of death," according to my friend Jason. "It's got this evilness to it," my friend Wendy concurs.

Wikipedia" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander

quote:
The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. Some perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste or a rank smell and avoid the leaves. The flavours have also been compared to those of the stink bug, and similar chemical groups are involved (aldehydes). Belief that aversion is genetically determined may arise from the known genetic variation in taste perception of the synthetic chemical phenylthiocarbamide; however, no specific link has been established between coriander and a bitter taste perception gene.

Over the years, I have been able to train my sense of taste to overcome some of the aversion. I can overcome small amounts of the stuff and, if it is cooked, the taste is further mitigated. However, Chipotle's food is literally swimming with the stuff. There is no overcoming it.

Go outside and catch a stink bug then squash it. Cilantro has almost exactly the same awful, putrid smell to me. If you get enough of it, you can become nauseous! That is the effect cilantro has on me when I get a snoot full of it. The taste is soapy and slightly metallic. It is like somebody didn't wash the dishes. It is soapy and dirty tasting like filthy dish water.

Yes, I did write Chipotle a message about it last night after I got home. It was almost exactly what I wrote above but I left out the cussing parts.

Frankly, I'm pretty damn disappointed. You guys talked the place up so much. I was expecting greatness but the sight, the smell and taste of that awful shit was enough to turn my stomach.

Celiac/gluten allergy, peanut allergy or seafood allergy can land people in the hospital and even kill them. I don't have a problem with a company who caters to those problems even if only 5% of the combined population is affected but at least 5% of the population is allergic to cilantro, even if it won't kill them. It only makes me feel like puking.

When you have an allergy to a food you learn to take it in stride. You realize that most other people don't see it the way you do and you deal with the problem. However, the thing that pisses me off the most is how they shout to the rafters, "Cilantro! Cilantro! Cilantro!," yet none of their employees and none of the company literature seem to have any inkling of this problem.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-06-2010, 03:07 PM:

Well, go to Q-Doba, then.

I loves Chipotle burritos!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-06-2010, 03:26 PM:

Qdoba or whatever it is isn't very good at all. Worse is Mission Burrito. Planet Burrito is decent. Chipotle is by far the best ever (except for cilantro haters).

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-06-2010, 04:15 PM:

Love Chipottle - (chi-POT-uhl) [Razz]

Burrito Bowl
Rice with Pinto Beans
Carnitas
Medium Salsa
Corn and Sour Cream

Chips and a blackberry Izze!!!!!

MMMMMMmmmmmm

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-07-2010, 12:12 AM:

The correct pronunciation is chi-POE-tul. Get with it.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-07-2010, 12:31 AM:

I want to make it clear that the experience at Chipotle was good except for the cilantro. I had to wrangle with them on two occasions to get food without it.

My wife, who does not share my aversion to cilantro thinks that they use too much of the stuff. She says, the taste of cilantro overpowers the flavor of the rest of the food.

I like burritos. There are few other places in town where you can get good "authentic" burritos. (At least "definitively good" burritos, if not authentically Mexican.)

There is an authentic Mexican restaurant in town. http://www.elcanelo.net/
It is owned by Mexicans even if it caters to the American stereotype of a Mexican restaurant. My wife doesn't dig Mexican food as much as I do, so we don't go there as often as I like. I thought Chipotle would be a good compromise because they serve taco/burrito salads which, although watered down in terms of "Mexican style," Melanie does like them.

One plus for Chipotle is that they do serve a spicy salsa. I really dig spicy food. I keep a collection of hot sauces at home to spice up food at the dinner table. Since Chipotle does offer Tobasco and Tobasco Chipotle sauces in the bottle to use as a condiment I'll give them an extra bonus point.

If they didn't literally douse their food with cilantro I could put enough Tobasco sauce on the burrito to cancel out the soapy flavor. However, it would be nice if a place as upscale as Chipotle offered their own house brand of hot sauce.

I would have given them another bonus point if they had better access to non-cilantro alternatives and they could have scored a third bonus point if even one of their employees understood that some people find the taste of cilantro repulsive.

I'll wait and see what kind of reply I get to the message I sent last night. If it is, at least, favorable without being some kind of canned, "We're sorry" reply I might be willing to give them a second chance.

When I go there again... IF I go there again, I'll probably be packing my own bottle of hot sauce. Likely "Inner Beauty Real Hot Sauce!" [Big Grin]

Joe, I thought it was pronnounced, "Chip-OAT-lee" [Wink]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-07-2010, 01:25 AM:

Well Randy, if you ever get off your butt and come visit, I will take you to Mi Chula's Good Mexican. It is my absolute favorite Mexican food restaurant ever. There are only 2 locations right now, but I suspect they will be expanding. So far everyone I have taken to it (except for one person who is protesting Mexican food because he doesn't like Mexicans) has loved it. I mean after all it DOES say "good Mexican" right on the sign!

The salsa will amaze you. It is served warm, is spicy but without too much kick and has a unique smoky flavor. Hopefully there isn't any cilantro in there, but daaaaaaaaaaamn is it good!

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-07-2010, 10:13 AM:

quote: Joe Redifer
The correct pronunciation is chi-POE-tul. Get with it.

Screw you, Joe! [Big Grin]

Just TRY asking for directions to the nearest "chi-POE-tul" in SoCal -- you'd STARVE before you found anyone who'd even know WTF you're talking about.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 10:15 AM:

quote: Martin McCaffery
Coriander is the seed of cilantro and does taste different.

