Qdoba
http://www.qdoba.com/

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I find if I eat a more substantial breakfast, I am less likely to snack throughout the day.  The breakfast burrito at Qdoba has always been one of my favorites, so I decided to give their quesadilla a try.

What I Had:  Spicy Chorizo Breakfast Quesadilla; $7.00.

With the breakfast quesadilla, you can go small with a  ten inch shell or larger with the 12.5″ shell, which is what you see in the photo. I went with the chorizo but you can also choose to go with grilled chicken or meatless with cheese only.  As much as I enjoy Qdoba’s grilled chicken, it just doesn’t seem right for breakfast.  You can add extra meat for a small feel but that makes this menu item and even worse health option.  Eggs and potatoes are both optional and I went with just the eggs.  All of Qdoba’s salsa options are available for breakfast and I went with the Pico and their Salsa Roja.  I liked how even the quesadilla was even though it was loaded and the evenly distributed ingredients including egg, salsa, cheese and chorizo made this work.   The quesadilla never got sloppy and held up making it easy to eat.  Even when I re-warmed a piece the next day, it maintained its consistency and the spice from the chorizo and salsa really worked well for me.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes, on occasion.   If the breakfast quesadilla was not so bad for you, I would get it frequently, but the high fat and sodium content makes this go into the category of a rare treat.  I split this over two days and I think it tasted even better re-warmed the next day.  I still like Qdoba’s breakfast burrito better as long as you get there when they first open in the morning and everything is fresh.  If you don’t the potatoes in the burrito are like rubber and that is when I would pass on the burrito and go for the quesadilla.

Note: Not all Qdoba locations are open for breakfast.

-EatHSE

Nutritional Facts

Total serving size (oz): 18.58 oz

Selected Items**

Shredded Cheese, 12.5in Flour Tortilla”, Pork Sausage, Eggs, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Roja,

Super Torta Estilo Barrio
1002 N. Main St.
Speedway, IN 46224-6941
http://www.supertortasestilobarrio.com/ (en Espanol)

I didn’t know that this place existed until I drove right past it en route to a meeting that I had.  After the meeting, I double-backed and decided to give it a try.  This place only sells tortas, so if you want tacos, tough nuts.

What I Got:  #4 Toluquena Torta. Ham, Chorizo and Mozzarella; $5.25

All of their tortas come with mayo, tomato, avocado, jalapenos and chipotle sauce.  At first bite, it was pretty bland.  The bread was the normal, somewhat chewy torta type of bread everyone has.  Think hamburger bun with a thicker crust.  I expected the chorizo to be a little spicy, but it wasn’t.  Also, with chipotle sauce and jalapenos, there wasn’t a lot of kick.  The ham reminded me of the super thin watery stuff that you get pre-packaged at the grocery store.  I would’ve preferred a thicker cut that was maybe thrown on the grill for a minute.

Would I It Again?  No.  It wasn’t horrible, but there wasn’t anything here that excited me.  For $5.25, I thought that it was a little pricey considering the amount and quality of the meat that they put on it.  If I am in the area, there are other places that I would choose before Super Torta.  They have a lot different combos for their sandwiches and you can get them for breakfast as well.  If I worked close, it would be an okay default, but it won’t make it on my destination list.

-wibia

Pancho’s Taqueria
7023 Michigan Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46268
http://www.panchosmexicantaqueria.com

If I had a list of my favorite foods that I like to eat, burritos would be firmly planted towards the top.  Even a bad burrito can be palatable.  When I talk about Mexican food in Indy, I always get recommendation to go to Pancho’s Taqueria.  Indianapolis Eater already gave the Allisonville location a try and gave it a WIBIA-Yes rating.  I tried it about three years ago and it didn’t leave any lasting memories, so I thought that I would take another swing at it.

What I Ate: Lunch Special #12 – Burrito with sour cream and lettuce.  Drink was included; $7.90 with tax.

Now, this was a little misleading.  A sign on the front said they had specials from $4.99, but I didn’t see any lunch specials for that amount.  Also, the sign said that all lunch specials were served with refried beans and rice.

