La Frontera

My wife and I wanted to experiment going out to eat with our brand new, 6 day-old son. We've been to La Frontera many times before, but not in a long while. My experience in the past had always been pleasant and timely. We dined close to home at the Sandy location at 61 West 10600 South.

The Atmosphere 4/5

I've always enjoyed the over-the-top stereotypical Mexican decor of this place. Even though this is a strip mall unit, they've managed to find the room to fit a spacious dining hall dressed up like a wild west corral and saloon. They have recently cheapened the look, however, with poorly displayed laminated printouts of the latest so-called specials. 

The Service 3/5

Neither my wife nor I could hear our server. The music wasn't loud, our baby was silent throughout the meal (yay!), and the server's accent wasn't even that terribly thick. He simply spoke so quietly that, standing right next to me, we could not understand a word he said. We found ourselves directing the conversation from context and visual cues alone. 

The server was prompt and otherwise helpful, but we couldn't help the feeling that the restaurant had begun "nickel and diming" us. I don't recall them ever charging for chips beyond the first "complimentary" bowl or the horchata not having free refills or costing a whopping $2.75 a glass. 

The Food 3/5

As my wife is pointing out in the photo, the sour cream was served in a plastic tube which proved difficult to open as it had no "open here" slit. This made us laugh. The plates were both accompanied by the usual warning of "careful, the plates are hot." I have found this to mean the plates are very, very warm. Today, they were scalding. Literally. I actually burned my arm and my wrist trying to enjoy my meal. My enchiladas were a molten liquid of cheese and flavorless sauce. My wife's chimichangas were filled with fine ground beef with less flavor and worse texture than last night's proverbial casserole left-overs. The final straw was the beans and rice. I've had more spice out of a can. It felt like they'd boiled out any desirable character from the whole plate. 

Conclusion

As I mentioned, I've been to La Frontera many times at many locations, but after my surprisingly unpleasant experience, which had nothing to do with my new-family experiment, I fear they might be on a path for decline.  

Pat's BBQ

So, I'm finally getting around to writing this one. My wife and I visited Pat's a number of weeks ago and I'd been procrastinating.

I first heard about Pat's BBQ on 155 W. Commonwealth Ave in Salt Lake while watching a local episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. You can click here to view the segment. It wasn't until the restaurant was featured on a podcast I listen to, however, that I decided we had to visit.

The Atmosphere 4/5

Pat's is located inside of an old manufacturing warehouse and they've made some interesting decisions on how to use the space. When we walked in the the early evening, it was difficult to tell if anyone was in. We cautiously wandered through the hallway, peering into storerooms and kitchen space trying to determine if we had entered from the correct door. We made it all the way into the back of the building, where the dining hall is located, before seeing a single employee. We were greeted there and shown to our seat. The place is set up with picnic tables and feels very much like a backyard barbecue, complete with live music.

The Service 3/5

We had arrived too early for the music. The band was just setting up as we left. There seemed to be plenty of servers and only a few early diners, so I don't know why the servers all seemed a little rushed. Nonetheless, the server was able to give us a rudimentary introduction to the menu.

Featured predominantly in the center of the menu is the Smoked Meatloaf. It was the item that was highlighted on the TV show, so I decided that I would go for that. My wife ordered the brisket. I was surprised at the time by how lightening fast or food was served, but in hindsight realize that all of the food at a real BBQ is smoked for hours before we arrived and therefore would be instantly available.

The Food 4/5

Smoked Meatloaf was an experience and a half. It was absolutely amazing, but it seemed to have the same minor problem as the brisket. The meat at Pat's is prepared really sweet. Everything had a natural honey flavor. It wasn't really a problem, rather it was simply unexpected. Everything on the plate is made from scratch and the mashed potatoes were some of the best I have had in a very long time. The corn had been creamed in such a homestyle method, I'm not sure I'll prefer them any other way again. 

The Conclusion

Pat's is a local gem and I would suggest it to any and all BBQ lovers out there. Go on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night and enjoy the live band.

Joy Luck

My big sister was in town for the weekend, so of course the family wanted to all get together for dinner. As has become tradition, we decided to get Chinese food and we opted for what is quickly becoming the family favorite: Joy Luck, located at 10745 S. State St., Sandy, UT 84070.

(I say family favorite because the family as a whole loves it... I personally do not, but we'll get to that later).

The Atmosphere (5/5)

The first thing you see when you walk into the restaurant is a half-wall fish tank full of several colorful fish. I tend to spend several minutes in front of the tank, just watching them live their little fishy lives. I'm always so enthralled by the aquatic distraction that I barely notice the rest of the restaurant, but based on the pictures Matt took, there's nice, calming dimmed lighting complimented by soft yellow walls and dark wood accents. Overall, it's a very comfortable atmosphere.

The Service (5/5)

The number one thing I use to judge the quality of service at any restaurant is the number of times I see the bottom of my water glass. Our server at Joy Luck did an excellent job keeping everyone's water full. I don't know if that's because he's just that good or if it was because we were right by the serving station and the water pitcher was right there for him to easily grab every time he passed by. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt though and say he's just that good.

