And so it continues ... a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...
here's the FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA
(coming to you on sequential Thursdays. All. Year. Long.)!
ADMIN NOTE: This location is now closed, but other ones in the area are open.
Establishment: Rubio's Coastal Grill
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Meal: Dinner
Drink: Fountain Sproke (half Sprite/half Coke)
Appetizer: n/a
Main: Rubio's Coastal Trio
The Original Fish Taco® - Our signature recipe that started it all in 1983.
Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco - Shrimp, pan-seared and topped with salsa verde.
Wild Mahi Mahi Taco - Grilled Wild Mahi Mahi topped with fire-roasted corn, creamy chipotle sauce, cilantro/onion mix, and cabbage.
Side(s): n/a
Dessert: Churro
Server: Shad (although it was counter service)
Website: https://www.rubios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RubiosFortLauderdale302/
It's a NEW year ... and a NEW set of tastes ... so why not start it all for 2017 with a brand NEW eating establishment? Well, actually, if you're reading this and you're from the coast of California, then you already have heard of this company that just NEWly expanded into Florida by taking over the locations of the local Lime Mexican Grill that recently closed. With a concept committed to fresh quality ingredients, they succeed in making healthier food taste great. As for how they fared on the Troy-scale, see below:
AMBIANCE: 8/10 (it was indeed bright and clean and shiny ... which is to be expected for a location like this that is brand spanking new ... just a point lost because the table at which we sat was sticky and a second one lost because there was a homeless man wandering around talking to himself while the manager was out cleaning tables [sadly, he was too late for ours] and nothing was done [he said afterwards he thought he was with someone])
FOOD: 8/10 (they might still be working out the mahi mahi, what with it being a special add for the Florida menus, and a point is is being docked because it was the least successful of the tacos in my trio [and in my tablemate's option of a mahi-mahi bowl, also pictured below] and that may have been because it was the tiniest piece ... the signature fish taco had a much "meat"ier chunk of fish ... but the shrimp taco was clearly the star as it was packed with flavor and had toppings that heightened the taste of every bite ... the churro was hot and fresh and dusted liberally with good stuff ... just one additional point lost because it's a taco place that somehow doesn't serve guac on the side)
SERVICE: 8/10 (as a counter service location, it's all about that ordering interaction, and the employee taking our order was knowledgeable and right on top of the greeting as soon as we stepped up to the register ... corporate would also be happy to know that he was on top of the upselling opportunities and even found a way to bring it up multiple times without being too annoying, although his constant repetition of the customer's name was slightly off-putting, so a point lost ... and a second point is docked because it did seem to take a bit long to get the food after ordering [perhaps the price to pay for freshly cooked quality meals])
BACON: 8/10 (somehow the special featured plate I ordered didn't include bacon as any taco topping [how did I miss that?] ... but it was listed five times on the special Florida menu, so a point for each of those references and then another three bonus points because their website calls out [all natural] bacon in their mission statement)
BONUS: 10/10 (+3 for having an outdoor patio [even if it was too cool to sit outside that night], +3 for NOT having any tip pressure at a counter location [which is rare for Florida even thought the service interaction is limited at that type of establishment], +3 for a membership club that has already sent some free entree coupons our way and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return, especially to get some of that [all natural] bacon)
TroyScore: 42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B
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