Today we ended up at a new Italian restaurant called Pisa Pizza located in Mesa. Upon entering there is a seating area lined with a wall that separates it from the main dining section. As you proceed to your table you are surrounded by what looks like a small Italian town with murals and fake windows. The restaurant was very clean and the service was fast.

Being a group of 8 we ordered three 18″ pizzas. One was a three cheese with peperoni, another was their “special pizza” which was composed of meats and vegetables, and the last one was pizza Ala vodka. We also ordered three bruschetta portions to start. The appetizers were amazing. The bruschetta tasted very fresh and had a unique tomato/cheese mix. The pizza was great as well. I only tried the three cheese and the Ala Vodka. Both had different seasonings and awesome thin crust.(they offer pizza in both thin and thick crust)

Overall the service was extremely friendly and even gave us complimentary garlic knots to start. Our waitress asked us on a scale of 1-5 what we thought. I would have to give them a 4. All ingredients were tasty and not overly greasy or stuffed with too much garlic. I would recommend Pisa Pizza for take out or to eat at the restaurant.

Today for lunch we ventured out to Tempe to Ted’s Hotdogs. Upon entering we had to go to the back of a very long line. Although the line was long it moved pretty fast. While waiting on line I was able check out some things they had hanging on the walls. Being a born and raised New Yorker, I quickly noticed the origins of Ted’s; Buffalo, NY.

Finally it was my turn to order. I got a regular hot dog with cheese, french fries and a large root beer. The dog was pretty good. Nothing that I would write home about but good. The fries came served in a large folder paper container, sliced thin and crunchy. Although the place was packed and the line never died down, I still didn’t see what the big deal was. The hot dog was adequate but a little burnt.

The atmosphere of the place is similar to a McDonald’s, except they specialize in hot dogs. The walls are covered in Buffalo, NY posters and also offers a newspaper to read from Buffalo. If I was to go back I would certainly try one of their burgers and maybe get a hot dog on the side.

For Friday lunch we ended up at Crackers and Co. Although we were seated quickly, the location of our table was in the middle of a lot of traffic made up of waiters, waitresses and customers. Initially for a table of 10, the table was just big enough for the 8 of us that made it.  But besides the location, the service was fast considering the restaurant was crowded.

I ordered a Cracker Club with a side of fries and a pickle. Everyone else ordered specialty sandwiches. They were well proportioned and very fresh. The fries were crunchy and not over cooked. Besides sandwiches they also offer salads and soups as well as other dishes. In the end I left feeling full. I would suggest anyone who hasn’t tried Crackers & CO. to give it a try.

After passing the Iowa Cafe on McKellips the other day, I figured I would suggest it for lunch.  Upon arrival, you enter a room that has a lot of chairs and post cards for sale. After asking the man on the chair where to go, you follow down the hallway to what seems like a nursing home dining hall. The tables and chairs seem to be from a doctors office waiting room. The dining area walls are covered in Iowa trinkets and photos. Most of the photos are from a serious flood that took place in Iowa a few years ago. FYI they are still collecting donations.

After waiting for a bit, our waitress finally brought out our drinks and took our orders. Three of us got lunch special sandwiches and three of us got omelets. I ordered the pulled pork BBQ sandwich. To my surprise, it wasn’t half bad.  The bun was somewhat soaked in sauce but the meat was very tender. It was served with french fries and pickle slices.

Although the food wasn’t a 5 star culinary masterpiece, for the price you pay it was adequate. The portions are fair and the menu offers traditional selections and breakfast all day. Considering it is a quite small cafe, it actually seemed somewhat busy. Our group seemed to stand out considering we were probably the only table that consisted of people under 60 years old.

On the negative side, there was a slight moth ball smell that seemed to linger throughout the cafe. The tables, chairs and carpeted floor did not give a good memorable experience.

Overall, the Iowa Cafe offers simple dishes at a fair price. Maybe next time  we will try some of their homemade fruit pies!

Today Thai was on the lunch menu. We visited the Mesa location on Lindsay and University. Not much has changed since our last visit, except for the number of fish tanks. Upon entering, the whole back wall has about four large 55 gallon+ fish tanks. Although the decor on the inside of the restaurant is unique and filled with trinkets from Thailand, the fish tanks steal all the attention.

To start, we ordered four of  their cheese won ton appetizers. They were light and crispy but lacked a good amount of filling. For our main coarse we had a mix of chicken fried rice, orange chicken, yellow curry chicken and pad thai noodles. Most dishes were appetizing but I preferred the chicken fried rice and the pad thai noodles. Although we all shared the dishes, individually the portions are quite small and the soda I ordered was almost flat.

Although we write about food its hard to avoid the fish tanks at PaPaYa Thai. They are there to add a sense of ambiance, however they are quite dirty and filled with some strange species of fish. Personally I don’t find them appealing. They take away from the food and give off a germ filled presence.

