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APOLLO BURGER

2013-05-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Apollo Burger, 452 N State Street, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Devynne & Tyler

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Us - Gyro, Bacon Cheeseburger, Onion Rings, "Cookie" Milkshake. Them - Chicken Souvlaki, Western Bacon Cheeseburger, Strawberry Milkshake

What It Cost: $16.99 for two people

What We Thought:

My next door neighbor Jordan told Owen that Apollo Burger was his all-time favorite burger place, but for some reason I thought that the closest location was in Draper. When we realized there was one in Orem, we made plans to go immediately!

First off, you guys all know about my obsession with onion rings. So when our tray arrived with this HUGE pile-up of onion rings (it was quite monumental), let's just say I was a teensy bit excited. I mean, that is a hefty looking tray of food for under $20, I gotta admit.

I don't know what they do to their bacon, but seriously, it was the best bacon I've ever had on a burger!! It was super hot and crispy and thick and flavorful and amazing!!! The burger itself was pretty delicious too, but THE BACON! Obviously, the bacon was what really sold me on this burger -- the patty was decent, the shredded lettuce and American cheese didn't really win me over, and the rest of the toppings were just fine. It was a nice and thick bun, which was great and definitely necessary for a burger as big as this one.

The gyro was pretty good - not as good as Burgers Supreme, but definitely juicy and tender and flavorful. It didn't come with any lettuce, but I didn't really mind. The tzatziki sauce was still really good, and it was served in a decent pita as well.

Though the mount of onion rings was enormous, I can't say that they were my favorite onion rings of all time. The batter was less crispy than I usually like, and they cooled off super quickly. Cold onion rings...not so amazing. They were definitely better than the Cannon Center/Marley's onion rings, but they didn't blow my mind or anything.

This milkshake was labeled as "cookie," which we thought was funny - it was definitely an Oreo milkshake, but maybe there are some copyright issues with that or something? The milkshake was on the thinner/more drinkable side, had a really tasty flavor (duh - Oreos and ice cream...), but didn't really have any big chunks of Oreos like I was hoping for. Still a yummy compliment to the meal overall though.

The Western burger was essentially the same burger as mine, but with barbecue sauce and an onion ring on it as well. Definitely for those salt-cravers!

We really didn't go for creative choices as you can see - the chicken souvlaki was basically a gyro, but with marinated chicken instead of lamb. Oh, and it did come with shredded lettuce. I personally liked the additional texture that the lettuce contributed, though it was probably some of the palest Iceberg lettuce I've ever seen! Apollo Burger had many more much more interesting choices than what we went with (especially with pastrami?), and I would be interested to try something more exciting next time!

What You Should Do: Rumor has it that Apollo Burger is run by the same people as Burgers Supreme (can anyone confirm this?), but I have to admit, I liked the burgers here better! The gyro was still better at Burgers Supreme in my opinion (that's the only thing we ever order there!), but if you're in the mood for a decently-priced, juicy, BACON-y hamburger, Apollo Burger will definitely fit the bill!

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Pizza Pie Cafe

2013-05-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Pizza Pie Cafe, 2235 N University Parkway, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Devynne, many cousins & other family members

Number of Visits: 5

What We Ordered: Pizza Buffet

What It Cost: $8.25 per person

What We Thought:

All the Utah County culinary snobs are probably going to disown me forever after this post, but I have to get it out in the open - I like Pizza Pie Cafe!

I know, I know.

NO, I do not think that it is THE BEST pizza in Provo. But I do think that it has a fun atmosphere, is great for families and large groups, and is certainly the best pizza buffet I've ever been to!

I normally try to avoid buffets (the whole germ thing kind of worries me....) but Pizza Pie Cafe is moving through pizzas so quickly that you really have little to fear for here. If you are trying to feed a picky group on a budget, Pizza Pie Cafe is great because they have so many different options that are sure to please everyone. They have a decent salad bar, always at least seven types of pizza, and a pasta bar as well! The pasta and salad bars are included in the normal buffet prices, and you can pay for access to the soda machines as well. Good luck restraining yourself is all I have to say. Shown above are two white pizzas - chicken ranch and white chicken supreme. Yum to both!

I've never actually wasted stomach space on the pasta bar, but Owen decided to try it this last time we visited and was pleasantly surprised. They have at least four different sauces (which all are great as dipping sauces for your leftover pizza crusts!) and various pasta that are all pretty decent. Still, I'd go for the pizza...

My weakness here is definitely the cheese sticks. When I was growing up, my mom never allowed us to order cheese sticks as any restaurant because they were so easy to make at home on our own. But when they are free?? I can't help myself. Cheese and bread...does it really get any better? They also have a tasty barbecue pineapple pizza that is one of my favorites.

Dessert pizza? Um, yes please. Most places that offer dessert pizzas usually have one or two pathetic choices, but Pizza Pie Cafe is well equipped with six different choices, including three fruit (I am especially partial to the peach crumble!). They also have an Oreo pizza (soooo indulgent), cookie dough pizza (perfect for super-sweet lovers like me), and a simply delicious cinnamon pizza with cream cheese frosting. Really, where else can you get salad, dinner, and dessert for under $9??

The one complaint I have about Pizza Pie Cafe is their excessive use of bacon. I know it's a "thing" right now, but they put bacon on too many pizza for my personal liking, and it is always a very strong flavor presence. Usually I just shake off some of the bacon crumbles, and then I am much more satisfied. I like Pizza Pie Cafe because they try to keep it interesting, with fun options like this pizza with potato slices on top - I've never heard of such a thing, but it's surprisingly good!

What You Should Do: If you're feeling indulgent and have a pizza craving that must be satisfied, or if you're taking your football-playing cousin out to dinner, or if you are taking a large party of picky individuals (especially kids!), then Pizza Pie Cafe is a fun and delicious choice. I have to warn you - you will probably regret your stomach for the rest of the evening, but it will be worth it! Just please eat one of those silly cheese sticks for me!

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Rocky Mountain Drive-In

2013-04-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Rocky Mountain Drive-In, 43 S 500 W, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Onion Rings, Potato Twirl, Bacon Cheeseburger & Ranch Burger

What It Cost: $14.49

What We Thought:

Another burger place, another ho-hum meal. The old-school dining atmosphere and out-of-the-way location gave us hopes that Rocky Mountain Drive-In would be one of those special finds with great food, but unfortunately it only turned out to be average.

