Chipotle adds a salad to the menu

After 11 years in the food business, Chipotle has added a dish.

The Chipotle salad, which Steve Ells, Chipotle’s founder and CEO, described as “a twist on burrito bols,” features fresh cut Romaine lettuce and new house-made chipotle-honey vinaigrette.

“They will be a permanent menu item,” Chipotle spokeswoman Julie Goldsborough said.

A news release said before the Chipotle salad, customers created salads using chopped lettuce and salsa as dressing.

Salads can be customized using items found on the food line. Organic black or pinto beans, fresh tomato and spicy corn salsa are the most recommended addition. The salad is served in a recycled newsprint-based cardboard bowl. Chicken and steak are available for an additional cost, but customers can still make their salad vegetarian by using black beans, fajita vegetables and guacamole.

Goldsborough said they have received positive responses from the customers since testing last year .

“They have been popular in Denver and in other markets,” she said.

As for adding another menu item, Goldsborough said it will not happen soon.

“After all, it took 11 years for this change to be made,” she said.