Fake Chipotle

There are no shortage of shopping malls here in Bogota.  Like any good shopping mall has in the U.S., food courts grace the top floor of the malls here in Bogota as well.

I took my try at a food court the other weekend along with a friend who had heard of "Sipote."  Does the name sound familiar?  Perhaps the name rings close to the beloved Chipotle of the U.S.?

Not only are these two food chains' names similar but the whole concept is, too.  On the picture of the menu above you can see Chipotle's equivalent step-by-step ordering process on Sipote's menu save the translation into Spanish.  It's all the same down to the extra charge for guacamole.  C'mon Colombia - avocados are a whole lot cheaper here.

After chowing down, though the taste of my burrito wasn't quite as delicious as Chipotle's, I thought there absolutely had to be some affiliation between Chipotle and Sipote.  No way would Chipotle owner Steve Ells allow for Sipote to exist without his legal consent.

Steve enjoying his poser burrito bowl.

Upon numerous Google searches later, I found no such connection.  One restaurant review blog I ran across was even so bold as to write that the owners of the restaurant group who started Sipote "nos sporendan con su nuevo concepto SIPOTE" (surprise us with their new concept of Sipote).  Feel free to prove me wrong (which is quite possible because at this point my google search stamina wore out), but I am pretty sure that Steve Ells' 1993 launch of Chipotle precursors the opening of Sipote's four stores in Bogota.

So Mr. Ells, in true American style, I think you should sue Sipotle, take over, and improve the wanna-be taste of Sipote's burritos.