321 Flavor Bites: A chat with restaurant royalty; dining discounts for public servants

Suzy Fleming Leonard, Florida Today
·3 min read
On Thursday, Laurilee Thompson, owner and operator of the Dixie Crossroads, was giving her presentation on the history of Titusville, the lagoon and loss of wetlands due to spaceport expansion to the Titusville Rotary Club. She was recently named Restauranteur of the Year by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
On Thursday, Laurilee Thompson, owner and operator of the Dixie Crossroads, was giving her presentation on the history of Titusville, the lagoon and loss of wetlands due to spaceport expansion to the Titusville Rotary Club. She was recently named Restauranteur of the Year by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

It's not often that I get to talk with restaurant royalty, but let me tell y'all something: I had a serious fangirl moment when Laurilee Thompson picked up the phone last week.

Laurilee recently was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Her roots in the state run deep. She's a fifth-generation Floridian. Her parents, Mary Jean and Rodney Thompson, opened Dixie Crossroads in Titusville in 1983 with 30 seats and a menu of local seafood. Laurilee went to work there in 1987.

Since then, Dixie Crossroads has grown to 465 seats, and Laurilee's reputation as a restaurant owner and environmentalist has become legendary.

Check out my story here. I really loved talking to Laurilee, and as a bonus, her mother chimed in to answer a few of my questions.

If you haven't visited Dixie Crossroads in a while, what are you waiting for? Why should the tourists have all the fun?

Ask for my favorite server there, Malinda Villain.

Waterfront tiki hut dining on Merritt Island

At Dolphins Waterfront Bar & Grille at Cape Crossing on Merritt Island, the guacamole was clearly made in-house, and the pineapple salsa was grand.
At Dolphins Waterfront Bar & Grille at Cape Crossing on Merritt Island, the guacamole was clearly made in-house, and the pineapple salsa was grand.

A friend once told me that the weather in October and November is why we live in Florida. And it really has been pretty awesome lately.

If you're in search of waterfront dining, restaurant critic Lyn Dowling recently stopped by Dolphins Waterfront Bar & Grille at Cape Crossing and loved the experience.

Check out her review here, then go enjoy some of this fabulous fall weather by spending a few hours nibbling on pineapple salsa and watching the dolphins play.

Dear Facebook: Thanks for the community, but how do we get folks to play nice?

Our food-centric Facebook group, 321 Flavor: Where Brevard Eats, surpassed 56,000 members last week, and hundreds continue to join every day.

It's a dynamic group of folks who are passionate about food and local establishments. But let's face it. A vocal minority of those folks aren't very nice.

Here's a column I wrote last week out of frustration. Of course, if you read the column and think, "Yeah, you're right! Preach on, Suzy!" you're not the problem. So thank you for at least singing in the choir.

Tijuana Flats thanks public servants

Tijuana Flats is celebrating Payback Time, offering a 20% discount to public servants through the end of the year.
Tijuana Flats is celebrating Payback Time, offering a 20% discount to public servants through the end of the year.

If you're a teacher, nurse, firefighter, law enforcement officer, EMT or a member of the military, it's Payback Time at Tijuana Flats.

Through Dec. 31, the Orlando-based Tex-Mex chain is honoring public servants by giving them a 20% discount on their bill.

"We’re approaching the giving season, which provides a fitting backdrop to celebrate the invaluable contributions of our community's most dedicated members," Tijuana Flats CEO Joe Christina said in a press release.

The offer cannot be combined with any other promotions and is limited to one use per check. It is not applicable for online orders or delivery.

Tijuana Flats has Brevard locations at 7181 Lake Andrew Drive, Suite 101, Viera; 76 E. Merritt Island Causeway, Unit 104, Merritt Island; and 10 E. New Haven Ave., Suite 103, Melbourne.

Banana pudding and other food worth celebrating

What food has its day this week? Sandwiches, as well as deviled eggs and nachos. Banana pudding gets the whole month.

According to nationalday.com, this month is:

  • Banana Pudding Lovers Month

  • National Fun with Fondue Month

  • National Peanut Butter Lovers Month

  • National Pepper Month

  • National Pomegranate Month

  • National Raisin Bread Month

  • National Roasting Month

Food days in the coming week include:

  • National Calzone Day, Nov. 1

  • National Cinnamon Day, Nov. 1

  • National Deep Fried Clams Day, Nov. 1

  • National Vinegar Day, Nov. 1

  • Pâté Day, Nov. 1

  • National Fig Week, Nov. 1

  • International Stout Day, Nov. 2

  • National Deviled Egg Day, Nov. 2

  • Roast Dinner Day, Nov. 4

  • National Nachos Day, Nov. 6

  • National Bittersweet Chocolate Day, Nov. 7

Until next time, happy eating, y'all.

If you have questions about any of our food content, feel free to reach out anytime via email at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Or connect with me on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard

Suzy Fleming Leonard

FLORIDA TODAY food editor

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Tijuana Flats offers end-of-year discounts to public servants