Salsa 2 Go

I took this photo today as I walked across campus at the Univ of Central Florida. I like the sign's simplicity in a city (Orlando) that is usually flash and over the top colors and lights. (Think Disney, Sea World, Universal) I like the use of the sun from the Sunshine State and her "2" of text-speak in her sign. The overgrown ferns and flowers in front of the sign also seem very Central Florida.

I liked the business more when I initially thought it was just salsa but there is actually an entire Tex-Mex menu. Th small building that houses the to-go food is covered in chili peppers. On Wednesdays, large red chili peppers hang in a few trees. If you find one, it means a free lunch.

Salsa 2 Go is unusual for a campus eatery and its sign looks different from the rest - not an uniform. Most restaurants are run by fast food chains (Pizza Hut, Burger King, etc.) or by Campus Food Services. They have the same boiler-plate signs. Salsa2Go's sign is its own and demonstrates its unique role for a campus eatery: This business is run by a local Orlando woman, known for her salsa recipe, who approached Stadium Food Management. They were so impressed that she was able to open a nacho kiosk in the Stadium and after 2 years she opened this small space in the middle of campus.

Another thing I have found interesting about this space is that in such a hot climate, the walk-up food service is Tex-Mex food rather than ice cream or something cold. This might just be the notion of someone originally from the Midwest.

Oh, the salsa is delicious!