Tijuana Gillies

23962-2 Alicia Pky

Mission Viejo, CA

92691

So my girlfriend and I had a coupon and wanted to stay local, so we decided to give Tijuana Gillies a try. A little disclaimer though, we had been here before for brunch, she liked it and I did not, so we decided to give it another shot. On a Sunday night at five, we walked right in and did not have to wait. In fact, the place was darn near empty, except for the three loud dudes watching the football game in their tiny bar.

I have always been told that you can judge a Mexican restaurant by their chips and salsa, so if this was the case, I knew this place was going to be in trouble. The salsa looked and tasted like canned tomato soup with onion added. The chips were mediocre.

Not to give anything away, but the highlight of the meal for me was this bland salad. It was not the salad itself that made me take notice, but the fact that it was only 1.99 with the purchase of an entree. I always enjoy it when you get a break on the salad if you are going to eat an entree. Props to Tijuana's for this!

 

Now on to those entrees. I choose the Colorado Burrito. Filled with un-savory beef and beans topped with lackluster red sauce. The only sign of life that this dish showed was when lots of Tapito was added. Rice and beans were average.

Katie decided to get Mama's Special. It consisted of a cheese quesadilla and a mini tostada. She thought it was good, but not great. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but on the other hand, she did not hate it. I did have a bite of both items and thought the quesadilla was okay and the chicken tostada had a lot of lettuce and very little chicken.

Our waitress did a great job for us. She was on top of the drinks and anything else that we needed, (of course she only had two tables the whole time we were there, but that is beside the point!). All in all, if you are looking forward to a bland evening of Mexican food give Tijuana Gillies a try. I will bypass this place and head to the Del Taco down the street. For more information, check out their website http://www.tijuanagillies.net/

Welcome Back Bob! - CLOSED

Bob's Big Boy

1623 West Katella #101

Orange, CA 92867

So, I started this blog with one of my favorite childhood places, Bob's Big Boy. They are back in Orange County for the first time in years and plan on opening more units soon. The first Big Boy is in Orange, in the Stadium Promenade shopping center on Katella and Main.

So when I walk up to Big Boy and see Bob proudly holding up his hamburger namesake, it instantly transports me to my childhood years. During this visit, I will meet up with my girlfriend and parents before the Duck's opening night at the Honda Center. The place is packed, but the wait is less than five minutes. It is big, with many tables and plenty of wait and support staff.

So now on to the thing that has kept bringing people back to Big Boy for all these years, the food. I immediately knew what I was having for dinner: a Big Boy with fries and an extra Big Boy. I know there is a lot of food, but I have been looking forward to this, and the burger does not disappoint. The double-decker burger has two patties and a great combo of mayo and their famous red relish. A masterpiece on a bun! The burger is as good as I remember. The fries are average but are not meant to be the show's star.

For dessert a hot fudge cake to share, (Sorry no photo available). Kind of skimpy on the hot fudge, but still a great way to top off the nostalgic meal! The service was excellent, and we will definitely be back.

For more information about Big Boy, visit their website: http://www.bigboy.com/