My foodie husband and I love to eat out. Unfortunately, our gourmet preferences and small children limit how often we can dine out. When we do have the opportunity to visit a restaurant, I strive to be adventurous.
Last week we were treated to dinner at Z’Tejas, the West Coast-based Southwestern Grill who’s culinary influences were gleaned from Louisiana, Texas, California, and Mexico. The menu features diverse, flavorful dishes made with fresh ingredients. One of our favorite types of cuisine is Mexican, but many traditional restaurants incorporate the same flavors. Z’Tejas takes an enchilada or a tamale and infuses Southwestern flavors to create an innovative and tasty dish. The menu is widely varied and includes steaks, seafood, burgers and pasta dishes.
The food was superb. We started out with a generous serving of appetizers that left little room for the main course. The Grilled Shrimp and Guacamole Tostada Bites are incredible and come highly recommended. The chipotle and cilantro pesto add a nice tangy flavor to the shrimp. While you can opt for chips and salsa to start, I prefer their sweet cornbread, baked in a cast iron pan and paired with honey butter. I could not get enough of it and managed to bring an entire one home with me. After perusing the menu, the hubby and I decided on a delicious pan-roasted stuffed chicken entree. I loved the pairing of apples, cornbread, pecans, and herbs with the green chili cream sauce. Their winter menu has an array of creative dishes including Shrimp Papaya Enchiladas, Jumbo Lump Crab Tamales, and Southwestern Comfort Pie. If you are sensitive to gluten, ask to see their Gluten-Free Menu.
Z’Tejas recently debuted their new Kid Z’Menu for children under 12. If you’ve frequented a “family-friendly” restaurant, than you know that kid’s menus are very often limited. For a family with food allergies, the challenge is finding something that my son can and will eat. At Z’Tejas, kids can choose something healthy like a chopped salad or chicken tacos or something more kid-friendly like mac ‘n cheese or chicken strips (grilled or crispy). All of the items are $5.95 and include a choice of steak fries, sweet potato fries, fresh fruit, rice or mixed veggies as well as milk, juice or soda. As a parent, I really appreciate the fact that the kid’s menu includes several healthy options. The only thing I’d like to see are additional dessert options. At present, children have the option of getting an ice cream sundae for $.99.
For more information or their complete winter offerings, just visit Z’Tejas.
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to try out their new menu which helped facilitate this review.
Photo Credit: Marcie Taylor and Rockin’ Mama. All rights reserved.
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