Mexicali Grille

by Sophie Loghman

It’s that time of the month again. I’m bloated, but don’t care; I have stomach cramps with a side of a pounding headache, and to top it all off-- I’m craving a burrito. I am also quite tired of the usual Mexican restaurants in the area –you know, like Taqueria, and La Parrilla, and Agua Linda—so I decide to try something new. I remembered seeing signs about the reopening of a Mexican restaurant somewhere on West Broad Street, so I hop in my car, drive all but five minutes from my apartment and turn left into a crammed parking lot.

“Welcome to Mexicali Grille,” coos one of the softly spoken hostesses, who I have to say, slightly resembles a taller (and more plump) version of Mila Kunis.

This restaurant looks bland. All I really notice are the ever-so-typical Mexican flags, a few sombreros and some pieces of Mexican cloth hanging around its yellow walls.

But the menu! Here I am holding a menu with a profusion of Mexican dishes that all cost under only $12. I see burritos and enchiladas and queso and even chalupas. But wait-- what’s a chalupa? I think I’ve heard of it on a Taco Bell commercial, but never have I actually thought about its ingredients. I look over to the left side of the menu and see that Mexicali has graciously put a description of its dishes. How very convenient. I read that a chalupa is a tostada platter in Mexican cuisine, filled with lettuce, onions, salsa, chicken, beans and tortillas. Kind of like a taco salad and a burrito mixed in one—but I think I’ll pass.

After careful examination and a handful of impeccably salty chips and salsa (which is complimentary with every meal, I might add), I tell my grinning waiter that I’d like a cheese dip to start things off. He tells me for just one dollar I can upgrade to a size large cheese dip and I think, “What the hell? Bring it on.”

He’s right. The cheese IS pretty big. But can it beat Taqueria’s?

Unfortunately, it can’t.

The cheese was too unattractively thin. I couldn’t even keep it on my chips without making a huge mess of gooey white cheese on the table. And where are the jalapeños for flavor? Suddenly, my headache gets a little worse.

My burrito supreme comes out next. It wasn’t the kind of the burrito I’m used to. The lettuce, the cheese, the tomatoes, and the sour cream are all on the outside of the tortilla. What kind of Mexican restaurant is this?!

I see the two owners sitting at a nearby table doing what looks to be taxes. I crinkle my eyebrows and give them a my infamous evil eye.

As I bite into my burrito next, the waiter returns with some more salsa and chips, which is refreshing that he noticed that I was on a chip-frenzy and needed more at that very moment. What can I say? The service is excellent here.

My burrito tastes a little plain. I can’t complain, but it’s definitely not an authentic straight-from-Mexico tasting burrito.

I ask my waiter to bring me a Passion Fruit Margarita to calm my throbbing headache.

I take a substantial slurp and MMMMMMM. That is by far the best margarita I’ve ever tasted. Not too sweet and not too alcoholic—I have to drink some more.

My fruity mixed beverage went unexpectedly well with my basic-tasting burrito. It wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t call it anything past mediocre.

My description of the burrito is exactly how I would describe the restaurant. I would definitely choose somewhere else for authentic Mexican food, but this is still pleasant place to hang out, share some margaritas and down some perfectly plain Mexican food.

It’s probably not the place to bring your parents the weekend they come up, but if you’re looking for a cheap meal—which, let’s be real, everyone is in this economy—come here before your next pregame downtown.

Chipotle

by Patrick Adams

The Chipotle Mexican Grill chain claims to purchase its food ethically, organically, locally and naturally, but that is not the feeling I get when I step in the door. These types of claims are ones that lead me to believe the atmospheric experience will be warm, cozy and personable, not cold and industrial. Based on looks alone, the Chipotle in Decatur, Georgia does not do justice to the quality of the food. It looks as if the theme of the restaurant has little to do with Mexican heritage, except for a few Mayan-themed bas relief sculptures hanging on the walls.

Ordering the food was just as industrial, but in a good way. It’s an assembly line similar to Subway with the ingredients laid out in front of you. I ordered the burrito bowl, which has a variety of fresh ingredients to select from. The thick paper bowl is filled with a choice of cilantro-lime rice and pinto or black beans. Next you choose a meat, each of which is marinated in their chipotle sauce: grilled chicken, steak, carnitas (sautéed shredded pork) or barbacoa (shredded beef). You can top all that off with guacamole, salsa, cheese and/or sour cream. Although it was difficult to hear the worker over the loud music, at least it was Radiohead rather than Katy Perry. Eventually, though, I communicated over the loudness to the worker I wanted rice, black beans, chicken, guacamole, green tomatillo salsa and cheese.

A section of Chipotle’s menu board is titled “Food With Integrity”, which proudly displays a brief description of the healthy quality of their ingredients. The chicken I ordered was raised without the use of antibiotics or additives in the feed, and their other meats are also naturally raised. Only a portion of the vegetable ingredients are USDA certified organic, but according to the Chipotle Web site, they only buy from suppliers that use sustainable farming practices. Lastly, the cheese on my burrito bowl came from pasture-raised cows, which generally produce more nutritious milk than grain-fed livestock.

