Chipotle, South Beach Style

So, I am on Day 4 of Phase 1 of the South Beach diet. I'm not actually trying to lose a whole lot of weight, or anything. Mainly, I'm hoping to better fit into some clothes that fit me a couple years ago. It's been rough so far - I love me some sugary foods, and I can hardly think of a meal without bread - but I won't go off on those tangents at the moment. I'm here to talk about Chipotle.

I was a late-comer to Chipotle. I had heard good, if cautious, reviews from sources I trusted, but I wasn't buying it. Also, I was put off by the whole McDonald's connection.* When I noticed there was one down in my area, I simultaneously noticed that it had a line that extended clear around the circumference of the store. This was promising, but also discouraging.

Then one day a couple months back, I went to work with a hangover. Heading out for lunch, I wanted something really filling and I remembered Chipotle. I was moving slowly anyway, so a long line didn't seem like it would be a bad thing. I went in, went to the back of the line (which was, as it usually is, clear around the store), and studied the menu. The long line gave me time to figure out their system, which is simple, but not immediately obvious, and actually moved a lot faster than I expected it to. The best thing about the line at this particular location is that, through the set up of the space, they manage to keep it completely separate from the dining area (though not the counters along the windows). It doesn't sound like much, but not having people who are waiting for food hovering over you while you eat makes for a much better dining experience.

By the time I got to the front, I had settled on the Vegetarian Burrito, which was put together in short order. A couple bites later, and I was really impressed. I have heard some complaints about the flavored rice, but I found it to be light and refreshing (compared, for example, with rice cooked in chicken stock - which is tasty, but heavy). On my second visit, I tried a Chicken Burrito, which was also really good but was way too much food. After that, I switched back to the Vegetarian Burrito as my standard meal on subsequent visists. That is, until this week.

Coming up with meals that comply with the strict rules of South Beach: Phase 1 is tough. When I first went to Chipotle, I thought the Burrito Bol (everything that goes in a burrito in a bowl instead) was a ridiculous idea, put out there for lo-carb freaks who were worried about the starch content of a tortilla. I may have been right. In any case, I realized that a Burrito Bol, without rice, was a great option for me! So, my new (and surprisingly satisfying, given my restrictions) standard meal at Chipotle is: Burrito Bol, lettuce instead of rice, black beans, grilled chicken, fresh tomato salsa, and guacamole (which is allowed, though probably in quantities smaller than they give me). Top the whole thing with a squeeze of fresh lime (which you will find by the soda fountain) and you have a nice tasty protein & veggie lunch! South Beach approved!

(The bad news? This lunch plus a seltzer (with a squeeze of lemon!) comes out to $10.75. More than my daily allotment, and also I'd say more than the meal is worth.)

There are two Chipotle locations in the Financial District: 2 Broadway at Stone Street (the one I frequent) and 100 Maiden Lane at William Street.

*I was pleased to find in my research for today's post that McDonald's fully divested from Chipotle in October of 2006.

Street Burritos

At 12:15 today, I realized I had somewhere around $40, give or take, to last me until my next paycheck. At 12:45 today, I realized I was starving. My unfortunate financial situation kept me from going to one of my usual filling-lunch destinations, and inspired me to hit the food carts in the hope of finding a cheap and filling meal.

I have worked in this area for close to three years, and have never eaten from any of the food carts down here besides a couple of the fruit salad/juice carts. I have long been curious, but never knew where to begin. I did recall seeing a taco cart once off the Chase Manhattan Bank plaza, and I do love tacos, so this is where I began.

There was no one waiting, which I tend to think of as a bad sign at a food cart*, but Mexican sounded really good to me. And I was starving. I only saw hard taco shells, so decided to try a burrito rather than a taco. I briefly debated getting a vegetarian burrito, but quickly decided on chicken instead. The chicken was pulled and stewed in a red sauce, and topped with beans, lettuce, and sliced tomato. Unable to choose among my various options, I requested sour cream and cheese and guacamole (the last of which added $1.50 to the price, for a total of $4.50).

My burrito was not very tightly wrapped, making it messier than it had to be. The chicken was pretty tasty and the guacamole was fine, but all the other ingredients left much to be desired. The lettuce was soggy and the tomato was (as I mentioned) sliced, which is awkward in a burrito. The worst component was the cheese (which I recognized was a mistake to order as soon as I saw it) - it was the liquidy orange nacho cheese.

Overall, edible but disappointing and not very filling. I'll have to go to an old standby tomorrow to make up for it.

* I have a general theory that to recognize a good cart, one should look for the longest line.

I think there may be more than one taco cart in this general vicinity, but the one I went to today was the south-most cart in front of the Chase building on Broad Street, just north of Pine St.