Pear and goat cheese salad with buffalo ranch, apple dressing and barbecue ranch.
Pear and goat cheese salad, tomato basil soup
Spring mix tossed with craisins, almonds, goat cheese and pears.
May 23, 2023
On a sweltering summer day in the midwest, there are few things as refreshing as a crisp, cool salad tossed with light dressing and pieces of fruit. At Mia Za’s, this prescription is filled by the pre-curated pear and goat cheese salad.
The salad features creamy goat cheese, finely sliced pears, diced tomatoes, sweet craisins and slivered almonds over a bed of spring mix.
Although the menu listing features an apple dressing, I opted to order three dressing options on the side and sample them one by one. Surprisingly, the apple dressing was the least impressive of the swath — best described as bone chillingly sweet with a Jolly-Rancher-reminiscent apple flavor.
The buffalo ranch dressing — another option on the restaurant’s menu — was delightfully zesty, peppery and creamy, but it didn’t pair well with the salad.
The winner of the afternoon was the barbecue ranch dressing. It was pleasantly sweet, smoky, complex and light — not overtly barbecue-y by any means.
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Together, the elements of this dish pair beautifully — the rich and tangy goat cheese complements the bright, fresh pear slices and chewy, sweet craisins. Texturally, the spring mix and almond pieces play well together, especially when coated in my chosen dressing.
The negatives? Quality of produce and price. About a quarter of the leaves on the plate were wilted, the tomatoes were a tad under ripe and all of the greenery was sparse. For an 11 dollar salad, the quality control did not impress.
Alongside the salad, I opted for a cup of tomato basil soup. This add-on costs a little under four dollars — to me, this is a good value. The soup, which can be described as thick, aromatic, velvety and flavorful, is a pleasant addition to any meal at Mia Za’s, providing warmth and heartiness to my light and airy salad.
Mia Za’s is a great restaurant to casually partake in a baked pasta or pizza, but the value of a salad at this joint leaves much to be desired. If you’re in the mood for some fresh veggies and your friends are craving a pizza, there are more value-oriented places on Green Street to get your fix.
