I love that Dirty Water! Boston’s You’re MY Home!

What can I say, I’m a proud Bostonian and with the recent victory of the Red Sox becoming the 2013 World Series Champions I had to do a write up on one of the successful eateries that’s local based.  This year Boloco turned 16 years old and I thought why not stop in and grab a bite while visiting Northeastern University.

Imagine 4 guys from the East Coast living on the West Coast decided to share what they love about wraps and burritos from the West Coast back to the East Coast.  Sounds like a lot of back and fourth, but this was how the idea behind Boloco (Boston Local Company) was started.  The chain originally dates back to 1997 when the men opened up “Under Wraps” near Berkeley College on Massachusetts Ave.  Although popular the location lasted for a few months but brought about the group’s newer converted restaurant, “The Wrap” which was later changed to “Boloco”.

John Pepper is one of the original founders and CEO of the company and continues to keep Boloco innovative with their menu selection.  The menu is broken into a hot section and a cold section.  Options for a burrito wrap or bowl with 3 different sizes assist customers with choosing what best fits their appetite and their wallet.  Prices on the menu are under $10 making a meal within reach for the typical college student.  There’s also the choice of having a shake or smoothie if you didn’t want a fountain or bottled drink.

Having an environmentally friendly set up within the restaurant for trash, plastics, and compost (as well as LED lighting and Paperstone countertops) it’s clear Boloco prouds itself on being a green restaurant.  They were actually the 1^st Certified Green restaurant in the entire country.  Not only healthy, good for you food BUT a good for you Environment too!

I kept my order simple today yet I “goloco” ‘d it.  Goloco is when you, “create your concoction using the ingredients from the add or substitute menu.”  I got boloco rice (white), pinto beans, chicken, and shredded cheese.  The chicken served was (when alive) vegetarian fed, humanely raised, grilled thigh meat.  Good to know what were putting in our bodies wasn’t eating unhealthy.

My chicken was good as always.  I’ve been eating here since 2006.  Always juicy chicken with properly cooked rice and melted cheese.  I got to sample the buffalo bowl too (spicy buffalo sauce, bleu cheese dressing, celery, and boloco rice).  So good.  Lots of flavor and the buffalo sauce wasn’t overwhelming.  Both good options.  For smoothies my go-to is the Cape Codder (cranberries, blueberries, apple juice, raspberry sorbet, and non-fat frozen yogurt) and for shakes I LOVE the Jimmy Carter Shake (all natural creamy peanut butter, banana, skim milk, and non-fat frozen yogurt).

The Buffalo Bowl…

I will always visit a nearby Boloco no matter where I am in the states.  There are now over 22 locations (including Rhode Island, Vermont, Maryland and D.C.) proving Boloco will continue to share their passion of providing good food and good customer service throughout the East Coast!  I love the fact that even after 16 years there in no rush to expand faster than needed.  The focus here is quality not quantity, which is exactly what brought the Red Sox to their victory this year.  It’s not about how many “all-stars” you have on a team, it’s the Drive of that team, and THAT is why Boloco is successful!

Wishing you another 16 years and BEYOND! Xo.

Boloco

359-369 Huntington Ave.

Boston, MA 02115

617-536-6814

http://boloco.com