Chipotle - Glastonbury

Chipotle's proprietary “Sofritas” in the Vegan Bowl consists of shredded tofu, which I appreciate because I steer clear of sorrowful mock meats and overly processed foods that seem to mock veganism. As a hearty eater, I ordered two bowls. My first bowl was decent, although the brown rice was a bit dry, hard, and undercooked; still, everything else was quite enjoyable. I appreciated that nothing was excessively spicy, not even the two salsas. However, my second Vegan Bowl brought an alarming surprise: a single, narrow piece of steak measuring nearly two inches long. It was unmistakable. I can understand that cross-contamination might happen if the server used the same ladle for a Keto or High Protein Bowl as for a Vegan Bowl. That would certainly show inattention or carelessness. Yet, this piece of steak was too large to have simply stuck to the ladle’s underside and was too obvious to be missed. While I hesitate to make unfounded accusations, I can't shake the feeling that the cook intentionally added that piece of meat to my second Vegan Bowl. Who knows what else could have inadvertently made its way into my meal in less visible forms? As vegans and vegetarians, we need to be vigilant when dining out. Even if my suspicion about the deliberate addition of steak turns out to be incorrect, this incident serves as a reminder to prefer entirely vegan restaurants over those that are simply vegan-friendly. For the latter, all their items labeled as vegan should carry a warning: "Manufactured in a facility that processes animal products. May contain meat." I want to clarify that my experience only reflects the Groton location and does not tarnish Chipotle's reputation as a whole or even the Glastonbury outlet. I might consider trying a Vegan Bowl in Middletown or Glastonbury in the future, but will definitely avoid Groton. In the meantime, I advise Glastonbury customers to be cautious of potential meat contamination in their Vegan Bowls.

Chipotle's proprietary "Sofritas" in the Vegan Bowl consists of finely chopped tofu, which isn’t the same as the crispy mock meats that some may associate with vegan diets, and are typically industrialized foods that I also steer clear of. As a hearty eater, I ordered two bowls. The first bowl was decent; the brown rice was a bit dry, hard, and somewhat undercooked, but still manageable. Everything else was quite pleasant, and I appreciated that none of the flavors were too overpowering, including the two salsas. However, the second Vegan Bowl brought a shocking surprise: a single, narrow piece of steak, nearly two inches long. Yes, steak. I understand that cross-contamination can happen if a server uses the same pan for a keto or high-protein bowl as for a vegan bowl. This could indicate carelessness or indifference on the part of the staff. But that piece of steak was far too large to have gone unnoticed at the bottom of the pan, and I can’t help but suspect that it was intentionally placed into my second bowl. Who knows what other animal products could have been included in less obvious forms? As vegans and vegetarians, we must always be vigilant about what we consume. Even if my suspicion about the intentional addition of steak is unfounded, this incident reminds me of vegan restaurants that prioritize vegetarian-friendly practices. In these places, all products labeled as vegan should also say: “produced in a facility that processes animal products. May contain meat.” I want to clarify that my experience reflects only the Groton location and not Chipotle as a whole, nor the outlets in Glastonbury or Middletown. While I might consider trying a Vegan Bowl in Middletown or Glastonbury, I won’t return to Groton again. In the meantime, be cautious about potential cross-contamination in vegan dishes.