Coriander is the whole plant. Cilantro is the name that many people from Latin America call the leaves of it. Lots of people in Europe or India (from their Brit influence) would know the leaves as being "Coriander leaves."

quote: Randy Stankey
I don't have a problem with a company who caters to those problems even if only 5% of the combined population is affected but at least 5% of the population is allergic to cilantro, even if it won't kill them. It only makes me feel like puking.

At least be honest. You do have a problem with them catering to X while not catering toward your own issue. [edit] But I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling this way; I can totally understand why you'd feel that.[/edit]

And btw, gluten and/or wheat allergies and intolerances don't generally cause people to die. It usually fucks with their absorption of nutrients in their gut, making them get the shits and stuff like mouth sores from not absorbing enough B-vitamins.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-07-2010, 10:21 AM:

quote: Manny Knowles
Just TRY asking for directions to the nearest "chi-POE-tul" in SoCal -- you'd STARVE before you found anyone who'd even know WTF you're talking about.

Well, there is a unique invention out now called "the internet" which was invented by Al Gore to help me find any Chipotle location near me. But I wouldn't even need to use that since there is nearly a Chipotle on every other block.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-07-2010, 10:38 AM:

quote: Chris Slycord
Lots of people in Europe or India (from their Brit influence) would know the leaves as being "Coriander leaves."

I was thinking more of in the kitchen (where coriander is a spice and cilantro is an herb) than in the botany books, but you're right, the plant is named Coriander, which, according to the all knowing Wikipedia is Cilantro in Spanish.

Still no idea where the Chinese Parsley comes from, must be like Jerusalem artichokes or French Fries.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 10:56 AM:

quote: Martin McCaffery
I was thinking more of in the kitchen (where coriander is a spice and cilantro is an herb) than in the botany books

I wasn't talking about botany books. I'm friends with plenty of people who NEVER heard of the term cilantro until they came to the US... and this includes people who have kitchens. [Wink]

And it's called Chinese Parsley because of it being related to parsley (having both a similar look and many similar flavors) and since it's used a lot in Asian cuisine (and increased in popularity after Asian exploration).

It's kind of like how they'll call Coix Seeds (or Job's Tears) "Chinese Pearl Barley" even though it absolutely isn't barley at all (although is distantly related) simply because it looks similar to real pearl barley.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-07-2010, 03:24 PM:

Good news for Cilantro haters, Trader Joe's is recalling a bunch of cilantro based products because they may be tainted with salmonella!

http://business.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978672106

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-07-2010, 07:19 PM:

Chris, I'm not just upset because they are catering to some issues while ignoring one that's important to me. While that's true, it's not quite as simple as that.

They make it known that they are sensitive to people's needs who have food allergies but when I faced them with a food problem, I had to make a fuss to get what I want.

Allergy to cilantro is not that uncommon. It is, at least, as common as all the others. I'll guess that it is more common but, because it's not life threatening or damaging to your health, more people just muddle through. I'll bet that there are a lot of people who get a bad taste from cilantro who don't even know it and just think the stuff is "supposed" to taste like that.

My wife has postparandal hypoglycemia. If she gets too much starch or sugar in her diet, the elevated glucose levels in her blood cause her system to pump out so much insulin that she gets sick and has what looks like a diabetic "crash." More than the most minimal amounts of sugar in her diet can make her sick for days. When we go to restaurants we can usually work around this problem by ordering carefully. We're used to it. It's not a problem.

However, there are times when, even after we clearly specify, "NO SUGAR," we end up sending her food back. About one or two times per year, I have to go through this. Every once in a blue moon, I have to literally pound my fist on the table and holler, "NO SUGAR!"

Only once in a while will we order dessert at a restaurant. When we do, it is always something like a sugar-free apple pie. I have actually had a waitress bring us sugar-free apple pie with regular, sugared ice cream on top. The ditzy, blond waitress was surprised when we sent it back and complained, "No sugar means *NO* sugar!"

So, I'm not a stranger to hassling in restaurants when it comes to food sensitivities. I accept that everybody's different and I don't expect people to immediately understand every time.

The crux of the problem is because Chipotle markets themselves as serving "Food With Integrity" and they tout themselves as "Natural" and "Wholesome." As part of their advertising campaign, they say that they are sensitive to food allergies yet, when their employees were faced with an issue, they seemed to balk.

Brad, as soon as I can get a week off work I might just come out and go Mexican restaurant hopping. [Wink]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 07:47 PM:

quote: Randy Stankey
They make it known that they are sensitive to people's needs who have food allergies but when I faced them with a food problem, I had to make a fuss to get what I want.

When they hire kids @ $6 per hour, you get people who either are too dumb to know what you're asking about (and around here at places similar to Chipotle you get to add a little bit of language barrier) or don't really care since they're paid a crap wage. It won't matter that the company has a set goal of catering to people.

And this happens at higher-end places too; not just fast food places. I ate at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a birthday once and specifically asked to have the steak not cooked in butter since I'm allergic. I took one bite, immediately knew it had a shit-ton of butter, and had hives all over my face 10 minutes later.

quote: Randy Stankey
I'll bet that there are a lot of people who get a bad taste from cilantro who don't even know it and just think the stuff is "supposed" to taste like that.

Just so we're clear, lilantro aromas/tastes coming off like soap isn't a symptom of an allergy. It's because the aromas of it are partly composed of substances that are similar to many soap byproducts.

The actual symptoms would be getting upset stomach/intestines, skin rashes, itchy skin, or chest/throat tightness.

Lots of people can detect the soapy flavor without getting the above and lots of people who've grown to enjoy the stuff without any problems are still able to detect that taste/aroma.