Ultimately, the finished product was a palette of various colors, which is usually a good indication of a balanced meal. It smelled amazing. I could easily discern the chipotle marinade, lime and cilantro. Although the burrito bowl was visually appealing in its layers, I prefer to use my patented smash-and-mix technique to keep the overall dish uniform in its flavor and texture. Just like the smell hinted, the chipotle, lime and cilantro were the most potent flavors in the dish, but the red onions also added a sharp bitterness, which was a good extra kick. The flavor was consistently distributed throughout my sludgy mish-mash.

Just one problem: I was freezing! And the stainless steel tables didn’t help. I don’t know if Chipotle is aware, but it’s supposed to be warm in Mexico. If you’re going to be a Mexican grill, then turn up the heat a little. It’s November, and the weather outside was in the forties. Capitalism has endowed us with central heating systems, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take advantage of such a modern convenience in late autumn.

The atmosphere was such a big problem that I’m not sure – even with delicious, healthy food – I would ever choose to eat in a Chipotle again. I could get a to-go order and eat it in the comfort of my own home – the restaurant setting is just too uptight. Certainly it has to set itself apart from similar competitors such as Moe’s, Taco Bell and Barbaritos, but a little Mayan-themed décor is not enough to offset the discomfort of stainless steel tables and cold air.

Cali n Tito's: Don't Forget the Cash

by Megan Niager

Cali n Tito’s invites their guests to pull a seat (and cooler) to enjoy a good time over dinner. Conveniently located within walking distance to UGA’s Foley Baseball Field, this restaurant is unique because it encourages BOYB. With a $2.00 service fee, you can freely drink your own beverages which is a major plus in my book.

Cali n Tito’s provides an authentic Mexican feel right in the heart of Athens. Conveniently located within walking distance to UGA’s Foley Baseball Field, this restaurant is unique in the sense that it encourages BYOB (bring your own beer, wine, assorted adult drinks, etc.). With a $2.00 service fee, you can freely drink your own beverages, which is a major plus in my book.

Financially, it’s a great find. The only downside being they take cash or check ONLY. Of the seven guests I was dining with, three of us discovered this the hard way when we arrived with only our debit cards (who carries cash these days?). Without a forewarning from our dining mates, we had to make a 20-minute detour to each of our ATMs in order to get cash. However, the food, customer service and overall atmosphere were well worth the inconvenience and postponement of our meal.

The Cali n Tito’s menu offers a variety of appetizers, seafood, salads, wings, vegetarian plates, as well as a special kids menu and an assortment of shakes. Placing my order from the Spanglish menu, I chose the Quesadilla De Pollo, which consisted of grilled chicken filled with rice, beans and mozzarella cheese for a mere $6.75. Ordinarily I would think this price of the quesadilla to be expensive considering it’s served alone, but I was pleasantly surprised at the size and fullness of my entree. It was cooked to perfection with an ample amount of chicken and was nicely cut into four slices of pure heaven.

I also ordered chips and salsa for $2.45 to be split down the middle with a fellow dining buddy. This was a great decision because there was an abundance of chips and a huge bowl of salsa – my favorite!

Although I had never heard of it before, I tried my hand at Tostones which originate from the Spanish verb tostar, meaning “to toast”. Basically, they were fried green plantains for only $2.95. Served as an appetizer, about nine circular fried objects filled the plate in front of me. I was hesitant at first but with a little encouragement and some incredible sauce (more to come on that), I bit in and found myself on good terms with this plantain of a thing. Because it was fried this pleased the greasy side of me, but yet it was soft on the inside. I’m such a texture person when it comes to food, but since its softness was hidden underneath a fried layer, I was overwhelming, pleased.

Now about that sauce. I’m a sucker for sauces – seriously, I love to dip everything into almost anything. The waiter came to our table with a small container of a reddish dipping sauce I was unfamiliar with. I was excited to try it, though, and loved it for both my quesadilla and my fried plantains. It tasted like a mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup. I was a big fan. I also tried a guacamole and salsa mixture that was incredible. It was a unique blend that tasted more like guac than salsa, but I loved it with my chips.

Cali n Tito’s creates a comfortable atmosphere for their customers. With a fun and engaging vice, the festive environment allows for drinks and conversation to flow throughout dinner. Because the seating is outdoors only, I was expecting some space heaters on this chilly November night. The area was encased in one of the plastic tent type things, but there were no heaters to be found and it was quite cold! Good thing we had our beverages to warm us up!

Whether enjoying a Wednesday night dinner with a group of friends or tailgating before the Friday night game, Cali n Tito’s is a great place to relax and enjoy a good time with friends. Be sure to pack a full cooler and bring an empty stomach!