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Freshwest Grill
Category: Restaurants Tex-Mex Tex-Mex [Edit]
100 Wellington St WToronto, ON M5K 1N9
Neighbourhoods: Financial District, Downtown Core
(416) 861-8163
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
10 reviews for Freshwest Grill
10 reviews in English
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Review from Thomas H.
8/2/2011
Great, dependable lunch option in the underground.
When working in the financial district, I find that this burrito hits the mark on all dimensions I'm looking for:
-cheap
-quick
-healthy
-filling
Try to read the menu before you get to the front of the line. It's really not that complicated though.
They have a good numbering system for getting you your burrito after it's done its time on the grill. -
Review from Dana D.
Toronto, ON
5/22/2012
2.5 STARS
-Low cost
-Large portions
-Healthy Options
-Low on YUMM factor, but tasty enough.
I can't give 3 stars because there are just way too many truly delicious burritos in this city, but I can reccomend it for the following reason: at Freshwest, the potential for easing the load on your waistline and your wallet is great. Here's how:
KEEPIN IT REAL LIGHT - $7.50 including tax
1. INSIDE-OUT: Tortillas don't add much flavour to your meal, but they do add almost 200 cals, so leave em and reep the healthy benefits.
2. VEGGIE: Cheapest option, healthiest option, free guac. Easy.
3. FILL IT OUT: Half portion of brown rice, extra black beans. Ask for extra of all the veggies -- at no extra cost, you can add flavour and low-cal bulk to your meal.
4. REALITY CHECK: Nothing that has enough cheese on it is good for you. Tell 'em to go light on the chedda.
5. HEAT IT UP: Skip the burrito sauce and mango dressing--the mango dressing they put on the burrito salad is probably the least healthy topping option-- and go for hot sauce instead. It packs heat and flavour without the added fat those oily dressings have.
6. COOL IT DOWN: Low fat sour cream OR guacomole, not both-- a creamy, cool hit of one of these toppings will balance your warm spicy dish. I'd reccomend the guac; less processed, more flavour, makes up for lack of cheese. -
Review from Billy K.
Markham, ON
3/18/2012
I usually get the inside out burrito. Fresh ingredients and all for a good price. I do prefer Chipolte for burrito's but this place is in the office tower where I work.
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Review from Yvonne T.
5/3/2011
Met up with a friend for lunch today and decided to give Freshwest Grill a try.
Located in the Canadian Pacific Tower food court, the lineups are always long as the white-collared workers ooze out of elevators everywhere during the mad lunchtime rush in the financial district.
However, the employees at Freshwest Grill move the line along pretty darn fast - which for an impatient gal like me deserves some bonus points.
I opted for the Inside-Out burrito which is basically just burrito filling. It consisted of lime-cilantro rice, fried beans, lettuce, tomato, vegetables (which were slathered in oil), guacamole, corn salsa, cheese and a bit of burrito sauce. It filled a large takeout box.
I like that the rice itself is grain-by-grain. I've been to some burrito places that have a pile of rice mushed together and it just isn't very good from a textural perspective.
At $8.75 you really do get stuffed. The ingredients are fresh, and for the most part healthy. I did notice however that the grilled vegetables were drenched with oil.
Post-Freshwest Grill I am suddenly feeling very thirsty. But that may also be because I always take the stairs up 8 flights and avoid elevators whenever possible. Hmm....Listed in: Dining and Nickeling, Spot the white-collars!
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Review from Nicole M.
Vancouver, BC
11/29/2010 ROTD 8/14/2011
It's a 'soup nazi'-ish experience, burrito edition.
Your first task is to decide what kind of burrito to have (and I get the impression they expect you to have this sorted out BEFORE reaching the front of the line). Options include a regular burrito, burrito salad, or an 'inside out burrito' which is essentially a bowl of burrito fixin's. Inside out is a nice option to avoid returning to the office with burrito sauce on your shirt. They have good veggie options including soy. Meat options include chicken, beef or shrimp.
Employee #1 adds your choice of protein, beans and rice before sliding your burrito down to the next employee in an extreme burrito assembly line. After that, step to the side and get ready for the sea of questions that will be coming to you from various employees (pay attention and be prepared to answer pretty quickly):
"corn?"
"grilled vegetables?...that's 0.75 extra"
"Burrito sauce or hot sauce?"
"lettuce?"
"peppers?"
"mild, medium or hot salsa?"
"light or regular sour cream?"
"cheese?"