@Martin,
Earlier I cooked up some lentil mix an Indian company made. The ingredient list said it had "coriander leaf." I'll have to write a scathing letter telling them that it's cilantro. [Wink]

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-07-2010, 08:04 PM:

[QUOTE@Martin,
Earlier I cooked up some lentil mix an Indian company made. The ingredient list said it had "coriander leaf." I'll have to write a scathing letter telling them that it's cilantro.
] [/QUOTE]

And be sure to tell them if they are going to cook here they better learn to speak 'merican [Wink]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 08:15 PM:

quote: Martin McCaffery
And be sure to tell them if they are going to cook here they better learn to speak 'merican

They weren't going for the American market. I found it in the international foods aisle. They were clearly going for the European market, with info in English, German, and French.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-07-2010, 09:01 PM:

quote:
When they hire kids @ $6 per hour...It won't matter that the company has a set goal of catering to people.

You've got that right... unfortunately. [Frown]

quote: Chris Slycord
I ate at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a birthday once and specifically asked to have the steak not cooked in butter since I'm allergic. I took one bite, immediately knew it had a shit-ton of butter, and had hives all over my face 10 minutes later.

Damn! Sorry to hear that... Bummer!
You tore them a new one, I assume. Let me know if you want some backup. I'll send my wife down there and she can pitch a fit.
(Trust me, you do *NOT* want to be in the room when she's pitching a fit! [Wink]

)

You are right. It isn't an allergy in the classical sense. It is, however, likely to be a genetic predisposition. People with the condition taste things differently than those who don't have it. It is physically based.

If you haven't had a good snoot full of squashed stink bug, go out and squash one just to remind yourself. (Rhetorical.) Is your revulsion to that smell purely psychological? No. That is the bug's defense mechanism. It makes that revolting smell so it won't get preyed upon. Yes, if you get enough of it you will feel like puking.

Yes, you can desensitize yourself to cilantro. I have been able to get to the point where I can tolerate small amounts. With hot sauce or other things to cover the flavor, I can tolerate a fair bit of it.

However, I can not overcome large amounts of the stuff. If I get enough of it, there is no way I can muddle through. That smell and that taste will make me feel like puking. Some of it is psychological but it is also chemically based. I can detect a chemical that other people can't.

90% of the time I do just muddle through. I can eat around the offensive food or I can pick it out. But this was just the "perfect storm" of circumstances. I had high expectations which were broken by an insurmountable mass of a highly offensive substance coupled with a business filled with stupid, uncaring, minimum wage employees.

You've seen it. It's happened to you. How can you not feel pissed off?

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 09:27 PM:

quote: Randy Stankey
You are right. It isn't an allergy in the classical sense. It is, however, likely to be a genetic predisposition. People with the condition taste things differently than those who don't have it. It is physically based.

I'm aware it's a difference genetically. I was just getting confused with you using the term allergy both in that I get allergies myself and that I'm gonna be working in the medical field...

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-07-2010, 09:40 PM:

Mmmmm I had me some Chipotle tonight and it was delicious! I got the usual, a steak burrito with black beans and shredded cheese. I got extra cilantro and double aspartame in my Diet Coke®. It was fantastic. The cilantro didn't get stuck in my teeth or anything. It completed my evening and made it perfect. If it weren't for cilantro, life everywhere would be less good.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-07-2010, 10:37 PM:

Tell ya' what, Joe... If we ever go the Chipotle at the same time you can have my cilantro.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-07-2010, 11:42 PM:

quote: Randy Stankey
You've seen it. It's happened to you. How can you not feel pissed off?

Since I missed this earlier, what happened with you is slightly different than what happened with me.

You asked a person "Give me something without X" and then they showed to you that they had no idea what you meant and you spent a bunch of time explaining what you meant and how to do it. But with me, it involved them giving no indication that this would be a problem then totally disregarding my request. And at least at a place that uses a lot of cilantro, it's pretty easy to tell that they used it or not, whereas the butter they cooked it in will look very similar to other oils, making it practically impossible to tell the difference. Sure, both situations are annoying but in one you're not totally taken off-guard. That's what can make it more liable to piss me off.

Plus, Ruth's Chris is supposed to be a really high-end restaurant. If I'm gonna get a $40 steak, you better make it the way I fucking asked for it. And I'd say that a "chef" who can't make meat taste good without tons of butter should just give up or go back to being a short-order cook.

Posted by Ian Parfrey (Member # 5122) on 11-08-2010, 12:52 AM:

quote: Chris Slycord
If I'm gonna get a $40 steak, you better make it the way I fucking asked for it.

Shit a brick! For $40 I'd want the whole bloody cow!.....with extra gravy.

What you say is true. If you pay high end $$$, you expect high end results- no matter what the purchase.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-08-2010, 10:10 AM:

I would never want a steak doused in butter! That's just gross!

When I was growing up, my parents owned a steak restaurant. I could eat steak any day of the week if I wanted to. You don't put anything on a steak, pre-cooking, except salt and pepper. If you like dry spices or garlic, you can use that, too. But you do not put anything else on the steak until it's done cooking. And, the CUSTOMER is the one who decides what goes on, NOT the cook!

Anyhow, that's a different subject. I grew up in restaurants. That's just not how a supposedly high-end joint should operate! Any reasonable request should be honored. Anything short of lassoing the moon.

If you said, "No butter," it should have been done. If you told the waitress, "Butter will make me sick," and she didn't honor it, her ass should be grass!

