One of the values that we want to instill in our kids is "giving back". Although the kids are still young, we do our part by visiting thrift stores that benefit a cause, buy our chocolate from organizations that we support, donate toiletries and groceries to our local food bank and shelter, and during the month of September, we'll have dinner and lunch at Z'Tejas to benefit Team Kids!
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We had dinner at Z'Tejas in Costa Mesa last Wednesday after soccer practice. The kids and us were starving and we couldn't wait to get into the restaurant, sit down and begin enjoying some of their complimentary corn bread.
As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted by friendly Team Kids volunteers who were there for a few hours to kick off their 3-week fundraiser in conjunction with the launch of Chili Fest, the restaurant's homage to the Hatch.
We stopped by the Team Kids table, picked up some brochures and learned a bit about their organization. Team Kids is a non-profit based in Irvine, CA that encourages local youth to become involved in community and charitable work. The girls manning the table were very knowledgeable about their organization and all the goodness that they spread throughout the country. One of the girls at the table told me about all the lemonade stands that her and her family have held in an effort to raise money for charity. Love it!
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We purchased some of their bands as they told us about Z'Tejas and their partnership with Team Kids. As it turns out, through September 23rd, $1 from each item sold on the Z'Tejas Chili Fest menu will be donated to Team Kids!
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We got right on our task and sat down to order from their Chili Fest menu. First up was their Chile Onion Rings.
Super-duper delicious. A little bit of spiciness, but nothing overpowering. My favorite was the jalapeños that were thrown in there too. I love jalapeños and they were even more delicious battered, seasoned and fried.
I looked through their Chili Fest menu and didn't find anything that was exclusively vegetarian, so I opted for the green chili sopes and had them substitute grilled veggies for the chicken.
They were very good. The sopes were nice and chunky, served with rice and beans on the side. The salsa that was on top was not spicy, instead, it just added a wonderful flavor. It didn't feel like I was eating anything greasy or fatty. It tasted fresh, authentic and homemade. I love my foods topped with lots of fresh veggies and this fit the bill. The mounds of lettuce on top gave it a light crunchiness in every bite.
The hubster opted for the diablo pasta (not on the chili fest menu). He liked it so much that he saved half of it for his lunch the following day. They packed it in a microwavable plastic container that made it very easy for him to pack in his lunchbox and enjoy the next day.
Our four year old enjoyed their mac 'n cheese right before indulging in this ice cream sundae.
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It was a couple of scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, topped with strawberries, hot fudge and whipped cream for only 99 cents! What a deal. Thankfully, the kid got full quickly and I got to enjoy the rest of it with my coffee.
View more Z'Tejas/#TeamKids pictures here. And if you're dying to make your own Z'Tejas Cornbread, they have shared a version for you to make at home! Find the recipe here.
Facebook: "Like" Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill
Twitter: @ZTejas
![ztejas south coast plaza]( "ztejas costa mesa")
This is not a sponsored post. I received a Z'Tejas gift card to facilitate my review of their Chili Fest menu items. All thoughts and opinions remain my own, as always.![]()
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We had dinner at Z'Tejas in Costa Mesa last Wednesday after soccer practice. The kids and us were starving and we couldn't wait to get into the restaurant, sit down and begin enjoying some of their complimentary corn bread.
As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted by friendly Team Kids volunteers who were there for a few hours to kick off their 3-week fundraiser in conjunction with the launch of Chili Fest, the restaurant's homage to the Hatch.
 |
| Team Kids volunteers greet us at ZTejas |
We stopped by the Team Kids table, picked up some brochures and learned a bit about their organization. Team Kids is a non-profit based in Irvine, CA that encourages local youth to become involved in community and charitable work. The girls manning the table were very knowledgeable about their organization and all the goodness that they spread throughout the country. One of the girls at the table told me about all the lemonade stands that her and her family have held in an effort to raise money for charity. Love it!
We purchased some of their bands as they told us about Z'Tejas and their partnership with Team Kids. As it turns out, through September 23rd, $1 from each item sold on the Z'Tejas Chili Fest menu will be donated to Team Kids!
We got right on our task and sat down to order from their Chili Fest menu. First up was their Chile Onion Rings.
 |
| Chile Onion Rings Hatch New Mexico chile and onion rings lightly coated in seasoned flour, fried crispy, topped with cotija cheese and cilantro and served with Cajun and barbecue dipping sauces. 7.95 |
Super-duper delicious. A little bit of spiciness, but nothing overpowering. My favorite was the jalapeños that were thrown in there too. I love jalapeños and they were even more delicious battered, seasoned and fried.
I looked through their Chili Fest menu and didn't find anything that was exclusively vegetarian, so I opted for the green chili sopes and had them substitute grilled veggies for the chicken.
 |
| Green Chile Sopes Braised chicken, shredded lettuce, Hatch New Mexico roasted chile spicy salsa atop borracho bean purée and chile cornbread with a bed of seasonal rice, black beans and green chile sauce, topped with chipotle sour cream, Cotija cheese and cilantro. 12.95 |
They were very good. The sopes were nice and chunky, served with rice and beans on the side. The salsa that was on top was not spicy, instead, it just added a wonderful flavor. It didn't feel like I was eating anything greasy or fatty. It tasted fresh, authentic and homemade. I love my foods topped with lots of fresh veggies and this fit the bill. The mounds of lettuce on top gave it a light crunchiness in every bite.
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| DIABLO PASTA Red pepper and green spinach linguine with a spicy sauce topped with Cotija cheese and fresh jalapeños. With jerk chicken. 15.85 With shrimp. 16.15 |
The hubster opted for the diablo pasta (not on the chili fest menu). He liked it so much that he saved half of it for his lunch the following day. They packed it in a microwavable plastic container that made it very easy for him to pack in his lunchbox and enjoy the next day.
Our four year old enjoyed their mac 'n cheese right before indulging in this ice cream sundae.
It was a couple of scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, topped with strawberries, hot fudge and whipped cream for only 99 cents! What a deal. Thankfully, the kid got full quickly and I got to enjoy the rest of it with my coffee.
If you're in Orange County, please stop by and support Team Kids by enjoying one (or more) of Z'Tejas' Chili Fest menu items. It's a scrumptious way to support a wonderful organization.
View more Z'Tejas/#TeamKids pictures here. And if you're dying to make your own Z'Tejas Cornbread, they have shared a version for you to make at home! Find the recipe here.
Facebook: "Like" Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill
Twitter: @ZTejas
This is not a sponsored post. I received a Z'Tejas gift card to facilitate my review of their Chili Fest menu items. All thoughts and opinions remain my own, as always.
