August 15, 2014 - Roma Cafe - Mesa, Arizona

Today I was invited to have lunch with the ladies from 7th Street in the Las Palmos community.  They had chosen the Roma Cafe as the site.

I was given a choice between soup and salad with my entree.  I chose the soup because it was a bean soup.  The soup was quite hearty with lots of skinny…skinny pasta…and it wasn’t angel hair....vegetables and beans.

For my main entree  I ordered the Pasta Primavera...choosing the white sauce over the red sauce.

My main entrée was loaded with all types of vegetables….lots of pasta. There are a few things that I can be critical about, however…..the food tasted so bland…no pepper flakes….no grated cheese was offered to us or could be found on the table…they served us rolls…it would have been more conducive to serve us hard crusted bread like a baguette.

Carol Richmond ordered the lasagna.

Marty Nelson tried the manicotti:

The portions were huge.  I don’t think that I would ever return to this restaurant for another meal.  The best part of the whole experience was after the meal when our server told us in broken English. You-a come up to the front-a to py-a your-a bill.  I no-a make-a many trips back and a forth-a.  It just sounded so female Italian to me…and believe me since I am one…I can laugh at it.

Roma Café

7210 E. Main Street

Mesa, AZ 85207

(480) 654-0558

August 13, 2014 - Queen Creek Olive Mill - Queen Creek, Arizona

My first visit was today with my niece, Mary Ellen.  We arrived in time to eat lunch and then take the tour of the olive tree groves and the manufacturing and pressing area.

For lunch we started with the Olive Mill Antipasto Plate – thinly sliced Genoa Salami, Calabrese Salami with port wine grapes, Chardonnay Herb Mascarpone, fontina cheese, Country Olive Mix, and Mediterra bread.

The roasted garlic served on this tray was perfect and added a great taste.  We were served three different types of cheese - fontina, fresh mozzarella and provolone.   Each cheese went well with the bread and the salami...then add some roasted garlic on the bread..or on the cheese...and it was heavenly.  I would have been satisfied with just this for lunch.

We split a Manzi Panini – olive brined boneless chicken breast, fontina cheese, garden basil, Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan Tapenade, White Balsamic Herb Crème, rosemary focaccia. Served with homemade chips (I didn't ask but I am sure by the taste...they were fried in olive oil.) Our choice of drink was the Prickly Pear Lemonade….and we split a huge slice of brownie for dessert…did I say slice?  The piece was about half the pan.  (And, yes, they make a Chocolate flavored olive oil.)

Mary Ellen doesn't like olives...just olive oil...so guess who was able to try all the different types of olives that were served with the panini?

We took the tour...ours was given by the General Manager...starting in the new tree olive grove.  Then we moved inside and listened to how the olives were pressed for oil...and then processed.  One thing I didn't know was that everything is crushed including the pit.  Extra virgin oil means that there was no heat in the processing and no chemicals.  It is the highest grade of olive oil obtained only from the olive, using solely mechanical means which do not alter the oil in any way.

I have always used only extra virgin oil....but did not know the true meaning behind extra virgin oil.

We also spent time in the product room where we tasted several of the products.  I bought the

Asiago Parmesan Tapenade.  (Sorry my picture turned out terrible.  I just couldn't seem to get a good picture of this product.  I love tapenades...and I know this will always be one of my favorite.)

and the Garlic Parmesan Crema.  Because olives contain no bad cholesterol this can be used as a substitute for mayonnaise...I am going to try this on my next ham and swiss cheese sandwich.  There were so many products that I could have purchased but decided to limit myself to one or two for each visit.  

The Queen Creek Olive Mill

25062 S Meridian Rd,

Queen Creek, AZ 85142
(480) 888-9290

Hours

Monday - Thursday

8:00am-5:00pm

Friday - Saturday

8:00am-9:00pm

Sunday

8:00am-5:00pm