Anitas BIG THUMBS DOWN!

yup - only when I dont want to be around people or my hubby, it is really stinky but comfort food to me...so I eat it alot LOL!

Anita's breakfast is the best for hmmm lets say the morning after the broadlands HH...

 

no not kimchee- I LIKE that stuff- I'm talking about the red pepper you aren't supposed to eat at all!

 

Not really. I think most "food critics" would be happy with what I would call the "TRIPLE THREE"
- 3 star food
- 3 star service
- 3 months after it opens

Unfortunately, we don't get that either. Bland food is bland food (Anitas and Opera Cafe) and bad service is bad service (Anitas, Del Rey, Flatbread, and a bunch of others).

 

I think most people would agree that restaurant Mexican food is just slop. Put the slop in a bowl, in a flour tortilla, in a hard taco...it is still slop. I don't often find a difference between the slops at each Mexican restaurant. It's the same old meat/cheese/bean mix. My family and I still eat it, but we know what to expect when we order a soft taco or burrito at any of these places- a plate of high-fat slop.

 

Why are you eating that high-fat slop then? They're easy to make at home and are much healthier and tasty.

 

I agree- everything is healthier and tastier at home...I'd prefer to never eat slop again! Unfortunately, the husband also has a say in what we eat , and he enjoys a little slop every couple of months. Not to mention...it can be a bit cumbersome trying to make meals every night with a wild 2 year old running around.

 

ok so since i am recovering from surgery and trying NOT to gain weight, maybe even lose a little, I am counting calories. guess which days i stay on track with my goal...? the days i eat what we prepare ourselves! i made a nifty spreadsheet of everything we have in the house, just portion size, calories and fat, and catalog it all. even if i eat around 600 calories between breakfast and lunch- dinner out can add up to 700-900 calories since i wouldn't waste dining out on grilled chicken and steeamed veggies- i can make that at home and KNOE there aren't hidden calories in the cooking method like in restaurants!

so consider the GOAL when you go our to eat- is it eat health conciously, or is it a decadent treat? by the way- i have to thank Eric from Fitness Together for getting my butt in gear to count calories so my butt doesn't spread while i can't walk. i'm down 3 lbs my averaging a 1200 calorie a day diet! easy to do when my husband has control over my meals and won't give me any crap to eat.

 

1200 calories a day? OMG... I couldn't do it. I struggle to stay under 1600 on days I don't workout!

 

Sarcasm on:

I have been reading your posts but am still a little unclear: Is eating out healthier and more rewarding than preparing your own meals at home?

Sarasm off.

 

when your biggest outing of the day is the trip to the bathroom- 6 ' away, or scooting down the stairs on your but to spend 12-16 hours in a lazy boy- you don't need many calories to exist. not to mention pain meds making me nap part of the day, and my task master of a husband is great about controlling my portions.

also- drinking pretty much ONLY water makes a diff. sodas, juices- so many unnecessary calories that you can put into a tiny piece of chocolate or piece of fruit instead! it's not that hard when it's forced on you... lol

 

This time last year (after we left our final Coke for Santa!), we decided to get rid of all soda and juice from our house. We have a teenage son, who after some initial fighting, has grown to find soda disgustingly sweet. The best part: besides drinking basically only water, the reduced sugar has had a tremendously positive impact on his mood.

Because I'm cheap--er, frugal--do you know how much money it saves at restaurants to order water instead of a soda for three people? It's at least $4.50-$5.00 per meal. I like that

 

We like Anita's and I've had Mexican in Texas and Old Town San Diego so I know what "real" Mexican food is. I've also had real mexican in Mexico and it's not the same as what's served in the US. Real mexican food is pretty bland. Yes, it's fattening, yes, it's not good for you, but so what? It's something we do occasionally. Obviously Anita's is well liked because it was crowded on Friday night, with a full dining room and people waiting.

We're also on diets and have both lost weight over the last 6 months, but you can't successfully and happily lose weight by depriving yourself. We treat ourselves about once a week and there is absolutely nothing we "can't" have. We just don't eat as much of it as we used to. Cooking at home is always better for your diet, but you do have to play occasionally.

I know there are people on this board that are never happy with any restaurant so I make my own decisions regarding where we eat. Some expectations will never be met because they are too high.

 

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

 

Yeah - but some places definitely do the slop better than others. Ya know, fresh ingredients, it's actually grilled rather than nuked, they aren't cheap on the salsa. I don't think I've noticed either of the current-running Mexican food threads talk much about Baja Fresh, which is my current favorite. I love the salsa bar! I've been hoping for one of those in our area but I think the closest is Sterling and/or Herndon.

 

:agree:You know....I was thinking the same thing!

 

I think that you meant 1200 calories a meal. Thats my plan!!!

 

yeah- 1200 calorie MEALS is what GOT me into stretch pants in the first place!

1200 is a pretty low daily intake if you are of average height and active, but if you are laying around doing nothing and have weight to lose- it's doable and really not so bad. i give myself a 100 calorie buffer b/c some of my neighbors are feeding us yummy desserts with dinners, and i feel more in control of a part of my life that's always been hard to control.

 

Redon1 - I normally work out for an hour every day and also walk every evening for 2 or 3 miles with our dog. I had foot surgery in Nov. and have been unable to do my daily workout and just now starting to walk a little, so I totally understand about pulling back on the calories. I don't have a weight problem and could eat anything I wanted while working out. While laying around - I really restricted myself so as not to gain any weight. I worked too hard to keep my weight, however, I've lost about 6 lbs since my surgery... can just tell the way my clothes fit, so now need to up my calories a bit...guess I was too restrictive.

 

well thank you tyger for giving me a reason to dislike you! lol kidding- that at least gives you a holiday party weight gain cushion. i will move this into another thread more relative, but weight control is really driven by what are your weaknesses and how can you control them? my weakness is cheesy, meaty, savory foods. LOVE 'em. i also love to exercise- that's what got me into this cast in the first place. my health is not an issue- my waist size is. so MY best solution? portion control, regulating how often i eat my decadent faves since i will NEVER give them up, and continuing to exercise. i'll start a new thread!!!

sorry for the hijack- back to Anita's- i hate their cheese. L)

 

We tried the new Anita's this past Tuesday. The service was still rather slow on the uptake. Normally when you want to pay someone you don't need to wave them down.