Burrito Wars

Last week marked the long-awaited arrival of Chipotle to Athens. With two existing burrito suppliers already on Court Street, one wonders whether there is enough room for them all to survive.

While local stalwart Burrito Buggy and more recent arrival Big Mamma's, one could argue that Athens was already well-served in the burrito department. Each has a loyal following, but most people at least liked one or the other.

Enter Chipotle. With its corporate backing, the newcomer made its presence known immediately by giving away thousands of free burritos on Thursday, leading to long lines that extended all the way around Perks onto Union Street.

I have mixed feelings about the situation. On one hand, I want a thriving Court Street that offers a wide variety of restaurants, especially those that offer fresh vegetarian fare. Chipotle brings fresh food and an interesting atmosphere.

On the other hand, is this another situation in which a large corporation comes in and runs the local guys out of business? Although McDonalds used to own a large stake in Chipotle, that is no longer the case; however, they still have a strong record of financial success. I hope their success does not take business from our local burrito places.

Unlike places like Walmart, the chain appears to be a responsible corporate citizen so I can't dislike them on that account. By employing fresh ingredients, you can't argue with the product either.

To me, what it comes down to is taste, variety and atmosphere. Each offers different ingredients in a different setting.

I'll probably stop in occasionally. However, my loyalty lies with the Buggy. As a vegan, I appreciate the fact that they offer tofu as well as homemade guacamole and salsa. In the long run, my taste buds steer me there. I don't stop at Big Mamma's often, but I hope people continue to support these local establishments. Chipotle simply offers another option.

In the end, if all three businesses thrive, the burrito lovers of Athens will be the winners.

Quick Bites In Athens

(Click on photos to see their captions.)

College towns are a vegetarian or vegan's best friend, and Athens is no exception. For whatever reasons, universities tend to have larger vegetarian and vegan populations. Perhaps they are just more socially conscious. Perhaps they pay more attention to healthy eating. Either way, local restaurants respond to the demand.

Today, I intend to look at local restaurants that offer quick vegetarian and vegan eating. (I'll save the sit-down joints for later). In other locales. this might be difficult, but the choices are many in this socially conscious town.

Yes, you can get a bean burrito at Taco Bell or even a Veggie Delight at Subway, but why?

BURRITO BUGGY
Before moving to Athens, I did some advance scouting. I couldn't believe when I read that VegOhio.com cited a little food truck as being among Athens' best. Now I know why. With everything made to order at the Burrito Buggy, vegetarians can leave off the meat, while vegans can subtract the sour cream and cheese. You can even add tofu if you would like. Fresh ingredients make for great flavor.
My favorite:The black bean, tofu and rice burrito. Yum.

O'BETTYS RED HOTS
When people hear that I love this place, they're surprised. How can a vegan eat hot dogs? However, O'Bettys answers with "shy" dogs, their brand of tofu dogs. Not rubbery or tasteless like some supermarket varieties, they provide this former hot dog lover with his fix. Add some french fries if you would like. The cream sodas and root beers are huge.
My favorite: The Salome "Shy." This is essentially a Chicago-style tofu hotdog with tomatoes, onions, pickle relish, sport peppers and celery salt.(I prefer to leave off the mustard.)

BAGEL STREET DELI
The atmosphere, good music and friendly staff are not the only great things about this place. Choose from a variety of bagels, add whatever vegetables or toppings you want, and you have a great meal. Check out the long list of vegetarian bagel combinations on BSD's chalkboards. Vegans can omit the cheese. Baked tofu adds more variety. If you like salads, BSD has adds freshly sliced tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. The dressings are amazing.
My favorite: The Kung Fu on a six grain bagel. It features baked tofu, sprouts, peppers and teriyaki. If that doesn't fill you up, add a side salad with sesame ginger vinegrette.

ALI BABA'S
Ali Baba's food truck has become a fixture next to the Burrito Buggy over the last year. Although it may feature gyros for carnivores, it has vegetarian options, too. Choices ranges from falafel, hummus or baba ganoush to couscous or taboulleh salads. Vegans beware: the pitas come with yogurt sauce, so remember to ask for one without.
My favorite: A falafel pita with fattoush. Don't ask me what's in fattoush (I don't remember, but it's vegan). Thow on some veggie and some hot sauce, and it's a winner.

PITA PIT
Pita Pit is just like a Subway, but with made-to-order pitas. For vegetarians/vegans, try a falafel, hummus or baba ganoush pita with all the vegetable fixins and your favorite sauce. If you can get there soon after it opens, get the falafel grilled; but any later and the grill has already been used for several rounds of meat. Most people scrape the grill well, but watch out for the long-haired skinny guy who does not understand why you don't want your falafel grilled next to the bacon!!
My favorite: A falafel bagel with hummus. It's twice as nice and more filling if you have just a bit more hunger. I add nearly every veggie and top it off with teriyaki sauce to bring it all together.