I told you, I go through this with my wife on a fairly regular basis. We often choose restaurants where the staff listens to what we want but there are occasions when I have to spell it out.

We have had times when waitstaff have ignored our request. That's when I pitch a fit. (Over the years, I have become kind of good at it. [Wink]

)

If anybody at that restaurant ignored your request for NO BUTTER, you should have raised holy hell! I would have caused a scene! I would have done it just for the sport!

I have to watch my milk intake due to lactose intolerance. My wife can't eat any sugar due to hypoglycemia. She is very sensitive to garlic and onions. While they don't send her into anaphylactic shock they do make her ill. We all know about my problem with cilantro.

So, when it comes to watching out for food allergies and intolerances, I think I'm pretty battle-hardened.

I did not expect Royal Treatment at Chipotle but when I walked up to the counter and saw what was in the food, I absolutely expect their people to understand what I'm talking about when I tell them, "Cilantro makes me ill."

Somebody, sometime, somewhere should have, at least, mentioned that there is a small but non-trivial segment of the population who can not tolerate cilantro. It's just that simple.

I know their people get training in dealing with customers with food allergies. Just about every restaurant does, these days. All they have to do is just put cilantro on the list. It is that easy.

BTW: I have never had a hankering to eat at Ruth's Chris. There are none in this area. But, given what Chris has said, I won't be going out of my way to get to one! Just fucking inexcusable, that was!

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2010, 11:18 AM:

You all are aware Chipotle is a chain owned by McDonalds right?

Just because Hispanics get to prepare the food does not make it authentic or good.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-08-2010, 12:25 PM:

Mickey D's divested from Chipotle in 2006.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipotle_Mexican_Grill

quote:
The restaurant is known for its large burritos, assembly line production, and use of natural ingredients. The company has released a mission statement called Food with Integrity, which highlights its efforts in using organic ingredients, and serves more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant. Chipotle is one of the first chains of fast casual dining establishments. From 1998 to 2006, McDonald's Corporation owned a majority interest in Chipotle, but fully divested their interest in 2006.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-08-2010, 03:41 PM:

quote: Sam D. Chavez
Just because Hispanics get to prepare the food does not make it authentic or good.

Very true, but it is good nonetheless. Believe it or not, I have seen white people working there (though I think they are required to be bilingual because they shout to the cooks in spanish) and it is still the same no matter who prepares it. I do appreciate that the employees all speak better english now. Several years ago it was almost impossible to understand each other and very difficult to order. It kept me from going as often as I otherwise would have. Now I go whenever I want which is 5 times a day. I then bathe in their giant tub of cilantro.

Chipotle was started in Denver because Denver kicks ass. There are pictures of many different Denver Chipotles hanging in Chipotle restaurants around the country.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2010, 05:44 PM:

Well put Joe.

I thought I recalled it being sold by Mickey D's but have not tried it since the first time.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-08-2010, 07:03 PM:

This might be surprising to some of you, but there actually are lots of Hispanic people who are white...

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2010, 07:29 PM:

Chris, there's a point to be made there but I'm not sure what yours is.

Being Hispanic is a state of mind, being or acting white makes it easier to be fit in, etc.?

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-08-2010, 07:40 PM:

quote: Chris Slycord
This might be surprising to some of you, but there actually are lots of Hispanic people who are white...

I can totally relate. My mom is half-Dominican which makes me 1/4 Dominican. So, technically, I guess that makes me "brown" or maybe even "colored." [Eek!]

I don't consider myself "Hispanic" or "Latino" because I lack the cultural reference. I don't speak Spanish and I wasn't raised in a Hispanic/Latino culture. (I was born/raised in The Bahamas).

I'm mostly white and I feel that much of my cultural makeup is informed by whiteness (media, education, etc). But I don't believe that "mostly white" is the same as "white."

So, ethnically or racially, I don't fit easily into any one box. If I had to choose only one demographic minority that I can totally relate to, it would have to be the gays!

So I guess THAT makes me pink. But not "pinko-commie" pink.

Maybe that's why I like Chipotle so much. Coz Chipotle is gay. Not "bad" gay, like the high-school "oh that's so gay" gay. The fabulous (!) gay.

(10% of you know what I mean.) [Big Grin]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-08-2010, 07:48 PM:

quote: Sam D. Chavez
Chris, there's a point to be made there but I'm not sure what yours is.

Being Hispanic is a state of mind, being or acting white makes it easier to be fit in, etc.?

No. I meant exactly what I said. There are lots of people who are both white (by race) and Hispanic (by ethnicity).

Heck, I've known several black people who are Hispanic.

quote: Manny Knowles
I can totally relate

I can't. I'm just white. [Razz]

And btw, I just ate at this awesome place that does a mixture of Mexican and Salvadorian food called "El Garrabo" here in Houston. I've eaten there several times on Mondays between being done at the school clinic and heading here to work the evening shift. Really good stuff.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2010, 10:06 PM:

You all should check out what Paul Mooney has to say about all this.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-08-2010, 10:37 PM:

LOL -- which part!?

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2010, 11:29 PM:

Guess.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-09-2010, 05:25 AM:

When someone would say we were Italian, my gradnpa would correct me and say, "No, no, hanno torto, Francesco; siamo ROMANI!" i.e., "No, no, they are wrong, Francesco; we are ROMANS!" My mom's side came from Rome. Yes, grandpa was Roman AND crazy --we couldn't speak Italian but he carried on conversations with my brother and me even though we couldn't understand a word.... nevertheless, if I am Roman and if Romans = Latins, then I would be Latin too.

