YOU DESERVE UN DESCANSO TODAY.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Chipotle (pronounced ``chip-oat-lay'') is the name of a smoked jalapeno pepper. And it's also the name of a growing 162-outlet chain of Mexican fast-food restaurants, headquartered in Denver.

Its rapid growth could be the result of one rather important major investor who could be called McMoney.

Yep, you guessed it: McDonald's, now owner of the Boston Market chicken chain, is heavily involved financially with Chipotle.

Consequently, many of the beleaguered Boston Markets, now owned by McDonald's, like the one on Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Woodland Hills, have experienced a recent makeover.

Gone is the New England chicken. In its place is a south-of-the-border theme for Chipotle, which features burritos and tacos made fresh to order at a single, long counter.

Chipotle already has Southern California locations in Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, Pasadena, Belmont Shore (Long Beach) and Torrance.

Shining with an interior highlighted by corrugated and shiny flat stainless steel, the Woodland Hills Chipotle has an efficient, fairly straightforward menu.

However, unlike local fresh-Mex competitors Baja Fresh, Poquito Mas and Sharky's, it doesn't sport a take-as-much-as-you-want salsa bar and charges for both its salsas (55 cents) and tortilla chips (with salsa 95 cents, with guacamole $1.65).

Yet, for the most part, it offers undeniably good product.

Tortillas are heated immediately and served warm and soft.

If you order Chipotle's best effort, the barbacoa burrito ($5.25), your tortilla receives a heap of nicely made pinto (or black) beans and a generous amount of excellent rice flavored with lime and cilantro. The main ingredient, tasty machacalike shredded beef, has been cooked with chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin and cloves.

As your still-flat tortilla, now sporting a hillock of food, moves along the line in front of you, you're asked whether you want sour cream or grated cheese on top of all this.

But that's not all. Now you can point to one of a quartet of salsas.

The mildest of the salsas is supposed to be the pico de gallo style with diced tomato, but it seems that the corn and roasted chile mixture actually imparts less heat on the palate, probably because of the sweetness of the corn.

A salsa rojo (hot red) and a tomatillo salsa (tart and medium hot) are also available.

Now the sides of the tortilla are brought together, forming one mighty fat burrito.

Other burritos are similar, but hold cubed steak ($4.95), chicken ($4.85) or carnitas (pork, $5.50). And there's a guacamole ($4.75) alternative for vegetarians.

At the same price any of these with a bell pepper and red onion mixture is called a fajitas burrito.

Tacos filled with any one of the three main meats - steak, chicken or carnitas - cost the same as the burritos. But the menu doesn't list a barbacoa taco.

The tacos, three if you choose soft tortillas, four if you pick the crispy corn shell type, normally get filled with romaine lettuce, salsa and sour cream or cheese along with the main ingredient.

But these accompaniments and condiments, as described on the menu, don't appear to be set in stone. One time a burrito without beans was stuffed with peppers and onions. Another time a request for extra cheese was happily fulfilled. And when two salsas were desired instead of just one, there was no hesitation by the friendly Chipotle staffer in spooning on a little of each.

As for guacamole ($1.25), it comes in a small clear plastic cuplet. It's properly chunky (thankfully not a puree) seasoned with a touch of salt. Triangular tortilla chips appear to be relatively fresh and not oily.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard's Chipotle seems to be doing fairly brisk business in its initial weeks. And it has future allure.

In the works are margaritas ($2.25) and beers ($1.95 and $2.25).

Ole!

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 

Where: 5430 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills.

Phone: [phone].

When: Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Recommended items: Barbacoa burrito, carnitas or steak burrito, soft chicken taco, guacamole.

How much: Burritos and tacos from $4.75 to $5.50 each.

Wine list: Beer and margaritas soon. No wine.

Reservations: Not applicable. This is a typical fast-food outlet with counter service only. You take your food to a vacant table inside or out (outside patio in rear) or home.

Our rating: Three stars for food.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Dawn Green, manager of Chipotle in Woodland Hills, prepares a barbacoa burrito - one of the specialties at the fast-food eatery.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News