American chain California Tortilla officially opened for business last night, May 15, to a bustling crowd of Qatar residents hungry for affordable Tex-Mex food.

Located on C Ring Road at Ramada signal next to Korean Garden, the restaurant is California Tortilla’s first international endeavor.

The food, which includes burritos, fish tacos, big salads and other dishes, is Chipotle-esque, but a tad more expensive, with most options costing QR37 (~$10) and above. However, chips and salsa or queso are included in the order.

Residents at tonight’s opening told Doha News that they enjoyed the food. But due to the location, parking was an issue for many. Also, because the restaurant has only been open for 10 days (it unofficially opened on May 5, Cinco de Mayo), the staff is still working out kinks in service quality.

Other points of interest:

• The restaurant has a “Wall of Flame” with over 75 hot sauces available to try, ranging from very mild to super-hot;
• There’s a play area for children; and
• California Tortilla is launching a contest soon that involves mustaches.

The restaurant, which can be reached at +974-4434-4144, is open 11am to midnight from Saturday to Wednesday; 11am to 1am on Thursdays; and 1pm to 1am on Fridays.

Have you tried the food yet? Thoughts?

Credit: Photos by Shabina S. Khatri