I am latino! [thumbsup]

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-09-2010, 07:27 AM:

LOL @ both of yous!

Sam -- I'm not stupid enough to argue with Mr. Mooney -- and, yes, I can swim!

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 11-09-2010, 10:17 AM:

We have a Chipotle over here now and it's very good. Also happens to be about a two minute walk from the Cinema where I watch most films. Their soft shell tacos are the best I've had. What's the best thing to drink with a Burrito? Coke and even Sprite don't go down easy with the spices, beer was also a bad idea.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 11-09-2010, 10:56 AM:

When I do go to Chipotle, I can't stand the rice with the lime and cilantro in it. So I just tell them white rice, usually I get the blank stare and they go for the rice. I have to say, no just plain white rice. Then they go, "Oh, Blanco?" Then I get my white rice and I'm happy. While I don't share everyones overall LOVE of this place. Its ok on occasion, nothing overtly special. Just better then your normal fast food mexican place.

There are just to many great authentic mexican places to eat here.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-09-2010, 11:11 AM:

Sweet foods are the "opposite" flavor of hot peppers but it does not counteract the effect of capsicum. It only covers the flavor.

Bread or starch might absorb some of the capsicum but it has no effect on the "heat."

The alcohol in beer can be a counteractant to the effect of capsicum but the liquid only causes the oily substance to spread. Water will also spread the oil. Sweet drinks like soda might have a temporary effect but, again, they are the same as any other liquid, only spreading the oil.

Since the heat from spicy, hot peppers is based on oil, fats would be the best solution. Milk, butter, cheese or sour cream will "bind" with the capsicum and decrease its effect.

It all depends on what the "hot" spice is. If it's a "burn" from capsicum, milk will work best for most people. If it's from cayenne or paprika, sugar or alcohol might work.

Some people from cultures where spicy-hot food is prevalent will have their own ways of dealing it. Indian people (the country of India) often use anise or cardamom to cover the taste and the smell of spicy food. Mexican or South Americans often use bread and milk. Almost all cultures that eat spicy food traditionally serve sweet desserts.

I often use bread and beer but I can tolerate hot food more than most people. I really like hot food. I keep a bottle of Tobasco at the dinner table and often use it in place of salt. I can't tolerate milk very well but, if I "need" it, I'll eat small amounts of buttered bread or a dollop of sour cream after eating hot food. To be honest, I like eating hot food and washing it down with beer, even though I know it isn't entirely helpful. I just like the combination of tastes.

The bottom line is to try a few different things and do what works best for you.

Kurt;
Do you know if you are officially a cilantrophobe or is it something else? I have met several people who don't like cilantro but don't know why. It isn't until after the problem is explained to them that the light finally clicks on.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 11-09-2010, 11:32 AM:

No, I like it. Just not in my rice, I put it in alot of Italian stuff I make at home. I think with the rice, its actually the lime juice they put in it. Not a fan of straight lime.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-09-2010, 04:00 PM:

I like Chipotle, but then I like cilantro in salsa and other Mexican foods. To each his own. Everyone has an intense dislike to at least one or more kinds of food or food ingredients. And this doesn't even get into food allergies (I know a young lady who is intensely allergic to bananas -never heard of that before).

Although I like Tex-Mex food, I don't like sour cream. I especially don't like sour cream if it is used by itself as a topping. I won't eat a baked potato loaded with the stuff. The only way I can tolerate sour cream is if it is mixed up enough with other ingredients enough that it hides at least some of the taste and as much of that nasty texture as possible. I hate "taco supreme" tacos from Taco Bell because they're usually heavily loaded with sour cream. I have to use my soft drink as a "chaser" after biting into one of those nasty things to rinse the disgusting sour cream residue out of my mouth.

I really HATE cottage cheese. My mother can eat a bowl of that stuff with slices of pineapple or peaches mixed into it. The mere thought of it is making my stomach turn. If you put a spoonful of the stuff in front of my face I might hurl. If I took a bite of it I would definitely vomit, projectile style, repeatedly.

I also don't like liver, sardines, canned spinach, cauliflower, cantaloupe and squash. I can tolerate pickled okra only to a very limited extent -honestly the stuff is slimy and pretty fucking gross. I could add more to this list, but I can't remember every one of the foods I dislike immediately.

Lots of people from my own family members and friends to complete strangers have tried to argue with me that I'm somehow wrong for disliking the foods I dislike. And that's a load of crap. If something tastes disgusting to me then it only tastes disgusting. Others can keep on saying, "well I love sour cream!" Dude, your taste buds are NOT my taste buds. We're different. Leave it at that already.

Children have very different senses of taste and far more sensitive taste buds. While quality nutrition is important, it can be pretty cruel for parents to force a child to eat some rancid smelling food that requires an acquired taste and dulled adult aged taste buds to tolerate. My mother learned quick if she forced me to eat something (like shove a spoonful of cottage cheese into my mouth) I would be guaranteed to launch vomit onto the carpet.

I wish we had a Chipotle here in Lawton. The nearest one is in Norman near the Oklahoma University campus corner. Freebirds World Burrito is within rock throwing distance of that Chipotle location.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 11-09-2010, 05:22 PM:

A local restaurant group has a prototype Italian food location that uses the Chipotle system. There is a single line to the ordering station, then you get to pick either a pasta bowl, an Italian Flatbread or Salad. The Grill items are Calamari, vegetarian, Italian meats, Chicken, Italian Sausage, Steak or Salmon. Sauces are Pomodoro, Diavolo (spicy), Red Pepper Pesto, Basil Pesto, Creamy Parmesan or salad dressings. You can then choose from lettuce, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, red onions, black olives, pancetta, peppadew peppers or a few others.