As you can see, no beans and rice.  When I opened my burrito, there were beans and rice inside, so I would assume that is what the sign meant?  Kind of confusing.  Pancho’s has a salsa bar with seemingly freshly made pico and four different types of salsa.  I tried the pico and the “salsa for chips.”  Looking at my plate, I thought…what am I going to do with iceberg lettuce topped with sour cream and a nasty looking tomato?  I opened the burrito and dumped it all in and with a full scoops of the above mentioned salsa.  The burrito shell was slightly grilled and made it difficult to reassemble with the increased amount of ingredients.

Pancho’s gives you the ability to choose from about seven different meats.  Normal fare includes chicken, steak, ground beef, chorizo, carnitas, tripe, etc.  The carne asada (steak) was cooked well and cut into very small pieces.  I picked a few pieces out to taste them outside of the burrito and I found it to be a little bland.  However, the meat was gristle free and had very little fat.  The beans and rice were filler.  If you have had ‘em once, I guess.  The pico brightened it up a little and the salsa made the burrito a little too runny.

Would I Buy It Again?  No. This was a boring burrito.  $7.90 for a burrito and a drink is about as much as Chipotle and I am not sure if I would pick Pancho’s over Chipotle.  For burritos or tacos, I prefer neighboring El Pastorcito or even El Taco Torro.  It wasn’t a bad burrito and you should give it a try to see if you are with the masses.  I found Pancho’s to be a step above the El Rodeo’s of the world, but a step below the burrito elite in Indy.

-Wibia

Qdoba
http://www.qdoba.com

I love gumbo and any other soul food that has some kick to it.  When I saw Qdoba had its own Mexican Gumbo, I decided to pass on my regular burrito and give it a shot.  Most fast food places take anything that traditionally has spice to it and makes it bland and boring for the masses.  I came into my Qdoba with low expectations of their gumbo but was curious to see how different Mexican Gumbo is from my southern favorite.

What I Ate:  Mexican Gumbo, 31 ounce bowl; $6.29

Looking at the menu after placing my order, I realized the “gumbo” was nothing more than their own tortilla soup with sour cream, cheese, and salsa topped with tortilla strips.  Soggy tortilla strips are a turnoff of mine and I generally find that sour cream overpowers the taste so I passed on both adding a half scoop of salsa verde and corn salsa to my gumbo.  Chicken, steak and pork are all available and I went with the pork option.  Overall, the aroma had me ready to go and the bowl was visually appealing when I got home and was ready to eat.

I was proud to have passed on my normal 1200 calorie burrito only to find out later that the bowl of gumbo was 1100 calories.  So much for the low carb healthy approach.  As I ate, I found there to be a variety of flavors in the gumbo and what looked like some kinds of peppers that were so soft like the pork that it almost melted in your mouth.  As I ate, the heat began to build and I found the gumbo to have just the right amount of kick to keep things interesting and meet my need for heat.  As I ate, I never had a spoonful that had a chunk of one ingredient that overpowered the rest of the ingredients finding even distribution throughout the serving.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes. I look forward to getting a burrito at Qdoba and have been reluctant to try anything besides a burrito when I visit.  Being someone who enjoys good southern fare and it being Qdoba, I had low expectations of whether their Mexican Gumbo but thought it would be a lower calorie option.  Although the bowl of gumbo has nearly as many calories as a burrito, I enjoyed the variety of flavors, how tender the pulled pork was and that it actually had some spice to it, which you rarely find at fast food restaurants.  On a cold Midwest day, I would be plenty satisfied with another bowl of Qdoba’s Mexican Gumbo and find it to be a good substitute for Yats Gumbo or the best gumbo in Indianapolis at Black Diamond.

-EatHSE

Taqueria Guanajuato
5210 West Pike Plaza Road
Indianapolis, IN 46254

I always forget that Taqueria Guanjuato has three Indy locations, as I frequently visit the one at 31^st and Shadeland any time that I am on the east side of the city.  It is so freaking good and I am not sure where to start.

I was excited when I had the opportunity to try a different location and wondered if it could keep the same quality.  This grocery store is huge and a lot nicer than the one on Shadeland.  Plus, they have an expanded menu and table service.  This location’s menu has rabbit and quail and a lot of seafood.   The one on Shadeland is just tacos, burritos and tortas.  Pike Plaza has alcohol too.  I decided to play it safe and stick with my normal order.