The one thing that was NOT average were these onions rings -- these are no question, the BEST onion rings I've had in Utah! It was so strange because everything else was just normal, but these onion rings were exactly the way I like them - no weird beer-batter breading or sogginess. They had a crisp, crunchy batter exterior and they were the perfect onion ring thickness. I had to bat away Owen's hand because I certainly did not want to share these golden rings of goodness!

The burger was nothing special. The bacon was perfectly prepared and flavorful, but the cheese was fake-tasting and the burger too wimpy and charred. They had fairly decent buns, but flavorless iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. If you are one of those people who like thin classic burgers, then you might go for this, but it just din't really do it for us.

The ranch burger was exactly the same as the bacon burger, except the mayonnaise was swapped for ranch dressing and it had white American cheese instead of yellow. Meh.

Now this little guy was exciting -- they had one on display at the cash register, and I just had to try it because it looked so interesting! It was a potato, sliced and pulled into a long spiral, and then baked I think...it basically tasted like a bunch of thick crunchy homemade potato chips, on a stick. Kind of weird, but fun to eat! Not sure if I would order one again, but it was certainly entertaining!

What You Should Do: First off, if you do decide to go here, do NOT use the bathrooms! They are downstairs, in a dingy little corner and were pretty scary. I probably would also not recommend seeking this restaurant out specifically, unless you are a huge onion ring lover like me. I probably would never go here again, unless I got a super craving for onion rings. I also have heard their milkshakes and scones are pretty good, so you may want to try these as well. But altogether, Rocky Mountain Drive-In is pretty typical, and I feel like there are better burgers here in Utah County.

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Vinto

2013-04-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Vinto, 418 E 200 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Blackberry Italian Soda, Roasted Vegetable Piadine, Tuttabella Pizza, Butterscotch Budino, and Nutella Gelato

What It Cost: $40 (including tip)

What We Thought:

Located in both Salt Lake City and Park City, Vinto offers casual Italian food with a modern atmosphere. Though they were pretty busy the night we went there, the service was pretty quick if not overly-friendly. I really liked the interior decor of the restaurant, and thought it was a fun place to eat (though I wished we had been seated in the comfy-looking circular booths!)

I was feeling a little daring, so I ordered something that I didn't know what it was - the roasted vegetable piadine. It was basically like a really messy, open burrito. The "warm, tender unleavened flatbread" was more like a crispy dry tortilla that cracked and fell apart as you tried to eat it, but at least the inside of the sandwich (??) was interesting. The arugula was some of the most mild greens I've ever had, and there was a great variety of roasted vegetables that were all super tasty! I just wished that it was served in something that was more malleable, but that's probably less "authentic." In any case, if you vegetarian, then Vinto has a lot of delicious choices.

The pizza was very delicious, but only after we realized that the little dish of seasonings on the side was intended for the pizza! The pizza comes with a little plate of parmesan, red chili flakes, and dried oregano, which are really necessary to bring out the flavor and savoriness of this tasty pizza. The sausage was plentiful and delicious, and the roasted red peppers were colorful and wonderful as well. Owen isn't a huge fan of caramelized onions, but the ones on this pizza were not too overpowering and added greatly to the pizza. This is definitely a pizza I would want to repeat in the future.

They surprisingly had a lot of dessert options I actually wanted to try, so we had to go for some! The butterscotch budino was a chilled pudding with a salted caramel topping and whipped cream. It was so indulgent and SO goooooood. Owen and I kept fighting for the spoon to have a go at it, and I wished that we had ordered two! The salted caramel had rather large crystals of salt, which were a fun surprise while eating the smooth pudding, and the biscotti was wonderful when dipped in a little pudding!

Unfortunately, the meal ended on a sad note with this exceptionally overpriced and pathetic gelato. The gelato was served far too cold, so it had more of an icy quality than the smooth texture you normally think of with gelato. The Nutella flavor was barely noticeable, and I thought it was pretty teeny for "two scoops" of really expensive ice cream. The cookie on top was cute and tasty, but it didn't make up for my disappointment with the subpar gelato.

What You Should Do: Go for the pizza and budino - everything else was only just alright. I thought the atmosphere was fun, and the Italian soda was actually one of the better ones I've had (not pictured). The pizza was definitely delicious, and they have many other flavors that sounded equally interesting and appealing. Budinos are really time-consuming to make, so I would also recommend getting this scrumptious dessert if you're in the mood!

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Mystery Post...

2013-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Today's post is going to be a little different....

Take a look below and try to guess where this sandwich is from:

Super thick piles of freshly sliced turkey, layers of salami, crisp lettuce, tomatoes and onion, all on a super soft hunk of white bread?

Would you ever guess that this sandwich was from....Walmart????

I can hear the sound of your jaw dropping right now.

Where: Walmart, 1355 Sandhill Road, Orem

Who Went: I ordered a sub sandwich for my on-campus club, around 20 people

Number of Visits: 3

What We Ordered: Two 4-foot long sub sandwiches, one with turkey and salami, the other with turkey and roast beef.

What It Cost: $44 (which is around $2 a person!)

What We Thought:

I'm not a huge Walmart fan in general, and I almost always go to Target instead, but the one thing Walmart does have going for them is their catered sub sandwiches. When you are looking to do something besides the ever-present pizza at an event and you are on a budget, these sandwiches are a relatively healthy and super low-cost option! They may even be cheaper than pizza (unless you're into those $5 disks of horror...). And the sandwiches are actually pretty good, as you can see from the pictures! It's not really a place to go out to eat, but I just thought I should share this with you because it's a great choice for catered events or even if you don't feel like cooking one night!

This is not a sponsored post. I was just so surprised at the quality and cheapness that I had to share it with you all!

Michelangelo's

2013-04-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Michelangelo's on Main, 132 S Main Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Owen and Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Lemon Italian Soda, Melon with Prosciutto, Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce, and Rigatoni with Side of Asparagus Soup

What It Cost: $45.00 (including tip)

What We Thought:

Another Italian restaurant, another disappointment. We originally planned on going to Siegfried's Deli one night in Salt Lake, but they were surprisingly closed so we had to walk around and find somewhere new. Michelangelo's was just right around the corner and had only one other table filled, so we decided to go in.

We started out with some bread, and I was a little disappointed with this teeny bread bowl! I mean, I shouldn't be eating that much bread before my meal anyway, but seven measly little cubes? And the bread was actually really good so we wanted more, and it just looked so silly in the huge black bowl it was served in.

Owen ordered a lemon Italian soda which was not very sweet at all (super tart) and did not have much cream. Plus, no refills. Not impressed. And expensive.

