Chipotle announced that on February 8 they will be closing all stores for a few hours for a company-wide food safety meeting. Ugh. Chipotle has recently undergone some serious brand damage due to an E. coli outbreak that left many customers sick.
A chain that people love in every state claims to have healthy, fresh options for people wanting to skip the McDonald’s drive through might not be as healthy and fresh as they lead on. This is a country-wide issue, which hints at the idea that maybe the produce each store receives aren’t actually local, making it hard to believe they are actually as fresh as advertised. It looks like Chipotle has a few more issues than just making people sick.
So while they are trying to figure out their issues, it creates a perfect opportunity to branch out and try something that is legit fresh.
Boloco, Boston Local Company, has taken the New England area by storm with farm fresh foods and funky new ways to enjoy the Mexican fast food concept we are all familiar with.
So we decided to hit up the Copley Square location to see what all the excitement was about. It’s a small space but has a lot of character. Right when we stepped in the door it smelled warm and delicious.
Boloco has it all from burritos to burrito bowls to salads to breakfast.
I tried the Bangkok Thai burrito and I added pork carnitas. Wrapped inside is an asian slaw, cucumbers, brown rice, and a light thai peanut sauce. I liked that it wasn’t something I would’ve come up with on my own and I found it interesting that it’s not necessarily a Mexican taste, but the style is all the same.
Photo by Katie Zizmor
My photographer Katie and I also got delicious fruit smoothies to accompany our meals. I had the Berry Blitz smoothie with blueberries, bananas, apple juice, and raspberry sorbet. It was fruity and delicious and way better than anything Jamba Juice could blend up. Katie had the Mango Passion smoothie with mango, mango juice, and non-fat frozen yogurt. Perfect if you are a hardcore mango addict or if you’re looking for something a little more creamy than an average smoothie.
Photo by Katie Zizmor
Katie had the Cajun burrito bowl with guacamole, the perfect lunch for a vegetarian. It’s filled with boloco rice, roasted corn salsa, creole sour cream, and black beans. The tomatoes looked so fresh and juicy, but it’s hard to not look at that amazing topping of guac. Day-yum.
Photo by Katie Zizmor
Overall, Boloco is the perfect substitute for Chipotle when they close for a few hours. Even when Chipotle is open, it’s worth trying this local spot to spice up your typical Mexican fast food and get something that’s actually fresh.