Burritos face off in Bite-down

Moe’s:
The clear victor in the Burrito Bite-down and conveniently closest to campus, Moe’s Southwest Grill makes the most out of the art of burrito. With the options of sirloin steak, chicken, ground beef, pulled pork and tofu, everything is always grilled and seasoned to perfection.

And, as much as we love the “burrito babies” that struggle to stay wrapped up inside of their tin foil, Moe’s does the best offering junior sizes. The Homewrecker, Triple Lindy and Joey Bag of Donuts are the three Moe’s burrito classics, with the Moo Moo Mr. Cow the cheaper, fun-sized favorite.

Moe’s also offers more options than its Southwest grill counterparts, with tacos, quesadillas, fajitas and salads rounding out their menu. Definitely the most vegetarian-friendly of the three, with the tofu option, a wide variety of salads and the Art Vandalay burrito. Moe’s is also the most compatible with the college student’s budget.
Free chips and choice of mouth-watering salsas with each meal gives the grill a head above the rest, with Moe’s Monday and the legendary $5 burrito, chips and drink enough to draw the largest of crowds.


Chipotle:
The premier Chipotle Mexican Grill of Columbia, located in Trenholm Plaza on Forest Drive, was one of the most anticipated “restaurant” openings in the city. With a welcome week full of free burritos, T-shirts and giveaway contests, students across campus were ready to get a taste of what was sure to be Moe’s biggest competition.

Although Chipotle is the number one burrito shack in other states, Columbia’s just isn’t up to par. With a much more basic menu, offering the options of burrito, burrito bowl, tacos or salad, the lack of variety is usually met with unmatchable deliciousness.

Differing from Moe’s in their use of white basmati rice, with a touch of cilantro, and a blend of jack and white cheddar cheeses, the two really have completely different tastes. Offering chicken, steak, carnitas and barbacoa, the only veggie options are a pretty basic salad, topped with the undeniably delicious chipotle-honey vinaigrette, or a fajita burrito or burrito bowl, full of grilled onions and peppers.

When just sticking with the basic burrito, Moe’s and Chipotle are pretty comparably priced, hovering around $6. But, Chipotle adds on the dollars, charging $1.65 for one dollop of the admittedly tasty guacamole, and of course, the extra charge for those sides of salsa and bag of chips, which are worth it for that added hint of lime.


Qdoba:
Qdoba, somewhat of a hybrid of Moe’s and Chipotle, offers many of the same basic flavors of the latter, while bringing in that wide variety of our favorite Southwest grill.

The least-known in the Burrito Bite-down, the closest Qdoba hides across from Target in Woodhill on Garner’s Ferry. It incorporates the same white basmati rice and jack and white cheddar cheese, automatically hinting towards a familiar flavor. Upon first glance, it does come off as a Chipotle wannabe, expanding on the Mexican grill’s tried and true taste.

With the classics still in tow, Qdoba does switch things up a bit with a ground beef option for their burritos. Their three-cheese queso is also a favorite burrito-topper, giving Moe’s Monterey-Jack dip a run for its money, and making Chipotle only wish they had a queso to throw in the mix.

Sticking with the simplicities of the all-veggie diet, the vegetarian burrito, which features a whole lot of guacamole, and the fajita veggies are up for grabs. There is also, however, a grilled veggie burrito with zucchini, squash and bell peppers, as well as a “Mexican Gumbo” that is their tortilla soup with a few extras. And, just as at Chipotle, you can “go naked” with a burrito bowl.

Qdoba goes beyond the burritos with quesadillas, taco salads, nachos and that famous tortilla soup. The biggest surprise, upping both Moe’s and Chipotle, is Qdoba’s breakfast menu, which features both breakfast burritos and quesadillas. With the options of grilled chicken or spicy Mexican sausage, the ranchero sauce or queso tops off the morning treat.