Qdoba: Reliable Mexican Food

Qdoba is a Mexican chain very similar to Chipotle, which opened two years before Qdoba, and has more than 500 locations nationwide. Neither one invented the burrito or quick and inexpensive Mexican food. But both businesses have become nearly ubiquitous presences in the fast food landscape. Qdoba offers a limited menu with a variety of flavors. There are burritos, tacos, nachos, quesadillas and taco salads. There are different choices of protein (grilled chicken, pulled pork, shredded beef, ground beef, grilled steak and vegetarian), five different salsas and four sauces that can be combined in hundreds of different ways.

I went in for a late dinner and ordered a "Craft 2", Honest Tea and guacamole and chips. For my two "perfect portions," I chose two chicken tacos and the seasonal "summer fresh mango salad." The chicken tacos with grilled white meat, pico de gallo, toasted corn salsa, hot salsa, sour cream, and cheese were fine. The tomatoes, corn and hot salsa provided both refreshing and spicy accents to each bite. The cheese and sour cream added some creaminess and counteracted the heat of the hot salsa. Were these the best tacos ever? No. They were good, not great, but I can bet that they'll taste the same at every Qdoba location. There's something to be said for consistency.

The mango salad looked alluring in the pictures, but what arrived was a far cry from what I had been expecting. The mangoes were hard and chalky--not yet ripe. The vinaigrette had some flavor and wasn't bad with the lettuce, red onions and bell pepper. The salad was more romaine lettuce than anything else.

The "hand-smashed" guacamole was decent. I could taste the salt and lime and the avocados they had used were soft and ripe. I don't know why they bother saying "hand-smashed" though. I have never had guacamole anywhere that was made by machine. If it were made by machine it would be avocado puree--the flesh is too delicate.

The service was quite friendly. My questions were answered quickly and efficiently. The space is marked by earth tones and there is plenty of seating. There are sepia-toned photographs of ingredients and people cooking all over the walls which add some nice ambiance. The dining area was clean and brightly lit.

The food at Qdoba is pretty good. It won't blow your mind, but at least you know what to expect when you set foot in the door. I'm not a huge fan of fast food in general but places like Qdoba are attempting to bring back real food to the American public and for that I am thankful. We should all try to stick to the credo of Michael Pollan: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."