Prices are about the same as Chipotle, the quality of the food is very, very good, and the store is doing great business. Even with a line, the service is quite fast.

Only a few weeks old at this point, but they are already planning on expanding.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 11-09-2010, 05:31 PM:

Cheers Randy, I'm gonna try a milkshake with my next Burrito, there's a good shop that does them near enough to Chipotle. I can eat very hot food but it's the particular way it is done in Mexican food that doesn't always sit with what I usually drink (Coke and Beer).

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-09-2010, 07:21 PM:

There are three main groups of "hot" foods that I know of:
Hot peppers like I Mexican food. Habaneros and Jalapenos, etc.
Hot spices like I chili. Cayenne, paprika or black pepper.
Hot roots like horseradish, wasabi. I would also include hot mustards in this category.

Hot peppers get their heat from the capsicum oil in the seeds and internal parts of the pepper. The flesh isn't as hot.

Hot spices get their heat from aromatics in the spice. Probably oil based but not the same as capsicum.

Hot horseradish gets its heat from juices within the plant.

Each type of heat goes best with a certain type of food. I would not put wasabi in chili nor would I put Jalapenos on sashimi.

It all depends on what kind of food I'm eating as to what method of dealing with the heat I use. Often, it's beer and bread or plain rice.

I can't tolerate a lot of milk and, like Bobby, I don't care for sour cream in large amounts.

It also changes up with different foods. When I eat spicy Indian food, I almost always drink lots of beer... IPA, of course... Then I finish off with some galum jamun and some anise seed.

I think of eating hot food as sort of a sport but, mostly, I just plain like it.
I don't know what it is, exactly, but a good, hot burrito or a plate of extra spicy vindaloo always hits the spot. Especially when washed down with a good beer! [thumbsup]

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-09-2010, 09:32 PM:

I liked the flavor of Chipotle's medium salsa, but couldn't tolerate the hotness. I was literally ordering it on the side and using a spoon to place a "dot" of salsa on each forkful.

This problem, and many others, went away after I got treated for a B12 deficiency. So now I don't have to order it on the side anymore!

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-09-2010, 10:24 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
Children have very different senses of taste and far more sensitive taste buds. While quality nutrition is important, it can be pretty cruel for parents to force a child to eat some rancid smelling food that requires an acquired taste and dulled adult aged taste buds to tolerate. My mother learned quick if she forced me to eat something (like shove a spoonful of cottage cheese into my mouth) I would be guaranteed to launch vomit onto the carpet.

That's not entirely a fair statement because it is extremely common for people in general (but especially kids) to dislike a new food where it takes them having it several times before they start to enjoy it. Just because someone dislikes it doesn't mean that they will always do so or that it shouldn't be continued to be introduced to the diet.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-09-2010, 10:53 PM:

I agree many kids are very finicky about trying new foods. Quite a few kids these days are a real pain in the ass when it comes to just cooperating and eating a meal. I'm talking about foods the kid has eaten before but now just doesn't want to because he/she is just being a selfish little brat. It's a real load of fun when the kid says he wants spaghetti for dinner, but then when the meal is ready he whines, "but I really wanted fried chicken."

But that's different from forcing a child to eat something that is going to make him or her physically sick every time they take a bite of it. That was me with cottage cheese as far back as I can remember. And the rule still applies today. Marylin Manson has a better chance of booking a concert in the middle of Mecca than I do of ever acquiring a taste for cottage cheese.

I need to add a little extra explanation to this comment I made earlier:

quote: Bobby Henderson
I hate "taco supreme" tacos from Taco Bell because they're usually heavily loaded with sour cream. I have to use my soft drink as a "chaser" after biting into one of those nasty things to rinse the disgusting sour cream residue out of my mouth

I never, ever order a Taco Supreme by deliberate choice (or anything else containing big globs of sour cream) from Taco Bell or any other restaurant. Sometimes I get stuck with a few of those things because of a mistake made by the restaurant staff. No problem, I just exchange the fouled tacos for clean versions. The real problem occurs when someone else goes to Taco Bell and orders for me. It could be a co-worker getting lunch for the group. It could be a friend "making a run to the border" while a group of us are playing poker, watching a football game, etc. The person placing the order just assumes everyone LOVES sour cream when in fact many people do not. Or that person insists on forcing that love of sour cream onto me. So I get the choice of choking down those nasty-fied tacos, giving them to someone else and doing without or personally going to Taco Bell and getting the job of ordering tacos done right.

One of my friends cannot stand condiments of any kind on sandwiches or burgers. Come to think of it I don't think he puts ketchup on French fries either. One trip we made to Braum's involved him returning his burger three times before they finally overcame their auto-pilot tendencies and gave him a dry burger.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-10-2010, 01:15 AM:

Manny, I always get extra medium, and then use the "smoked" Tabasco along with lemon juice from the lemons at the drink stand. Try it!

Bobby, it sounds like we would get along just fine when it comes to dinner. Cottage cheese, sour cream, liver, sardines, etc....ummmm, no.

You are however wrong about your claim that Taco Bell "does tacos right". Their tacos are pretty stale and bland.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-10-2010, 04:23 AM:

I have never in my entire life been to or eaten anything from Taco Bell. I even refuse to drive my friends there when they want it because I don't want that potential smell in my car. I love tacos and I love burritos, but I love 'em to be amazingly bland. Meat, beans and cheese does it for me. I do like 'em spicy. Qdoba is kind of like Chipotle without the spiciness. It's a tad dull.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-10-2010, 09:40 AM:

quote: Brad Miller
You are however wrong about your claim that Taco Bell "does tacos right". Their tacos are pretty stale and bland.

