The shrimp ceviche and guacamole at St. Armands’ Shore Diner has only been on the menu for about three weeks but it’s already a hit. The ceviche combines Gulf-sourced, lime-cured shrimp, chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers and jicama. That hint of sweetness? It’s orange soda made from real cane sugar and purchased from a local Mexican grocery store. Orange soda and ceviche might seem like an odd pairing, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it: the soda complements the already-present flavors with a tangy-sweet kick echoed by the juicy orange slices that top the guacamole. Dive deeper into the guac and you’ll find diced onions and chargrilled corn. In between the ceviche and corn, a pile of cumin-dusted corn tortilla chips holds court ready for dipping (Tostitos these are not).

A creation of Executive Chef Armando Reyes, this two-part dish pays tribute to Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Though the ceviche and guacamole are partitioned into separate dishes, Chef Reyes says that in the original Mexican version they’re actually mixed together. Shore's take does the same, albeit in mini form: take one of the tortilla chips, top it with a chunk of shrimp and finish it off with a scoop of guacamole for sweet, salty, summery perfection.