"Guacamole?....that's 0.75 extra!"
(Ok, so I've eaten there once or twice....)
I sometimes ask for both mild (tomatoes) and hot salsa. Other times I ask for less rice more beans. Sometimes this is well received, sometimes I get chastised for slowing down the process...
The burritos are bountiful (you will not have 3pm hunger).
There's almost invariably a line, but it moves quickly.
Cash only folks.Listed in: Bay Street Lunch, I heart Burritos
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Review from Jason K.
5/5/2011
- all references to the "soup nazi" are accurate.
- even the other customers behind you in line while get pissed off at you, if you dont know how to order.
- get the inside out burrito. who needs the tortilla.
- i wish i still worked downtown. -
Review from Nicole B.
In high school, I was once made fun of for my love of eating just toppings. I would take all my fav burger toppings, throw it in a bowl, and munch away. Same goes for taco toppings. My mom thought that maybe I was having a weird pregnancy craving. Of course, the not gaining any weight or giving birth after 9 months killed that theory.
X amount of years later, enter Freshwest Grill. They serve burritos. Pretty normal. But my favourite is the option to have an inside-out burrito--everything but the flour tortilla. That means I can get as many toppings with my rice as I love (and can afford as some are extra) without any judgement. They actually encourage it. They'll slyly hold the spoon over the salsa and ask, "do you want mild, medium or hot? More cheese? How about tomatoes?" I almost drooled in line at the combination. Mixing it all together reminded me of being young again, when things that looked so disgusting could taste so delicious.
Freshwest is a simple spot. There are 3 styles of burritos: regular, inside-out and salad. The toppings and meat are all things that you can get at any tex-mex place. Freshwest does however advertise that all of their food is made fresh daily and it does taste that way. It's a nice alternative in the sea of underground PATH fast food. At Freshwest Grill, they understand me--at least my love of inside-out food.
They have regular burritos and veggie options. Cash Only.Listed in: Virgin Territory, My Comfort Zones
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Review from L B.
Toronto, ON
12/7/2010
In my opinion, there's two things you should know before going here: it's cash only and will be a completely hectic ordering experience. The other reviewers have all the info you need to know on types of burritos and the ordering experience.
My favorite is the chicken inside-out burrito without hot sauce. (I once got it and found it too hot, but I'm not normally a hot-hot sauce person.)
I absolutely love the food but Freshwest loses a point because I don't like being yelled at to come to the cash to pay or being rushed (to an insane degree) when ordering. -
Review from Jordan T.
Toronto, ON
1/6/2011
I have eaten at Freshwest about twice a week for the last two years, so obviously I like it. The best part, as compared to other burrito establishments, is that the meat is not dripping with sauce and each ingredient is completely separate so you can actually tailor things to suit your taste. I started as a pure burrito guy, then moved to the burrito bowl, but I'm now back to the regular burrito.
As others have mentioned, it is an extremely tense ordering environment when you go for your first time. But once you've been a few hundred times you will have no problem answering their demands all while typing on your Blackberry and carrying on a conversation.
A burrito costs $7.90 after tax if you don't get any guacamole or vegetables, which are collectively referred to as "extras" when you go to pay.
I have two complaints about Freshwest though. The first is that I am there constantly, yet every day I have to say "no extras" when I pay. I know it's busy, but throw me bone, you know me and you know I never get any extras. The second problem is that every few months it seems that there is a directive that comes down from management that less toppings should be used and you end up with this sad little burrito. When these austerity measures are in force I think there is a notable reduction in the size of the line, people are noticing Freshwest.
The beef is not very good (tough and dry), so stick with the chicken.Listed in: The Financial District
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Review from Victoria S.
Toronto, ON
3/2/2011 ROTD 5/31/2011
best burrito per dollar value i have had so far.
there is only one size of burrito. there are a variety of choices but i went for veggie because my favourite part is the toppings. they have 3 varieties of salsa (mild, medium and hot) and they let me have a bit of each! guacamole is included on the veggie and fifty cents extra with other burritos. they also have the option of hot sauce or burrito sauce (mayo?) which you can have one, none or both.
after you choose your toppings (and pay) they give you a card and grill your burrito. when your (card) number is called you are free to go with your twenty pound burrito. just kidding, but it's heavy. i tried eating it with my hands but eventually i had to put it on a plate and use a fork and knife. there was too much for the wrap to handle. i feel like i have tried every option for lunch in this area and this has been the most satisfying and tasty lunch so far.