I didn't mean to imply Taco Bell makes great tacos ("tacos done right"). What I meant getting right was the ordering process, "dude, order my damned tacos WITHOUT sour cream! I don't want a nasty taco supreme!"

I agree Taco Bell does not make the best tacos. Out of Tex-Mex oriented fast food chains here in Lawton I prefer Taco Bueno (their taco meat and other ingredients are better and they have real salsa instead of sauce in ketchup packets). But they have only 1 location here in town and it isn't close enough to work to visit on lunch break. There is a Taco Bell/KFC combo store a couple blocks from my work place; so that place is usually chosen out of convenience not quality (Taco Bell has 4 locations in town). Taco Mayo is better than Taco Bell in a number of ways, but if I buy tacos there I always order inside so I can get some salsa from the salsa bar. Their ketchup packet "salsa" really sucks. Taco Mayo also has 4 locations here, but none are as close as Taco Hell, um I mean Bell.

Lawton has a few sit down Mexican Restaurants, most of which are local. I prefer Salas' Restaurant out of that group.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 11-10-2010, 07:50 PM:

You guys have IPA over there? It's probably gonna be very expensive imported from the UK but Marston's Old Empire is among the best I've have. Cobra Beer goes down very well with a Curry. I like spicy Indian food but the restaurants here throw so much Onion in the dish to bulk it up and I really can't tolerate Onions.

We also have Taco Bell here now. My friends drove across London which is quite a distance to try it as their only location is in a very large mall on the eastern edge of the M25 (the ring road that surrounds the London area). Not worth it apparently, it wasn't great in Canada when I tried it.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-10-2010, 10:17 PM:

Most of the ethnic restaurants I go to have at least one type of beer from their "home country."

Go to a Chinese restaurant and you'll find Tsingtao. Go to a Japanese joint and you'll find Sapporo. Most Mexican places have Negra Modelo. And, at most Indian restaurants you can find at least one or two brands of IPA.

You do pay the price for imported beer but it's not that much more expensive. I don't go to ethnic restaurants very often so I don't mind the expense. It's all part of having a night out. Besides, I don't drink that much beer. I hate drinking most American domestics. 90% of them taste like Alka Seltzer to me! I'm not going to waste my beer money on cheap swill. I'd rather save it up and buy something I like.

Foreign import beers are pretty common here. I can pick up Chimay in the local grocery store. If I get a hankering to have a beer it'll usually be something along those lines. A 750 ml bottle of Chimay Blue only cost about $12.00.

I like onion and garlic. Want to try a real treat? Have a fried onion and garlic sandwich with bacon and Limburger cheese then wash it down with some beer!

My wife would make me sleep on the couch for three days if I ate one of those!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-10-2010, 11:17 PM:

Mmm. Chimay Blue. Now that's a damned great beer. Not cheap though, a couple of our local liquor stores carry the 3 pack gift sets that include the steel rimmed glass and often charge more than $20 for it. I forget what the going price is for the 750ml bottle. Cache Road Discount Liquor stocks some big "magnum" sized bottles of the stuff.

AFAIK, Lawton does not have any India-oriented restaurants. I hesitate to use the term "Indian" because it causes confusion around here. We have a large "Native American" population here and the most popular Indian food item around here is the Indian Taco.

OTOH, you can get a decent IPA beer at a few places in town. They just don't serve Indian food. Some people don't like Indian Pale Ale beers for the hoppy, sometimes bitter and citrus like flavor, but I usually like it. For a top rated import or American IPA you usually have to visit a well stocked liquor store.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-10-2010, 11:43 PM:

Some day, I'm going to go to Belgium just so I can drink some Chimay Gold.

If you don't already know this, Chimay Gold is not sold commercially and can only be had if you go to the monastery in person.

Yeah, I'd spend a week living there, shoveling spent malt, if I got to drink some of the beer afterward!

Gee, I wonder if they'd take some burritos from Chipotle in trade?
Sans cilantro, of course!
[Wink]

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-30-2010, 09:36 PM:

No matter what you think of their burritos, their gift cards sound good
Chipolte Gift Card Fine Print

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-03-2011, 04:58 PM:

So does their current 2 for 1 offer.

Click here and print

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-06-2011, 05:42 PM:

quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
You guys have IPA over there? It's probably gonna be very expensive imported from the UK but Marston's Old Empire is among the best I've have.

The American version of IPA is rather different from ours. Ironically, the stuff was originally intended to be not that strong, because it was a thirst-quencher for expats in a hot country. It had to be just strong enough to survive the voyage by ship from Britain to India without going off; hence our IPAs typically being 3-4%.

The first time I tried IPA in the US I was in for a shock! Firstly, it's fizzy, and secondly it's about the strongest beer you'll typically find in the bar, at between 6-8%. There are some American IPAs I really like (e.g. Deschutes or Sierra Nevada), and local microbrewery-produced stuff can be a real experience. But you don't want to start knocking that stuff back in multiples of pints - that's for sure!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-06-2011, 06:48 PM:

The craft brewing industry in the US is fairly healthy, although I can see companies like Rogue being forced to raise prices even higher for increasing shipping costs.

Higher than usual alcohol levels are getting a little more common. I remember seeing a Flying Dog seasonal beer that had 9% ABV.

