Ambassador, you are really spoiling us!

2 New Burrito Experiences in ONE DAY (today!)

Today sees the launch of two new burrito experiences. Both have been the subject of varying degrees of quibble.

Wahaca

Capturing the zeitgeist with colour and enthusiasm Wahaca (who, lest we forget, were pioneering in bringing us the street food experience in the first place) have obviously seen how ‘now’ street food is, especially when it is actually on the street. Vans are popping up all over the place selling REALLY GOOD FOOD. Forget the greasy hot dog vendors that lure you in after a night on the lash, we’re talking about quality ingredients and daring food. So, today Wahaca, the purveyors of street food have now come to the street – their street kitchen is a colourful van  and frankly I can’t wait to sample its wares.  It’s lanched today amidst promises of free burritos.

Initially it’ll be in Canary Wharf – which has led to grumblings on twitter from people who (rightly) point out that Canary Wharf has a Wahaca. These are grumbles from people who want Wahaca in their street, not a street that already has one. As far as I know it will be travelling around so hopefully everybody will be happy. Really excited about this one.

Poncho No.8

Less interesting is the launch of another Poncho No.8. in Old Compton Street today. I admit that when I say they’ve been the subject of criticism I have to say that it’s only MY criticism but bear with me.

The way they’ve managed this launch has been a masterclass in How Not To Do Twitter. Normally I really like their tweets – they’re charmingly personal. But over the past few days they’ve got it spectacularly wrong. Bear in mind that the news has been full of revelations on the hacking scandal, you’d think that my Twitter feed would be full of News International references. Nope it’s been full of a burrito launch.

Instead of sending invitations to reviewers, journalists and bloggers by writing @Reviewer, we’re having a party, would you like to come to it? They have insisted on We’re having a party, would you like to come to it @Reviewer.   If they’d adopted the first approach (@Reviewer at the beginning) then nobody would have seen the tweets unless they follow both twitter accounts. However by adding the @Reviewer into the text it counts as a mention and ) and appears in the twitter stream to all their followers. Assuming that all their followers LIKE Poncho No.8  imagine how frustrating (and tedious) it is to see every tweet that’s sent out smugly inviting everybody else to a party that you’re not invited to. This was compounded by the fact that Poncho No.8 retweeted all their good luck messages.

They’ll probably think I’m bitter at being the sole burrito reviewer not invited to the launch party last night, but I can genuinely say that LBRI are not into schmoozing and have never taken a freebie.   I just, genuinely, found the hijack of my twitter feed annoying.   LBRI are determined to write reviews based on experience rather than obligation.    I’ve read so many beauty blogs where the reviewer has been sent a freebie (vibrating mascara anybody???  Really?) and raved about it because they don’t want to miss out on future freebies.  LBRI aren’t like that.  We want to give you honest reviews with integrity.

To be honest, based on the experience of their rather underwhelming burritos (lovely stripy floor, fairly bland burrito), were I hungry and in Soho I would probably chose to go to nearby Wahaca on Wardour St.  Or even the much less fun Chipotle on Charing Cross Rd. Or I’d happily walk up the road to any of the branches of  Benito’s Hat which are all in easy walking distance).  I will give them another go, I promise.  But I just can’t get all psyched up aboutthem opening another branch because it’s all I’ve been reading about for the past week and frankly I am so over it.

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