I happened to be in downtown Murrieta last week around lunchtime and decided to hit one of my favorite eating establishments – The Mill. Freshly prepared food and quick service have long been a hallmark of The Mill, so if you’re in the mood for a quick, fresh and tasty lunch, you’ll want to stop in too.
They have a selection of lunch pizza’s including their famous 1919 model featuring white sauce, red and yellow roasted peppers, artichoke hearts and Canadian Bacon, a daily special lunch pasta and several sandwiches to choose from. I love their Screeching Chicken sandwich, a spicy chicken breast drizzled with hot chili oil, sprouts and herbed mayo but they had their Famous Pastrami sandwich on the menu that day that was calling to me. Served with a pasta salad or fresh sliced tomatoes with a side of cold draft IPA – just hit the spot.
In fact it was so good that companion and I stopped back in on the weekend before a Christmas light tour. After some debate we selected the Roasted Peppers with Herbed Feta appetizer over our usual Bruschetta Murrieta. They’ve got a nice variety of appetizers, many featuring their herbed granary rolls or hot and crusty sourdough. Mmmm.
Their dinner menu is extensive including several salads, 20 unique and tasty pizzas, sandwiches and numerous pasta dishes. If you want authentic Italian go to an Italian restaurant. If you want unique and authentic Mill, you can only get it here: pizzas like the aforementioned 1919 white sauce pie, Carnitas Pizza with jalapeno, cilantro and purple onion or Sydney’s Thai Chicken Pizza, with bean sprouts, chicken, roasted peanuts on a spicy peanut sauce: or pastas like Chicken Apple Sausage with herbed Feta, Cajun Chicken with mushrooms and slivered scallions in a spicy Cajun sauce or the Mill version of lasagna, Twice Baked Pasta with chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and garlic.
Companion and I shared a Warmed Spinach Salad, a tasty combo that includes warmed purple onion, feta, red wine and olive oil vinaigrette topped with Reginitto Parmesan and Kalamata olives. Companion was apparently in a Popeye mood continuing the spinach theme with the Mill Savory Spinach and Mushroom pasta – fresh spinach leaves and mushrooms in a savory cream sauce with crumbled feta. Most pasta dishes let you select your own pasta type and companion chose spinach pasta as well. She could have lifted small cars when we left.
My all-time favorite mill pasta is the Hal’ O Penyo Chicken, with tender chunks of chicken breast, scallions, purple onions and fresh tomato in a jalapeno, habanero and chili pepper cream sauce. It is delicious with just the right amount of heat to warm the throat without searing the tongue. I always get mine over Angel Hair pasta accompanied by slices of that crusty sourdough to savor any left-over sauce.
Let me just say a couple more things about The Mill. It smells great and the wine is cheap. With a large open kitchen, the savory, mouthwatering aromas of garlic, baking pizza and fresh bread assault the senses the moment you walk in. You can tell you’re in for a treat before you even take your seat. Second, they serve mostly local wines and they don’t charge an arm and a leg. I think they have one bottle that goes as high as $42 but most of their vino is priced from $18 – $28 a bottle. That helps a nice dinner date at The Mill, complete with appetizer, salad, entrees and wine come in at a very friendly budget. Their children’s menu means a family night out won’t break the bank either.
A longtime fixture in Old Town Murrieta, The Mill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as brunch on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to their dining room they have an expansive outdoor patio for those warmer evenings or al fresco lunches. They offer daily specials like their Monday family plan with large pizza, garlic bread and salad for just $24.99 and happy hour from 3 – 6 Monday thru Friday. It’s conveniently located on Washington Ave, just South of Kalmia at 24690 Washington. You can call ahead to 951-677-0960 or visit them online at http://www.themillmurrieta.com . Owners Adam & Tracy Bouvet and Linda Westfall will make sure you enjoy every minute of your Mill experience.