It’s unavoidable to compare Zona Fresca and The Whole Enchilada. They are both locally owned businesses that serve quality tex mex fare at affordable prices. They both cater to people who want their food quick and fresh, without having to tip a waiter. Both are located on US1, separated by only 3.2 miles of concrete. Most importantly, both are incredibly delicious.
Here’s my breakdown of the two eateries, conveniently organized by categories:
Tacos
Edge: Zona Fresca. Although I admired Enchilada’s boldness in adding their own flair to the seafood taco (grilled mahi with chipotle sauce and avocados in a flour tortilla), I still prefer the the authentic corn tortilla with fried, beer battered fish and that white sauce.
Burrito
Edge: The Whole Enchilada by a long shot. The Bob chicken burrito at TWE surpassed all expectations. The chicken chunks were tasty and plentiful, but the rice inside the burrito really stood out among all the other ingredients. Sad thing is, I didn’t even order the burrito enchilada style. Next time…next time.
Chips & Salsa
Edge: Zona Fresca by a long shot. Again, TWE’s tries their hand at some irregular flavors, but the fact is, their salsas were neither hot or satisfying to the taste buds. In fact, their mango and brown colored salsa were foul tasting.
The actual chips at Zona taste slightly better, but the difference is negligible.
Atmosphere
Edge: The Whole Enchilada. It reminded me of a burrito place in a college town like Gainesville or Chapel Hill. The walls were lined with old Mexican crosses and stapled money. The speakers lightly blared songs off Weezer’s Blue Album and Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah’s self titled album. The trash can had a picture of a little person body builder, warning us not to throw our basket away. Even the cashier looked hip with her red Chucks, skinny jeans, and knit cap. Overall, it had an edgy vibe, something that Zona Fresca lacks.
Prices
Edge: Zona Fresca. The burritos were similarly priced, but the tacos were over a dollar more expensive at TWE.
Conclusion: If I was held at gunpoint and HAD to choose one, I’ll stick with my longtime favorite Zona Fresca, mainly because of my continued obsession for their fish tacos. Again though, you can’t go wrong with either place. It just depends on what you favor in a fast food Mexican joint.
While you may be thinking “once is enough” when it comes to watching boat parades, there are actually several good reasons for you to change it up this weekend and drag your butt to the water to partake in the annual event this Saturday. While the $200 Grand Marshal Showboat tickets and $21 Birch State Park Grandstand tickets are both sold out, lucky for you you can view the parade for FREE along the intracoastal anywhere from the Broward Center for the Performing Arts to Lake Santa Barbara, South of Atlantic Blvd. According to the Winterfest website, East of the Stranahan House is supposed prime-time viewing space.
This years theme of “Dancing Through the Decades” will appropriately feature everyone’s favorite overly-exposed Dancing With the Stars’ co-host Brooke Burke. If you’re lucky, maybe you can catch a glimpse of her dazzling shadowy figure from the shore. Make it a little more interesting by bringing a flask and taking a swig every time you hear her name in the crowd, double duty if it’s paired with any adjectives pertaining to her “hot” or otherwise described body or its parts. (Drink responsibly, there will most likely be kids on every side of you)
Though it’s expected to warm up slightly by the weekend, a slightly cooler night will still offer two bonuses: an excuse to snuggle up to your paramour and an opportunity to practice your adult version of hot chocolate. If you need some pointers check out some of these drink recipes; or simply add a shot of Bailey’s, Kahlua, or Peppermint Schnapps to your thermos of Swiss Miss.
It may be somewhat of a family affair, but it’s still an anticipated yearly event for the young and old and it’s never too old to start your own traditions whether by yourself or with your SO. If anything, it’s a decent opportunity to get your fix of increasingly diminishing Christmas lights. The 39th annual Winterfest Boat Parade is to take place this Saturday, December 11th at 6:30 pm. Get there early to get a good view. Check out the mapped route here. Also, read Miami Bike Scene’s post about the Red Bull Barge Spin, a floating BMX park that will be making an appearance in this year’s parade.
Great news for downtown Ft. Lauderdale folks that like to eat: our sources tell usthat Creolina’s is moving back to Himmarshee Village! The soon-to-be reopened restaurant reportedly will be taking over Porterhouse’s old digs at the corner of Himmarshee and, uh, the train tracks (I really don’t know the name of that alley…Voodoo Junction? Rodman Road?).
Creolina’s was a long-time downtown favorite, known for its insanely good cajun inspired grub and was located just a door or two down from its supposed new location, in what is now part of that completely unnecessary Club 13 / El Carnivale duo of bars adjacent to Latino Fire. This FTL Collective beat-writer shed more than one tear when the original incarnation closed in 2008, after which it reopened in Davie with a slightly different format.
As of Sunday, December 5 there was no physical evidence that Creolina’s has taken over the spot, as the old Porterhouse menu remains posted outside. Porterhouse’s Facebook page says “Watch for the “GRAND OPENING” of a whole new food and entertainment experience on 2nd in downtown Fort Lauderdale!” and “Bourbon on 2nd, anyone? Stay tuned for big news!” Please Facebook you god-of-the-internet, let our sources be sober and accurate with the news that a new Creolina’s is on the horizon.
A couple of months ago we griped about the “Fort Lauderdale”, a drink featured via video on eHow which oddly enough has yet to be found elsewhere on the web. Consisting of a couple of light alcohols and the juices of a couple of orange and lime wedges, we were simply not satisfied. Enter Jamaican ginger beer, the tropical carbonated beverage with a punch, and one of Florida’s major exported citrus: the grapefruit (Florida produces 54% of the entire country’s grapefruit), and we have the FTL Mule.
In the 1940’s, a little thing called The Moscow Mule happened to America, tripling the sales of vodka production which was previously only available here or there by way of Polish and Russian immigrants. It simply consists of ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice. It rose to popularity in the 1950’s and has since produced several variations. There is the Three Legged Mule which substitutes vodka for Jameson Irish Whiskey, the Old Grove Mule which subs the vodka for rum, and numerous others. So why not an FTL Mule? After several attempts in our alcotory, the FTL Mule was born. Try it out and let us know what you think. PS- don’t forget your copper cup.
The FTL Mule:
1 part vodka
1 part fresh grapefruit juice
4 parts ginger beer soda
Here’s a video tutorial on how to make Fort Lauderdale’s newest drink. The intro and outro music is REBEL – Stampede and The Jameses – Rat People, respectively.
“The nicest thing about the mule is that it doesn’t make you noisy and argumentative, or quiet and sullen, but congenial and in love with the world. One wag of its tail and life grows rosy.” -Clementine Paddleford, New York Herald Tribune’s food critic, 1948
