It is with some guilt that I include On the Border in this journal. This is a member of the mega-chain corporation Brinker International, Inc., which includes Chili's, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Maggiano's Little Italy, Corner Bakery Cafe, and Rockfish Seafood Grill. During the last 30 years, this self-proclaimed "mutual fund of casual dining" has grown to own 1,400 restaurants worldwide, with sales of more than $3 billion annually. I must admit that they did succeed in their "unwavering commitment" to make sure every guest has an enjoyable dining experience with them.

March 2003, we first spotted On the Border when shopping in Ahwatukee, and its attractive tan, terracotta, and blue exterior highlighted with copper suns, as well as people enjoying lunch on the patio, looked inviting. It wasn’t until March 2004 that we decided to go check it out one Friday night. Big mistake Impatient spouse Bob was unwilling to wait for the 45 minutes we were told it would take to seat us. The vociferous noise level of exuberant 9-to-5ers initiating their weekend was earplug-level loud. So this year, March 2005, we were even more determined to eat at On the Border! We chose a mid-week night and were not disappointed.

Tall, handsome Juan, age 20, was our waiter. He could tell I spoke Spanish by the way I ordered our fajitas salad. From Nuevo Leon, Mexico, he’s here to make money, but also learning that money and the things it can buy, nice clothes, shoes, etc., is not worth the loneliness he feels missing his familia y amistades, who are dear to him. This we learned later, after we’d eaten and he was kind enough to chat, even though the restaurant remained quite busy.

The interior of On the Border has a Southwestern-Christmassy feel, with colored balls, stars, and miniature ollas perched among the cactus plants on the ledges in the dining rooms. There are booths and tables covered with oilcloth; we chose a booth. In the same room, a young man demonstrated his skill flipping tortillas on a grill under a "Tortillas Frescas" sign. He wasn’t making them, just flipping, but it was fun to watch anyway.

Unfortunately, we arrived just after Happy Hour, so our pitcher of Dos Equis Amber was the full price of $14, but very good. I had a sizzling chicken fajita salad ($8). Diced tomatoes, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and grated cheese were arranged in neat little piles on the edges of the deep plate. Juan had recommended the smoked jalapeño vinaigrette, which really enhanced the salad – and left the taste buds buzzing pleasantly. Bob ordered the BIG bordurrito™ ($8), a lightly fried flour tortilla filled with lean, tender fajita steak; Mexican rice; grated cheeses; black beans; caramelized onions; red bell pepper slices; and sour cream. We split meals and found both to be very tasty and satisfying. There are five other On the Border restaurants in Greater Phoenix.