Last night we went to one of my local favorites for dinner, La Mina, the one on Oak and Palm streets. I can always count on that restaurant to have the best margaritas and refried beans.

Over the years, I have worked my way through nearly everything on the menu. Last night, I decided to try something new. Something that sounded kind of light. I ordered the veggie burrito.

Now in my experience, veggie burritos have grilled vegetables inside, such as bell peppers and onions (like what you'd get with fajitas). Sometimes I have had summer squash, mushrooms, and other yummy veggies in my burritos.

But last night was the worst veggie burrito I've ever had. What was in it? Cabbage. I ate a cabbage burrito. It was gross, which might make you wonder, "Why eat it?" Well the truth was, I had had a couple of margaritas and was very hungry and would have eaten anything at that point. Plus the salsa, guac and sour cream helped drown out the cabbage. But this morning I paid the price with an awful stomach ache. I will never eat a cabbage burrito again.

Now this wasn't the first strange ethnic food I've eaten in this town despite my common sense. I once ate at the Rice Bowl. Once, being the operative word. I will never return. I ordered something very benign, thinking "you can't mess this up." It was the Chinese chicken salad.

I expected lettuce, chicken, those crunchy toppings and some sort of soy-vinegar dressing.

Well, I was right about the lettuce, chicken and crunchy toppings. But the dressing? The salad was tossed in ketchup. I ate a ketchup salad. Why, you might ask? Becuase I was hungry. And I'm a glutten. But I will never go back to Rice Bowl again. La Mina? I will still go there because I can still count on them for a strong margarita.

But I can't believe I have now eaten a cabbage burrito and a ketchup salad. GROSS!