BURRITO ENVY
Hoppen Hierarchy: ★★⭑
District: Benson
Fast casual eatery serving creative takes on burritos & tacos
Perfect For: Lunch; Casual Dining; Takeout
Standout Dishes: California Burrito; Sushi Burrito; Surf & Turf Burrito
If you ever want to test the strength of a friendship or the camaraderie of a team, bring up the classic Chipotle vs. Qdoba debate. This seemingly innocent conversation topic will have even the closest of acquaintances at each others throats as the pro-Qdobans decry Chipotle’s costly guacamole and its health scares while Chipotle supporters claim their fast casual burrito joint simply has superior quality.
This might come as a bit of a cop out, but I want to choose Option C—how about neither?
This isn’t to say I don’t like Chipotle or Qdoba. I find them both delicious, though if I’m taking a side it’s Chipotle all day, and it’s not really close. But as a big proponent of local restaurants, I’d much rather hunt for a burrito restaurant that rivals either of the national chains, and I think I found one in the Benson district in Omaha.
Ever since opening in Benson in 2015, Burrito Envy has delivered an elevated fast-casual burrito experience. The menu includes standard options, such as chicken, barbacoa beef, or carnitas pork, all of which are delicious and of a higher quality than you’ll find at any chain.
What really makes Burrito Envy fun, however, are its 12 specialty options, which put interesting twists on the typical burrito experience. The options include the Cuban (pork, fried plantains, mango habanero mojo sauce), Breakfast (chorizo, eggs, tater tots, and Envy sauce), and the Korean (chicken, kimchi, gochujang aioli). Burrito Envy takes delicious flavors from different types of cuisine and stuffs them inside a tortilla.
Each menu item can be order as a burrito, rice bowl, or tacos (I recommend you stick with the original product). For the carb-conscious, there are also 7 artisan salads.
Many diners choose to order ahead and get the burrito to go, which is a fine option. If you choose to dine in, you’re greeted with a fun, laid-back atmosphere and a bar fully stocked with local craft beers, tequilas, and margaritas. It’s a popular Benson location for Happy Hour.
Back to the burritos. Whichever you choose, it’ll slay your appetite. The portions are pretty large, as Burrito Envy stuffs each offering chock full of delicious, fresh ingredients. This hefty masterpiece is finished on the grill, creating a slightly crispy tortilla and sealing in the delicious insides. One of the failures of the chains is their thin, floppy tortillas crack and fall apart, leaving the meal an utter mess halfway through. There’s no such problem here.
Everything option I’ve had here is tremendous, but these in particular sick out:
- Surf & Turf (shrimp, carne asada, rice, guacamole, Envy sauce): The guac and Envy sauce combine into a creamy, slightly spicy condiment that saturates every bite. The steak and shrimp are tender and pleasant, and the whole combination just works.
- PBJ (pork, bacon, jalapeno): The pork is tender and succulent with plenty of salty flavor. The bacon adds that brilliant fatty, perfect complement. The jalapeños kind of get lost amongst the rice and black beans, and this burrito could use more heat. Add some guacamole for creaminess and this dish is a winner.
- California Burrito (carne asada, tater tots, guacamole, Envy Sauce): This option raises an interesting question—why aren’t more places putting tater tots inside burritos? They add a crunchy, starchy salty element that comes through in each bite. The carne asada is excellent, the cheese is flavorful, and that guacamole provide the perfect finishing punch.
- Jalapeno Popper (grilled chicken, bacon, tater tots, cream cheese sauce): It’s almost stunning how much this burrito tastes like its namesake. An abundance of grilled jalapeños, chopped bacon, and a gooey cream cheese bring to mind the flavors of a traditional jalapeno popper, but tender grilled chicken and tater tots (there they are again) take this burrito to the next level.
Then there’s the Sushi Burrito.
I’m all for innovation, and I give Burrito Envy credit for trying something new and creative. But while the sushi burrito was good, it pales in comparison to BE’s other offerings. It’s considerably smaller, and it needs a lot more fish. There’s really just one line of salmon down the middle (you can also get tuna), leaving plenty of bites with nothing but rice and veggies. The nori wrap held everything together, but it was a bit odd to bite through. It was a fun dish to try once, but it’s not as good as a traditional sushi roll or anything else I’ve had at Burrito Envy.
If the massive burritos aren’t enough to tackle your appetite, you can finish things off with the Cinnamon Crisps. Most burrito joints offer chips with salsa, queso, or guacamole, and Burrito Envy has those options. But it also deep-fried slices of tortilla, covers them with cinnamon sugar and drizzles a sea salt caramel over it all. The strips are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The sugar and caramel give the dish a desserty feel, making this dish a great complement to the savory burritos.
The service is quick, as burritos arrive within a few minutes of ordering. Burrito Envy is a bit pricier than the chains, as each burrito is around $10 apiece. I can safely say, however, that the step up in quality makes any small increase in price absolutely worth it.
I have no problem with people who enjoy the national chains, but if you want to support local and get a higher quality product, Burrito Envy is your place.