I wanted to substitute my soup or salad side option for one of the appetizers and just pay the difference, which the server said I could do. I chose to get the honeydew and prosciutto, because I love prosciutto and it sounded interesting. The melon was not very ripe, but the prosciutto was thinly sliced and flavorful. I think I enjoyed it more than I would a normal side, and it was a nice refreshing break from my heavy pasta.

Owen chose the asparagus soup for his side, which was also hilariously small, and not all that wonderful. It was good and filling, but the asparagus flavor was a little wimpy and not exceptionally creamy. I probably would want to try another soup if I went there again.

I ordered the gnocchi because I love gnocchi and it is a huge pain to make on your own. The gnocchi here was smaller than I've had before and a little sticky, but it had good flavor. I liked the bolognese sauce, which was meaty and fresh, and there was a good sauce to pasta ratio. I would have preferred more than a little sprinkling of basil (it was kind of just a tease), and since it was a potato-based pasta, it was very filling. Was it a decent meal? Yes. Was it something I couldn't make at home for a quarter of the price? No...

Owen's rigatoni was probably the best dish out of everything we ordered - it was coated in a slightly sweet red sauce with cooked onions and spicy sausage that was all very tasty. It was much less heavy than my dish, and had a nice blend of Italian spices. But once again, pasta is so easy to make! And this wasn't really anything very difficult at all.

What You Should Do: Stay at home and make Italian yourself! Pasta is so cheap and easy to make on your own, so I almost always feel like I'm paying way too much for what I get. My server forgot to substitute in the melon for my side, so not only did I end up paying more, but I didn't get a soup or salad that my meal should have come with! The service was not very attentive, and the food was only alright. If you are really craving Italian food and feel like you have money to spare, then Michelangelo's is usually not very busy and would be an acceptable choice. Otherwise, the quest for reasonable Italian food shall continue...

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Suki Hana

2013-04-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Suki Hana, 28 S State Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What I Ordered: Chicken Teriyaki with Noodles

What It Cost: $5.25

What I Thought:

Where I'm from, Asian restaurants serving pho and teriyaki are as prevalent as Mexican restaurants are here. So every now and then I get a serioussss craving for some salty, sticky, saucy teriyaki that must be filled! Since City Creek is a popular destination for me and all my shopping, I decided to give Suki Hana a try at the City Creek food court.

I am sorry people, but this is some sad teriyaki. The noodles were obviously prepared hours ago and were slightly cold and oily. And the chicken, though it did satisfy my craving, was definitely nowhere near the best teriyaki I've ever had. It was drowning in too much sauce and felt soggy. There was enough salt and MSG in the dish to make it palatable, but I don't think I'll go here next time I get the teriyaki urge.

What You Should Do: The City Creek food court has lots of different options, and in the future, I'd probably recommend avoiding this one. Though inexpensive, the food was not very good quality, the teriyaki was very sad, and the noodles were too oily and tepid to be enjoyed. Check out Taste of the Red Iguana instead!

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Pantrucas

2013-03-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Pantrucas Chilean Restaurant, 3161 N Canyon Road, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Anthony & Kierea

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Churrasco Palta, Barros Luco, Ave Palta, Completo Italiano, Cheese Empanada, 2 Peach Juices and a Mango Juice.

What It Cost: $26.00 for two people

What We Thought:

In the mood for something unique, flavorful, and local? Pantrucas is a delicious little family-owned and operated treat hidden up on Canyon Road that serves Chilean fare. They have been on my to-visit list for a long time now, and when I set up a double date with one of my friends who served his mission in Chile, I knew we had to go here so I could get a real opinion on its authenticity!

We started out with three juices - two peach and one mango. Though a little on the pricey side, they definitely do not skimp out on the juice with these huge carafes filled with fresh-squeezed flavor! Definitely some of the best juices I've ever had at a restaurant, and I can only imagine how delicious and refreshing these would taste on a hot summer day! Definitely will have to come here mid-August!

My favorite sandwich was actually the one Owen ordered - the Barros Luco sandwich. It is essentially a steak and cheese sandwich, served on their homemade crunchy bread. The homemade bread is outstanding - very fresh and toasted to a fun crispness, and I really loved the marinated, flavorful, tender steak inside. They went a little crazy with the cheese, which made me love it even more! So comforting and soooo good!

Anthony ordered the Completo Italiano, which was essentially a loaded hot dog. I had no idea that hot dogs would be considered Chilean food, but Anthony said that food carts sell hot dogs just like this all over the place! The hot dog was enormous, and had plenty of tomatoes, onions, and other toppings that all looked fresh and wonderful.

The Ave Palta and Churrasco Palta sandwiches were essentially the same - the former with chicken and the latter with steak - and they were equally tasty. Served on the same bread as the above steak sandwich, these were absolutely loaded with fresh, ripe avocado, smashed and spread into a thick layer. Then the same delicious marinated meat, topped with hefty slices of thick tomatoes and herbs. So simple, but so amazing. This is another one that I bet would be absolutely divine in the summer, and it is definitely worth it.

What You Should Do: Pantrucas is definitely one of those special Provo places you should add to your list. They are very different, very delicious, and very authentic according to my friend! You may not have known what Chilean food is like, but Pantrucas can give you a fun cultural dining experience with plenty of choices to satisfy all palates.

Taste of Red Iguana

2013-03-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Taste of Red Iguana, 28 S State Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What I Ordered: Enchilada Verde Lunch Special

What It Cost: $4.63

What I Thought:

Red Iguana without all the lines? They don't have all of the options or the ambience, but the Taste of the Red Iguana at City Creek is a great option if you are in a hurry but really are craving that unique Red Iguana flavor! They have some of the best Red Iguana options, like the Tacos don Ramon and Enchiladas Suizas at the same prices. They don't have the huge menu of the normal restaurant, but they also don't have the long wait! My enchiladas had a nice and tangy chile verde sauce and flavorful chicken with soft corn tortillas, and it came with their regular refried beans and spicy rice - so good! The lunch special came also came with chips and a little bit of salsa - it was actually quite a bit of food for under five dollars!

What You Should Do: If you are in downtown Salt Lake Lake and love Red Iguana, go ahead and give the Taste of Red Iguana at City Creek! A lot of people give it a bad rap because it's not exactly the same, and of course it isn't as incredibly amazing, but for a quick Mexican tasty fix, this could certainly beat any of your other typical food court choices.

