Moe’s Southwest Grill

Walking through the doors of Moe’s, I am greeted by a friendly worker behind the counter.

“Welcome to Moe’s!” she said.

Then it’s back to work. The atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed—yellow walls give a pop of color, art occupies almost every wall in various forms, the printed booths and chairs give the space an authentic feel and the modernized light fixtures dimly illuminate the tables, while the colorful menu immediately draws the eye.

The menu has endless choices compared to Chipotle, with more than 15 entrées and seven sides to add to your meal. Whatever you’re craving, you can probably get it. The ordering process is in the same assembly-line process of Chipotle; you tell the worker what to add what to your burrito, fajitas, or tacos as you move along the counter. Although the workers aren’t as quick as those at Chipotle, they still get the job done, and with a smile on their face.

Although Moe’s is a little on the pricier than Chipotle (for an order of chicken fajitas, a chicken burrito, two drinks, and two sides – $20.84), it’s well worth it. The queso dip makes this trip worthwhile, but if you like Tex-Mex and southwestern style Mexican food, this is the place to go. In addition to indoor seating, Moe’s also has a small courtyard-like area with outdoor seating. The tables are shaded by giant red umbrellas, embellished with the Moe’s logo of course, much like everything else, right down to the wrappers in the baskets.

With the welcoming and local feel of Moe’s, it makes the food that much more enjoyable, and makes it worth your time visiting.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

When you walk in, whether it’s your first time or you’ve lost count, Chipotle is always clean, tidy and busy. The restaurant is wrapped in metal just like the foil on a warm Chipotle burrito.

Once you are at the counter ordering, the assembly line creating your food takes less then three minutes, as you watch your food being carefully pressed, rolled and packed all the way to the register.

I had one of Chipotle’s famous burritos for the first time. Even though I typically get burrito bowls, it took nothing away from my building a burrito experience. In my burrito was chicken, black beans, rice, guacamole and mild salsa. It was warm, filling and perfect after a hard volleyball practice. The flavors mixed perfectly inside the soft warm tortilla that tasted fresh off the grill.

Another Chipotle favorite is chips and guacamole. The chips were so good that within a few minutes, you’d be digging around the bottom of the bag in fear that you were nearing the last chip. The guacamole is fresh and perfect with the lime-flavored chips.

Overall, Chipotle is a great food experience. The restaurant is clean, the food is delicious and I never get tired of eating their burritos. Also, the burritos are big. So if you aren’t hungry enough to finish it, wrap it back in the foil and finish it later.