Moe's v. Chipotle, Pt. 2

I went to Moe's Southwest Grill today to complete my comparison of the new Chipotle Mexican Grill that opened across the street. I tried to get as close to the same item as possible. I decided that Moe's "Home Wrecker" was the closest thing to the burrito I tried at Chipotle.

When you walk into Moe's, you're greeted with a resounding "Welcome to Moe's" from the staff. I think that's one of the first differences I notice. Moe's is very mush an "at home" kinda place as opposed to Chipotle's somewhat stuffy, industrial feel. And the staff is friendly. I started thinking about yesterday at Chipotle and I stood around, as did others, trying to figure out where to start. Not only was it not clearly marked, the staff didn't seem too concerned about helping the customer figure it out. And Moe's seems to value individuality. Most of the staff seem to be tattoo'd, pierced, or have some form of body modification and they are so chill and laid back. It truly makes for a very pleasant environment.

On to the food. Typically at Moe's, I'd go with a wheat tortilla and tofu. I decided to go with a flour tortilla with chicken today to keep a level playing field. Moe's also starts with a bed or rice and choice of black or pinto beans. Like I said, I got the chicken so that I could directly compare. I also added the fresh grilled vegetables. They add pico de gallo sour cream, and guacamole. Moe's has a choice of a ton of other toppings, though. I decided that adding these things was part of the comparison; it could enhance the flavor in a way that isn't available at Chipotle. So I added fresh onion, fresh jalapeno, black olives, fresh cilanro, and fresh spinach leaves.

But let me back up a step. The chips. Unlike Chipotle, Moe's makes their chips fresh. You can watch them deep fry them as you're having your food made. And the flavor couldn't be better. They're so good. And they have several salsas to choose from. A couple of them are variations on traditional tomato salsa, but my personal favorite is the green salsa that has green tomato, onion, fresh cilantro, and a few other things. It's so cool and fresh; it's just great.

As for the burrito, it's pretty good. Not gonna lie, I think the flavors of the meat and rice at Chipotle is better. Not that Moe's is bad; I love Moe's. But the flavors are just not as strong. But Moe's does have all of the additional fresh toppings and they don't cost anything extra. Those additional toppings really add something special.

Even though I think Chopitle's flavors are better, I see myself eating at Moe's more often. The atmosphere, the staff, and the way I can customize my food really go somewhere with me. I would definitely recommend both places though. Try them and see what your favorite might be.

Moe's v. Chipotle

A Chipotle Mexican Grill just opened up today on The Strip here in Knoxville...right across from Moe's Southwest Grill. I had never eaten at a Chipotle before as we don't have one in Memphis that I'm aware of, but people I've known from Nashville have raved about the place So, I decided to stop in today and try it out. Upon first glance, it reminds me a lot of Swanky's Taco Shop, a favorite of a close friend of mine from home. It has a very industrial feel and that generic international music to match. The menus are done in a very minimalist way that fits the environment, but somehow still look a bit odd.

I decided I'd get a burrito, something I'm very familiar with from Moe's. They started with some white rice, with what I think was some cilantro and then my choice of pinto or black beans; I went with black. But, unlike Moe's, tofu didn't seem to be an option, so I got the chicken. There were also some freshly grilled veggies, so I got some of those. They added pico de gallo, sour cream, and cheese, and from there I asked for some guacamole. It was a bit expensive, but I could see them making it fresh in the back, so I thought I'd go for it.

I started eating the tortilla chips and was left wanting. They're plain, out-of-a-bag tortilla chips. And the salsa that came with them was bland to say the least. But I'm not here for the chips. On to the burrito.

I took my first bite and it was amazing. The chicken had the best flavor and wasn't the least bit dry. The guacamole was so creamy, I couldn't have asked for more. And the fresh grilled vegetables did nothing but enhance. Overall, it was truly delicious. But it was a good $4+ more than Moe's. I've decided that I'm going to go to Moe's tomorrow and compare the two while it's fresh in my mind. More details tomorrow!

FCKH8

I thought this was pretty funny and appropriately inappropriate.

BFF's...For a While

     It's always hard to realize you don't mean as much to someone as they mean or meant to you.  I thought I had dealt with these issues, but apparently there's still some raw nerves there.  I've known for a long time that I have attachment issues.  I latch on to people and have a hard time letting go.  I'm fiercely loyal, probably to the point of fault.  It's just part of being a Gemini. 

     I had a friend when I was little named Emily.  She was my closest girl friend.  She came to school one day and told everyone that she was going to be moving to Arkansas because her parents were getting a divorce.  I was stunned.  I had never had a friend move before.  I went home and cried.  I cried off and on for days.  She was going to be moving over winter break and I knew that would probably be the last time I would ever see her.  She got her dad to write down their new address and gave it to me so that we could write letters to each other.  And write I did.  I wrote her at least once a week for over 6 months.  Never once did I get a letter back.  I always wondered if the address had been written wrong or if they had moved to a different house than they had originally thought they would.  Eventually, I came to terms with it and moved on.  I even went to a different school the next year. 