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Curry Fried Chicken

2013-03-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Where: Curry Fried Chicken, 660 S State Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Curry Fried Chicken Plate and Shawarma

What It Cost: $23.00

What We Thought:

Curry fried chicken? I've never heard of such a thing! Indian food mixed with fried chicken - it sounded too weird not to try it, plus they had such great reviews online so I had to know what it was all about. It was pretty empty for a Thursday night, and they cooked everything hot right there for us. It took a little longer than we had hoped for, but while we were waiting, they were nice of us to bring us free pita and hummus!

It was some of the best pita/naan I've ever had - warm and toasty that was much more tasty than a normal bread basket to start the meal out! The hummus was pretty good, but not anything too different or unique. But it was on the house, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Have you seen The Avengers? Are you crazy like us and stayed until the very end to see the superheroes sitting casually and eating their shawarma? Well, we did, and every since then Owen has obviously wanted to try some shawarma! It took me a long time to find anywhere that served it, but Curry Fried Chicken had it, and it was delicious. This version was exceptionally similar to a gyro (but with different meat of course), with a cool cucumber sauce, lettuce, tomatoes all wrapped up in a soft naan. We definitely want to try it again (and pretend to be awesome superheroes...okay, a little lame.... :)

And now, for the food we've all been waiting for -- the curry fried chicken! It was served atop some basmati rice, a bit of naan, spinach that tasted a little bit like it was from a can...a little salad with some cucumber cilantro sauce, some potatoes and cooked lentils. But the chicken. Oh, the chicken. I've never had anything like it! It was so hot and freshly fried, with the juiciest chicken inside and a definite curry flavor that went amazingly and surprisingly well with the normal flavors you expect from wonderful fried chicken. All I can say is you have to try it to see for yourself!

What You Should Do: Go for the fried chicken! Everything else was just alright, but the curry fried chicken was so unique and juicy and spicy and delicious...you have to try it. I am pretty sure that you can order just the curry chicken on its own (as opposed to on the plate), and I would probably recommend that since it's really the star of this show!

Cannella's

2013-03-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Before we begin...let's announce the Rubio's giveaway winners!

Winner 1: Pauline Grayson

Winner 2: Adriana Westover

Winner 3: Laura Bean

Congratulations! Please email me at chelsey@eatbyu.com so we can arrange the details of your free meals!

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Where: Cannella's, 204 E 500 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Mom

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Lunch Special Sandwich with Side Salad, Bruschetta

What It Cost: $16.75

What We Thought:

I normally hate basically every Italian restaurant I ever eat at (why do I keep going to Italian restaurants??), but a quick visit to Cannella's has given me hope for family-owned Italian joints in the future!

I stopped by here for a quick lunch after picking up my Mom from the airport - we were planning on having an early dinner but didn't want to be starving before then so we tried to eat light (though it still ended up being quite filling!). We ordered the turkey cranberry sandwich, which came with a starter salad. The salad was interesting - it had cucumbers, pepperoncinis, chickpeas, thickly shredded mozzarella, beets, and a creamy dressing. It wouldn't really be my first choice of ingredients for a salad, but it worked for us, and I was so hungry that it tasted good anyway!

I love bruschetta, so I was delighted when we were served these pretty little bites! The crostini were nice and hearty, the basil was sliced just right, and I loved the pretty little swirls of goat cheese. I was glad that they chose to use a balsamic reduction on top of the bruschetta of straight balsamic vinegar - it gave it a little more body and a more subtle flavor.

We had ordered the turkey cranberry sandwich, and unfortunately they put in our order incorrectly and we ended up with the club sandwich, which was the special of the day. Also unfortunately, we didn't realize this until halfway through eating the sandwich, so it felt a little late to ask for the other one. Fortunately however, we didn't even think about it, because the sandwich was so good!! Cannella's make all of their best fresh on site, and it was so thick and fresh and delicious. There was a huge pile of turkey, perfectly crispy bacon, and smeared avocado, that all came together in one exceptionally tasty sandwich!

What You Should Do: Though we didn't order anything that was super Italian, Cannella's has restored some of my faith in the potential for Italian restaurant food done right. I definitely am adding it to my list of places to when I crave an Italian dinner, and I would recommend you do so too! And if you happen to be nearby at the library or something, they make an incredibly enjoyable lunch too.

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Rubio's Giveaway!

2013-02-27T10:49:00.002-08:00

I hope you all enjoyed the review on Rubio's yesterday...all this snow is seriously making me crave tacos! And if you are also in a taco mood, you are in luck! We are giving away THREE free meals to Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill. Just enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below! This giveaway will end March 4th at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill

2013-02-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, 530 E University Parkway, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Mom, & Devynne

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Chipotle Orange Shrimp Salad, Grilled Grande Bowl, Baja Grill Burrito, Mango Habanero Pacific Mahi Mahi Taco, and Gourmet Taco with Chicken

What It Cost: $16.59 for two people

What We Thought:

I kept hearing about Taco Tuesday, but somehow I never seem to manage to make it there on a Tuesday so when we were driving by the other day, I knew we had to go in and give it a try!

Look how fun and colorful that salad is! The flavor wasn't quite as vibrant as the salad appears, but it was still pretty good. The shrimp was good and marinated nicely, but the salad's dressing was a little weak. We also wished that the salad itself had more lettuce, which is cheap to add and would have made the salad seem more substantial and worth the cost.

What a sad looking burrito! Especially when it follows that colorful salad...It didn't look super fancy, but it was still a fairly decent burrito - I've had so many smothered burritos lately, so it was nice to go back to the classic, pick up with two hands kind of burrito for me! The burrito wasn't too dry and there was a good amount of chicken inside, but it didn't have the freshness or quality of ingredients you can get around here, like at Mountain West Burrito.

Devynne ordered the rice bowl, which was basically like a jumbo burrito opened up without the tortilla. Once again, good, but not amazing. The guacamole tasted fairly fresh, which was nice, and I liked the salsa, but the meat and rice themselves were rather boring.

They are known for their tacos, and if I were ever to return, I think that's what I would order after trying Owen's dish. They have a little salsa bar that you can visit to dress up your tacos to your choosing, and they were pretty cheap and good for Utah fish tacos. The salsa on the mahi mahi taco was spicy and delicious, and the avocado on the grande taco was enjoyable as well. We liked the thick and soft tortillas, and thought they were pretty decent overall.

What You Should Do: Well, I think I definitely have to go there on a Tuesday! They are $1 each for their typical tilapia taco after 2:30 on Tuesdays, and if they are anything like their other fish tacos, I can't wait to try them! Stick with the tacos here at Rubio's - everything else was alright, but not as good or as cheap as the tacos.

