Baja Fresh
Baja Fresh
55 East Loop Rd
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-784-8396
http://www.bajafresh.com/
Time of visit: Dinner August 4th, 2009
Baja Fresh is a small multinational chain. I passed by it many times since I moved to the area in 2000. (It was along my route to the local comic shop, Best Buy, and other places.) But I never went in until recently. It was one of those things that you'll do "someday" but never do. What's interesting is that it's been there a long time even though there's a Taco Bell and Cozymel's (a sit down mexican restaurant) nearby. If it can survive that kind of competition, it has to have something going for it.
I'm going against my policy about reviewing chains because this isn't a huge chain like McDs or Taco Bell and so on. What I find interesting is that they seem to have more stores in Mexico than the US. The location I went to was very clean and claimed they used fresh ingredients. You could tell that from the taste. There's a salsa station in the back and hot sauces near the kitchen area. You could see the kitchen area and watch them make your food if you're so inclined. I ordered chicken fajitas. The food was good and there was a good deal of food for the $8+tax it cost me. I wound up using the salsa in the salad I made for lunch.
In a sense it is like a fast food place. It was too clean in a way. Sort of sterile with the bright lights. Which is very good for a take out place, not so good for the atmosphere if you eat in. Given a choice between being very clean and having an atmosphere, I pick being clean. It's probably to help promote the idea that the food is fresh and well made (and why you can see it being prepared) which it does very effectively. True to their word, I didn't see a can opener, freezer, or microwave anywhere. If all other fast food places were like this, it would change the public perception of the industry as a whole for the better.
Final grade, A. I have gone back since. Not just for the food, but for their bag. My cats love the noise it makes. I recommend the fajitas since it looks like the best deal for your money.
55 East Loop Rd
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-784-8396
http://www.bajafresh.com/
Time of visit: Dinner August 4th, 2009
Baja Fresh is a small multinational chain. I passed by it many times since I moved to the area in 2000. (It was along my route to the local comic shop, Best Buy, and other places.) But I never went in until recently. It was one of those things that you'll do "someday" but never do. What's interesting is that it's been there a long time even though there's a Taco Bell and Cozymel's (a sit down mexican restaurant) nearby. If it can survive that kind of competition, it has to have something going for it.
I'm going against my policy about reviewing chains because this isn't a huge chain like McDs or Taco Bell and so on. What I find interesting is that they seem to have more stores in Mexico than the US. The location I went to was very clean and claimed they used fresh ingredients. You could tell that from the taste. There's a salsa station in the back and hot sauces near the kitchen area. You could see the kitchen area and watch them make your food if you're so inclined. I ordered chicken fajitas. The food was good and there was a good deal of food for the $8+tax it cost me. I wound up using the salsa in the salad I made for lunch.
In a sense it is like a fast food place. It was too clean in a way. Sort of sterile with the bright lights. Which is very good for a take out place, not so good for the atmosphere if you eat in. Given a choice between being very clean and having an atmosphere, I pick being clean. It's probably to help promote the idea that the food is fresh and well made (and why you can see it being prepared) which it does very effectively. True to their word, I didn't see a can opener, freezer, or microwave anywhere. If all other fast food places were like this, it would change the public perception of the industry as a whole for the better.
Final grade, A. I have gone back since. Not just for the food, but for their bag. My cats love the noise it makes. I recommend the fajitas since it looks like the best deal for your money.