Food: The Burrito Circuit

After seeing all the doe-eyed freshman streaming into Gainesville, it's frightening to think that I've been here for such a long time. One thing most of these new students will eventually run is what I call "the Burrito Circuit" - all the fast-casual Tex-Mex burrito places in and around town. Here's the rundown:

1) Moe's Southwest Grill - This is a pretty big chain of restaurants, with hundreds of locations in 35 states and many more on the way. The food is okay (they offer tofu as an alternative to meat, which is helpful for vegans and vegetarians), but it's nothing to write home about. Their burritos are pretty filling, especially if you tell them to stuff it with toppings.

As far as value goes, Moe's isn't bad. They throw in some tortilla chips for free with every entree, and several salsas are also free. They offer a frequent-buyer card, too. My go-to meal at Moe's is a "Triple Lindy" burrito with some San Pellegrino mineral water.

2/4 stars

2) Chipotle - Another huge chain. Fewer menu items than Moe's, and less variety, but the rice and meat quality is slightly better, methinks. They don't offer free salsa or chips, though the chips that are available do taste pretty good (good enough to eat by themselves). Chipotle advertises itself as being more socially conscious ("natural" meat, recycled food packaging, etc.), if that means anything to you. I tend to go for a carnitas/barbacoa burrito with a soft drink.

2/4 stars

3) Burrito Brothers - A pretty famous Gainesville standby. Some love the food here and some hate it, but no one can deny it's unique. The burritos themselves use ground beef that is steamed, which makes for an interesting taste. Probably the least-filling meal of all the places on this list, which can be a good or a bad thing. again, I usually grab a beef burrito here with a drink.

2/4 stars

4) Tijuana Flats - A medium size chain mostly in the southeast. Their claim to fame is the chimichanga, a fried tortilla filled with beef and cheese. Fewer veggies and other fixins for the chimichanga mean it's less fillign than Moe's or Chipotle. Lots of free hot sauces to try at their hot sauce bar, which is a great feature.

2/4 stars