We went over to Salsa’s for lunch today.  Loren got some chicken fajitas and I went for the shrimp chimichanga.

The chimichanga was cooked well this time.  It had a nice, crispy shell, even after being drenched in cheese sauce.  Loren said the fajitas were pretty good too.  Simple, filling lunch for $19.

Salsas Mexican Restaurant
3970 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL
813-749-7159

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After a long day hiking through Zion & Bryce Canyon, we stopped at Cafe Adobe in Hatch, UT for dinner.  Loren started off with some chips & salsa.

The salsa was a bit more spicy than he anticipated, but he said it was fresh and tasty.  He ordered some fajitas and I went for a chimichanga.

Both entrees tasted fresh and homemade.  They had wonderful flavors and there was way more on the plate than either of us could eat, and yet, I couldn’t pass up the mini apple pies.

These were addictive.  The crust on them was perfect and with the ice cream and caramel sauce, this was one yummy dessert.  I’d definitely order it again.  I believe the restaurant is only open seasonally, so check before you go.  Total bill with a drink was $35.

Cafe Adobe
16 North Main
Hatch, UT
435-735-4020

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Headed to Tampa tonight to the Straz Theater to see La Cage aux Folles and stopped at Guadalaja Mexican Restaurant for dinner before the show.  Loren usually goes through two baskets of chips and salsa here.

For his dinner, he went for the beef fajitas.

He said the beef was tender and tasty.  He had some leftovers, but since we weren’t heading right home, we didn’t take them.  I went for a beef chimichanga.

It wasn’t very crispy and I didn’t realize it had pico de gallo inside.  I’m just not a fan of raw onions & cilantro, so the whole flavor profile was a bit off for me.  It’s strange because I ordered this same dish the last time & really liked it, so I’m not sure if they just changed the ingredients or they weren’t as strong the last time.  Total bill with a drink was $28.

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant
4502 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL
813-879-4096

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Ate lunch at Tijuana Flats in Oldsmar today.  They still have the same issue that they had the last time I ate here, too many people coming to the table to ask if everything’s ok.  I’m convinced that every time someone brings food out of the kitchen, they make the rounds to all of the tables to ask if they can refill your drinks.  There were at least four different people who stopped by our table more than once in the 45 minutes we were there.

The chicken chimi was ok though.

Total bill with a drink was $8.75.

Tijuana Flats
3687 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL
813-749-8184

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We went to the Botanical Gardens in Largo tonight to see the holiday lights display and stopped at Los Mariachis on the way home for dinner.

Loren got the two taco dinner & I got the shrimp chimichangas.

Both dishes were ok.  Pretty standard Mexican fare around here.  I would have preferred beans to rice with my dish, but I just stole some of Loren’s.  The chimichangas were cooked pretty well, though could have used just a little more crunch.  Overall, a pretty filling meal for $23.

Los Mariachis
9100 Ulmerton Rd
Largo, FL
727-584-9739

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On the drive back home from our vacation, we stopped in Macon, GA for lunch at Buffalo’s Cafe.  Loren got an Apache wrap and I got a chicken chimichanga.

It was a lot of food for the price and it was pretty good for a chain restaurant.  Mine was a bit spicier than I would have liked, but otherwise it was ok.  Our waitress was very sweet.  Total bill was $19.

Buffalo’s Cafe
5990 Zebulon Rd
Macon, GA
478-471-0200

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We were heading to Tampa tonight to see The Addams Family musical and stopped at Guadalajara Mexican restaurant for dinner.  Loren loves the chips & salsa here.

He even ended up getting refills.  For his dinner, he got the combo steak & chicken fajitas.

He said they were tasty.  They’re served with beans the he also really likes.

I went for the ground beef chimichanga tonight.

It was really good.  Crispy on the outside and the inside flavors were really nice.  Along with the refried beans and rice, I was pretty stuffed by the time we left.  Total bill was $28.

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant
4502 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL
813-879-4096

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We went over to Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch today.  They’re really good about getting food out fast.  They dropped off chips and salsa.  Loren said it’s gotten better, but still lacks that burst of fresh flavors that he’s gotten in other salsas.

