April 27, 2016 - MV Pita - Mesa, Arizona

Sandy Wilts and I decided to give this restaurant a try.  It is just up the street from where we live.  It always surprises me how many good restuarants are in our area.  We are slowly finding them one by one.

Sandy tried the Chicken Kabob Sandwich.  She liked it.  Marinated chicken breast served on pita.  It was like a wrap.  I tried the MV Pita Sampler Platter…whoa!  Lots of food – Hummus, Gyro, Chicken Shawarma and Falafel.  Served with homemade pita and two different types of sauces.  One, of course, was my favorite cucumber sauce.  I loved the Falafel.  I had to bring half of it home.  It was filling.  The homemade falafel were absolutely the finest…chickpeas and spices rolled then deep fried to a crisp.  I could have just eaten falafels but both of the meats were delicious…and the hummus was perfect. It was a homemade creamy blend of chickpeas, lemon, garlic, topped with olive oil.

When we were about to burst at the seams they each of us a piece of homemade Baklava.  The flaky, copper-colored baklava is nutty and not too sweet.

Yes...to go boxes came home with us.

I saw on the menu that Lentil Soup is served.  I love lentil soup.  I planned to return and try that.

MV Pita Mediterranean Grill

1066 N. Power Road

Mesa, AZ 85205

(480) 247-9399

Hours:  Monday – Saturday  10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

             Sunday  11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

www.mvpita.com

April 21, 2016 - San Tan Flat - Queen Creek, Arizona

We went to dinner at SanTan Flat with my cousin Penny Kliengartner and her husband, Jeff Sorg, Sandy Wilts,  may sister and her husband, Jeanne and Willie Stecher.

Sandy and I split a Rack of Ribs.  They arrived BBQ sauce dripping off of meat coming off the bone.  Now I don’t like my BBQ sauce served on my ribs unless it has somewhat been BBQ on the meat.  This was not but the sauce had a great flavor and it was the same temperature as the meat.  Plus there wasn’t a huge amount of sauce…just heaped on the meat.  With this sauce one could taste the meat and the sauce.  We also ordered ours with a baked potato complete with butter, sour cream and chopped onions.  We split the potato.  This was a great idea.  We were not stuffed.  One dinner roll was served with the meal.  It tasted as if it had been fried or crisped up in a honey butter mixture.  I have to say it was delicious.  One did not need any butter on this bun.  It was a complete surprise too because it looked just like a regular parker type roll but I am sure it had been baked on premises.  Of course the crispy outside of the bun could have been accomplished during the baking time also.  Anyway I could have taken a dozen of those buns home. It also was served with a small cup of cream corn.  I am not particularly fond of cream corn so I didn’t eat it nor did Sandy, however I tasted a couple of bites and it was very tasty.

We sat outside in this huge patio area.  Fire pits were scattered all around…good for those cool winter evenings but even better.... you are able to purchase fixings for S’mores.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.

It is very casual…laid back.  It has a very conservative country western feel to it.  I felt right at home.  Always live music starting at about 8:30 p.m. for entertainment.  The young man who entertained us was just excellent…could sing all of favorite country western tunes.

Very family oriented so there were  birthday parties being hosted, going away celebrations and yet there were cowboys sitting there enjoying a beer with each other.

San Tan Flat

6185 W. Hunt Hwy.

Queen Creek, AZ 85142

(480) 882-2995

Hours:  Sunday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

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

March 8, 2016 - Tasty Joe's Asian Diner - Mesa, Arizona

I visited  with Sandy Wilts.  Sandy and I decided to try two different Special Combo Dinner.  Sandy ordered the Beef With Broccoli  and I wanted to try the Sweet & Sour Pork.  These dinner combos are $8.95 and include chicken Chow Mein and Fried Rice with your dinner. 

I liked my Sweet & Sour sauce.  It is very difficult to find one that I like.  This was just right…not too runny…not too thick.  I don’t like those that gel.  As you first tasted each bite…it was sweet and the taste at the end of the bite ..a sharp sour – vinegar is what I think created that taste.

We each tasted the other’s entrée…and I thought that Sandy’s beef was cooked perfectly…as were the broccoli pieces…fresh.

We plan to visit here again.  I really want to try lunch.  It is served everyday until 3:00 p.m.

I thought this was a great…good tasting dinner…and what a price.  It satisfied my Chinese food craving that came over me while I was playing bridge at Leisure World. It is very close to our house…and I want to get to know all of the restaurants around the area where we live.

