The Cutting Board Bakery & Cafe - Mesa, Arizona - Review

After settling in to our Az lifestyle (which we are loving) we have to limit our eating out, due to so many different vegan places we could easily drain our life savings eating out everyday.  The wife was informed of this place in Mesa that has a full vegan menu with vegetarian options. I like the way that sounds so that is where this week's review comes from:

1. The Cutting Board Bakery & Cafe
2. 2235 S Power Rd #116, Mesa, AZ 85209
3. (480) 654-8081

As you park in the strip plaza lined with other store fronts the entrance is off to the side in a tunnel that offers outdoor seating that has a lot of shade. When you walk in the place it is spotless and has a very modern feel with plenty seating. 

As you order the menu is very well detailed to there is no question of what you are getting, this is one of the better priced menus that I have seen in a vegan eatery. 

click here for a better view of the lunch & dinner menus

With free ice cold water there is really no need for other beverages, but they have plenty of choices of bottled drinks and juices/smoothies to chose from.  

We sat down after ordering at the counter and with in minutes out came our food, which is awesome ( I hate long waits). As I have said before how they plate and present the food shows how much love has gone into the preparation and this place puts a lot of heart into what they are making. We were only a couple of bites in when we swapped plates (we love to share each others food) neither one of us was at all disappointed this place rocks. 

bb burger $11.75

The Black Bean patty tasted so good and fresh it could have been made in my own kitchen.

half sandwich + half salad $ 7.75

 The veggies on Amber's Vedg-head sandwich were super fresh and crisp, and the dressing for her salad was out of this world good, a maple mustard wow I will be making that at home for sure. 

All and all what we have here is a perfect place for a great meal. A great place in a good location with ample parking, super fast and friendly service, with a great atmosphere. We have not yet had their breakfast but the menu looks very good and we will be stopping by one of these mornings. 

You will want to check this place out, I am sure you will agree with Amber and myself this is true vegan paradise.

Lovin Spoonfuls Tucson Az. - My Review of This INCREDIBLE Vegan Restaurant

After driving 11 hours through New Mexico and Arizona, I was hungry and cranky I just wanted some good vegan food. When we pulled up to Lovin Spoonfuls I was so excited cause Amber had been reading me the menu for the last 30 miles making me more and more hungry. As soon as you walk up to the counter you are greeted by the owner Peggy who is very friendly and SO nice. She is a devoted cat lover just like us and has many rescue cats at her home just like us.  To the right of the counter are many photos of her with famous doctors who all live or support a plant based lifestyle. We ordered some appetizers and burgers the service was out this world good, we sat outside and with in mins the appetizers were there. The battered mushrooms had to be the best deep fried mushroom that I have ever tasted in my life. The battered beer brats and the shoestring fries were great also. Sitting outside eating this food I knew that this is where I want to call home as soon as the boys are done with high school. When the burgers came I was in heaven. Anybody can make a vegan burger and serve it up what what differs one to the next is how they serve it up you can tell when there is love put into the food and you definitely feel the love here.

When Sunday morning came around we were outside Lovin Spoonfuls 15 min before the opened and we still weren't the first ones there. The breakfast at this place is so good that it will blow your mind. Amber went with the  Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and I went with a Spinach-Mushroom Scramble and Southwest Burrito wow it was really good. 

After hiking for a couple of hours we decided to head back here for some late lunch-early supper but we got there at 315 and they close at 3 but she still offered us so cold desserts even though the kitchen was closed.  Wow these treats really hit the spot so good and all vegan is awesome. 

On Monday morning we were right back here again for our final meal here.  I went with the Denver Scramble and Amber got the same thing Chocolate chip pancakes which everything was awesome. If you love good food and enjoy good service you will love this place, and knowing that the owner is such a kind hearted person has dedicated her life to helping animals.  Her personality really reflects on this restaurant and its shows through the people she employs and through the food that is served. This place is a MUST PLACE TO EAT AT.

Decision...........Decision What to decide 

good and fair prices.

So many choices.

The coffee here rocks.

These were really great fries.

Those were the bestest mushrooms in the world.

 My Route 66 Burger, fresh made patties is the only way to go.

Amber's Southwest Burger, I am gonna be making that carrot salad real soon, it was awesome.

Here is some awesome food porn for ya.

We had some shakes for an after dinner snacks, I went with a Root Beer Float, Amber went with a Peanut Butter Cup, Graham went with Chocolate Mint, Gage had the Orange Cremesicle.

Almost to much food.....almost.

Really good flavor, nice proportions

Amber said the that these were such chocolatey cakes of goodness, they were perfect.

The southwest burrito is a monster.

Amber and the boys in the desert, we love it in Tucson.

Wow....... do I need to say anything else.

That is the Denver Scramble I am gonna get  some vegan ham its awesome.

Grand Canyon Az. & Flagstaff Az. -Review

What can I say about the Grand Canyon other than Its the freaking Grand Canyon. No photo will ever show the true beauty of this place. Once you see it with your own eyes you will know what I am talking about. Very rarely do we ever travel to the same place more than once and this is our 2nd time here and not our last. Before its all said and done I will hike down to the Colorado River and back up.  Here are some photos.

Photo was filtered on my cell pretty cool ain't it.

View from Kaibab Trail head.

View from the Bright Angel trail head.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

View from Kaibab Trail.

Amber gettin close to the edge again.

She is nuts!!!!!

She does it just to freak me out.

View from Kaibab Trail

View from Kaibab Trail.

Look how the trail winds down through the canyon wall.

Some amazing views.

Goofin around on the Kaibab Trail.

Monkey see monkey do. HA HA.

Train of mules coming up.

Take plenty of breaks and bring water and healthy snacks.

Graham on the edge.

Gage enjoying the view

Read all warning signs.

The tribe at the Bright Angel trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

View from Bright Angel Trail.

She can find a critter anywhere.

Well after hiking all day at the Grand Canyon I was looking forward to some really good food back where we were staying in Flagstaff Az. There were 2 restaurants for vegans to choose from the first one was a 100% vegan place that we found online months ago, we get there and they decided to close early that day for a staff meeting I won't type out the language that I was using but it was not very nice. The 2nd place advertised that they have vegan options so ok, we go and sit down only to have our server tell us that the vegan options are only available during the lunch menu after I had called to verify that they had vegan option and were open. Well after leaving a trail of choice words behind me I stomped out there like angry child who didn't get his way and we made to Natural Grocers just before they closed. This store is amazing a lot if vegan options and tons of organic produce I really wish we had this store around us. So we loaded up with some supply's and thanks  to the microwave at the hotel we had a hot supper and breakfast the next morning. Didn't get to see much of Flagstaff and after my experience here I really don't want to come back here ever.

The supply's

Thank goodness for Gardein.