New restaurants aren’t particularly newsworthy, but this is the first concept that Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) has introduced outside of its burrito-rolling stronghold. Everyone’s watching ShopHouse the way a high school phenom athlete is being scouted. In a few years, both of them could be superstars.
For now, ShopHouse is still rough around the edges. The reviews have been mixed. Foodies who know the cuisine intimately argue that it isn’t authentic enough. Chipotle fans who expect a Tex-Mex approach to Asian cuisine are baffled by the strange flavors tickling their taste buds.
There are fans, though. I arrive at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday to a nearly empty restaurant. By the time I bow out roughly 20 minutes later, the queue stretches all the way to the front door.