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.

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!

Of their 15 location in the valley, I usually hit up the Chandler location just off of Chandler BLVD. Located right next door toThe Coffee Bean, its perfect for a breakfast bagel and coffee. Being a born and raised New Yorker, I thought good bagels would be hard to come by out here. Although not as good, Einstein Brothers comes pretty close. They offer several different varieties and other sandwich options.

My default order when it comes to bagels is a plain bagel, toasted, with chicken salad. You can have either chips or a few other selections of sides with your meal and it is priced well. Sometimes the chicken salad varies and can be better or worst than before but I am usually satisfied.

If you plan on going there on a Saturday morning, don’t plan on finding a seat. The place usually fills up quite fast and can sometimes have a line out the door. So I usually get my order and head next door to The Coffee Bean and eat there or just bring it back to my apartment. Also, drivers beware! The parking lot is kind of cramped and is usually filled with some of the worst drivers in Arizona. I have prob almost been hit or avoided an accident a couple times.

Overall I keep returning to Einstein brothers because of their quality bagels and location. They seem to be doing well in the valley and have just launched a new website. http://www.einsteinbros.com/

Liberty Market in Gilbert, AZ is located in old town gilbert across the street from Joe’s BBQ.  Liberty Market has a great atmosphere.  They serve many different sandwiches, pizzas, salads, & desserts.  The food all looked great. We started by asking the waitress what she recommended.  She said the white pizza and a sandwich called the Ranchera. Me and 4 of my coworkers all decided to go with the Ranchera.  It came with beef, caramelized onions, horseradish, blue cheese, and spinach.  The sandwich was absolutely horrible.  So bad I couldn’t even eat half of it. A better word….disgusting.  What was the waitress thinking!!  The rest of my co workers all ordered sandwiches, burgers, and pizza that looked amazing.  I tasted a few other things that were all real good.  We also ordered some desserts that were excellent. My favorite was the red velvet cake.  Great!!!
I would recommend this place to all my friends.  I think I may even be going there this Saturday with my wife and another couple.  Just whatever you do….don’t order the ranchera.

Last Friday we all went down the road to the local orange grove on Greenfield and McKellips that is now selling lunch. The orange grove is called the “Citrus Heights” and the small eatery inside of it is called “Sassy C’s”.

I was not expecting too much from Sassy C’s, maybe a sandwich and some stale chips, however I was delightfully pleased to see much more. The restaurant offers a variety of signature sandwiches and salads as well as a good selection of deserts. I ordered a Sassy combo which included a half a sandwich, half a bowl of soup, and a cookie of my choice. For the sandwich I went with the special sandwich of the day - the pulled pork. The description of the sandwich sounded different than any other pulled pork sandwich I’ve ever had, coming with lettuce, bell peppers, BBQ sauce, and more. I was a little worried about the sandwich but was open for something new and again, I was delightfully pleased. The sandwich was delicious and was clearly hand made with fresh ingredients.

For my soup I went with the tortilla soup, and like the sandwich it was delicious. I would not call it the best tortilla soup I’ve ever had but it was good enough that I would order it again. Perhaps if they added a dip of sour cream to the top it would be fantastic, then again not everyone likes sour cream.

The cookie I got was the sugar cookie. The cookie was soft and had a smooth layer of icing over the top. My only critique with the cookie is that I wish there was more icing for the amount of bread. This, like the sour cream, is most likely only a personal fault. I truly enjoy icing, so much in fact that some may consider it a bit disgusting.

Overall Sassy C’s is great. This don’t say this often but I highly recommend you check this place out. They have fantastic lunch offerings at a reasonable price so be sure to stop by and see them Monday - Saturday 11:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

I recently had an anniversary with my girlfriend and like most men I was dumb founded on what to get her. However it hit me, she loves cupcakes and I have been hearing amazing things about Cathy’s Rum cakes. It seemed like the perfect match, but boy was I wrong! (more…)