He ordered the lunch chicken fajitas.  He asked the waiter if it came with guacamole and he said yes, but of course when it came to the table, it didn’t have any.  The waiter did rectify the situation quickly though.  It seems they still need to get more familiar with their own menu.

I ordered the Cancun Chimichanga.  It’s a shrimp chimi and though the shell wasn’t crispy enough, it did have pretty good flavors.  The refried beans had a little bit of a smoky flavor to them today.

Total bill with a drink was $19.

Salsas Mexican Restaurant
3970 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL
813-749-7159

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We’ve been driving by the space vacated by Aunt Chilada’s for months wondering when the new Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant was going to open.  When we drove by the other day there were a bunch of cars out front and the sign finally changed from “coming soon” to “we’re open”, so we headed over there for lunch.

Chips and salsa arrived quickly to the table.

Loren liked the salsa and I was impressed by the freshness of the chips.  I couldn’t stop eating them.  They were crispy and light.  They have a lunch buffet, but we both decided to order off of the menu instead.  Loren got the lunch #1 special which was a chile relleno, taco, and avocado salad.

He said it was good.  First time in a new Mexican restaurant, is there any doubt what I’m ordering?  I’m so predictable, chicken chimichanga for me.

It wasn’t crispy, but it had good flavors.  I actually liked their guacamole because it wasn’t spicy at all.  The cheese sauce was pretty mild too.  For $13 with a drink, it was a pretty good lunch.  We’d eat here again.

Vallartas Mexican Restaurant
34718 US Hwy 19 North
Palm Harbor, FL
727-400-6835

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We ate dinner at the House of Enchiladas in Clearwater tonight.  It used to be Carambas.  They weren’t busy tonight, but then again, we were there around 8:30pm, so a bit after the dinner crowd.  The waitress brought over some chips and salsa, which Loren enjoyed. 

He said it wasn’t very spicy, but it was fresh and had lots of flavor.  Though there were a lot of choices for enchiladas on the menu, we both opted for something else.  Loren got the chicken fajitas.

He said they were good.  Tender chicken and plenty of it.  He brought enough home for another meal.  I can’t help but order chimichangas if they’re on the menu.

This one was crispy on the outside (so many restaurants miss this key component) and the filling was abundent and tasty.  The chicken was moist and had been cooked in a lot of mellow, but tasty spices. Total bill was $23.

House of Enchiladas
1840 Drew St
Clearwater, FL
(727) 286-6208

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We decided to try Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch again today.  It’s been a few months, so we were hoping things have gotten better. 

Loren said the salsa was better than last time.

He said it still tasted like canned tomato paste as the base, but there were a lot more fresh ingredients in it as well.  It’s amazing what some garlic and cilantro can do for a salsa.

He ordered the Speedy Gonzalez lunch which is an enchilada and taco.

Although the taco shell was a bit stale, the rest of it was ok.  He said it was better than the last time we ate here.  I got a beef chimichanga.

I was actually surprised that it was beef chunks rather than ground beef.  The beef was a little chewy, the shell wasn’t crunchy enough and the tomatoes were overripe.  The flavors were ok though. 

The biggest issue this place has had from the beginning is that the service is lacking.  They never come back to your table to check on you.   They’ve made a few improvements in the food, but overall, it’s still lacking freshness and attention to detail.  I think they give you large drink glasses so they don’t have to come back to your table for refills.  It’s a quick, inexpensive Mexican restaurant, but there are definitely better places in the area.   Total bill with a drink was $15.

Salsas Mexican Restaurant
3970 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL
813-749-7159

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Had lunch at Chico’s in Westchase today.  Loren and I both got one of the lunch combos plus some chips and salsa.  He got the salad and taco combo and I got the salad and chimichanga combo.

I ordered ranch dressing but it was spicy.  So not what I expected from ranch dressing.  I ended up getting some honey mustard dressing instead which was much better.

The chimi was very crunchy and cheesy.  For $6/each, the lunch combos offer plenty of food for a good price.   Add in the chips and a drink and the total bill was $18.