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Tiburon

2013-02-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Tiburon, 8256 S 700 E, Sandy

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Ahi Tuna, Beef Tenderloin, and Boysenberry Cheesecake

What It Cost: ~$75 (we had a Groupon, so I can't remember exactly)

What We Thought:

Tiburon is one of the few expensive restaurants I've been to here in Utah where I really felt like the high price was worth the bill and I would definitely want to return here again. If you are really looking to impress someone with exceptionally delicious food, Tiburon would be a great place to make a reservation. The only thing I did not enjoy about this restaurant was the other restaurant attendees - come on people! If you are going to be spending $50+ on a meal, please wear something nicer than jeans and a baseball cap! But that's just a personal issue...

The service at Tiburon was very cordial, and we started out our meal with the standard bread basket. I have to apologize ahead of time - these are probably the worst pictures I've ever taken at a restaurant, but I just had to share Tiburon with you! It was a very dark restaurant inside so the pictures are not good, but the food was very delicious!

We started out with the standard bread basket, and the bread was very fresh and soft. Instead of just serving normal butter, we received a sundried tomato herb butter, which was exceptionally tasty and surprisingly sweet. I really didn't want to fill up on bread before our real food came, but it was very good!

I heard someone commenting at a table next to us that they will come to Tiburon just for their house salad, and I can certainly see why! Their delicious house salad was served on a bed of baby mixed greens with Granny Smith apples, a house dried Roma tomato, fontina cheese, candied pecans and a shallot balsamic dressing. It had just the right balance of sweet, salty, sour, savory - you name it. This was one sexy salad, and I definitely look forward to having it again! The only problem with it was that my Roma tomato seemed like it was really cold on my salad, but Owen's salad didn't have that problem, so there must have just been something weird going on.

This little cup may not look like much, but it was a delightful little sorbet that was served in between our salad and entree courses. I especially loved the seasonal raspberry sorbet, with its piquant tartness and rich color. A lemon sorbet was the bottom scoop, and it was a nice way to prepare for our main meal.

Owen received a cut of medium rare beef that was drizzled with a balsamic reduction and creamy peppery sauce. Owen loves pepper, so naturally he found this wonderfully delicious. It was served with some roasted vegetables and I had one delectable bite, but honestly, I was way too distracted and involved with my own meal to pay much attention to what was going on over on his pretty plate...

Man, I wish this picture did any justice to how incredibly amazing this dish was! It was fresh ahi tuna, seared to the most tender rare cut of fresh fish you've ever had in this state of Utah. It was encrusted with black sesame seeds which were so fun to eat when contrasted to the soft, melty meat. It was topped with soy and honey marinated shredded carrot, which helped to freshen up the plate, in addition to some roasted vegetables and pineapple fried rice. The pineapple fried rice was so good, I would order it on it's own! It tasted so light and crunchy, the pineapple was so fresh, sweet and tangy, and I was so full but I had to keep eating it because it was so so so good!

Since I'm from the Pacific Northwest, I get really excited about anything that is boysenberry, marionberry, or huckleberry flavored and we knew we had to order this cheesecake. I don't know how to fully describe it fairly, but this was, without a doubt, one of the best traditional cheesecakes I've ever had. A lovely creme anglais was served with a berry compote atop perfectly prepared cheesecake. It's so unfair that dessert is served at the end of the meal. I always feel like I am too full to enjoy it as much as I should!

What You Should Do: Tiburon is a big YES in my book. Pricey places are so dangerous - you don't want to risk spending so much if it's not worth the cost. But luckily, you have me to guide the way, and I would certainly recommend trying out Tiburon for a special occasion! And make sure to wear something nice!

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Chick-fil-A

2013-02-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Chick-fil-A, 28 South State, Salt Lake City (multiple locations, including American Fork)

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Nuggets

What It Cost:

What We Thought: $7.38

I've never been to Chick-fil-A, but it seems to be one of those Utah favorites (like Cafe Rio) that everyone seems to love but no one seems to be able to explain. "Their nuggets are just...so good!!!" I've heard tons of people say, so I needed to find out for myself what all this chicken madness was about.

Owen was in a spicy mood, so he went for the spicy chicken sandwich. We originally tried their food at the food court at City Creek center, so their menu wasn't the most detailed and we didn't have time to ask about all the sandwich specifics. But we definitely weren't expecting to find this inside....

A hunk of fried meat and two sad pickles?? Really? For a sandwich that cost almost $5, I was at least hoping for a little frill of lettuce and tomatoes, maybe some sauce? Nope. This sandwich was as dry as a Utah winter, and was certainly no better (and much less interesting) than a spicy chicken sandwich at Wendy's. We could have paid more and upgraded for a more well-rounded sandwich apparently, but I didn't feel like nearly doubling the price of my sandwich for what I already expected to come.

Chick-fil-A is known for their special sauces, so of course we had to try them all. We got the buffalo sauce, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and house special sauce. The first three were all about what you'd expect, nothing too special. And I'm pretty sure the house sauce is just honey mustard sauce mixed with mayonnaise or something to make it creamier. It was good, but would I ever go there just for the sauce? No.

Behold, the famed and beloved chicken nuggets. There are probably hundreds of copycat recipes on Pinterest for this, with ingredients ranging from pickle juice to paprika, so I figured they were kind of a big deal. And while they were certainly more tender and flavorful than your typical take-out chicken nuggets, they just didn't do it for me!

What You Should Do: Chick-fil-A seems to have a really popular following out there, so I'm probably going to be hated for this, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way for this. To me, their food wasn't much better than any other more-accessible fast food joint, and it was much more overpriced for the sad food we received! Maybe I just need to eat there more often to get the Chick-fil-A craze, but I think I'll save my money and time.

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Maria Bonita Mexican Grill

2013-02-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Maria Bonita Mexican Grill, 171 W 800 N, Orem

Who Went: Owen & Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Agua de Piña, Mole Enchiladas, and Carnitas Tacos

What It Cost: $28.50

What We Thought:

There are so many Mexican restaurants here in Utah County, so it's fun to see how each one sets themselves apart! At Maria Bonita, it's all about the atmosphere. A warm, super welcoming atmosphere with cozy chairs and a lovely hostess who greets you with great enthusiasm and vigor!

We started out our meal with agua de piña (pineapple water), which was surprisingly good. If you are planning on ordering something spicy, I would definitely recommend getting this drink! It was very refreshing, and served in a huge glass that would certainly get you through the meal (though they still offered free refills).

