El Fuego @ 2104 Chestnut St.

El Fuego is a mexican fast food ala Qdoba. The menu is simple with Burritos, Rice Bowls, Quesadillas and Tacos. It opened recently (few months) is located at 2104 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA.

I am big fan of the Mexican Gumbo at QDoba. They call them naked burrito at El Fuego. The ambiance and set up is very much similar to that of QDoba or that of Chipotle. I got introduced to Chipotle during my short one year stint in Dallas and really liked the simplicity of the set up. Basically you choose the type of food - Burrito, Salad or Quesadilla at the beginning of the line. Burritos are biggest sellers at these kind of places. If you select Burrito you move in the line and tell what you like in your burrito. Rice comes with the burrito by default. But you can choose black beans or pinto beans, salad lettuce, mild, medium or hot salsa, cheese and in some places sour cream and/or guacamole. The burrito is wrapped around the contents and is typically enclosed in an aluminium foil or paper. You pay for your food at the end of the counter. It is very similar to that of Subway.

Mexican Gumabo aka Naked burrito is all the contents that go inside a burrito but in a bowl without the tortilla wrap. I ordered naked burrito with spicy chicken and mild salsa sauce with black beans and sour cream.

The food was alright in taste.But it pales in comparison to the Mexican Gumbo at QDoba. The quantity was also quite less. I am sure the quantity would fall short for a lunch or dinner. Since I went there during my evening walk out, it was fine.

The naked burrito was $6.75 and I paid about $8.50 including a drink and tax. The cost was not bad but I could get a better tasting bigger burritos(both regular and naked) at QDoba which is just a block and half to the east at 1900 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103. I will probably give them one more try to taste their Quesadillas. As for my favorite gumbo, you know my preference by now.