Chico’s Wood Fired Grill
12217 W Linebaugh Ave
Tampa, FL
813-814-2023

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We were driving home from Port Richey and stopped for dinner at Estela’s.  Since it was St Patrick’s Day, they started us out with some green chips and salsa.

Loren ordered the fajita dinner special.

There was a mound of food on the plate.  He said it was pretty tasty and had lots of leftovers for tomorrow.  I ordered the chimichangas.

The dish comes with one beef and one chicken chimi over some of their jalepeno cheese sauce.  The cheese sauce was spicy!  Both of the chimichangas had some good flavors going on. 

Between the mariachi band, a couple of big groups,  the high ceiling, and tile floors, the place was really loud.  It was difficult trying to hold a conversation.  The service wasn’t that great.  Loren’s drink was empty for a while and we finally had to ask another waitress to see if she could find our waitress so we could get a box and our check.   We definitely got a lot of food for $22 though.

Estela’s
7041 US Hwy 19
New Port Richey, FL
727-846-0800

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When we just want a quick, inexpensive meal, we have a few restaurants on our short list.  Poblano’s is one of them and that’s where we went tonight.  They weren’t too busy, in fact they had half of the restaurant closed off for the evening.

Loren said the salsa was better this time.  A bit fresher with more chunks of tomato.  He ordered the burritos tipico with the cheese sauce on the side, so I ended up dipping some chips in it. 

That’s a whole lot of refried beans on that plate.  He said the burritos were ok, nothing special, but for $9, they satisfied his hunger.   As for me, someday, I will learn to not order shrimp at a non-seafood restaurant.

In my defense though, the last time I ordered the shrimp chimichanga here, it was pretty good.  This time, the shrimp had a definite frozen taste.  There’s a right way and a wrong way to defrost shrimp.  They failed miserably this time.

Our server wasn’t great either.  He’d disappear for long periods of time and there was something about him that I just didn’t like.  I can’t put my finger on it, but he just didn’t impress.  Total bill was $24 with a drink.

Poblanos Mexican Grill
245 McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL
727-796-7080

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We ate dinner at Hacienda Mexican Grill over on Drew Street tonight.  It wasn’t very busy for a Friday night, but I’m all for not having to wait for a table.

They started us off with some chips and salsa.

Loren said the salsa tasted very fresh, though it wasn’t very spicy at all.  He ordered the carnitas.

He really enjoyed the dish.  Said everything tasted very fresh and flavorful.  The pork was very tender.  The guacamole had a little kick to it.  The rice and beans were standard fare.

I ordered the shrimp chimichanga.

It was rather disappointing.  The shrimp tasted as though they had been frozen and quickly defrosted.  They just had a taste to them that was not fresh and flavorful.  Definitely not good eats.  

They had live music tonight, but I’m never sure what the proper etiquette is when they come to your table and play.  Should you let your food get cold while you watch and listen or is considered rude to continue eating?  Don’t get wrong, they were very good, but I’d just rather not have them focus directly on our table while we’re eating.  

Total bill was $24. 

Hacienda Mexican Grill
2551 Drew St, Ste 104
Clearwater, FL
727-286-6113

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Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant recently opened up in the space that was once Albertos and then Lonzalos in Oldsmar.  I am so happy now to have a Mexican restaurant close to work. 

The menu had the typical fare with lunch specials under $10.  I went for the shrimp chimichanga which came with rice and beans.

I enjoyed it.  It could have been fried a little longer to make it crispier, but the filling was very tasty.  It was covered with a white cheese sauce and all mixed together made for a tasty lunch.   I forgot to get a photo of my friend’s lunch.  She got a combo with a soft taco and chile relleno.  She said they tasted good, but didn’t realize the chile relleno had meat as well as cheese in it.  She thought it would just be cheese.  She also said the salsa was good.

The service wasn’t that great though.  Our waiter spoke very softly, so it was difficult to understand him and once he dropped off our food, we didn’t see him again until we were finished.  Total was just under $10.  I’ll definitely be back to try some of the other dishes.

