Today we're stopping by the Seafire Grill, or Seafire Inn, or… well they're still in the process of changing all of the signs, so we'll just call it "The Seafire".

Not too long ago, the restaurant changed over from a rather nondescript menu, to more of a Tex-Mex affair (i.e. the name change from "Inn" to "Grill", and if just looking at the number of people eating here, it seems like it's been a good move.

While the environment hasn't changed much, the food is decent, if you like Tex-Mex. I have tried a couple of those entrees, but I'll save those for another review. Because not everyone is into the cuisine though, I picked up the "Baja Cobb Salad", to see how one of the Tex-Mex alternatives stacked up.

While not exactly being a "Cobb" salad, this new take on the California favorite includes black beans, crumbled hard boiled eggs, a couple kinds of graded cheese (both tasting about the same), a mild and chunky pico de gallo (which is basically diced tomatoes with a few onions and spices tossed in), and is served with a side cup of avocado ranch dressing.

The salad wasn't chopped to order, but it was fairly fresh. The key here (like most quick service locations at SeaWorld) is to get there when the place is busy. The likelihood that you'll get a fresh salad increases, because they're only brought out "on the line" for guests, in small batches. If they're constantly being eaten, the salads are constantly being made.

The only real issue I have with the Baja Cobb, is the same issue that I have with most (i.e. "all" so far) entree-level salads at SeaWorld… they're very deconstructed. It's great seeing all the stuff on top of the salad. You know exactly what you're getting, you can see how fresh it is, and it makes for great photos… but they're a little hard to eat.

If you just eat off the top, you'll be left with a lot of mid to dark green lettuce as you finish you're lunch… and no one wants the last bites of a great salad to be just lettuce and dressing.

My suggestion (and they're going to love me for this one), is to ask for an empty plate or bowl. When you get to your seat, put the empty bowl on top of your salad, and carefully turn the whole thing upside down. It's easier to pick out a few of the unruly, large-cut pieces of lettuce that way, and just set them aside for a moment. Then pour on the dressing (wherever you want), and mix-and-match lettuce with the rest of the stuff as you're eating. You'll get a better mix of flavors, and not risk dumping any of the toppings on the table if a giant piece of lettuce attaches itself to your fork.

All in all, the Baja Cobb Salad is a decent alternative to Tex-Mex, and a welcome addition to the menu at Seafire. I wish it were a bit easier to eat, (or came with a top, so I could shake the thing up a bit), but it is nice being able to find more health conscious alternatives on the menu boards. While I can't be 100% certain this would be certified "vegetarian", I can't imagine why it wouldn't be… there really was no meat anywhere in the salad, but if it's important to you, (as always), I would ask the staff, just to make sure.