Tasty Joe’s Asian Diner

1152 N. Power Road #108

Mesa, Arizona 85205

(480) 832-4888

www.tastyjoesmesa.com

Hours:  Monday-Friday 11:00 a.m. – 9:15 p.m.

             Saturday- Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.

March 7, 2016 - Allison's Texas BBQ - Mesa, Arizona

Sandy and I decided to go out and have dinner.  We thought it would be nice to try something close by our houses.  This restaurance is almsot across the street from us.

Dinner was tasty. I ordered the Pulled Pork Plate…it was served on this large tray…about a 1/ 4 pound - 1/ 2 pound of pork…with two sides…I chose the potato salad and the cole slaw…a big piece of Texas Toast.  It was the perfect meal for me.  Three choices of BBQ sauce so I tried all three…and each was a very distinctive taste.

Sandy ordered the Southwestern Salad with Brisket. It looked like the best salad in the whole world…good sized…came with the lettuce…corn…beans…and piled high with brisket.  I think I will try that on my next visit.

Allison’s Texas BBQ

6750 E. Main street. Suite #101

Mesa, Arizona 85205

(480)  634-3153

February 13, 2016 - La Cava Restaurant - Guerrero, Chihuahua, Mexico

Jo Martin and I are now making our way north during our tour of Mexico.  We stopped at La Cava Restaurant for lunch.  We started with chips and guacamole – the best we have eaten in Mexico.  This followed with vegetable soup and homemade – hot – fresh out of the oven bread with butter.  Fantastic tasting bread.  Lunch was a combination platter of Anaheim Chile Relleno with cheese and Beef Brochette and Spinach.  Dessert:  the very best homemade apple pie with ice cream…after all we are in apple country.

                   Carol Canuel one of our table mates as we sit down to chips and quacamole.

Anaheim Chile Relleno with Cheese

Beef Brochette

Spinach

Dessert -  Hot - Fresh out of the Oven - Homemade Applie Pie with Ice Cream

                                                          Don't those look delicious?

February 10, 2016 - Hotel Torres del Fuerte Dining Room - El Fuerte, State of Sinaloa - Mexico

Jo Martin and I are staying the night at  El Fuerte in the Hotel Torres del Fuerte.  Tomorrow we will boarded "El Chepe" - the train that will transport us to the Copper Canyon.  We were welcomed with Sangria as we entered the hotel.

After checking into our room we ordered cocktails in this small quaint bar.  The four stools which Pat and Joan Beshok (neighbors in Las Palmas who were on the tour with us.), Jo and I occupied each with its own fur piece atop.  I had a hard time climbing up on the stool so Joan put my ‘skin” in the corner.  I started with a pina colada.  The drinks get stronger the deeper we drive into Mexico.

We had a lovely dinner – Grilled Black Bass in Garlic Butter – absolutely melted in your mouth –  no fish taste.  It was served on a bed of rice..along with vegetables - zucchini, onions, beans  and carrots - cooked perfectly and tasted delicious..

After dinner we sat out o the patio and watched the Jaqui Deer Dancer.  He was really good.  Then Jalisco dances…followed by Vera Cruz dances.

February 9, 2016 - Casa de Los Tesoros - Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

We are still on our trip in Mexico.  Today we traveled from San Carlos to Alamos...a lovely town filled with mansions from the 1800s.  These mansions fell into disrepair once the mining industry petered out.  In the 1940s people started moving back to Alamos and refurbishing the mansions. Great city to visit.

Our room for the evening is at the Casa de Los Tesoros, a former convent built in 1789.  It will be like sleeping in a musuem.  The walls are lined with paintings.  Stone scupltures abound in the courtyard.  Our dinner this evening in the hotel dining room was fabulous.

Both Jo Martin and I ordered the Stuffed Chile Poblano – seasoned meat, egg batter and tomato sauces, rice and vegetables.  It was the herbs and seasonings that made this first time tried dish.  I loved it.  The rice was green.  I must find out what was in it.  It was delicious.  We were also served a thinly coated and crusty half of an avocado that was warm and delicious. (I do not know how it was cooked.  I don’t think it was baked because the avocado itself was still firm. Later, as we talked about how good it was, we decided that it had been lightly breaded and deep fat fried really rapidly.)

I have never eaten any type of stuffed chile so I decided to try this while in Mexico.  I wanted to eat different Mexican food from what I was used to eating in the United States.  The Poblano Chile was stuffed to the max with the seasoned meat.  I really don't feel as if I have ever eaten anything quite this tasty.  Now, I want to try this again to see what I have been missing all these years.