Burrito Battle: Burrito Bandidos versus Chiptole Mexican Grill

I've tried both famous burrito places in downtown Toronto: Burrito Boys,which is now known as Burrito Bandidos (120 Peter St, and one on Huron St. at Bloor St, www. burritoboyz.ca) and Chiptole Mexican Grill (323 Yonge Street, at Dundas St under the AMC, http://www.chipotle.com/#/flash/food_menu). I'm going to refer to the first place as BB and the other as CMG.

I've only been newly introduced to CMG after catching Terminator at the AMC. I was starving, so grabbing a quick, giant burrito was definitely a great idea that made my tummy smile. Now about the place: everything is $7.52 including a cup that you can use to fill your own soft drink.


The items included burrito, fajitas, taco and burrito bowl (same fillings without the wrap), details on their website. Of course I went with the featured braised carnitas (long marinated, braised pork, shredded) with everything on it, which includes cilantro lime rice, mixed pinto and black beans, tomatoe salad, corn salad, lots of fresh lettuce, mild sauce (there's hot as another option) and cheese. Since guacamole costs extra (Booo!), I skipped it figuring there's enough going on in my burrito.


The ingredients were very fresh and there's definitely a lot there to save someone from starvation. I found the pork too heavily flavoured, every bite tasted like salt and cumin that I was patting myself on the back for being smart enough to ask for extra lettuce to neutralize the pork a little. Overall, the impression I got from this burrito was just big and fresh - you can taste the crispy lettuce, the crunchy corn and tomato, the cilantro-fragranced rice, the thoroughly stewed beans individually....which all went down nicely with the icy Coke I poured for myself.

Now onto BB. Ever since I tried my first burrito three months ago I've been addicted. I remember eating the best burrito in my life there after our Grad Ball party. The burritos there generally cost around $5.85 for small and $6.85 for large for chicken, steak, or chicken/steak mix, and $8.95 for halibut, which only comes in a large. Shrimp is also another option. No drinks included but you get salsa and guacamole and 4 different sauces: ranch, sour cream, hot, and their special burrito sauce.
I usually get the chicken/steak mix with everything on it, which includes Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, jalapenos, green peppers, green onions, and the aforementioned sauces and toppings. They give you everything in just the right amount so you end up with a giant burrito that has different mixtures of flavours in it, yet none of which is overpowering the other. I often wonder how they manage to even wrap up that much stuff so neatly. They give you generous portions of the meat filling, and it's always flavoured just right, although the steak is sliced too thin sometimes that you don't taste it among all the other ingredients.

The best part of it all is that they toast their burritos, so you end up with a crispy toasted wrap on the outside, and melted cheese that just brings all the warmed fillings together into a heavenly blend of flavours and textures that makes your taste buds sing Halleluah. I've also tried the one with pieces of fried halibut steak in the burrito. Some would say it's the best one on the menu and I won't argue because the fish is soft and juicy, and there's always lots of it.

Tip 1 : because the burrito is so big with so many ingredients, you will get different flavours if you bite onto the right side of your wrap than the left side, making this little meal-on-the-go that much more exciting. Tip 2: They open late on "clubbing nights", so Thursday to Satruday, and it gets packed late at night as this makes a great after-clubbing meal, so be ready to line up if you go at that time.

Overall, both burritos are great, but I'd have to crown BB as the winner for the toasting, the guacamole, and the perfectly flavoured fillings.