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).
I was disappointed to see La Guanajuatence close, what with its salsa bar and delicious tacos. But just in a matter of weeks, 
Fortunately, items from the Authentic Mexican Dishes section were better prepared. I’m a fan of molcajete, which is a stone grinding bowl filled with pork, steak, chicken, shrimp and chorizo. I would rank Taqueria El Jalapeno’s version ($16.99) second to Cuco’s in Verona, mainly because the large petals of onions clumped together (which weren’t properly sliced) became filler over more meat, and the vast majority of the meat was chorizo; I would have preferred a better balance.
I had to experience for myself 
If you visit KJ’s on the weekend, you also have the option of getting the “weekend special,” which on one particular weekend was the Sri Lankan Authentic Lump Rice ($15.99). It’s yellow rice, chicken, fried onion, a fish ball, plantain, egg plant and a fried-boiled egg baked in banana leaves. Although these items are separated, it’s best to eat them together. For example, the caramelized onion complemented the chicken well, and the chili flakes piled in one corner added a nice kick to the plantain.
