I’ve always been a fan of Qdoba, so I jumped at a recent invitation to try its new smothered burritos. They come in three flavors–bold red chile, smoky chipotle cream and tangy verde.

I was curious how the smothered burritos were the same price as the regular burritos, and I discovered it’s because a slightly small tortilla is used. You then assemble your burrito as normal, but the “smothers” are added inside and on top of the burrito. As a result, you have to eat it with a fork and knife, instead of by hand as normal.

The bold red chile is made with toasted red chiles and has a strong flavor of chili powder and paprika. It can overwhelm the burrito a bit, which is why you may want to cut it with some sour cream. On the other hand, the smoky chipotle cream is very mild in flavor, and any smokiness is quite subtle. When choosing between the two, you have to ask yourself, do I want the smother to be the flavor of the burrito or simply complement it?

On a return visit, I tried the tangy verde. All three smothers indicate they are spicy hot to some degree, but the tangy verde was the only one with a discernible kick.  It’s made from mild peppers and tomatillos, hence the slightly tart flavor.

In case you’re curious, here’s the nutritional info, per serving: Bold red chile (35 calories, 1g fat), smoky chipotle (90, 3) and tangy verge (35, 0).