I finally talked Sig into dining there tonight! When I tried to get him to go to the Cactus Flower in Pensacola a couple times in the past, he absolutely refused....said it sounded like a "Girlie Lunch Place".
When they opened the 2nd one in Navarre, I BEGGED him. No luck.
Ah.....today it finally happened! I got off work at 4pm, was starving.....we needed to go to WalMart to look at patio furniture, I made certain he stayed in the right lane on the way "home" as we were talking about where to eat, or to cook at home.
"Oh look honey!" (as we were stuck in 5:45pm traffic) "The Cactus Flower! Why don't we try it?"
He turned!!!! OMG!!!! I have heard great things about this place but had no idea what to expect.
I was pleasently surprised. We walked in, and mind you, it IS in a "strip mall" type of place, right next door to Wabi Sabi Day Spa. (bonus for future reference when I want to do to lunch/dinner after a day of pampering!)
The atmosphere was fantastic. Granted, again, we were dining early. Going from bright sun and into this place transformed us into a different world. Deep colors, bright colors, paper covered tables, great art on the walls and the friendliest host/server right there to attend to us! We stepped in from asphalt and traffic into a different world.
This is "Mexican" with a healthy stamp on it. Thank goodness! No pre-packaged crap you get everywhere else, we're talking HOMEMADE food!
Fresh herbs, fresh veggies, attentive service.......ok, here we go!
Te server came over after asking where we PREFERRED to sit.....there were only 3 other tabls/booths full at the time (early), we took a cozy booth. Nice music BTW.......
We received the usual chips and salsa, but the chips were flaky crisy and the salsa was fresh and only slightly spicy. (we like hot & spicy, but this was good) They only have a beer/wine license, so we knew Margaritas were out, but something intrigued us on the menu......"Wine Margarita"! We ended up not getting it, but Sig almost did. It was a "Marg" made with white wine, lime, etc., and to be honest with ya'll, even from my picky bartending history.....it did sound yummy! Maybe next time! We opted for beer (Sig) and Pinot Grigio by Estancia. (me)
And we also told the server to go ahead and bring us some Chili con Queso while we looked at the menu.
EVERYWHERE we go, Chili con Queso is the canned stuff, some better than others depending on who they buy from. As soon as she said "Would you like Mild, Medium or Hot?" we knew it was homemade. AND IT WAS! It was REAL Chili con Queso! Am I in Nashville? (missing my usual haunt up there)
It was by far the best have had in years. Sig even saidthe same, and this man is PICKY! He travels the world 40 weeks of the year and is a fussy britches when it comes to food.
(and I am too.......
)
One of my games I play when it comes to Mexican is to order a Chile Relleno. If the relleno is good............
If you give me a CANNED chile with processed cheese crammed into it....well, see ya Amigo!
So that's what I ordered. Sig ordered the dinner special, Chicken Tamales.
(real homemade tamales!)
The bonus is.......we actually had a choice of "smashed pinto refries" or "black beans with herbs and green onion". OMG. I just died. Maybe FINALLY this little "neck of the woods" is getting a clue about food, albiet, a small start here.........but hopeful nonetheless.
Black beans please!
And rice of course.
After we ordered,I was poking around and reading the rest of the menu.....FLAN? REAL flan? Yum! And then something dear to my heart caught my eye......."Vegan/Vegetarian available for all menu items and WHOLE WHEAT tortillas available for a nominal charge"
(this is not verbatum.....but you get the drift)
Another OMG! from my lips again! I use WW tortillas at home, love them. I eat more Vegetarian than anything else.....FINALLY I have choices!!
After snacking on our Queso, and our 2nd (3rd?) helping of complmentary chips & salsa,out comes our food. Remember....this is homemade stuff here, so the it is NOT fast fast service like the other 2 "Mexican" places in town........you are getting "made to order" food here.......relax and enjoy.......
2 HUGE platters were set in front of us. Oh boy! Yes, I have another doggie box in the fridge!
Sig was devouring his tamales, said they were outstanding, "real", and he didn't talk. NOT talking for him during dinner is a big thing!
My rellano was the very best I have had in YEARS! Since Nashville really, at my fav place up there I used to go to. They really used REAL FRESH Pomblamo Chiles and roasted them and stuffed them with REAL cheese, and the batter they used was light and fluffy and crispy when fried, not quite as light as I usually like it to be, but DAMN! I ate a REAL chile relleno!!!!
And, they presented t on a bed of a REAL GREEN LEAF LETTUCE, not shredded Iceberg out of damn BAG! Thank you very much!!!
REAL HOMEMADE FOOD.
Thanks Cactus Flower! I needed that!
And....I was so full, I forgot to order Flan.