What I Got: Carne Asada Burrito;  $4.50 (don’t quote me on that, but it is under $5).

When you order the burrito, order it with everything.  Refried beans, avocado, lettuce, sour cream, tomato and cheese.   I can’t imagine it is any less than 1,300 calories.  Quite simply, this is my favorite cheap grab and go burrito that I have ever had.   It is pure fat and meat, but oh so tasty.  I usually grab one of the bottles of red salsa and paint a strip on my burrito, eat that layer and then repeat.  One burrito is probably more than enough for most people, but I usually add a sidecar of a chorizo taco (or two).  Those are the bomb as well.

Recently, I went there three times in one week and I had the Carne Asada, Al Pastor and Carnitas (available on the weekends only) and all meats were top shelf.  However, I once had a chicken burrito and it was horrible, so I can’t vouch for chicken here.

Would I Buy it Again??  HELL YEAH!!! I can guarantee you that I have been to 90% of Taquerias in Indianapolis and this is my favorite – and by quite a bit.   Their tacos, tortas and burritos are all lights out.

Recently, my cousin from Arizona came to Indy for Christmas and I mentioned going to the taqueria.  She curled her lip and said “Mexican in Indy?”  I reassured her that I have had burritos from coast to coast and one of my favorite burritos is here in Indy.   We went and she loved it.

Ok, stop reading my blog, go for lunch and report back. 

-wibia

Taco Bell Quad-Steak Burrito
http://www.tacobell.com/menuitem/Quad-Steak-Burrito

It has long been my thinking that Taco Bell should focus on what it does well and that is providing cheap and fast tacos and burritos.  At about $1.70 less than the Poblano Pesto Burrito I get from Qdoba, I had expectations that this would be a signature product for Taco Bell that would be comparable to other chain burritos but probably not as good at Qdoba or Chipotle.  In this review I will compare the Quad-Steak Burrito to Qdoba’s Steak Poblano Pesto Burrito, a fast food favorite of mine.

What I Ate: Taco Bell Quad-Steak Burrito $4.99

The Quad-Steak comes in at 13.4 oz in comparison to the 23 oz burrito from Qdoba making it more expensive per ounce.  The ingredients are simple including four servings of steak, sour cream, rice, salsa, and cheese.  Comparing nutrition to the Qdoba burrito has the Quad-Steak at 690 calories, 26 g of fat and 2140 mg of sodium to the Qdoba burrito at 1235 calories, 50g fat, and 3035 mg of sodium giving the lower quality Taco Bell Quad Steak slightly more fat and salt per ounce.  Neither will be on the list of anyone watching what they eat.

The appearance of the burrito completely turned me off.  Unlike the Qdoba burrito where you can clearly see the ingredients you have ordered, the Taco Bell Quad-Steak Burrito’s contents looked similar to all of the drop droppings in my backyard after a long winter full of snow.  Unfortunately, the taste did not save this burrito.  The steak tasted rubbery like it was a week old and was drowning in so much sour cream that you could not taste the rice or small amount of salsa included.  I tried adding some hot sauce to balance the source cream but it did not help this burrito disaster.

Would I Buy It Again?  Never! There are many menu items at Taco Bell that are half the price and are at least five times better than the Quad-Steak Burrito.  I enjoy Taco Bell but my guess is that this burrito will disappear from the Taco Bell menu and the sooner, the better.

-EatHSE

Mexico City Grill
11653 Fishers Station Dr.
Fishers, IN 46038
http://www.mexicocitygrill.com (same menu as Fishers location)

Mexico City Grill recently opened its newest location in the recently renovated Fishers Station Plaza at 116^th St. and Allisonville Road.  Fishers has several other Mexican restaurants within a mile of this location makingthe long term success of Mexico City Grill dependent on setting higher standard than its competition.  Since I work nearby, I inquired about whether they plan to offer delivery at lunch and it is not currently part of their plan.

This location was previously a Mexican restaurant and the layout inside has change little from the previous owners. The décor is bright and busy in an attempt to create a festive environment but over the top for my taste.  Having just opened, it was not very busy and the large staff provided quick service to the point I was asked if everything was okay about every five minutes.  It will be interesting to see how the staff handles a full dining room and if the service remains top notch.

