Here at 8Asians, we’re fascinated with the idea of ShopHouse, the Asian-inspired spin-off of the one-step above Fast Food restaurant chain Chipotle. While none of us live in Washington DC, where the first (and as of now, only) store is based, we take comfort knowing that someone from Serious Eats has eaten and taken photos of everything on the ShopHouse menu. Verdict: “Eh, it’s alright.” But that’s okay. We all need “eh, it’s alright” food as a balance between “inedible” and “Din Tai Fung.”
In honor of this momentous occasion in fast casual dining – and because Moye and I were sugared up on our lunch breaks, talking over Instant Messenger – 8Asians would like to present to you the Top 8 Rejected Names for the Chipotle spin-off. All yours for you to read, after the jump.
8. [Golden/Silver/Jade] [Terrace/Palace/Dragon/Phoenix]
7. Panda Un-Express
6. America’s Next Great Restaurant Failed, So We Built This Instead
5. McChickenBowl
4. Sharks Fin Souplantation
3. The $8 Banh Mi Store
2. TGI Awkward Tuesday Lunches w/ Co-Workers
1. Ching Chong Chipotle
