Living in Arizona will allow you to have your choice of "Mexican" food from many different regions of Mexico. I have tried quite a few restaurants myself. But what if you want something a little different? Is there another choice?
On a personal note I have been searching for a good Puerto Rican restaurant and I have found that there are very few choices across the valley.
One afternoon while I was driving through Mesa after an appointment I spotted Millie's Cafe. It's located in a strip mall on the corner of Baseline Rd and Dobson Rd. From the parking lot I could see the sign above the door had a Puerto Rican flag on it which instantly brought a smile to my face.. I walked in and was greeted by the owner behind the counter. He was very nice and walked me though everything on the menu.
I chose the arroz blanco con habichuelas y cerdo al homo (white rice, beans & roasted pork). I also ordered a Coco Rico which is a coconut flavored soda. I sat down at one of the booths and listened to salsa music while I waited for my food to be served. The food arrived in a styrofoam container that can be used to take any leftovers home in. I can why they do this because the portions are large.
The pork is slow roasted, tender and juicy. The seasonings were perfect. Most of the time I can only taste the overpowering salt flavor that many restaurants use. Not this time, it was just the perfect balance of seasonings and salt. The beans were a wonderful accompaniment to the pork and the rice was soft and fluffy. I had also ordered a pastelillo de carne which is similar to an empanada and amarillos (fried sweet plantain). The pastelillo was larger than I expected it to be and it was filled with very tasty ground beef. The amarillos were golden brown and made my mouth water. I ate until my heart and stomach were content.
I was glad that my food was served in that handy styrofoam container because I had plenty left over to take home with me. I really love this place and every time I am in Mesa I make sure to stop at Millie's Cafe and get my fill of delicious Puerto Rican food.