OBX Eats: Bad Bean Baja Grill

Their motto says it all. “The only GOOD bean is a BAD bean.” I must be honest, I do not like beans. I do not like them in a car, I do not like them from a jar. I WILL, however, eat them at Bad Bean for some reason. Go figure.

The Bad Bean Baja Grill and Cantina is the sister company to the Bad Bean Taqueria in Corolla, located in the TimBuck II shopping center. I guess they figured that one is good, and two is better! I happen to agree. Offering a unique Cali-Mex menu with a local flare, you really can’t go wrong here.

Rob, a chef and owner, has had his cuisine recognized by the Washington Post, Food and Wine Magazine, Taste of Charlotte, Sante and Culinary Trends magazines, and he was invited to the James Beard House and prepared the dinner there in March of 2005. (If you watch Top Chef, you know what a huge deal that is!) Chef Ralf was born in Argentina and lived in Mexico City for 14 years, so he knows his way around traditional food. Chef Matt worked with Rob at the Left Bank Restaurant, the only restaurant on the Outer Banks to receive Four Diamonds. All this means is, “Get your taste buds ready to rumble.”

My last lunch date was with our Director of Property Services, Greg. We like to spend time together every now and then, talking shop, and snacking on unique OBX yumminess. I had the Shrimp Tostada, which is a crisp tortilla with rice, beans, jicama slaw and fresh guacamole. The shrimp are always cooked to perfection, and because they are grilled, have a great, fresh, refreshing taste. Greg rocked 3 soft tacos – 2 chicken, 1 pork. (I say, “Why not 2 pork and 1 chicken? Or  1 chicken, 1 pork and 1 beef?) Regardless, they looked good. We also had some chips and the medium salsa, which can’t be beat.

The menu is diverse and I haven’t had anything there that I didn’t immediately love. The burritos are enormous. Try one with Pork Barbacoa or Slow Cooked Brisket. They have fresh fish tacos, salads, and a kid’s menu if you are travelling with the bambinos. Vegetarian and gluten free is no problem at the Bad Bean, just tell the nice people what you want. They’ll be happy to help.

If you are looking for a cool dinner theme while vacationing, or just want to grab something for the family on the way home from work, try a Party Pack! Behind Door #1 you’ll find enough food to feed 10: hard & soft tacos filled with chicken, pork or beef, rice & beans, toppings, choice of 2 house-made salsas, chips, and a cheese quesadilla. Door #2 will feed up to 20 and you get a choice of 2 meats, 3 salsas and 2 cheese quesadillas! This is available for take-out only, so be sure to call ahead.

Special Tipperoo! Order a Bloody Mary. It’s like none you’ve ever had in your life. Made from the juice left over from the pico de gallo, it packs a great jalapeño punch. Don’t let the light color fool you! When you figure out just how much you love them, you’ll be on #3. Call a cab.

Eat Local. Always.