Wichita burrito restaurant that closed nearly 3 months ago is reopening with new owners
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A Wichita build-your-own burrito chain that closed in early September is about to reopen with new franchisees in charge.
California Tortilla, a Maryland-based chain that Mark Polling brought to town in January of 2020, closed nearly three months ago at 2244 N. Greenwich after Polling said he had to step back to deal with ongoing health issues.
Now, another Wichita couple is taking the restaurant over and plans to reopen it in the first or second week of December. Local accountant Ziad Jabara and his wife, Terri, are Wichita’s new California Tortilla franchisees. In addition to taking over the existing restaurant, they’ve also purchased the rights to open two additional restaurants in Wichita.
California Tortilla will be a project for Terri Jabara, who said she and her husband had been looking for investment opportunities when they came across the franchising opportunity.
“I love food, of course, and this was an opportunity that, once we got to know the chain and the franchise, was something I couldn’t pass up,” she said.
The couple is in Maryland now training with the California Tortilla chain, which has almost 40 restaurants, most on the east coast. Terri Jabara said she’s been impressed with the rigorous training the chain provides.
“They’ve just set us up for success if we follow their guidelines,” she said. “And we love the food — the quality of the food, the freshness and the fast, friendly takeout environment it offers.”
California Tortilla — or CalTort, as it’s called for short — offers proteins and toppings that can be turned into burritos, bowls, quesadillas, nachos or tacos. Customers can choose either a pre-imagined invention like a Korean BBQ burrito or a Carnitas Verde burrito, or they can build their own.
The Jabaras said they’d let me know when they’ve settled on a reopening date.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 10:18 AM.
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