Myrtle Beach’s Chipotle lives up to the organic hype
Setting the Table
It’s clear walking into Chipotle that this isn’t your regular fast food joint. There’s a sculpture hanging from the wall. The walls are made from plywood. The tables are wood, topped with stainless steel. Small LED lights dangle from beamed ceilings. It’s all part of the minimalist industrial design. Steve Ells, the food chain’s owner, has striven for this type of simplicity since he opened his first restaurant back in 1993 in Denver.
It’s a stark contrast to what we’re used to along the Grand Strand. Sure, we’ve seen quickie burrito vendors come and go. Most of them have made us go to the bathroom for uncomfortable lengths of time. Then, there’s always been the old standby – Taco Hell – which will wrap unidentifiable food stuff into a tortilla, bastardizing the Spanish language and Hispanic culture in the process.
But Chipotle is something different. It set up shop in Myrtle Beach in June 2013 and began working with local farms to bring in all the food it serves. If it’s possible, all of the restaurant’s produce, grains and meat come from within 350 miles of Myrtle Beach. The staff makes it organic when it can. Chipotle always makes sure the companies its franchises are working with have a track record of treating employees fairly and without exploitation. And the meat comes from farms where animals are raised with respect and sustainability.
In other words – Chipotle just might be doing fast food the right way.
Down the Hatch
On the approach, there’s a walkup counter where your selections are laid out for you to choose from. My wife, who’s old-hat at Chipotle, goes with the chicken bowl ($6.50), and I get talked into the barbacoa bowl (a pulled-barbeque beef for $7.20) with tortillas on the side. The bowl is served with white or brown cilantro-lime rice, pinto or black beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese, sour cream and an option of guacamole ($2 extra).
Our son got a steak taco kids meal which comes with his choice of soft or crispy taco shell and a side of rice and chips. It also comes with a choice of drink, which could be juice or organic milk (plain or chocolate). But our kid opts for a mixed-up fountain drink.
You can also get a brew ($4) or a Margarita for $5 or up the ante with a Petron Margarita for $7.50 to wash down your eats, but we went with fountain drinks as well. Each of the regular-sized cups has a short story written on the side. Mine had a story called “Two Minute Seduction” by Toni Morrison. My wife’s cup had a story entitled “Two Minute Minute” by Michael Lewis. And each of the stories took about two minutes to read – we timed it.
The food is remarkable and abundant for fast food. And it does taste fresh. Each selection is presented to you by level of spiciness so you can mix and match and balance your burrito or bowl to your own taste. My son and I both like ours spicy. My wife has a milder palate. The staff members knows their stuff, because their recommendations matched with our tastes well.
Check, Please
Granted, it’s a little more expensive than your typical taco joint or Taco Bell. But for $28, we fed three people and took home leftovers. And it was a fast food meal I would drive out of my way to go get. There are also options to order online or call in an order to go, in case you don’t want to dine in.
Coming in October, Chipotle will add an organic tofu called sofritas to the menu. It was already available in other locations, but this will be the first time the Southeast locations will have the healthy option.
The simplicity has to be appreciated here. These guys aren’t trying to do so much that everything gets done half-ass. There are no gimmicky waffle tacos or nachos covered with cheese whiz or fiery Doritos recipes for taco shells. There are just burritos and tacos and salads. And from the strength of the business model, they’re usually pretty damn tasty.
This story was originally published September 17, 2014 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach’s Chipotle lives up to the organic hype."