text: I like Paradise Bakery, but if you have been to multiple locations or ever the same location multiple times, you know it can be hit or miss depending on who is making the salad. This was the first time that the same person made salads and they were drastically different.  I met someone here for an early dinner/first date and spent time talking and getting to know each other. The restaurant was not busy and provided a good setting for a meeting. After about an hour, we made our way to the line and ordered salad. \n\nThe soup maven had to go in the back and fetch the salad lady. My date ordered Greek salad with no onions and no olives, but add chicken. The lady struggled with the successful completion of this challenging  order. She started to add onions until my friend stopped her - then she started to add the olives, again being foiled. She neglected to add the chicken until reminded. My friend's bowl was about half full when completed. She made her way down the line when the salad lady asked for my order. I stuck with an Asian chicken salad (no substitutions or alterations), but then she discovered no tongs - so into the back she went and emerged three minutes later. When completed, I had a heaping bowl of salad. \n\nBy this time my date already hit the register, paid for her own salad, picked up the drink and sat down to begin eating. Normally I would have paid for both meals, but the salad delay thwarted my chivalrous attempt... My check out was uneventful and I joined her at the table.\n\nAnother issue with the restaurant was the temperature. I can appreciate that this is Arizona and you need AC, but it isn't that hot out now. The temperature must have been set for the dog days of August in the Deep South. It was chilly and she was noticeable cold and shaking. That made for uncomfortable eating and conversation (I am sure it wasn't my company). She finished most of the salad and I maybe hit half before deciding to leave and head for warmer ground. \n\nI know it is a small treat, but the signature item at Paradise Bakery is the chocolate chip cookie. It is a bakery after all. Try the 2 for 1 cookie, stuff your face with a few bites of each free sample or take home a dozen. They are definitely worth it and provide an excellent happy finish to an otherwise healthy meal.\n\nA little more consistency on the salad portions, some fine tuning of the timeliness with the salad preparations and a reasonable temperature would have made the evening more enjoyable.