LJ Davis is cool, but in-person might be better...

[bolopep.livejournal.com]

A few days ago I posted the note below in response to questions about Boloco on LJ Davis... i also offered to meet with any of you in person this Monday (today) at Boloco Davis Square at 4:30pm. Due to change in travel plans this Easter sunday (and the fact that United is a not-so-reliable airline!), i won't be able to be there... but i'd love it if any of you still interested would meet me this Friday at 4:30. Read below... all of the same applies (free burrito, book, open ears)

Until then,
John

---------------------------------
John Pepper (co-founder and CEO)
pepper@boloco.com





LJ Davis is cool, but in-person might be better...
bolopep
2007-04-03 02:49 am UTC (link)
Couldn’t help but notice the Boloco chatter… after all, I do spend most waking (and sleeping) moments thinking about the kinds of things you guys are debating.

Rather than go into lots of details on this post, I just wanted to make sure you all knew that we are listening, we do take your feedback really seriously and to heart, and we’ll continue doing our best to make Boloco something that really clicks for the Davis community. No one told us it would be easy, and we’ve always believed in earning loyalty… this will be no different.

I’ll be at the Davis Square Boloco next Monday (apr 9) from 4:30-6:30pm, and would love to meet with any of you who want to dig further into some of the comments/concerns/kudos/issues/comparisons to Anna's/Chipotle/Qdoba/bland food/spicy food/the weather/whatever it is. We are a very local company… nobody is telling us what to do except for you guys and, well, a handful or two (or more) of other customers as well :)

If any of you show up, I’d be happy to treat you to a burrito (yes, another free burrito!). I’ll be sitting over in the kids area with a book (in case no one shows up I'll want to look busy!) and open ears.

John

---------------------------------
John Pepper (co-founder and CEO)
pepper@boloco.com

Comments

Re: Sweet

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

I am always happy to see that there is someone else who doesn't "get" the appeal of Anna's.

Anna's is ok, but there are much better places in Greater Bostonia, so I can't possibly understand why Anna's gets about 95% of the Mexican food hype.

Re: Sweet

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, if I'm looking for Mexican/South American, I almost always make it myself or look for one of the smaller, family-owned places (like the ones in Union) - that's what I grew up on, and other stuff just doesn't appeal to me.

That said, I do get the occasional Taco Bell hankering, but I don't consider that Mexican at all.

Re: Sweet

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Anna's isn't Mexican. It is a San Francisco Mission-district style burrito joint.

If you're actually looking for authentic-er south of the border style foods, I recommend:

Zocalo in Arlington and Brighton: http://www.zocaloarlington.com/home.htm

Tacos Lupita (El Salvadoran food!) near Porter at Elm & Porter Streets:
http://www.tacoslupita.com/template.htm

Re: Sweet

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely have to check out Tacos Lupita. I LOVE El Salvadorian.

Re: Sweet

[ariwriter.livejournal.com]

I haven't eaten at those two, but I love Jose's in North Cambridge.

Re: Sweet

[joifulgurl.livejournal.com]

omgomgomg i LOVE Zocalo. OMGOMGOMG so delicious.

Re: Sweet

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

did tacos lupita come under new ownership recently? I adore their chicken quesadillas, but i got one a few months ago and it tasted very different then it used to (ingredients not the same anymore). I'm hoping it was a fluke, and not a change in recipe, because the old one was amazing. I haven't gotten back there since, though.

Re: Sweet

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

did tacos lupita come under new ownership recently?

I dunno for sure, but the staff seems the same. I have found that the food is a little different every time I go... depending on your POV that can be part of the charm. If you can identify the missing ingredient special orders don't upset them.

I've been impressed that Lupita has lasted as long as it has: I remember when that location was hot fiery (financial) doom for businesses.

Re: Sweet

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

The food is simple and has a broad based appeal. They have only one or two things Yankees would consider "weird" and those aren't big sellers (the pinapple thing and the chili verdi). You get the illusion of choice from a small number of options, none of them alien.

This is Anna's:

1 cheese type + 3 bean styles + 6 meat styles + 1 veg mix + 6 toppings in 3 presentations. The food is grilled or boiled.

There's some variety, but nothing crazy. That allows you to mass produce the food in large quantities at low prices. This is the same plan Taco Bell used back in the 1980s when they still prepared the food there.

Fancy isn't always the path to success. Fancy, in fact, narrows your market and makes your food more expensive.

Re: Sweet

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

I never said anything about the fanciness/simplicity/weirdness of the menu at Anna's.

What I was saying is that the food at various other places around town is better than Anna's, variety/style of menu choices aside. For example, I consider the overall menu style of Boca Grande to be fairly similar to Anna's (various meat/vegetable "fillings" available in taco/burrito/enchilada/dinner plate forms), but Boca Grande's food is far better.

And that's my whole point. Anna's food is not as good.

also: chile verde is "weird"?

Re: Sweet

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

also: chile verde is "weird"?

it is to some people. I actually love salsa verde (although I got my fill of it when my mother was growing wild tomatillos in her backyard. I ended up with three jars of the stuff, and it went into EVERYTHING I ate for a month. Ack!)

Re: Sweet

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Re: Boca Grande

They have more variety, they're more expensive, and they're much, much slower. I haven't eaten at Boca's in awhile, but from what I remember you couldn't always eat their burritos without a fork and knife which hits the convenience issue again.

Can you quantify what is better about the food? Fresher? Better/different seasoning? Quantity?

"also: chile verde is "weird"?"

Anytime people in line have to ask what something is, that falls into the "weird" category. One of Anna's attempts at attracting a broad audience is that they use almost no unfamiliar Spanish in their menu.

Also, your stereotypical Yankee doesn't care for spicy things. I like Anna's chili verdi because it is actually spicy, not New England spicy.