As the nation shifts towards a healthier approach to their diets (at least, I can hope that is the case based on anecdotal observations), it seems that different types of cuisine are coming to the forefront as "healthier" than others. I have been witnessing a bigger buzz about Mediterranean food lately and seeing as I have always been a fan of those dishes, I am all for this trend. A cuisine emphasizing fresh produce, olive oil, and grilled/steamed proteins, it draws from countries near the Mediterranean Sea and the variations there. Though the Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill fast casual restaurant chain started off in Colorado in 2008, it has made some rapid expansion and found itself here in southern California with two recently opened locations (one in Irvine, the other in Aliso Viejo). The best way to describe the concept (and the way that owner Bill Gunstream described it when we met) is by designating it the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. There is no current industry term to put to this version of a fast casual restaurant so the pioneers get their namesake as the example.