Pirate's Booty

A long time ago, my office used to stock "Pirate's Booty", aka, white cheddar cheese puffs.  I liked it as a snack food to munch on mid-afternoon.  Ojan REALLY liked it though.

Fast forward a few years.  I was in the grocery store and saw ... Pirate's Booty Mac and Cheese!  Now, Ojan also loves boxed mac and cheese (he's moved on from Kraft Dinner to Annie's).  I had to buy this, as it was too perfect.

So for Christmas, I gave him a Pirate's Booty themed gift: a box of the mac and cheese and a bag of the snacks.  Yes, I wrapped it.  I think I was more amused than he was.

I was also interested enough to look up Pirate's Booty products.  If they make mac and cheese ... what else do they make?  Mostly ... just a bunch of puffed corn snacks.  They make a handful of snack products, all focused around cheese coating on baked snacks: Smart Puffs, Original Tings, and the line of Pirate's Booty items.

Snacks

I've only ever had the classic Aged White Cheddar pirates booty, but they also make Fruity Booty (!?), Veggie Booty, and "Crunchy Treasures" (the same aged white cheddar as the classic Pirate's Booty, just on a different form factor - silly pirate related shapes like anchors and parrots).  The veggie one has spinach, kale, carrots, and parsley incorporated in somehow.  The Fruity Booty has berries in it, and, no cheese.

Aged White Cheddar Pirate's Booty.

"Pirates like their cheddar like they do their rum, aged to perfection. Aged White Cheddar is made from puffed rice and corn, blended with real aged white cheddar cheese and baked perfectly to pirate standards."

I really used to love the classic white cheddar Pirate's Booty.  But, when I tried it recently to review for this blog, it seemed a lot like Styrofoam packing peanuts.  Really airy, not enough crunch.  And not nearly as much cheese flavor as I like or remember.  Very boring.

Guess it is time to file these in the category of snack foods I used to like ...

Mac and Cheese

Yes, Pirate's Booty Mac & Cheese is a thing.  Fancier than your standard Kraft dinner, made with organic pasta and real cheese.  Available in 3 varieties: mild cheddar elbow mac and white cheddar shells, or, uh, anchors.

Mild White Cheddar Shells & Cheese.

I picked the shells and cheese, because shells are always more fun in my opinion.  Preparation was the same as any box mac and cheese: boil water, cooked pasta, drain, add butter, milk, and the cheese packet.

Now, to be fair, I never want this sort of mac and cheese.  But Ojan loves it, and he was feeling sick one day, and requested it.  I obliged the poor sick guy and made his mac and cheese, with a glimmer of hope that I'd like it too, since I do like the Pirate's Booty totally fake cheese flavor.

Sadly, it just didn't have much flavor.  Like, none at all.  I wanted the pasta to be coated in the cheese coating that you always lick off your fingers after devouring a bag of Pirate's Booty (or cheese puffs). Instead, it tasted very plain, quite disappointing.

But Ojan gladly finished his whole bowl.  Since then however, he's gone back to his Annie's.

Read More...

Chipotle

So, I had never visited a Chipotle before now.  I'm not against chain restaurants, but, Mexican food is rarely at the top of my list, so I just have never had a reason to visit.  The fact that they have had some interesting, uh, problems this past year certainly didn't help encourage me to prioritize a visit.

But my dad loves Chipotle, and when I moved to my new condo, a random coupon showed up for a free meal at Chipotle.  You know I can't resist a freebie, so ...

To Chipotle I went, with Ojan in tow.  (Really, I went for him to have Chipotle, and for me to try a bite and experience the whole thing.  I had no real plan of eating there, just because it isn't the sort of cuisine I like).

Overall, it was exactly as I expected: higher quality than standard Mexican fast food (a la Taco Bell), but no where near the cailbre of fast-casual Rubios.  I wouldn't go back, and I doubt Ojan would if we were in San Francisco, but, if travelling, and needed fast food that wasn't burgers, it seems like a reliable option.  And no, we didn't get sick.

The Menu

The menu board.

If you are new to Chipotle as I was, let me review the menu for you.

The menu is not very extensive.

First you decide HOW you want your item: a burrito, tacos (crispy corn, soft corn, or soft flour), as a "bowl" (burrito sans wrapper), or a salad (like a bowl, but with dressing and more lettuce).  Then you pick your protein: steak, chicken, carnitas, barbacoa, or sofritas.  Then the fillings: rice (brown or white), beans (black or pinto), salsa (mild tomato salsa, hot red-chili salsa, medium-hot tomatillo green chili salsa, or medium roasted chili-corn salsa, fajita veggies, and optional toppings (sour cream, cheese, lettuce, or, for a fee, guac).  Pricing is the same no matter which form factor you choose, as the price is set based on the protein, aka, a steak burrito is the same price as a steak salad, but, a chicken burrito is cheaper.

Besides the burrito/taco/bowls, the only other items on the menu is a kids menu with quasadillas, and the side dish of chips and salsa.

Chipotle takes pride in their ingredient sourcing, and claims to make real relationships with farmers, use pasture raised animals with no hormones, real local product, etc.  I don't know much about that, except that the vegetarian soyfrito option uses Hodo Soy, a Bay Area high end tofu manufacturer, so, I can vouch for that at least (and congrats to Hodo for landing this deal!)

The Space

Front Counter, Seating.

I visited the Chipotle adjacent to the Metreon.  It was fairly busy.  We got in line, which moved quickly.

Once at the front, you move assembly line down the counter, starting with picking your option (burrito/bowl/tacos) and ending at a register.  Basically, Subway, but, burritos.

Protein Station.

After you make the choice of base, you need to pick the protein.  All of the proteins are sitting there in heat wells. Given the volume of people moving through, I imagine these are replenished relatively often.

Toppings.

After the protein and beans are added, your order is slid down to the next worker, who adds on the salsa and other toppings.  Things move right along.

Condiments.

On the side is the finishing station, with plastic cutlery, napkins, sugar, and ... tabasco (both red and green).

Seating.

Seating isn't particularly interesting, several types of tables in the light-filled interior, and a few smaller tables outside on the sidewalk.  We ate outside since it was a lovely day.

The Food

Carnitas Crispy Tacos. $8.15.

"Fill three crispy corn shells with your choice of meat or sofritas, salsa, guacamole, sour cream or cheese, and romaine lettuce."

Ojan opted for the crispy tacos, which come as a trio.  You must pick a single protein for the filling for all three, no mix and match (lame).  He opted for the carnitas: "seasoned with salt, cracked black pepper, juniper berries, thyme, and bay leaves. Braised and shredded by hand throughout the day, resulting in tender meat with concentrated flavors."

To this he added pinto beans, medium tomatillo green chili salsa, cheese, and sour cream.  The tacos didn't exactly look pretty (particularly the cheese just kinda thrown on top), but, who am I to judge based on looks?

I took my requisite bite.  Well ... it was a taco.  Standard crispy shell (not stale).  The cheese was ... cheese, blended white cheddar and Monterrey Jack.  The sour cream was ... sour cream.  I appreciate that those items are included standard and not an upcharge.  The carnitas tasted kinda like chicken to me, but, Ojan commented several times that he was impressed by the quality of the meat, not greasy, not gristly, not chewy.  The salsa didn't have much flavor, but also isn't the one I ever would have chosen.

So, to me, fairly lackluster, but, for fast food tacos, obviously better than the competition.  But, in San Francisco, why would you ever go here over a real taqueria?  The price isn't any better, and, although the ingredient quality is, the flavor is just much better in more authentic food.

Read More...