El Azteca Sandy Springs: Acapulco Salad

Before I order food from a restaurant these days, I peruse the menu in search of vegan selections. Today we ordered take out at my place of employment. After looking at the menu, I finally settled upon the Acapulco Salad from El Azteca Mexican Restaurant in Sandy Springs. The salad normally comes with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, onion, bell pepper, shredded cheese and a choice of chicken, tilapia, or shrimp, so I made a few substitutions. 

I requested an addition of black beans, no avocado, and a side of pico de gallo and guacamole. They said it would be no problem for the changes. 

I have encountered several restaurants that will not modify their menu, and I have also ran across a few that claim to have "vegan" options, only to find out that they really don't understand what vegan food is...very frustrating! 

I didn't know how my food would look, or if the modifications would be correct, but when I opened the container I was pleasantly pleased. The presentation was beautiful! In addition to making the changes, they also included fresh sliced carrots, sliced avocado, and purple radish. There was an equal amount of all ingredients instead of it being mostly lettuce. The pico de gallo provided the perfect amount of zestiness and heat, and the fresh guacamole was authentic, creamy, and flavorful.

This healthy, hearty, vegan version of the Acapulco Salad should definitely be on the menu, and I will be ordering it again in the near future!