Hey y’all and Happy Friday! Last week I finally checked something off both my summer bucket list and Durham bucket list- eating at Gonza Tacos y Tequila! I had heard friends rave about Gonza, and so had wanted to try it. Certain friends also know that I’m a salsa snob, and that the salsa can make or break a Mexican restaurant for me. (There’s a a particular Mexican restaurant in Durham everyone is obsessed with, but I don’t like it because the salsa is gross. And they charge you extra for cheese on your taco). So these certain friends recommended Gonza to me and claimed I would like the salsa, I took their word for it! I definitely was not disappointed! Today I’m excited to share more about my first experience at Gonza, featuring chips and salsa, grilled chicken tacos, plantains, and the famous Gonza margarita!
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First Things First
Not gonna lie- chips and salsa are one of the best parts about dining at a Mexican restaurant. It’s nice to have something to munch on while you’re eating for your main course to arrive. The challenge of course is to make sure you don’t eat so many chips and salsa that you’re too full for dinner! I thoroughly enjoyed the first course. My friend ordered some guacamole, which was also delicious. Salsa will always be my favorite condiment for dipping tortilla chips though!
Gonza Margarita
I had also heard rave reviews of the margaritas at Gonza. Although I often avoid ordering drinks at restaurants bc it ends up nearly doubling the cost of your meal (and let’s be honest, I’d rather have money for clothes!), I knew I had to try a Gonza margarita. After debating between the classic house margarita and the strawberry margarita, I went with strawberry. I was happy with my choice, but might have to try the classic on another visit to Gonza.
The Main Course
Grilled chicken tacos are my go-to at pretty much every Mexican restaurant, so that’s what I ordered at Gonza. The veggie ones sounded delicious too, so I might have to try them another time. Avocados were on my grilled chicken tacos, which added a nice touch. For my side, I ordered plantains, which were yummy and different. My friend I ate with knows I tend to be a bit of picky eater, so she was proud of me for trying the plantains. (Once I told this particular friend her dinner looked “interesting.” She responded with “that’s Liz code for ‘I wouldn’t eat that.'” I was pretty much busted). Anyways, everything was delicious!
What I Wore
The main takeaway I want y’all to have from this post is that Gonza Tacos y Tequila is amazing and you should definitely eat there if you’re in the Raleigh/Durham area. Nevertheless, I can’t resist sharing details on what I wore to Gonza! Plus the precious twinkly lights make some great backdrops for outfit phtos.
This spaghetti strap Lilly Pulitzer dress is one of my favorites. It’s the McCallum Dress in the It’s a Zoo print from the Spring 2014 line. I bought it for a great price during the end of summer Lilly After Party Sale in 2014. (Once Lilly announces the dates for this year’s After Party Sale, I will share some tips for shopping it). I love this print because it incorporates some of my favorite animals: elephants, pandas, and giraffes. The photos don’t do this print justice-it’s so much better in person. Although It’s a Zoo is an old Lilly print, it is actually similar to a current Lilly print, On Parade. (You can check out my recent post here to see how I styled a top in the On Parade Lilly print). There’s a dress currently available in On Parade that is a similar style to my dress. It’s called the Easton Dress and you can check it out here.
Check out the details on the back of this dress. It has a tie similar to the Lilly Pulitzer Franco dress I featured earlier this week, but there’s an exposed zipper too. How fun?!
Outfit Details Round-Up
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer (similar) // Earrings: Sheila Fajl // Necklace: Kendra Scott //
Bangle: Bourbon & Boweties // Watch: Kate Spade (similar) // Shoes: Tory Burch (not pictured)
Hope y’all enjoyed this post! Mexican food is definitely among my favorite, as long as the salsa is good. I highly recommend checking out Gonza if you’re in the Durham area. They also have locations in Raleigh and Cary. And if you’re over 21, you definitely need to try the famous Gonza margarita!
What is your go-to order at a Mexican restaurant? I’d love to know in the comments.
Hope y’all have a lovely weekend! And if you aren’t following me on Instagram already, I’d love to hang out with you on there.
-xoxo Liz
