“A chipotle pepper is just a simple jalapeno pepper that's been smoked and dried, elevating it from ordinary to something extraordinary.” That's according to the Web site of one of the newest eateries in San Antonio, Chipotle. It also sums up what this taco and burrito chain restaurant is all about: use simple fresh ingredients, take time to prepare them just right, and then quickly combine these jazzed up ingredients based on the wishes of each individual customer. In short, gourmet fast food.

I first heard about Chipotle a few years ago when I was living in Ohio. Being only recently diagnosed with celiac disease, my defensive dining skills were nonexistent, so postings on the Celiac List were my guide to eating out. Then, as even now, Chipotle got rave reviews for serving food that was gluten free, with the exception of the giant flour burrito tortillas and the soft taco tortillas. To top it off, ordering a burrito without the tortilla, known as a burrito bol, wasn't considered an unusual or odd request, so celiacs could almost feel normal when dining out. It was also a big deal to order good Mexican food in Ohio!

When I moved to San Antonio almost two years ago, I no longer had to rely on chain restaurants for a Mexican food fix. Yet, when two new Chipotle restaurants opened in the area, one in Quarry Market and the other in the Forum Shopping center, I couldn't resist popping in for a quick gluten-free bite. New postings on the Celiac List still reassured me that I could eat most things on the menu, and those postings were backed up by messages directly from the manager of the Chipotle Web site. There was one posting that caught my eye, however. It warned of cross contamination along the prep line.

At Chipotle, customers stand in line cafeteria-style to place their order, and then the order is assembled along the prep line. The initial choice of what to order is simple, since celiacs cannot eat the burrito, fajita burrito, or soft flour tacos due to these items being served on flour tortillas. This leaves the burrito bol, fajita burrito bol, or the crispy corn tacos. The bols are served in bowls, and the taco shells and the corn chips are the only items Chipotle fries on the premises, so no cross contamination issues at this point. It's what happens next that celiacs will want to observe to help them decide whether eating at Chipotle is right for them.

As an order proceeds down the prep line, it passes through numerous hands. The person who handles the flour tortillas and corn tacos also serves up the cilantro-lime rice and selection of meat. The rice is just steamed white rice tossed with chopped cilantro, citrus juice, and salt. The choices of meat are: carnitas (naturally raised free-range pork seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, and cracked black pepper, seared and braised), barbacoa (beef seared and then braised with chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic, and oregano), chicken (marinated in chipotle pepper adobo and then grilled), or steak (marinated in chipotle pepper adobo and then grilled). Fajita burrito bols also get topped with fajita vegetables of green bell pepper and red onion sautéed in soy oil with chopped oregano. All of these choices are gluten free, and the manager at the Quarry Market location even allowed Anne Barfield and me to tour the restaurant's walk-in freezer to verify the spices used are gluten free.

Subsequently, the order is passed along the prep line to a different server for a choice of beans – black beans seasoned with cumin, garlic, and other spices, or pinto beans seasoned with bacon, herbs, and spices – spooned atop the burrito bol fixings. Beans are not served with tacos. Then, there is a choice of four salsas. Tomato salsa, consisting of fresh tomatoes mixed with red onion, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro, is mild. Roasted chili and corn salsa is a little spicier, and the tomatillo-green chili salsa is medium hot. The tomatillo-red salsa, with pureed chiles de arbol, is the hottest. It contains white vinegar, whereas the other salsas are made with lemon juice. Sour cream or no sour cream is the next choice – inquire about the brand used. Guacamole is available as an add-on.

Finally, yet another server tosses on some shredded romaine lettuce and freshly grated jack and white cheddar cheese. Up to this point, all ingredients are dished up with large serving spoons. In contrast, the lettuce and cheese are hand-scooped and placed in the bol or tacos. This wasn't cause for concern the first time I ate at Chipotle at Quarry Market because the manager personally prepared Anne's and my order, and we were among the first customers of the day. While dining at Chipotle at the Forum, though, I did see a problem. The same person who was handling the lettuce and cheese was also handling the giant flour tortillas as he packaged burrito orders. Then back into the lettuce and cheese his hands would go. Needless to say, I did not get lettuce and cheese in my burrito bol that day.

I have sent two messages to Chipotle with regard to gluten-free issues, but as of yet have not had a reply. In the meantime, I will be cautious about eating at Chipotle. If you decide to eat there, talk with the manager on duty about your concerns and offer a viable suggestion to prevent cross contamination of your meal. The food is good. Ensuring it is also gluten free will make it extraordinary. (MP April 2004)

Last month I wrote about my dining experiences at Chipotle and warned of potential cross-contamination along the restaurant's prep line. So I contacted the restaurant chain through their website and specifically asked about food servers handling flour tortillas and then using their hands to place romaine lettuce and shredded cheese on tacos and burrito bols. Here is the response I received on March 31st: “We do not use utensils since they tend to clump the cheese and bruise the lettuce easily. We do have a fairly gluten-free menu. Unfortunately, the potential for cross contamination does exist. It is possible that the tortilla person touching a tortilla could touch the lettuce, and much the same the spoon portioning the beans could touch a tortilla. We cannot guarantee you there will be no crossover, sorry. And we recommend, regretfully, you not eat our food if your gluten intolerance is highly sensitive. Sincerely, David Chrisman, Mo'Joe, Chipotle”

If you are determined to eat at Chipotle, try to go there when the restaurant is not busy and ask to speak with the manager. Explain your dietary needs and the issue of cross-contamination. Perhaps it would be possible for the server to put on new food service gloves and dish up your meal from fresh containers of taco and burrito bol fixings. It doesn't hurt to ask. (MP May 2004)