Qdoba, Part 1

(Qdoba was the first restaurant simultaneously visited for the first time by all of the charter ZagatWho? members, so there very well may be multiple takes on our visit this afternoon. At the very least, Kathy-- our principal photographer-- will kindly provide images to go along with my text, and Mindy-- our principal webmaster-- will provide a scanned menu that you may peruse at your leisure very shortly.)
Qdoba (Mexican Food)
655 S. Hope St., Los Angeles (Downtown)

Those who know me know that I love Chipotle. Chipotle is a fresh mex chain that began in 1993 in Denver, CO. Now it's owned by McDonald's, though they don't get involved with the day-to-day. Qdoba is a fresh mex chain that began in 1995 in Denver, CO. Now it's owned by Jack in the Box, though they don't get involved with the day-to-day.

I had to try Chipotle's doppel-ganger.

I ordered a Poblano Pesto Burrito.

THE FOOD:
Rice: Infected with LIME disease (too much citrus!)
Guac: Too watery (it has that cheap feel that might mean too much lemon/lime juice was used). And lordy, they put lettuce in it (you know what I always say: "let us not put lettuce in our guac").
Fajita mix: they wanted to charge me extra for it! Potle gives you beans AND peppers for free.

They also mixed the 'rito really sloppily, and the salsa fell to the bottom. I got the hottest and barely felt it, whereas Chipotle's sauce always makes the snot drip outta my nose.

The pesto sauce (or maybe it was the salsa?) was far, far colder than it needed to be. It made my whole burrito cold, and that's not appetizing.

The pie pans they put under the burritos are pretty cute, though, I guess.
THE SANITATION:
LA County Public Health Grade: NOT VISIBLE
I went ahead and assumed that they got an A because the other area Qdoba's did.
The bathroom was clean-- probably cleaner than Chipotle's, but without a mirror.

BUT EW.
The preparation counter was a cross-contamination nightmare. The girl making my burrito used the guacamole spoon to scoop in some pesto sauce, and there was brown-to-black bean liquid transference when she scooped those in, too.

CONCLUSION
A mi no me gusta Qdoba. Stupid name aside, the food was at best ok-- a reasonable facsimile for Chipotle if I ever found myself working across the street from Qdoba and more than an hour away from the nearest Potle. I would like to try their breakfast menu, though.
Disappointed.

(until Erica is able to make us our ratings graphics, please accept this random clip art in its place, which also fulfills our Affirmative Action quota for the day)

-->ravi