Cali Bowl at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

Since my first visit to Fire & Spice went well I decided to go back to try the Cali Bowl, which is one of several vegan options. Surprisingly, it was crowded in there. I had to sit at the bar. But that worked out very well. It gave me a great view of the impressively clean kitchen. Even the bar was spotlessly clean. The food arrived after a few minutes. Check out this bowl full of real food!

Cali Bowl at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

The Cali Bowl is made with layers of rice, pinto beans, roasted onions and peppers, corn salsa, cilantro, hot sauce, and guacamole. Everything about this was excellent! The seasoned rice and corn salsa really got my attention. This meal was not cheap. I paid about $15 plus a good tip for this meal. That's way too much money for the average beans, rice, and veggie bowl with tea. But this was not average! It tasted like real food made with fresh ingredients by people who actually care. Real food does have a price, and I'll pay that price when I can. It was worth what I paid, but I will need to save this kind of spending for special occasions. The Cali Bowl is a large bowl of food, so it could easily make two meals.

During this visit the large crowd was unusually quiet. The classic pop music was playing at a reasonable sound level. It was peaceful and comfortable even with a full house. The service was friendly enough and fast enough.This was another great lunch at Fire & Spice!

UPDATE: I returned to Fire & Spice for another awesome meal. I have more details on the food. All fried foods share the same oil, so the tortilla chips and fried cauliflower may not be considered acceptable for very strict vegans. That explains why I thought the chips tasted kind of dirty during my first visit. The sauteed veggies are cooked on the flat top grill, but they do have a separate area for the veggies. This may still not be acceptable for strict vegans, because it is the same grill with possibilities for cross contamination. The vegan burritos and quesadillas are toasted on the same flat top grill.

On my latest visit, I had a friendly discussion with a server and a member of management just for clarity. They are very familiar with food restrictions. They went over the menu and helped me understand how things are done in the kitchen. For my recent meal they gladly made it "allergy style. They used a clean pan for the sauteed veggies and to toast my burrito. They made it their mission to make it right. The service and food were excellent. It was the best food I've had in months! I will surely return!

Click here to see the Fire & Spice website