Drinks and Sides

I'm hosting a dinner with eight people, roughly half of whom don't drink alcohol. I want to serve something interesting and appropriate alongside a burrito spread rather than just beer or water. What are good options for both groups?

I keep getting either underdone or gummy Mexican red rice and I cannot identify which variable to fix. I have tried 1:1.5, 1:2, and 1:1.75 ratios and none of them are consistently right. Is there a standard ratio or is the liquid ratio not the main variable I should be adjusting?

I often make very rich, fatty burritos — carnitas, crema, cheese, guacamole — and by the end of a meal I want something that resets the palate. What sides or drinks do experienced cooks serve with a rich burrito to balance the meal?

I want to add charred corn to burritos and as a side with things like grilled chicken. I've tried the cast iron pan method but I get steaming rather than charring — the corn releases water as it cooks and ends up boiling in its own liquid rather than browning. What is the right technique?

I don't drink alcohol and when I'm eating very spicy burritos most things I try make it worse — water spreads the capsaicin, fizzy drinks are briefly good and then the carbonation makes it worse again. Is there a non-alcoholic drink that actually helps with heat?

Feeding eight people next weekend and I have got the burritos handled. Everything I think of for the table is either chips with something, or a salad that nobody will eat. What actually gets finished at your table?