Rojo!

Great patio to sit back and have a few or three. ok, four...whatever!
Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla. Pleasantly surprised by the fresh spinach and melty cheese. mmmm
Another big surprise from B.......the Chicken Quesadilla! Tried a bite. Simple but tasty, nice smokey flavor. 
Rojo BBQ Sandwich with Pork. American Carnitas :) 

Spinach Burrito with pico de gallo, rice and beans topped with queso and salsa. Rave reviews.
Dogs are allowed on the patio. Don't forget they're thirsty too!

I've had more drinks than meals here but the food is consistent, honest, and amazingly well priced.  Rojo is a great place to meet friends for a drink and grab a bite. The menu is half Latin (tacos, cheese dip) and half American (burgers, salads). The staff is always friendly. 

http://www.rojobirmingham.com/

2921 Highland Ave S

Birmingham, AL 35205-1901

Cantina

Last night being a lovely spring night, the beau, our friend B, and I headed over to Cantina which is located in the Martin Biscuit building at Pepper Place. 

After placing our order at the counter, we were sad to find no tables outside. We stared at all the people the were finished hoping they would move on but all we got were a bunch of "I ain't getting up till I'm good and ready" stares. So we sat inside and after about a minute I got over it because the food came out really fast.
B ordered the the cilantro chicken (big surprise there, he ordered chicken) and really enjoyed it. The dish was the cilantro marinated chicken over saffron rice with poblanos, corn, and cheese. 
I'm trying to get ready for a beach trip next weekend so I ordered the salad with grilled chicken. It had sprinkles of corn and red onion. I didn't care for the vinaigrette so I just used more salsa. It was pretty boring but when you order a salad at a mexican joint there is going to be some disappointment .
L. ordered his usual as well, carnitas tacos. He liked them but I don't think he's ever met a taco he didn't like. Personally I prefer corn tortillas for my tacos but we'll get into that very soon after our next visit to the taco truck......


Over all Cantina is a really cool spot with a great vibe, nice patio, and friendly staff. Even though I'm not crazy about the food I'm always down to go. There are many tempting offerings on the menu I haven't tried like the cuban sandwich or grilled shrimp quesadillas. It's definitely a good spot to meet up with friends and have a few drinks. 

2901 Second Avenue South

Birmingham, AL

http://www.birminghammenus.com/cantina/