Comparisons are inevitable.

When the Qdoba Mexican Grill opened on Aug. 25, it was easy to note the similarities to Chipotle, which has two stores in Lincoln.

Both chains pride themselves on their big burritos and the ingredients they use for them.

Heck, even the interiors of both places look somewhat the same, right down to the window counters to accommodate singles.

But upon furthur inspection, diners will find some differences, most notably that Qdoba’s menu is more extensive.

In addition to burritos and tacos, the Mexican restaurant serves grilled quesadillas, various nacho plates featuring homemade tortilla chips and a tasty three-cheese queso sauce, taco salads and tortilla soup.

Denver businessman Ken Friednash brought Qdoba to Lincoln’s Westfield Shoppingtown Gateway. He also owns the franchises in Omaha and South Dakota.

The restaurant’s roots date back to 1995, when Anthony Miller opened the first Qdoba in Denver with partner Robert Hauser. The idea quickly caught on, with more stores opening across the country.

In 2003, fast food giant Jack in the Box acquired Qdoba, which operates separately from the company’s drive-through hamburger restaurants. McDonald’s, by the way, owns Chipotle. Today, Qdoba has more than 250 restaurants nationwide.

I checked out Qdoba with a companion Sunday evening and was struck by the similarities to Chipotle.

Until I sat down to eat.

The menu features steak, chicken and veggie burritos, costing between $4.99 and $5.79. Unfortunately, there was no pork.

I recommend the restaurant’s “signature” selections: six gourmet burritos featuring various sauces and ingredients.

I went with the Queso Burrito with steak ($6.39). It comes with choice of pinto or black beans, cilantro lime rice, choice of salsas, cheese and sour cream. The best part was the warm three-cheese queso sauce.

My companion had the Chicken Mole Burrito ($5.59). It, too, came with the aforementioned fixings, but what set it apart was the slightly spicy Mole sauce, made with semi-sweet dark chocolate, chili peppers and garlic.

The chocolate flavor can sometimes overwhelm a Mole sauce, but that wasn’t the case with Qdoba’s. It was understated, allowing the other flavors of the burrito come out.

Other noteworthy burritos include the Poblano Pesto Burrito, featuring grilled chicken, a poblano Pesto, roasted poblanos and pine nuts, and the Fajita Ranchera Burrito (steak, $5.89; chicken, $5.59), a no-bean entree with red onions, bell peppers and a zesty Ranchera sauce.

Like Chipotle, the food is prepared in front of you. You order at one end and follow your entree to the cash register. The young staff is friendly and eager to please.

The restaurant is a fast-casual kind of place, meaning entrees are a cut above regular fast-food fare. The ingredients are fresh, with veggies cut by hand. The chicken is marinated in spices and the shredded beef is slow-roasted for several hours until it reaches the right tenderness.

Because the food is of better quality and served quickly, I’m guessing Qdoba will have no trouble establishing a clientele.

Its location at the mall will help it tremendously, especially during the holidays.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.

Dining out

Qdoba Mexican Grill

61st and O streets

(Westfield Shoppingtown Gateway)

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Mexican

Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (402) 466-3660

Web site: www.qdoba.com

Notes: Parking, takeout, catering, small children’s menu, alcohol