TWO REALLY GOOD ONES

Here I am home again in good ole St. Lou and I want to tell you about two restaurants in Mesa and Scottsdale (Phoenix area).

First, I had an excellent visit both in Seattle and in the Phoenix area. My only disappointment is that I did not make it to Tucson to see some of my friends there. I did, however, make a new friend in Mesa. It's nice to have new friends.

Now first the Guru Palace Indian Cuisine. What a beautiful but down to earth restaurant. I went with my new friend to have lunch here and we sat on the floor on a variety of lush silk pillows while we ate. It was an Indian buffet but an excellent one with several chutneys, several breads and a couple of desserts. There were at least six vegetarian dishes to choose from. The dal (legume soup) was one of the best I've ever had. I usually am not attracted to Chana Masala (a chickpea dish) but I tried this one and it was wonderful.

We finished the meal with an excellent cup of Indian tea, all spicy and chai-like.

Guru Palace is at 2048 E. Baseline Rd in Mesa, AZ (just a few doors down from Trader Joes) should you ever find yourself in Mesa wanting a good Indian meal.

Mandala Tea Room is a wonder for those of us who like vegan food. There is also quite a large selection of raw foods but since I was staying with my friend Jim, who's a raw-only person, I opted for some cooked food. Mandala is in the posh community of Scottsdale and it is right in the thick of all the cool shops and art galleries.

My friend and I shared a delightful appetiser of artichoke and pesto bruschetta on crunchy spelt bread. mmmmm.
Then on to jamaican jerk tempeh, a spicy caribeean dish. Also really great. For dessert we indulged in a blueberry cake that also made me sigh with pleasure. This is a place you'll find a lotta young people, a lot of creative types and folks like me who seek out great, healthy, whole food.

If you find yourself in Scottsdale, maybe visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, you'll have a great place to eat.
7027 East 5th Av. Scottsdale, AZ. visit their website: www.mandalatearoom.com