Besides the tanks, the food was good overall. The service is quite friendly and quick. In the future I would probably get some different dishes and stick to water.

For lunch we ended up going to a fairly new Mexican restaurant in Mesa. Located on the corner of Brown and Ellsworth, Chilero’s is a small corner restaurant. Fitting no more than 30 or so people, they offer a full entree menu as well as lunch specials. The inside has what you would expect at any Mexican place, bright colors and Mexican music in the background.

I ordered number five on the lunch special menu,  three chicken flautas with beans and rice. Although I never had flautas before, I enjoyed them. They were freshly cooked and complimented the rice and beans. The service was great over all and the food was ready quickly.

Dessert was two orders of fried dough with powdered sugar and honey, forgot what they are exactly called. The meal was good and filling and it seemed that everyone else enjoyed their meal. However, something was missing, perhaps a bar or more tables or a TV? Again this restaurant is quite small and besides the good food, doesn’t offer much. Might want to stick to a pick-up or take-out order.

My roommate and I decided to get lunch at Paradise Bakery around the corner from the apartment. I ordered the ham and brie grilled panini and he had the turkey and cranberry sandwich. We both had a side of their pasta salad and a cookie, that comes with every sandwich. Both sandwiches were ready just as we found a table. The service is excellent and prompt. The decor on the inside is what you would expect at any paradise bakery cafe. They offer seating outside as well as in. Although it was lunch time and the place was packed, the staff seemed to be on top of everything.

Not only do they serve great specialty sandwiches and baked goods for lunch and dinner, they also have a breakfast menu which they serve until 10am. Also in their bakery section they have  several cookies and cookie cakes they can customize to your order.

In the past I have also had their chicken salad sandwich. The only thing I have against it is the walnuts. I don’t like when restaurants add either nuts or berries to their chicken salad. To me, it takes away some of the chicken flavor and adds unnecessary ingredients. Besides that I don’t have anything negative to say about their food. It is fresh and cooked as ordered.

After you order your sandwich you can add either pasta salad, salad, soup or additional cookies to your order. The set up is quite unique and seems to be efficient. I would recommend trying them if you haven’t already. The sit down Paradise Bakery setup is pleasant and comfortable with bar style tables, regular tables or even lounge type leather seats with built in mini tables. Give them a try!

Upon the suggestion of a co-worker, we found ourselves at the buffet at Casino Arizona. Although we were seated quite quickly and the service was very “energetic,” I don’t have much to say. The food was mediocre at best, and lacked any sense of originality. The food was over cooked and really didn’t offer anything memorable. If I had to pick the best part of the meal it would have to be the dessert. I had 1 creme brulee, 1 piece of lemon meringue pie and a couple sugar cookies.

After about 2 to 3 dishes per person, we finally declined coffee and decided to hit the road.  I doubt anyone present at the table for lunch, including me, would recommend this buffet to anyone. At about $10 a dish, you definitely get your moneys worth, but sacrifice quality.

For one of our co-workers birthdays, we decided to go to Pastis. Their menu offers a euro grill cuisine. They have a decent menu consisting of salads, entrees, and specialty sandwiches. Mostly everyone ordered one of their unique creations. I had the Madrid. This sandwich consisted of turkey, prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, basil, tomatoes, and a pesto spread served on toasted whole wheat bread.  It was the same thing I ordered my previous time eating lunch there. The sandwiches come with your choice of fruit, coleslaw or fries. The waitress was pleasant to deal with and kept our drinks full.  With 12 people seated at our table, the food came out at the same time and didn’t take too long. Although their desserts looked very appetizing , we decided to skip it and collect the bill.

The food at Pastis is different from any in the valley. It’s quality and freshness is evident in their dishes. I would recommend trying them out for lunch or going there during happy hour, which offers discounted drinks as well as appetizers. Happy Birthday Tyson!

With Jack’s suggestion we decided to go to FloriDema’s. It’s a small corner Italian restaurant/pizzeria located in Gilbert. They offer good lunch specials and decent proportions. Everyone ordered either pasta dishes, pizza, or calzones. I had the meatball parmesan sandwich. It was served with a side of pasta salad and  was hot right out of the oven. The meatballs and sauce tasted original and not fresh out of the can. From what I could tell everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes. They offer indoor and outdoor seating and had good service. Our waitress was very nice and kept an eye on our drinks. Considering there were over ten of us eating, the food came out relatively fast and no mistakes were made on any one’s orders.

If your looking for good Italian food in the Gilbert area, I would definitely recommend trying them out. Besides the lunch specials, they seemed to have a full menu of Italian favorites. They had a short wine list and also offered desserts. The interior and exterior of the restaurant was nothing special. Just a simple, traditional family owned restaurant with good food.