I like India Pale Ales, but I agree the American versions are different (but popular). I tried a Samuel Adams IPA on Friday; it was tasty. Acme, Boulevard and many others have IPAs. Whether they taste good or not is kind of subjective. What one person thinks is great another may think it's bitter horse piss.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 03-06-2011, 07:56 PM:

I keep meaning to try Sierra Nevada but never get to it at the GBBF. I prefer stronger ales so will make sure I try some at the next opportunity.

Bobby you're right when it comes to beer it's so subjective. Lots of people here drink lager and wont touch ale, and vice versa. Even those who drink ale will not deviate from the safer brands.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 03-09-2011, 04:53 PM:

So I was in Selfridges today (huge upmarket department store in London) and in their beer section I came across a couple of American IPAs. Had the Flying Dog Brewery Snake Dog tonight. It definitely packs a punch, has the sweetness and strength of a 'special' ale here but the same base as an IPA in England. I've got a Brooklyn IPA for tomorrow night.

Posted by Bud Frankel (Member # 6481) on 09-14-2011, 05:32 PM:

Give me Chipotle or give me death.

Really, Chipotle is good, sooooooooooo good!

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 09-17-2011, 03:07 PM:

Thanks for the tipoff, Caleb - will remember to drop in and stock up on my next London trip.

Coincidentally, there is now a Chipotle on Charing Cross Road, too - the first one I've seen in Britain.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-18-2011, 01:56 AM:

I had Chipotle tonight. It was spectacular, as always

I am still waiting for Randy to come visit so I can take him to Mi Chula's Good Mexican.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 09-20-2011, 03:35 PM:

Leo there are two branches of Chipotle now, one just opened off Baker Street. I'm yet to go to that one but will get there soon. My office is in Leicester Square so the Charing Cross Road branch is too close, if I go once I will end up in there every day!

Mexican food seems to be gaining momentum in London, went to a really nice place just next to Charing Cross Station a couple of weeks back.

Adnams Brewery in Suffolk have done an American-style IPA which is quite nice, not sure how widely distributed it is.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 09-21-2011, 03:52 PM:

Wow - hope they set up shop in Yorkshire before too much longer! I can't remember the precise spot on the Charing Cross Road this place is: I walked past it after a meeting at the BFI in Stephen Street back in June, en route to Victoria station (Charing Cross Road - Trafalgar Square - Mall - round the side of Buck House - Victoria), heading to Gatwick and thence a plane home to Leeds/Bradford. If I'm remembering correctly, it was on the east side somewhere along the block between Oxford Street and Shaftesbury Avenue.

Their black bean burrito takes some beating, though as a vegan the suspense mounts a bit as it progresses down the production line, wondering if I'll be able to stop them before they smother it with cheese!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 09-21-2011, 09:15 PM:

I guess too many people prefer Chipotle to Freebird's World Burrito.

The two restaurants battled it out in the Oklahoma University campus corner. Both had locations on Asp Avenue. A couple weeks ago Freebirds closed without any warning.

I liked Freebirds alright for their variety of ingredients as well as the more irreverent vibe. Chipotle doesn't give as much choice, but I think their ingredients are of higher quality and it costs a little less. FWIW, I usually get the same thing: steak burrito, black beans, cilantro lime rice, plenty of red sauce and most of the other fixings -but no sour cream).

Rumor has it Freebirds is going to open a location in Tulsa.

Oklahoma didn't have any Chipotle locations until just a couple or so years ago. There's six in OK now (three in metro OKC, one in Stillwater near the Oklahoma State campus and two in Tulsa). I'm telling you Chipotle would make a killing here in Lawton. The food is good and priced reasonably. Can't argue with that.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 09-25-2011, 03:55 PM:

Leo it's next to the Phoenix Theatre. That whole area is changing every month while they build the huge Crossrail station at Tottenham Court Road, I can't recognise half of the area. I had Chipotle for lunch on Friday, put way too much hot sauce on my chips, bad mistake.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 09-25-2011, 06:05 PM:

quote:
Wow - hope they set up shop in Yorkshire before too much longer!

I havent tried Chipotle yet, maybe when I'm in London later in the year.

I'm just waiting for a Cinnabon to open somwhere local to me. [Smile]

(always have one of them when I'm in London)

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-04-2011, 01:23 PM:

Thanks Caleb. Yup - trying to negotiate the Tottenham Court Road / Oxford Street crossroads at the moment is a bit like being a contestent in a sadistic Japanese TV game show. One of Red Ken's bendy buses nearly took me on a ride to the projection booth in the sky on my last trip south, and doubtless a Boris Routemaster will next time!

Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 10-04-2011, 09:50 PM:

My favorite: barbacoa burrito with rice, black beans, corn salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce.

I'm hungry now.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-20-2011, 10:24 PM:

2011 Chipotle Halloween Promotion ($2 Burritos)

quote:
This Halloween, we're celebrating family farms and their dedication to the land they live on and the delicious food they produce. To join in on the party, come into any Chipotle on Halloween from 6 pm to closing dressed in a costume inspired by the family farm and we'll hook you up with a burrito, bowl, salad, or an order of tacos made with responsibly raised ingredients for just $2.

Have some fun with your costumes. Think crops, farm tools, tractors, silos, or farm animals. Get the proverbial creative juices flowing and you might have a shot at winning a prize in the Costume Contest.

In support of our family farming friends, we're donating the proceeds, up to $1,000,000 to The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation and Farm Aid, two non-profit organizations working to keep farmers on the land and nurture a better agricultural system.