Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

“Welcome to Moes!” It’s the first thing one hears upon entering Moe’s Southwest Grill at Bailey’s Crossroads. Shouted enthusiastically by the restaurant staff, the welcome is the first step towards a satisfying dining experience. The restaurant which opened a month and a half ago, specializes in TexMex flavors and blends musical cool with hearty cuisine.

The enthusiastic welcome one hears when walking through the door is repeated in a variety of more subtle ways, including inviting signs, colorful decorations, and a well lit dining area. The staff is pleasant and helpful in navigating the extensive menu options available to those visiting for the first time.

Moe’s is a combination fast food/sit-down style restaurant where servers assemble tacos, fajitas, salads and more behind the counter to the specifications of hungry visitors. Along the walls are pictures of famous music icons. Portraits of Elvis, Marvin Gaye, Jim Morrison, to name just a few, look down upon the dining patrons, and create an unexpected look for a southwest grill.

One of the main draws of the restaurant, though, is the creative naming of the wide selection of dining choices. The menu includes a variety of options with fascinating nomenclature.

The “Close Talker” salad, a mix of lettuce and vegetables in a hard tortilla bowl, provides a light yet energetic meal option for those looking to avoid the heavier choices, but are still eager to get the celebrated TexMex flavors.

For those willing to take on a bit more, the Full Monty, a soft taco filled with a wide selection of fixin’s, provides a quick but satisfying bite. Both topping options of chicken and steak are moist and filling and meet taco expectations.

A complement to the Full Monty is the Sherman Klump, a cheesy quesadilla served with sour cream and salsa. Gooey and warm, the dish is a solid staple for a long afternoon.

For those looking for a complete meal in one wrap, the burritos, that include dishes like the Homewrecker and the Triple Lindy, are packed with rice, meat, guacamole, beans, and a variety of other options. The tortilla wraps are sturdy and moist and are an outstanding canvass for a diverse palette of flavors.

A highlight of the restaurant is the enthusiastic salsa. Mildly spicy, the fresh picante zest and hearty tomatoes blended together enriches the menu.

If looking to split a meal, and a bill, the hearty nachos topped with salsa, melted cheese, beans, olives, jalapenos, and a choice of meat, encourages sharing amongst friends (or enemies if you prefer).

The refreshing drinks make the restaurant an ideal place to stop for a quick happy hour get-together or a leisurely afternoon with friends. Strawberry and lemon margaritas are on tap and there is a cooler full of bottled beers. There are also fountain drinks and bottled water available for those with a day of work ahead of them.

Friendly and fun the restaurant is a comfortable spot to spend a little or a lot of time sharing a drink, munching some chips or satisfying the need for traditional southwest grilling, But don’t expect to leave hungry, the food is so filling that after one stop few would need to go back for any moe.