Have you ever heard of Quesada Burritos and Tacos? No? You’re not alone. But they’ve been around since 2004 and they’re quietly invading Canada from coast to coast. Now they’re making a mark in the Dine In / Takeout sector by becoming the first in Canada to offer a Beyond Meat Burrito…
A Quesada Burrito Plate.
Beyond Meat making inroads..
You’ll recall a few months back when we introduced you to Beyond Meat, one of the leading Meat Alternatives made with plant-based proteins. The company has made the most of the advantage of being one of the first in the market partnering with with several major Fast Food outlets chains and marketing its own supermarket brand of Burger Patties and loose ‘Ground Burger’ meat. Now, it’s partnered with Quesada Burritos and Tacos in Canada to deliver the nation’s first Beyond Meat Burrito.
The man behind Quesada…
The story behind Quesada is literally the story of the man who started it all. The company website describes him thus:
When Canadian software developer Steve Gill lived in Denver – home of 667 Mexican restaurants – he discovered a passion for his new favourite food: Burritos.
Besides his software skills, Steve is also an accomplished chef, and he returned to Canada with one goal: to bring a little of his Denver taste experience to Canada, and to create a Canadian-owned Mexico-inspired restaurant.
The result? Quesada Burritos & Tacos opened in Toronto in 2004 and saw people driving over two hours for their Quesada favourites! Word quickly spread… and so did our restaurants. There are now [more than] a hundred Quesada Burritos & Tacos locations from Victoria, BC to St. John’s, NFLD with more opening every month!
What makes Quesada different?
It’s what Steve calls ‘The Joy of Mex’…
The Joy of Mex is an attitude. It’s the friendly, positive energy of our restaurant staff, the passion we share with our customers for tasty, delicious food… and the pleasure you’ll feel with every bite of a Quesada Burrito, Taco, Quesadilla or Salad! Try the Joy of Mex today!
But it’s also the fact that they apparently don’t advertise (at least I’ve never seen an ad for them, anywhere in the media), relying on good old fashioned word-of-mouth to get their word out. There are actually 10 Quesada locations in my hometown and, I’d never heard of them until I read the Beyond Meat announcement! Go figure.
Founder Steve also puts a premium on the authenticity of his recipes. The website makes a point of saying most of the chain Tex Mex he tried after becoming a regular at a few choice Denver tacquerias was ‘generic’ and ‘bland’. He wanted his food to be piquant and, above all, fresh.
More than just Burritos and Tacos…
The Quesada menu includes all the major Tex-Mex food groups: Burritos, Tacos, Quesadillas, Tortilla Salads and Loaded Nachos, plus a range of Sides and Add-ons, and a special Kids’ menu.
Now that I know Quesada is out there, I’ll be looking them up soon. And posting a review in this space…
~ Maggie J.