Ingersoll- and downtown-area workers looking for a meal that’s not quite fast food, not quite sit-down can now get their fix.
Qdoba Mexican Grill, a “quick serve” restaurant specializing in burritos, tacos and queso, recently opened in a new retail center near the corner of Ingersoll Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. We stopped in on opening day, in the early afternoon after the crazy lunch rush, to see what the buzz was all about.
Qdoba has plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows that create a sunny, cheerful environment (and a patio for warm months). Guests place their order with an assembly line cook, then walk down the line with their order, adding veggies, sauces and more as they wish.
We had heard about the cult following for the restaurant’s queso, and we were able to confirm the raves with the opening day free samples. Thin, spicy and made with three cheeses, it was tasty on chips, as well as on our entrees.
Qdoba offers an edited menu of burritos, quesadillas, salads, nachos and tacos. Choose from their offerings, or build your own. For more variety, I tried two options from the Craft 2 menu, which offers smaller versions of the most popular items. I tried the Mexican gumbo with two tacos(offered with soft or hard shells). The Mexican gumbo, a unique combo of tortilla soup with cilantro-lime rice, black or pinto beans, meat (if you choose), salsa, cheese and tortilla strips was a delicious combo. I chose the restaurant’s signature slow-roasted pork, with pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream, which was a winning combination. I chose the shredded beef and chicken for my two tacos, which I built myself. The meat was the star — flavorful and tender. The tortillas were soft and fresh.
My dining partner tried the queso burrito, Qdoba’s most popular burrito. It starts with cilantro-lime rice and three-cheese queso. He topped it with black beans, chicken, pico de gallo and more. He choose a wheat tortilla, which was warm and fresh. He reported that the burrito was tasty and filling.
And speaking of filling, Qdoba may serve large burritos filled with rice, beans and meat, but you can use its online nutrition calculator to shave off calories and fat — or at least know how much you’re consuming. You can also enjoy their entrees “naked” — served in a bowl without the shell or tortilla.
Stop by Qdoba for an affordable (items between $5 and 7), fast and fresh meal, with quick and friendly service.
Qdoba Mexican Grill
Find it: 2105 Ingersoll Ave.
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Info: qdoba.com