What I Got:

Chips/Salsa(free) and Guacamole ($4.99).  You can usually tell a lot about a place by these three staples. The golden colored chips were freshly made and were some of the best I have had anywhere.  The salsa was very runny to the point you could see water separating from the rest of the salsa making it a huge disappointment.  The guacamole can be ordered for $4.99 or you can have it freshly made table side for $8.00.  For $5.00, I was disappointed in the serving size, but the guacamole was the right mix of avocado chunks to its creaminess and is some of the best I have had anywhere.

Burrito del Campo ($9.50).  A fresh flour tortilla wrapped around a combination of steak, chicken, shrimp, cheese sauce and rice.  Topped with your choice of a green sauce or cheese sauce and fresh diced tomatoes.  The steak and chicken were marinated and tender and the burrito included six large shrimp that were just a bit overcooked.  I chose the green sauce and the combination of everything worked well together.  The beans on the plate were standard fare but the rice was very dry and overdone.  Overall, I enjoyed this burrito enough that I would order it again.

Enchiladas Con Crema ($8.99).  With this choice, you get two enchiladas and my wife got one with chicken and the other with ground beef.  They came topped with sour cream sauce and cheese, and were served with refried beans, rice, lettuce, avocado slices and sour cream.  The sauce was make or break, and in this case, my wife was disappointed.  Although I liked the seasoning combination in the sauce better than her, it did not work at all on the enchilada with ground beef but came off better with the chicken.  Between the sour cream sauce and all of the other sour cream, it was a gloppy mess and both my wife and I would pass on this menu item in the future.

Kids Chicken Chimichanga ($4.99). The server forgot to put this in with the original order but had it out to use within a couple of minutes of us receiving our meal.  The kid’s meal was large enough to feed both my three and four year old and came with a chimichanga that my wife liked more than her meal, beans and rice.  The seasoning was simple for kids but overall good value.  The kids menu had many other good options making Mexico City Grill a good family destination.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes. The service was excellent and the food was above average.  Whenever I visit a restaurant in its first couple of days after being opened, I am always interested in seeing if the quality of  food and service changes as they get busier or slower depending on first impressions.  Overall, if I am choosing between Mexico City Grill based on my first impression and the nearby Riviera Maya in the downtown area of Fishers on 116^th Street that I reviewed in May of 2010, Riviera Maya has a better environment inside, a full bar, equally good service, a better range of menu items and higher quality food with better flavor that make it the better choice of two Mexican Restaurants with similar menus and prices.

-EatHSE

Taco Bell
http://www.tacobell.com

Taco Bell has yet again trotted out a new menu item and while I was watching football this past weekend, I saw about a billion commercials for this one and since I am a slave to television marketing (LOL), I figured I’d try it out.

What I Got:  Beefy Crunch Burrito; 99 cents.

As with all Taco Bell reviews, let’s go over what’s in the burrito according to the Taco Bell website:

“Layers of seasoned ground beef, rice, warm nacho cheese sauce, reduced fat sour cream and Flamin’ Hot (R) Fritos(R) wrapped in a warm, flour tortilla.”

I can confirm that all those ingredients were in there, although since I am not a fan of sour cream, I had them remove it from my burrito.

In terms of taste, this was the basic Taco Bell tastes that you’ve come to expect with the added texture of crunchy Fritos worked in.  The ground beef, rice and nacho cheese sauce were all as you’d expect them.  But, when mixed with the Fritos, there was a nice additional crunch added to the burrito and I liked that.  The Fritos weren’t “Flamin’ Hot” in my mind and didn’t add any additional heat to the burrito, but I didn’t mind that because as I said, I liked the crunch added to what is usual just a mushy menu item.

Would I Buy It Again?  For 99 cents, I would definitely buy it again.  If they raised it much above $1.29 or something like that, I would never order it.  Although, you have to take that with a grain of salt since I am an unabashed fan of the Why Pay More? value menu at Taco Bell.  Regardless, give this burrito a shot if you are either A) a slave to television marketing or B) willing to try something different.  You won’t be blown away by the taste, but I also don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

-IndianapolisEater