Ever since my uncle introduced me to J. Alexander’s, I’ve loved it. We used to go often as a family, and, naturally, got sick of it. Since I hadn’t been in years, we went back last week and loved it. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder…

Name: J. Alexander’s

Location: 8550 W Broward Blvd (Plantation, FL)

Time: 1:30 pm on Monday

Order: Mexico City spinach con queso dip ($12) and veggie burger ($12)

Review: The spinach queso dip is absolutely incredible. Trust me – I’ve sampled spinach and cheese dips nearly everywhere, and this one reigns at the top of my list. The actual queso is out of the world (soft, flavorful, smooth) and meets the ideal spinach-cheese ratio. Let me not forget the chips, either; they’re crunchy, salted and pair perfectly with the piping hot dip. My aunt, uncle, and I finished nearly the entire bowl of the dip with a second round of chips. It’s addictive to say the least. Made with brown rice, beets, black beans, carrots, peppers and mushrooms, the veggie burger is great. To be completely honest, it wasn’t my favorite ever. My aunt, however, loved it and ate half of it. Note: the veggie burger is huge (stacked with all burger components) and messy; it also comes with delicious fries.

Rating: 4/5