Tijuana Flats

We were delighted with our meal here. We thought that this was more of a sit-down dining experience, not being familiar with the chain, so we were at first  apprehensive. But we were really pleased -- the food was great and health conscious. And the people were very nice. We would return.

Hate to do this as I used to love this place, but have to be honest.

I got the worst case of food poisoning that I have ever had from this place.  Do not order any types of dressing.  This place used to pump out some quality food, and I'm sure it still does.  The only problem with "Fast" food, is that it can turn.  If it's not properly managed, you will be eating it, as I did.  The owners are great people and I hope they do well.  Just pitch the stuff before it gets served to the customers.

I had seen the sign a few times driving past. "Tijuana Flats"? Kind of sounds like a restaurant name. It wasn't until after the name finally got stuck in my head, I did some research and discovered that it was indeed a vendor of edibles of the Mexican variety. The next step? Actually figuring out how to get to it.

It's at the wrong end of a strip mall that faces the wrong direction. If you look carefully, you can see it as you drive down US41. You have to turn onto an access road and then double-back, all while trying not to hit live rabbits that scamper about. (I'm serious about this)

It wants to have the vibe of a college town eatery. Its interior appeals to the skate-or-die crowd or perhaps those already on some hallucinogenic bender. It has the side-effect that, (at night anyway) you can't really see what you are eating. That may be intentional.

The people that work here are mostly friendly. They greet you when you arrive and are patient to explain how the menu works. The appeal of the place is the hot sauce bar. Imagine a bar with about 15 or 20 different sauces. They range in heat depending on how far left or right you go. I've made the mistake of pressing down on a lever and getting habanero all over my hand. I felt that for a week. All of the sauces are the pickled-bottled variety. Sadly, they do not have fresh salsas here.

The last time I came here, I walked up near the counter. There was no one in front of me. I saw the guys milling about. I saw them see me. They did not acknowledge me or say hello. After standing around for awhile, I turned around and got back in my car. That was months ago and I haven't been back. I've thought about it, but I just can't bring myself to it as I drive by. Why is that?

You may have noticed that I haven't talked about the food. There isn't that much to say. Without the hot sauce, the stuff is just really bland.

On the plus side, with the hot sauces, you can get either a wicked endorphin rush, or clear out your sinuses. It's your choice.