Prior to our food being served, we received this little bowl of broth. It had some rice and onions inside, and was actually a nice way to start off the meal, especially if you visit there on a cold winter night! The best part of drinking this up before our food came was that it helped me to not overeat - a good thing if you are still working on that New Year's goal!

I ordered the chicken mole enchiladas, since I feel like I've yet to find a mole as flavorful or amazing the Red Iguana, but I don't want to have to travel up to Salt Lake every time I'm craving spicy Mexican chocolatey goodness! Though it wasn't as life-changing as the moles up north (or far down south, surely...), it was one of the better mole sauces I've ever had and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also liked how it was served with a nice plop of guacamole - the avocado really helped balance the intense spice flavors of the sauce and was just what I needed! The only downside was that the chicken was a little dry inside and the rice wasn't my favorite, but it was still pretty good altogether.

Owen's carnitas were pretty delicious. With fresh squeezed lime juice and the creamy avocado sauce they served on the side, the tacos were moist and tasty. There was quite a bit of cilantro on each taco, so if you are one of those people who are genetically predisposed to disliking cilantro (it's a real thing!) then I probably wouldn't recommend ordering these tacos. But I liked the corn tortillas, the meat was very flavorful and juicy, and the roasted jalapeño it was served with was an exciting touch.

What You Should Do: Though there certainly are lots of options for Mexican food out there, I would definitely recommend adding Maria Bonita's to your list. They have a lovely atmosphere, lots of menu options (especially seafood, if you are interested in that), and good food. After receiving our bill, I felt like it was a little overpriced for what we got, but you won't be disappointed if you head here for tasty Mexican food!

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Farr's Fresh

2013-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Where: Farr's Fresh, 1073 S 750 E, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey, Devynne, Jessica, Robert & kids

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Self-serve frozen yogurt & custard (I got a mix of pineapple, and something else fruity with gummy worms and vanilla wafers)

What It Cost: ~$4/person

What We Thought:

Attention all crazy Disneyland fans out there! You MUST go to Farr's Fresh as soon as possible!

One of the best things about Disneyland are those heavenly, amazing Dole pineapple whips. They are one of those foods you wish you could eat for the rest of your life. And no trip to Disneyland is complete for me without at LEAST three trips to the Dole Pineapple whip stand!

Fortunately for all of us poor college students out there who can't afford to go to Disneyland anymore, Farr's Fresh brings the wonderful flavor of Dole Pineapple Whips here to Utah County!

Farr's Fresh is a fun alternative to your normal Utah County frozen yogurt joints because they also offer custards, sorbets, normal ice cream, and DOLE PINEAPPLE WHIPS. Yeah, you heard me right. The same pineapple pleasure can be found at Farr's Fresh and it is seriously so good. Plus you can top it with some fresh strawberries or mangoes...life is good.

What You Should Do: I think it's pretty clear - go to Farr's Fresh ASAP and get yourself some pineapple whip! If they stop carrying this, I will probably cry.

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Tenney's Pizza

2013-01-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Tenney's Pizza, 282 East Sr 73, Saratoga Springs

Who Went: Chelsey & Devynne

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Medium Backyard BBQ Pizza

What It Cost: $8.62

What We Thought:

If you decide to go up to those new outlet malls and need a quick bite on the way home, Tenney's Pizza is a great choice for some fast and delicious pizza nearby!

We decided to go here because I was seriously craving pizza and Tenney's was the closest place. We took the scenic drive there through some interesting country roads to find this place, but the good news about a place that is a little harder to find is that they were not busy at all! We got a hot and fresh pizza in about ten minutes, made especially for us. It had all of the delicious flavors of your typical BBQ chicken pizza - sweet barbecue sauce, diced pineapple, thinly sliced red onion and green onion, plenty of chicken, plus something new...sweet white corn! It added some nice textural variety and a delicious sweetness. I originally didn't think I would like the crust when he brought it out to us, but it ended up being more delicious than we expected!

What You Should Do: If you happen to be in the Saratoga Springs area (or Sandy where they have another location), I would definitely recommend checking out Tenney's Pizza! They have a special gourmet flavor every day, where you can get a medium sized pizza for five dollars, and the medium pizza was definitely large enough to feed three people. They have some delicious other flavors, like buffalo chicken, pesto, and taco pizza, that I will definitely want to try in the future!

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IKEA Restaurant

2013-01-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: IKEA Restaurant, 67 West Ikea Way, Draper

Who Went: Chelsey, Kirsten & her neighbor

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Kid's Chicken Strips and Fries, and Meatball Plate

What It Cost: ~$5 per person

What We Thought:

IKEA has a special kind of attraction - cheap, cheap, cheapness! Not only is all the furniture and decor cheap, but they have a little cafe that also serves inexpensive food.

We ordered the chicken strips and fries for Kirsten's son, and they were pretty much about what you would expect for cheap chicken and fries - the fries crispy and a nice thickness. The breading on the chicken was pretty thick and covered all chicken flavor you might get. The chicken was a little dry and nothing great, but for a two-year-old, it wasn't too bad.

The meatball plate is the iconic IKEA dish, served with mashed potatoes and jellied lingonberries, which basically taste like cranberries. Though it was a good amount of food for the price, the food was not really the best. The meatball was too small and a bit dry, and the potatoes were a little too sticky and gluey for me. The little drop of lingonberries was almost laughably small, but at least there was enough gravy for all of the meatballs to give it enough flavor.

What You Should Do: If you are at IKEA and forgot to have lunch, you won't be incredibly disappointed if you stop by their cafe for a quick lunch. They have a few healthy options like salads (though I was stray away from scary-looking smoked salmon....) and everything is really inexpensive. Is it fabulous cuisine? No. Would I come here just for the food? No. But will you get fed for a low price and quick service? Yes.

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Marley's Gourmet Sliders

2013-01-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Marley's Gourmet Sliders, 4801 N University Avenue, Suite 860

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1.5

What We Ordered: Bacon Jalapeño Burger Slider, Chicken Avocado Slider, Onion Rings

What It Cost: $6/person

What We Thought:

These little mini-burgers seemed to have popped into popularity out of nowhere lately! It's a clever idea I suppose - make the burgers smaller so you feel less guilty about eating them, and then you end up eating even more! Plus everything that is mini-sized is by default cuter, and what could be cuter than itty bitty burger? Well I'm not sure if Marley's is going for the "cute" angle, with their biker-themed decor and everything, but we decided to give them a try anyway.

