We went to Edmonton's first-ever Chipotle location before it opens
Edmonton’s fast food scene has rapidly expanded over the last couple of years with the introduction of American chains such as Chick-fil-A and Church’s Texas Chicken. Now, a new and highly anticipated player has entered the market: Chipotle.
The fast-casual chain is set to open its doors at its new YEG location at 4715 Calgary Trail NW. The eatery will officially be opening to the public on Thursday, September 19.
We got a sneak peek of the brand-new location, and we were not disappointed.
Allison Stephen/Daily Hive
First of all, we were impressed by the freshness of the ingredients. In the morning, hours before the restaurant opens, staff are hard at work in the kitchen cutting avocados, dicing cilantro, jalapenos, and onions, slicing fajitas, and seasoning chicken in preparation for the day ahead.
Guacamole is made in-house, and there’s an emphasis on sourcing ingredients as locally as possible. As we watched how Chipotle’s most popular protein, the chicken, is prepared, we were told that ingredients are sourced from responsibly grown and raised suppliers.
Allison Stephen/Daily Hive
We were also mind-blown to learn that each Chipotle restaurant goes through nearly 800 pounds of chicken daily.
Not only were we there to sample a few dishes, but we also got to try our hand at preparing guacamole and rolling our own burritos, which, as we learned, is no easy feat. What we loved about it most was that we got an up-close look at how all the food was prepared in-store.
Allison Stephen/Daily Hive
We created a burrito with chicken, black beans, fajitas, cheese, and a healthy spoonful of hot sauce. The ingredients tasted fresh and delicious, and although we accidentally gave ourselves a bit too generous a portion of hot sauce, it did not take away from the flavour.
There’s plenty of space for dine-in, but if takeout is more of your jam, the outpost has the brandās signature Chipotlane, a drive-thru pick-up lane where guests can grab their online orders without leaving the car.
The first 50 people in line on opening day will also receive free Chipotle merchandise, so mark your calendars.
Chipotle
Address: 4715 Calgary Trail NW