A good, cheap feed

Well, it had to happen sooner or later: a fast food Mexican chain restaurant that doesn’t cater to the lard and grease addict, offering a selection of reasonably authentic, reasonably priced and healthy dishes to a broad client base. Usually, I wouldn’t write about a chain of this size, but its aspirations and claims seemed so intriguing that I had to give it a try. After all, how many of us associate the usual Mexican fast food with either good health, good taste or with any flavor other than hot?

Just 10 years after opening in Ventura County, Calif., as a single-restaurant, family-owned enterprise, Baja Fresh has grown into a 200-unit enterprise, and is now owned by Wendy’s (although it continues to be independently operated). With plans to open two more locations in Indianapolis over the next couple of months, this is certainly a chain on the go.

If you have read the engrossing but immensely disturbing Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, you may already be one of the growing throngs who are actively steering clear of the big-name burger joints. With even the best-known of the chains resolutely failing to go with the flow or change with the times, the days of the fast food hamburger must surely be limited. OK, so change won’t happen overnight, but already some of the big chains are switching in part to healthier fare, and many new, health-oriented establishments are springing up in anticipation of the impending void. Whether the future of fast food lies in juices, wraps, subs or tacos, it almost certainly won’t be staking its claim in cholesterol and meat from dubious origins.

What distinguishes Baja Fresh from so many of its fast food themed cousins, and what makes it absolutely worth a visit, are its cleanliness, freshness and efficiency. Much as I love the tiny independent taquerias that have sprung up around town, and enjoy visiting them as often as possible, many of them just aren’t very conveniently located for the average mall-based shopper or family with children. Baja Fresh, with its convenient location(s), represents one of the first of what is likely to be an invasion of health-conscious fast food eateries, a welcome departure from what is increasingly becoming a moribund industry.
The first thing you notice upon entering Baja Fresh is its spotless cleanliness, bright lights, large windows and happy staff. With polished steel bar-style stools and tables, the decor is bold and angular, resembling in many ways a latter-day Steak ’n’ Shake. Signs proclaim no freezers and no microwaves: a bold statement in a fast food chain, and certainly a heck of a claim to live up to. Imagine having to do this at 200 locations around the country. My hat’s off to these people for this reason alone.

The menu at Baja Fresh is pretty short, but offers many of the traditional north-of-the-border favorites. Before going into detail, let me say up front that everything I tried was good to excellent. If freshness is a virtue, then this is a virtuous establishment, indeed. The tacos, made from soft flour tortillas, were as good as any I’ve had in this town and were very, very fresh. The same goes for the warm corn tortillas used in the enchiladas.

Starting with the tacos ($1.90 for chicken or steak, $2.35 for shrimp and $2.35 for fish), these were quite decent. The shrimp taco in particular was nice and crunchy, the shrimp by no means overcooked and not at all fishy. The fish taco was flaky and moist, and the beef was, well, beef. The chicken, too, was very sound, and all could be adjusted to your taste with a little pico de gallo or one of several sauces at the salad bar. In addition, extra guacamole is available for $1.25 for a small serving, or $3.25 for 8 ounces with chips. When you consider the price of avocadoes these days, that’s not a bad deal at all.

Next up was a massive Baja Burrito ($5.40), which contained admirable quantities of steak, jack cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. Although not as big as my head (well, we don’t want to get greedy, now, do we?) it still weighed in at around 1 pound. Under any other circumstances, this would have been almost a meal for two. It is without doubt more than enough for one average diner. Fresh, tasty and very satisfying, it also resonated with a certain je ne sais quoi … let’s just call it a smug, healthy feeling. This dish was followed in quick succession by a couple of good chicken enchiladas. Although the filling was a touch bland, this was quickly remedied by the liberal application of salsa verde and some chopped tomatoes. At $5.95 for two, this dish is quite a bargain, as it comes with a generous side of rice and either black beans or pinto beans.
In addition to the above dishes, Baja Fresh also offers a short menu of salads, quesadillas and nachos. The most expensive item on the menu, the chicken or steak fajitas, weighs in at a whopping $7.95.

The meal described above came to a shade under $20, which makes Baja Fresh a good deal by anyone’s standards. Although I felt obliged to sample several dishes in the interests of research, the truth is that two or three tacos, or the enchilada plate, would have more than sufficed. The great thing about this kind of place is that it doesn’t just appeal to the health nut: This is good, solid food that also happens to be pretty good for you. At least, that’s how I like to think of it. Baja Fresh does not serve alcohol, but everything is available to go, and is offered in good, sound, carryout packaging, should you have an overwhelming desire to drink beer with your tacos.

Yes, it’s a chain, but it’s one that fulfils a useful need in this market, as well as filling what is likely to become a gaping hole in our fast food culture. This is one chain for which I would happily cast aside some of my principles in exchange for a good, cheap feed.

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