Cactus Flower Cafe - Gulf Shores, Gulf Shores

Cactus Flower Cafe's founder Lee Kafeety grew up in a Mexican-American household, and fell in love with the fusion cuisine at her dinner table. She especially loved the freshness of the dishes made with the ample produce she grew up with in California. When she later decided to open her own restaurant, she wanted to preserve both aspects of her family recipes, and add a few little twists. She makes mahi mahi fish tacos, for instance, by flash frying the fish to preserve its flavor, then topping it with creamy lime sauce, cheese, cabbage, and pico de gallo. Such recipes must have impressed Joni DeRome, a serial entrepreneur who became Lee's business partner, helping her grow the restaurant from a single eatery to seven locations.