This will be the last Quick Bites of the year, as I hunker down to enjoy many home-cooked holiday meals that I will keep to myself and my family. Thank you for all of your support this year: I’m looking forward to sharing more Quick Bites in 2025.
Bahama Breeze
Last week, I had lunch with friend, Michigander, and fellow Substacker Matt of The Normal Newsletter. We decided on Bahama Breeze, because it was very cold outside and island vibes sounded nice.
The decor at Bahama Breeze is half the fun: giant fans shaped like flower petals, vintage tiki-core signs and images, empty rum barrels affixed high on the walls. As we sat down, we noticed the menus were emblazoned with a phrase, “The Vibes are Vibing.” No doubt.
They are generous at Bahama Breeze. Matt ordered an iced tea, and it came with a free refill in tow. I’m not sure if it is standard Breeze policy to serve a glass of iced tea alongside another full cocktail shaker of iced tea, but it did contribute to the restaurant’s overall ambiance.
I opted for the lunch combo of four coconut shrimp with a bowl black bean soup. The shrimp were not too greasy, but also not too coconutty. They were fried to a greaseless crisp, and served with a tangy, sweet mustard dipping sauce. I could have eaten 20 of these. The soup, though, surprised me more. It was very well seasoned and drizzled with cilantro crema. The perfect antidote to a biting Michigan December. I have only been to Bahama Breeze once before, but this experience left me wondering: why?
Ghost® Zero Sugar Warheads® Sour Green Apple Energy Drink
I am trying to wean myself off of energy drinks for multiple reasons, but I still like to look out for new, licensed flavors that will taste just like a treat I used to have as a child. Last week, this was a Warheads Sour Green Apple flavored drink from the Ghost company.
There are two main energy drink companies which license familiar candy and frozen novelty flavors for their drinks: C4, and Ghost. C4 drinks generally have a higher caffeine content, and also contain an additive that makes your skin tingle. I guess it is better to work out in a general state of discomfort?
Ghost is a bit milder, containing less caffeine (about the same as a can of Celsius) and no tingly chemicals. It also creates flavors that are more appealing to me. While C4 licenses “Cherry Popsicle,” Ghost licenses Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, and Warheads. The accuracy with which Ghost is able to recreate these flavors is astounding. It almost tastes more accurate than the real thing. The Warheads Sour Green Apple flavor was the perfect pre-workout beverage for arms-and-back-day. I enjoyed it in my car, in the gym parking lot, while I watched some masked individual try every car’s door handle over the course of twenty minutes.