Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

By Jody Fellows

Baja Fresh is one of the latest “fast casual” Mexican food chains that have popped up in recent years. Founded in 1990 and acquired by the Wendy’s company in 2002, it’s part of a “genre” of restaurants that include Chipotle (McDonald’s owned), Taco Bell, and more recently, Moe’s Southwest Grill.

Baja Fresh Falls Church opened its doors last week in the West Falls Shopping Center (where Play It Again Sports used to be) and brings, yet another, fast food option to the City. Though, with “fresh” in the title and the tag lines “No Microwaves,” “No Can Openers,” “No Freezers,” “No Lard,” “No M.S.G.,” and “No Compromises” on the menu, Baja Fresh attempts to distance itself from the rest of the pack.We decided if we were going to sample Baja Fresh, then we were going to go all out. So, for four straight meals we dined at the joint in attempts to sample a sizable portion of their menu. A sort of mini-“Super Size Me” if you will. However, I’m happy to say, none of us experienced any form of decreased liver function, though we did have to use the facilities a little more than usual.

While Chipotle is mainly known for their burritos, Baja Fresh boasts a bigger menu that offers a better variety of fare. Starting off slow, I got the “Tres Tacos!” for my first meal. Consisting of three “Baja Style” tacos, I was very happy with my choice and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Offered in four varieties (chicken, steak, fish or shrimp), the tacos are served in soft corn tortillas with salsa, onions, cilantro and a side of guacamole. Some may not like the corn tortillas as they are different from the flour tortillas you get from Taco Bell and other places. Usually among the flour tortilla advocates, I think the corn tortilla added to “freshness” of the tacos and really made for a light tasting, enjoyable plate.

In addition to the tacos, Baja Fresh offers a sizable selection of burritos. Not as a big as the Chipotle behemoths (come on, aside from Mary Kate Olsen and my roommate, who really needs a five pound burrito?), Fresh’s burritos are still a good size. The popular “Burrito Ultimo” consists of melted jack and cheddar cheeses, peppers, chilis, onions, rice, Salsa Baja and sour cream and comes in chicken and steak varieties. The Baja Burrito, Burrito Mexicano, Bean & Cheese, Grilled Veggie and Bare Burrito (a burrito in a bowl without the tortilla) are also available. And, if you just really need to gobble down a tree trunk size burrito, you can get the “Burrito Dos Manos.”

Deciding to lighten it up, meal number three consisted of the “Chipotle Charbroiled Chicken Salad” (grilled chicken tenders, corn, peppers, pineapple, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro and two flautas on a bunch of lettuce with a chipotle pineapple vinaigrette). The sizable salad was good and filling, though my favorite part was the cheese and corn filled flauta. Other salads include the “Chile Lime Chicken Salad,” “Baja Ensalada,” “Tostada” and “Side-By-Side” (charbroiled chicken alongside an avocado-topped salad with jack cheese, guacamole and Pico de Gallo).

Baja Fresh also has fajitas available in chicken, steak and shrimp and quesadillas in cheese, veggie, chicken and steak varieties. There’s a kid’s menu and a handful of sides as well. Chips and salsa come with just about every order, however, if you feel like a little more, you can order the chicken or steak nachos. Be warned, a peek to the nutritional content of the nachos reveals a boatload of calories and fat, so remember, moderation is key.

With light and tasty fare, Baja Fresh offers a nice alternative to the regular fast food chains and is one of the more appealing choices when it comes to quick Mexican food.