Salsas Mexican Restaurant
3970 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL
813-749-7159

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Heading out to Tampa tonight to see the musical “Dreamgirls” and stopped at Guadalajara Mexican restaurant for dinner. 

Loren likes their chips and salsa.

He got the chicken fajitas which came with rice and beans.

He said it was pretty good.  I ordered a chicken chimichanga.

It suffered the fate of so many chimichangas and wasn’t crispy at all.  Otherwise, though, the flavor was good.   The service was somewhat non-existent.  After our waitress brought our food, we didn’t see her again until we were finished.  Total bill was $28.

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant
4502 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL
813-879-4096

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I hate it when I go to a restaurant specifically because I have a coupon only to find out that they’re no longer accepting them.  That’s what happened to us tonight at Caramba’s in Dunedin.  The $25 Restaurant.com coupon that I downloaded before we left wasn’t being honored anymore.

The waitress brought chips and salsa to the table and Loren and Alex jumped right in.  The salsa at Caramba’s is different from a lot of other places.  Loren said it was a bit spicier tonight too.

They both ordered fajitas, one chicken and one beef.

They were ok and had plenty for leftovers.  I ordered the Combo #4 which is a burrito and chimichanga with rice and beans.

There was a lot of food on the plate and both items were filled with chicken.  I was happy to finally get a chimi that was crispy.  Overall the food was ok, nothing stood out and the flavors were relatively bland.

They weren’t very busy for a Friday night, but with only one waitress working the dining room and cash register, the service was pretty slow.  She also wasn’t very observant, leaving drinks empty and when we asked for more salsa, she didn’t bring more chips even though the basket was empty. 

Total dinner for the three of us was $37.

Caramba’s Restaurant
1840 Drew St
Clearwater, FL
727-286-6208

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Since Los Mexicanos was closed when we tried to go on Labor Day, we decided to head out there tonight.  The first thing we noticed upon walking in the door was how loud it was.  On the plus side, it means a lot of people are eating there, however, it was rather difficult to hold a conversation.

They brought out some chips and salsa.

It’s not a chunky salsa, but Loren still enjoyed it.  He ordered the steak fajitas.

The waitress brought the pan of fajitas to the table along with my entree.  She said she’d be right back with the plate that came with the fajitas.  Then she disappeared for awhile.  She came back and grabbed his empty drink glass and brought it back, before disappearing into the kitchen one more time to get the plate that goes with the fajitas.  We were just sitting there stunned.  How hard is it to bring all the food to the table?

The fajita meat was tender, but in tiny strips.  We weren’t impressed.  I ordered the chicken chimichanga dinner.  Since it only came with rice, I also ordered a side of refried beans.

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a million times, chimichangas should be crispy on the outside.  If they’re not crispy, they’re burritos.  These were definitely stuffed full of chicken though.  Unfortunately, without the crispy exterior, it just lacked the texture I was craving. 

Overall, the entire dining experience was just lacking.  Sure, there was plenty of food and I probably brought over a pound of it home as leftovers, but neither the quality of the food, nor the service was worth the $27 bill.

Los Mexicanos
38954 US Hwy 19
Tarpon Springs, FL
727-945-0777

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Poblano’s is another one of those local places we eat at a lot.  It’s close, it’s inexpensive, and we’re usually pretty happy with the food.  We’ve been having some issues with the service lately though.  I don’t know if they’ve hired new staff or what, but they definitely need some more training.

Loren ordered the Carnitas Verdes.

Tender pork in a tomato based sauce.  He enjoyed it.  I ordered one shrimp chimichanga with refried beans.

It was really good.  The chimichanga was crispy this time (last time I ordered it, it was more like a burrito).  It had some queso on it and a layer of onions and peppers on the plate, plus lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. 

Our waitress never came back to check drinks and Loren’s glass was empty for a while.  She was really slow about bringing the check and then coming back to take the payment.  She had also asked if I wanted rice or the salad with my meal, I said rice, but got the salad.  I don’t think it was actually an option.  Total meal was $22.  We like the food, so we’ll definitely be back, but hopefully the service will improve.

Poblanos Mexican Grill
245 McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL
727-796-7080

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