Mexicue and the future of fast food

Chipolte came on quick and scaled before our very eyes.  In Los Angeles we had lunch at Tender Greens. Recently I read about a pizza place where you can choose your own mixtures to put on the pizza and then they put it the super hot oven and bring it to your table.  I can't recall the name but the second I read about it I remember thinking "brilliant".  So what is the future of fast food? 

I believe the next generation of fast foods is called fast casual restaurants.  They will have good food that is healthy, well prepared, and relatively inexpensive and quick.  I particularly like the restaurants where the consumer gets options.  That is true at Chipolte, Tender Greens and the pizza place in Los Angeles. 

I recently met with the people behind Mexicue.  Mexicue began as a truck but as it has become increasingly more difficult to have a truck in NYC, they opened up two store fronts.  We went to the one on 7th Avenue between 29/30th.  Mexican oriented by with a slant towards BBQ from the South.  The food was quite good.

Nice grapefruit soda from Mexico, Jarritos.

Blistered creamy corn.  Chipolte chili powder, cream and pickled onion. 

Green chili mac & cheese.  3 cheeses, cilantro and their green salsa.  Nice spice.

Nice crispy chips with a green salsa on the side.

BBQ Bean and Rice. Smokey BBQ beans, lime paprika rice, crispy greens with just a sprinkle of cheese, thin strips of tortilla chips and spicy red cabbage with house pickled haberneros. 

Pulled pork sliders with tortillas and an avocado spread

Soft tortilla stuffed with smoked short ribs and memphis mole.  Mini burrito

They have salads, rice bowls and a few other options.  At one point I hope they change things around so you can choose what you want in each dish.  You could walk away with a salad with a few choices that isn't so heavy or opt for a rice bowl as your base of even a tortilla. 

The food is made at one location and distributed through out their locations for consistency.  Really interesting concept and I liked the food.  I hope that we see more and more of these innovative ideas that will disrupt the fast food arena of McDonalds, Arbees and Dominos. Look for one coming to you soon.