Tijuana Flats: Accept all kinds of people, even those that use mild sauce!

You can find me at Tjuana Flats on Monday or Wednesday when it's military discount days. Or on Tuesday or Thursday because I'm craving it. Or after church on Sunday. Any excuse...I'm there.

I love their black bean enchiladas with red sauce..delish! With a side of their homemade guac...watch out! Their chips are crispy and seasoned...you definitely can't stop at just one.

The best part is that their customer service is over the top. Seriously...they rock.

Cole likes their food also, but what he really likes is that a tattoo comes with the kids meal. He is all about that. And I'm all about it too because it means he is always agreeable to going!

So if you are looking for a fast, friendly meal that will leave you wanting more...check them out asap!

And if you need more reasons, here are just a few items from their manifesto:

• There is no problem a burrito can’t solve
• Crushed ice can take you to your happy place
• Next time, order a chimichanga just because it’s fun to say
• Predictable is too normal, normal is too predictable
• Lighten up or leave
• Get in touch with your inner weirdness
• Accept all kinds of people, even those that use mild sauce
• Embrace the strange & unexplained, if at first you don’t understand it, maybe you never will
• Don’t be a stranger, just be stranger
• A pair of tacos is always a winning hand
• Give heat a chance
• Sometimes cheezy is good
• It only burns for a little while
• We’ll clean up the mess, so get messy
• Try the hot bar even if it’s on a dare
• Don’t stare at the murals too hard, you might get sucked in 

I must confess, I've always struggled to accept that some people choose to use mild sauce. I mean..what's wrong with them?? I'm not calling anyone out, but Dara and Randy Barwick should feel very welcome dining at Tijuana Flats. 

 

And much to my dismay, I've somehow managed to acquire a reflux problem or an ulcer or something. I'm really not supposed to eat anything that tastes good...like hot stuff, tomatoes, onions, or garlic. Lately I have had to order my enchiladas with NO sauce. I seriously hang my head in shame when I order...like I'm one of "those" people. But just as they claim, the folks at Tijana Flats quietly process my order and my shame is only half as bad thanks to their politeness. 

 

I'm off to take my Prilosec...    :)

 

Synergy Organic Juice Bar & Cafe: Satisfying the Inner Hippie

Being a vegetarian in the heart of the south is not easy. It's frowned upon. And if you also happen to like healthy food? Whoa! That's pretty much a major character flaw. Needless to say, it can be hard to find something to eat at restaurants.

A 2013 Public Policy Polling survey found 13% of Americans identify as vegetarian.  A 2012 Gallup poll found 5% of Americans identify as vegetarian. A 2008 Harris Interactive poll found that 10% of adults largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

I'm not sure which statistic is true.  Whatever it is, I'm sure that 99% of those vegetarians live outside of the deep south.

Which leads me to Synergy Organic Juice Bar and Cafe in downtown Fort Walton Beach. It's a little piece of paradise if you ask me. They do serve meat dishes, but they also have a vegetarian option for any of them. Their tempeh is great. You can even get a BBQ sandwich....yeaaaaah.

I had this yummy black bean burger for lunch today...

So if you are looking for a delicious and nutritious meal on the Emerald Coast head on down to Synergy - you will love it. It definitely satisfies the inner food hippie in me.

Apparently my inner hippie stops at food because based on this test I'm only 3% hippie. No real surprise there. What's your hippie rating?

Pranzo's: Fort Walton Beach (This is really embarrassing!)

The other night Brian and I finally got around to trying Pranzo's. Every year the Northwest Florida Daily Times holds an auction in December where readers can bid on gift certificates to places all over the Emerald Coast. I happened to "win" a gift certificate to Pranzo's, so since it was paid for in advance it almost felt like a free meal. When I mentioned this to our server he said, "Sooo...that's what brought y'all in. [sigh]"

We started out with the Tuscan Bruschetta which has chopped eggplant, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Absolutely delicious.

And then things went downhill. You see...this is where I ordered a "Ca-PREECE" salad. Our server feigned a confused expression and said, "A whaaaat?" Finally he regained his composure and said, "Ummm...do you mean a cah-PREHY-zay??" I bit my tongue to keep from calling him Giada (I love her but her over pronunciations drive me crazy), and let him know that indeed, that is what I wanted.

While I waited for my caprese I thought about what an idiot he was. I mean...I ordered a Ca-PREECE at least twice a day when I was in Italy and nobody ever corrected me there. That's how American's say it, right? It's not like we  pronounce mozzarella like Italians.

I gobbled it down when it came. It was delicious but very different than any I had before (even in Italy). The mozzarella had a really unusual texture and the basil was replaced by a very thick pesto-like concoction. I smugly thought, "this guy knows NOTHING about a Ca-PREECE. hmphhh."

We kept our entrees simple. I had angel hair with olive oil and garlic sauce. Brian had linguini with olive oil and garlic sauce and meatballs. The pasta was homemade and everything we hoped it would be.

Despite my pronunciation issues, our server ended up being very friendly, and we liked him a lot. When I got home I thought I would google "caprese" just to assure myself that I was okay to pronounce it the way I always have. Much to my horror I discovered...that, but apparently even 99% of Americans know how to pronounce it correctly.

So with that said, I would highly recommend Pranzo's. Just be sure not to order a "Ca-PREECE" if you go.   :)