I think Marley's is one of those restaurants that some people love and others will hate. If you like a large, fluffy bun to be the star of your burger, then you should give Marley's a try. For me, the bun is not very important, and only is there to keep all the juicy goodness together. I thought the thick rolls that are used as buns here were much too large, especially compared to the thin patty you can see inside. The bun overpowered all burger flavor, and if I was in a burger mood, it wouldn't really satisfy the craving.

Their onion rings were sliced nice and thick, which I enjoyed. It has a nice and flavorful coating, and they were pretty good overall. My only complaint is that they cooled off really quickly, and did not taste very good once cold (they got pretty soggy). The fry sauce was about what you'd expect - nothing too different here.

The chicken slider was actually my surprise favorite. I felt like there was more meat on this sandwich, and the avocado spread helped moisten up the thick bun. The chicken was nicely charred which gave it some good flavor, and overall I thought it was pretty good.

What You Should Do: As far as burgers go, Marley's isn't really one of my favorites in Utah County. The idea of sliders could be good, but overall I thought the buns were too thick and the patties too thin. When you order enough food that would be the equivalent of a regular burger, it ends up being pretty pricey too. One thing that Marley's has going for it is the great variety on the menu - lots of different burger flavors, in addition to chicken, turkey, and breakfast options. If you are the type of person who can never decide what type of burger you want to order, and you like thick buns, then Marley's would be a good choice for you.

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Wild Mustang

2013-01-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Wild Mustang, 860 West 1250 South, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Six-Stack of Ribs with side of Vegetables and Sweet Potato Fries, Beef Brisket with New Potatoes and Baked Beans, Chocolate Meringue Pie

What It Cost: Free...((on accident!))

What We Thought:

We were originally planning to ride the new FrontRunner train to Salt Lake on the free train day, but like all free Utah things, it was super crazy and packed. So with the evening's plans ruined, we drove back towards home on University, when I noticed that the sign was turned on for the Wild Mustang. I'd seen it before and knew it was a new restaurant, so with last-minute decisiveness, we decided to pull into the parking lot!

When we arrived, there was a little bit of a wait, and the hostess kept mentioning how she was surprised at how full the restaurant was. We were seated, and then proceeded to wait a good fifteen minutes until our server arrived.

When she finally did come around and ask if we wanted drinks, we were each given one of these sad looking rolls. I had thought that this restaurant was going to be similar to Texas Roadhouse (with hopefully shorter lines!), and they did give us some honey butter, but I was just so put out by this poor little roll. So ugly, so haphazard.

After taking our order, she gave back in another 15 minutes and brought this basket of rolls -- much better! A whole basket, beautifully shaped, and much prettier! The honey butter was soft and spreadable on the warm rolls, and my hopes were lifted again.

It took probably another twenty minutes or so for our food to arrive, so when it did, we were absolutely ravenous. My dish was probably the highlight of the meal - these were some of the best ribs I've ever had in a restaurant. The barbecue sauce was tangy and had just the right amount of smokiness and sweetness, and the meat was perfectly prepared. Sometimes restaurants manage to make "slow-cooked" into "super dry and awful," but not here! They were easy to eat, superbly flavorful, and if I'm ever in the mood for ribs, I'm going to come to Wild Mustang! The side of vegetables was alright - not really a variety of vegetables, but it was nice to have something relatively healthy to try (though I'm pretty sure they were cooked in loads of butter....)

My first side option didn't arrive with the meal because they were all out (the soup of the day), so I decided to try the sweet potato fries. Of course it took another ten minutes for them to arrive, but they were pretty good. They were out of ketchup, so I went with ranch - a viable option.

Owen ordered the beef brisket, which was served on a slice of country toast. We thought the toast was a little weird, but it ended up being pretty good if you ate the meat on top! The brisket was a little drier than we had hoped, but was still overall fairly tasty. We had to laugh at the side of "new potatoes," which were literally just two baked red potatoes, completely plain. When our server asked if he wanted butter with the potatoes, we said yes, and were brought another little container of the honey butter. I'm not sure if this was on purpose, but the honey butter on the potatoes was a little weird (but not horrible). The side of baked beans was the smallest portion of baked beans I've ever seen, and they were definitely unique - full of meat chunks and different types of beans. They weren't our favorite baked beans ever, but they weren't bad.

We decided to go for a piece of chocolate meringue pie, and she ended up bring us out two! It wasn't the prettiest pie, but it had pretty good flavor. I especially liked the meringue and thick buttery crust.

When we asked for the check, she told us that everything was on the house because tonight was the Friends & Family soft opening event! We were totally surprised and honestly awkward, but that totally explained our "complaints" about any service or lacking menu items! They didn't even have their registers up and running yet, and they were super busy (if you're going to have a lit-up sign on University on a Saturday night, people are going to come in!) with probably a not-full staff, so I completely forgive them of all service issues we had! Not to mention -- free food! Yeah, we totally lucked out on this one...!

What You Should Do: I would definitely recommend checking out Wild Mustang...now that they are open for real! Wild Mustang is like a less busy Texas Roadhouse, with better ribs! Though they were quite slow, I really can't blame them, and the service was still all very friendly. As far as the food presentation and side dish size complaints go - I'm sure they were also due to the soft opening craziness, so all in all, pretty good! We hope to be able to visit again some time when they have been up and running for a while!

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Harvest Restaurant

2012-12-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Harvest Restaurant, 3003 N Thanksgiving Way, Lehi

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Warm Apple Cider, Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Butternut Squash Ravioli

What It Cost: $51.00

What We Thought:

Most of the time at expensive restaurants, I leave the place thinking, "Oh sheesh. How many hours am I going to have to work to make up for that? Why did I spend so much on a meal that was not much better than something much cheaper??"

Fortunately, Harvest Restaurant was not the same.

I don't remember what was going on (probably I finished a big test or something), but I wanted to celebrate! With plans of heading to the new outlet malls in Lehi, we decided to splurge on this exciting-looking restaurant at Thanksgiving Point. Entering the restaurant from a cold winter night, I immediately loved the warm and cozy ambience. The decor was a little cheesy but still very nice, and we were lucky enough to be seated next to the crackling fireplace.

We started out with some warm spiced apple cider, which was perfectly warm and delicious on a cold night. We especially loved the cute little teapot it came in, though it was a little hard to pour from...

Prior to our meal, we received this cute little loaf of bread. It was served fresh and hot, and was absolutely adorable of course. It was quite a lot of bread for just two people, but we thoroughly enjoyed it - light airy honey wheat bread with some sweet butter on the side.

