When I hear burrito connoisseurs dismiss Chipotle simply because they know it’s owned by McDonalds, I’m dismayed. The only thing the two restaurants have in common is consistency.

We eat at a Chipotle at least once a week, and often three or four times. Chipotle burritos are the yard stick against which I measure all other burritos, and it’s simply because of the quality of the ingredients. Chipotle uses organic meats and vegetables raised by farmers who never use antibiotics. The animals are free to roam in healthy environments, and the farmers feed the animals vegetarian diets with no animal by-products.

Chipotle burritos have complex flavors created by a wide range of ingredients. My favorite, for example, is Barbacoa. It’s spicy, shreded beef that is seared and slowly braised for hours in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano. I usually order Barbacoa as a bowl with black beans, rice, hot AND mild salsa, sour cream and cheese. I also like the Barbacoa tacos.

When I first got married, we were on a budget and the Chipotle logo intimidated us. We thought it was an expensive restaurant. It wasn’t until we witnessed Ozzy’s Chipotle obsession on The Osbournes that we gave it a try. We were living in Illinois at the time, and it reminded us so much of our former loft in Texas. Everything from the art to the music to the industrial design. That the food is excellent just cemented our love for the place.

Chipotle provided our first experience with what I call upscale fast food. Noodles and Company has the same kind of feel. I’d like to see more upscale fast food places that offer quality food and a great atmosphere at a great value. If anyone has any recommendations, I’d love for you to share them by leaving a comment.