     Years went by and I started college.  This little website called Facebook popped up and I joined.  Pretty soon, most college students and one and it was great.  So, I decided to look up old friends.  I found Jessie, a mutual friend, looked for a few other people, and then I found Emily.  I was so excited.  I sent her a friend request and a message.  Before long, we were exchanging messages and it was great.  I mentioned in passing after a couple days that I had written her a leeter every week for 6 months, somewhat as a joke and a "look how cute kids are" kinda moment.  But that's where things fell apart.  I don't know if she thought that was weird or creepy, but after that, I pretty much got nothing but a cold shoulder.  The couple sentences I did get had a completely different tone. And in going back and reading the messages later, most of the responses were generic.  All of the memories were supplied by me. 
I thought I was over it until I decided to see what she was up to on Facebook and she's not even on my friends list anymore.  That hurt.  Stupid, I know.  It's Facebook.  It's not like we talked much, but why delete someone like that?

     I just don't get it.  I don't understand how 2 people can be such good friends as kids and then have no feelings for the other as adults.  I understand people grow up, they change, they move.  What I don't get is why I seem to be the only one who feels this way.  This isn't the only example of this, but it's the one that hurts the most.

     Part of me feels like I'm being a 3 year old, but my feelings hurt and that is real.  Sometimes I wish I could just turn them off like others seem to be able to do...but I guess that little trick just isn't in my repertoire. 

Treehugger or Not, They Gotta Go

     With a little inspiration from Amber, I started thinking about the things I'm truly afraid of. I don't like clowns. They really freak me out. But I can deal with it; it's definitely not on the level of a phobia.
    
     I'm not a fan of heights either.  I love looking over the edge of cliffs when hiking, but I typically lay down on my stomach for some sense of safety.  As a child at the Memphis Zoo, I was terrified of the alligators in the reptile house because there was a half wall, made of glass and I was afraid I would somehow fall through the glass and the alligators would eat me. 
    
     But my one true fear is cockroaches.  I just can't do cockroaches.  They scare the hell out of me.  They have to die.  Anything else gets set outside.  I've even trapped mice that were in some friends' apartment one by one and released them into wooded areas.  I'm kind of a hippie about that kind of thing.  But cockroaches are a whole different story.
    
     I don't remember ever liking them, but I think they became a phobia around the age of 4-5.  I had to take a bath every night and I really enjoyed bath time.  I had all kinds of bath toys.  My favorite was this set of cubes that had one open side and a small hole opposite.  I loved to slap them on the water and make them whistle.  Not sure why it entertained me...I guess I've always just liked noise.  As I sat there one night, making noise and making waves, I looked up at the excess water drain and out crawled a cockroach.  I shrieked at the top of my lungs for my mom.  I don't remember why, but she didn't get there fast enough and I jumped out of the tub and ran, completely naked and soaking wet, down the stairs and to my mom.  I was terrified to say the least.  Ever since then, I just haven't been able to handle them.
    
     I remember being 12 or so and coming home after having spent the entire summer at my grandparent's house.  I walked in to my room, threw my stuff down and opened the closet for something.  I was looking through the clothes hanging there and pulled one hanger aside to see a slight movement.  As I looked closer, a cockroach scurried toward my hand.  Again, with the shrieking.  I let out the most blood-curdling cry.  My mother bolted up the stairs to see what was wrong and I pointed.  She doesn't like cockroaches either, but by no means is she as terrified of them as I am.  She killed it for me, made a joke, and headed back downstairs.  I felt like a little girl, but it is what it is.
    
     Not too much later, I added another level of fear to my phobia.  I walked into the cafeteria at school and there was a huge crowd gathered.  I walked up to see what was going on and there in the middle of this throng of people was the biggest cockroach I've ever seen in my life.  That thing was, at the very least, a good 6 inches long.  Everyone else was gawking at it and then something happened that I didn't even know was possible: it took off in flight.  I'm not sure a group of hoodrats has ever run faster in their lives.  I was petrified.  It took me a solid 3 weeks to be comfortable down there again. 
    
     This past summer was one of the worst cockroach summers I've ever had.  4 different times I came home late at night, half drunk, and would walk in to a cockroach on the wall of my room.  I managed to man up and kill the first 3 without much problem, other than some muted screaming under my break.  The second one was one of the flying ones and was one of the worst.  But the last ended ne took the cake.  That damn thing was quick!  I had to pull out my bed, flip stuff over, all at 3 in the morning.  I ended up waking my mom up in the process, only to have to explain it was all for a cockroach. 

     I don't think this is something I'll ever get over.  I've learned not to wail like a banshee, but that's about all I can do.  Even little ones must die.  If it resembles a cockroach, it must die. Guilt by association, that's all I can say.