I was a little bit on a butternut squash kick for the night - I couldn't help it, it just sounded so good! I was a little disappointed because the soup didn't actually arrive until the rest of my food had come. It would have been nice if it had arrived earlier as a starter like I thought it was going to. Nonetheless, it had a delightful flavor - the sweet squash balanced out by the savory curry flavor. I liked the toasted pepitas on top, which added a little textural variety to the smooth and creamy soup. It was pretty filling; on a night when you're not as hungry, it could definitely be a meal in itself!

Owen ordered the buttermilk fried chicken (with my encouragement), and it was exceptionally gratifying. The chicken was a nice thick cut, which made me a little nervous, but it was cooked all the way through while still remaining succulent and juicy. We liked the flavor of the buttermilk coating, and the buttered green beans were fresh and crisp. The mashed potatoes were a little too gluey for me, but they still had a nice flavor and went well with the chicken.

The butternut squash ravioli was the highlight of the meal for me. I should have taken another picture, but the ravioli pastas were individual little works of art - they were made from this bright red and orange stripe patterned pasta that was really amazing. Once I could get over their prettiness, I bit into an incredibly savory and scrumptious ravioli pasta that was coated in a creamy sage sauce. Grated pecorino gave a nice tangy flavor that helped cut the creaminess, and the toasted pecans were a unique and innovative touch that really enhanced this dish. I liked the little chunks of butternut squash that were mixed in, and I wished that I wasn't so full from the soup so that I could keep eating it!

What You Should Do: I would definitely recommend Harvest as an excellent choice for a quality night out. I only wished the service was a little better (getting my soup out late/she was not very attentive), but altogether, we really enjoyed our meal here. The food was all absolutely delicious, and we definitely want to go back again!

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Also, Merry Christmas!!

Banbury Cross

2012-12-18T14:48:00.004-08:00

Where: Banbury Cross, 705 S 700 E, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Monica

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Butterfly Donut, Maple Bar, Twist Donut, Chocolate Sprinkles, Lemon-Filled, and Maple Cake Donut

What It Cost: $6.49

What We Thought:

"Better than Krispy Kreme" many have claimed. I'm not a huge doughnut person, but when I get one and decide to waste that many calories on one food item, it BETTER be good!

Fortunately, Banbury Cross lived up to all the raves and review for us! We went there on a Friday morning right before 9 and it was very, very busy. Since they are so popular, they were sadly out of THE best doughnut flavor, aka Boston Cream. Though definitely disappointed to miss out on that chocolate and creamy goodness, the other doughnuts were absolutely delicious.

I would definitely recommend the raised doughnuts over the cake doughnuts - they were served warm and had that wonderful soft, fluffy, light texture that you always look for. I especially loved the maple bars. The frosting flavor was divine, and they were so good that we almost ate them all before I could bring any home!

What You Should Do: All doughnut lovers must make this a top destination, and make sure you get there early! I think you can pre-order doughnuts, which may be a good way to go if you want to make a large order or are looking for a specific flavor. They have some fun and interesting ones, like blueberry or sticky bun, and a pretty speedy service despite how busy they are!

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Finals Week

2012-12-11T12:38:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone!

It's finals week so I'm not sure if I'll have time to do a post today. Hopefully everything will go well and I'll be seeing you later this week!

Good luck to all those studying :)

Banana Leaf

2012-12-04T14:44:00.004-08:00

Where: Banana Leaf, 409 N University Avenue, Provo

Who Went: Owen & Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Avocado Juice, Sri Lankan Lamprice, and Sri Lankan Chicken Kothu

What It Cost: $37.00

What We Thought:

I've been hesitant to write my post on Banana Leaf for a while because I know a lot of people are really passionate about their food. I was very excited to try this restaurant after I had heard about their unique menu and atmosphere, and though it was certainly very different than anything else in Utah County, I didn't really love it. The service was exceptionally slow (it took us over two hours to have our meal, and we didn't order any appetizers or desserts), it was fairly expensive for what we got, and some elements of each dish just tasted sort of off to us.

We started out with the avocado juice which obviously sounded very interesting. It was more of an avocado smoothie than juice, which I thought was fine, and it had a very mild flavor and smooth, creamy texture (**Looking back at their menu online, I see that they have now changed the name to "Avocado Shake," which is appropriate). The whipped cream on top was nothing special, and it was served with a chocolate sauce. This would have been a great addition, except for the fact that it tasted exactly like Hershey's chocolate syrup (which I'm pretty sure doesn't contain very much real chocolate at all). We decided to forgo the syrup and just drink the smoothie plain, but it really would have been nice with some chocolate undertones. Since it was also very thick, it didn't really do much to quench your thirst after you ate something spicy, like you might find with a mango lassi and Indian food. But I don't know anywhere else in Utah where you can get an avocado beverage, so at least it had that going for them.

The one thing I absolutely insisted on was ordering something that came in a Banana Leaf. Their menu was surprisingly limited (usually I find that ethnic restaurants have very large menus), so I decided to go with the lamprice (one of two options served inside a banana leaf) which sounded more unique and original.

It certainly was unique and mixed flavors I'd never had before. There was seasoned rice with curried chicken and baked potatoes, topped with a mango chutney and spicy chili sauce. The thing that really threw this one off for me was the fried eggs inside - there was a hard boiled egg that had been deep-fried and cut in half inside of the banana leaf concoction. Visually, it was unappealing, and when I tried to eat the egg with the rest of the dish, it had a very strange flavor. At least I enjoyed playing with my banana leaf while waiting for the check!

Owen got the chicken kothu, which also came with different sambols (chili sauces) and chutneys. Of the sauces, we only really liked the flavor of one, which was a little disappointing. The actual meal portion was rice and chicken mixed with melted cheese, vegetables, egg, shredded roti (the unleavened flatbread), and masala curry spices. Once again, this dish provided us with an exotic flavor. The melted cheese mixture gave a singular briny taste, and the chicken, though seasoned nicely, was a little dry. We weren't planning on finishing it, but our server took so very long to return with our check that we ended up slowly picking at it over the course of a half hour.

What You Should Do: If it sounds interesting to you, and you really like trying new, unexpected food, then it may be worth a visit to Banana Leaf - but only if you aren't in a hurry to get anywhere else that night. I understand that it is a family-run business, and the hostess was very friendly and kind to us, but it's just not the place to go if you are on a tight agenda. I do not think that we'll be returning to Banana Leaf because we felt like it was a bit overpriced, and nothing on the menu is anything that we ever would crave or really want to try again. However, this restaurant is a great place to go if you are on a vegan or gluten-free diet, as many of their menu options can be customized to fit these dietary needs.

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