October 16, 2018 - Snooze, An A. M. Eatery - Gilbert, Arizona

I visited one of my favorite breakfast spots with Sandy Wilts after a medical appointment.  I have covered this restaurant before this on my blog...something I never do...but I thought this one needed some more coverage.  I love creativity of this restaurant.  I return time and time again.  (You are able to view my first blog on February 8, 2018.)

Sandy ordered the Ooo La La Frittala – cage free egg whites filled with a fresh asparagus and mushroom salad, sliced zucchini and house-made pistou….topped with arugula, heirloom cherry tomatoes, citronette and grated Parmesan.  Sandy loved her meal.

Pistou is a Provencal cold sauce made form cloves of garlic, fresh basil, and olive oil…somewhat similar to the Liguarian sauce pesto without the pine nuts.

Citronette is a dressing of orange zest, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, shallot and olive oil

                                                              Ooo La La Frittala

I ordered the Breakfast Pot Pie – homemade rosemary sausage gravy served over a puff pastry…served with an egg (I chose scrambled) and this 2” high circular mound of hash browns…my one side – a Bluebarry Danish Pancake – buttermilk pancake topped with blueberry coulis, sweet cream and almond streusel surrounding a center of lemony cream cheese filling (no not a big one, just a small one to taste.)

Blueberry coulis is a sauce of blueberries, sugar, water, cornstarch, lemon juice…thickened until lightly bubbly.

Blueberry Danish Pancake

Breakfast Pot Pie

Snooze, an A. M. Eatery

310 N. Gilbert Road

Gilbert, Arizona 85234

(480) 664-4488

Hours:  Daily 6:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

October 16, 2018 - Salerno's - Gilbert, Arizona

I visited with my two neices Mary Ellen and Sumer.  Sumer has finished a degree in the Human Resources area…and so we are talking about her applying and interviewing for a job.

I ordered the Lasagna served with red sauce.  They make their own pasta…but I thought the pasta was cooked way too long…it was just too soft.  Mary Ellen and Sumer split an order of Manicotti…and I felt the same way about it.  Maybe it is because I really don’t care for pasta or for that matter any Italian food…but I think it is because I want my pasta always al dente.  Anyway, I really didn’t care for my meal or theirs because they let me have a taste.  I didn’t care for the bread either that was served with the meal.  Darn.

They did, however, have grated cheese on the table…I like that.

Salerno’s

3921 e. Guadalupe Road

Gilbert, AZ 85234

(480) 892-0040

Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

            Friday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

            Sunday – 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

            Monday – Closed

October 5, 2018 - Hopdoddy Burger Bar - Scottsdale, Arizona

I visited on October 5, 2018 with Carol Thompson after our doctor appointments in North Scottsdale.  We both ordered the Classic Burger with Tillamook Cheese…then we shared an order of the Parmesan Fries.  I really liked the Truffle Oil sauce served with the fries for dipping.

Jana, the receptionist, at the doctor’s office told us about the fries.   She calls them “naughty fries”…and they are …but oh…they are so good.  I am happy that she told us about them.  A patient just leaving the office…added her comments about how good everything was at this 

restaurant whose roots are in Austin, Texas.

They grind the all the hamburger meat every morning….make the hamburger patties by hand.  The buns are homemade.  I am looking forward to returning for my next burger.

Classic Burger with Tillamook Cheese

Carol dishing up the Parmesan Fries 

Closer look at those "naughty fries" - great Parmesan Fries

Hopdoddy Burger Bar

11055 N. Scottsdale Road

Scottsdale, Arizona

(480) 348-2337

hopdoddy.com

Hours: Sunday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

            Friday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

September 25, 2018 - Osteria - Mesa, Arizona

I visited with our bridge ladies for our monthy "dining out". 

I was looking forward to this visit.  What a disappointment. None of the staff really acted as if they knew what to do..and most of them didn’t.  Service was very slow. 

Marilyn ordered the Farm Greens Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese, Carrot, Cucumber, Radish and Oregano.  She liked her salad…and it looked fresh and tasty.

Four of us decided to order the Tagliatelle Bolognese…Cathy and Sally, Janet and I each split a Caesar Salad.  It was okay…what I liked was being able to taste the anchovies.

Finally they brought some bread and oil to the table…now I am Italian and I might be mistaken but I have never eaten sour dough bread with my pasta.  Really?  Soon…here comes the pasta…and each of us ordered the same pasta dish but they brought two…and then two halves…so what the heck Janet and I split that order.  The pasta was all clumped together.  It looked as if it was left sitting after it was strained but never rinsed.  I thought the sauce was just too bland…plus it was too dry…as was the pasta.  The main entrees were not hot.  The four of us were very disappointed.

We had to ask for salt and pepper.  But what really galled me was – I am Italian – once they served the pasta no one asked if any of us  would like grated cheese on your entrée…there wasn’t even a shaker or dish of grated cheese on the table.  That is unacceptable for me.

We asked for cheese…and they brought it to us…acting as if they were so surprised that we would expect grated cheese on our pasta. 

When I manager or lead came to the table to see how the meal was Cathy was very emphatic about how terrible it was.  To his credit he said he would make that good and he did.  He didn’t charge Cathy for her meal.  But by now there was no changing anyone’s mind…the meal was just the worst!

I doubt that I would ever return.

Osteria

5609 E. McKellips Road Suite A111

Mesa, AZ  85215

(480) 300-5404

osteriausa.com

Hours:  Monday 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

              Tuesday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

              Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

               Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.