The Food (3/5)

The picture above is of Matt's dinner: Beef Lo Mein with a side of hoisin sauce. The food overall was good; it was the "asian flavor [Matt] was going for." However, it did come out disappointingly cold. There are very few things more off-putting than cold Chinese food. Luckily, this was Matt's dinner, not mine, so I wasn't the one who had to eat it.

The picture below is of my dinner: Sesame chicken with fried rice, an egg roll and a fried prawn. Before Matt even had a chance to take the picture, the prawn was off my plate and donated to someone (anyone) else. I don't do seafood. Ever. Once the offending item was taken care of, I was able to dig in to my atypical dinner. Normally, I go for Lo Mein but was feeling saucy and opted for a different dish. It is really difficult to mess up fried rice, so I wasn't too surprised when I enjoyed that portion of the meal. It did need a little bit of soy sauce to help the flavor along, but that's to be expected of basically all fried rice dishes. Even the most delicious ones are made even more scrumptious with a little soy sauce. The egg roll, on the other hand, was a huge surprise: I LOVED it! Typically, that would've left my plate for someone else's immediately after the prawn was gone, but I decided to try it and am so glad that I did. The cabbage inside wasn't soggy. There was a good amount of pork throughout the whole thing (which is always appreciated) and the shaved carrots added a nice touch of crunchy sweetness.  Literally the best egg roll I've ever eaten! Now for the star of the dish. Although the flavor of the sesame chicken was pleasant and the chicken was cooked well, the breading was a little soggy and off-putting. Either there was too much breading on the chicken to cook thoroughly or the grease was not hot enough, causing the breading to soak up the grease without actually being cooked all the way through. On top of that, and I've found this every time I've eaten at Joy Luck, the food was uncharacteristically sans salt for Chinese food. I NEVER put extra salt on my food because I don't really like salt. This chicken had me reaching for the shaker several times throughout the meal and by the time I'd eaten maybe a fourth of the chicken, I gave up on it entirely.

Conclusion

Chinese food, when done correctly, is one of my favorite styles of food. In my family's opinion, Joy Luck is the place to go when the Asian food craving hits. Aside from the subpar offerings however, I do really enjoy the fish tank wall and the comfortably private atmosphere one experiences at Joy Luck. I will continue frequenting the establishment with my family and have a good time because being in my family's presence is my happy place and no amount of disappointing food can ruin that for me.

Teriyaki Boy

My car was in the shop getting worked on and I was left a hungry pedestrian in the Draper Peaks area. In a sea of chain restaurants and clothing stores, I found Teriyaki Boy, a recently opened Asian grill express located at 185 E 12300 S in Draper.

The Atmosphere 3/5

It could be because they're new or perhaps they're more focused on the food than anything, but they have all of one decoration in the entire restaurant: a single poster advertising their party platter. 

The Service 5/5

I was the only customer throughout my visit (which made taking these pictures rather awkward) and they rolled out the red carpet for me. I was walked through the menu and offered suggestions. Despite being an express grill, they have extremely fresh sushi, a large variety of Bento boxes, and here's the best part. Every single meal is made to order from scratch right in front of you. I had a great time. They weren't quite as fast as a quick service place like Panda, but I had no problem waiting.

The Food 5/5

I jumped into the Asian spirit of it all and ordered a melon-flavored Ramune. If you've never had one, they're fascinating. The plate I landed on was the Chicken and Beef which came heaped upon masterfully grilled vegetables and a giant serving of white rice. $9 and I was happily full and satisfied for the rest of the day. 

Conclusion

I can confidently recommend this little restaurant to anyone shopping in the area. The food was great and the service was wonderful. 

Los Cucos Sandy

The Atmosphere 2/5

The last time we were in this building it was a peaceful, relaxing Italian restaurant. It’s been at least four years, but I couldn’t help comparing the atmosphere now to what it was then. There used to be warm, cream-colored walls covered with framed black-and-white pictures of Italian-American celebrities. The photos are gone now; the walls are painted a nauseating shade of green. And the noise level was what I’d expect from a high school cafeteria. Memo to me: This may be the place to bring my grandsons. No one will notice their racket.

The Service 4/5

I couldn’t fault the service. We were seated promptly and our wait staff was friendly, helpful and efficient. My glass never made it to half empty. 

The Food 3/5

I’d come to Los Cucos hungry for mole sauce; the deep, rich kind made with peanut butter, chilies and chocolate. If there was anything on the menu served with mole, I never found it. Instead we opted for the Parilla San Luis: a barbecue/fajita dish with sausages, chicken, beef carnitas, and shrimp. The menu said, “for two,” but this easily could have fed three or four hungry people. 

We’d been meaning to visit this restaurant for some time, if only to satisfy our curiosity. We found the food and service good, but certainly not on the level with the Red Iguana. With so many tastier (and quieter) choices nearby, we’re not likely to choose this spot again.

State Street Grill

I consider myself to be fairly adventurous in choosing where I eat. Every once in a while, I might lose a gamble. Such was the case today.

My wife and I found ourselves in American Fork where we have frequently passed by the State Street Grill at 656 N 2000 W. We were hungry and decided to give it a try. 

The Atmosphere 3/5 

There were a couple things that surprised me about the restaurant. 1. It was much smaller than it even looked. 2. It was packed with loyal customers. and 3. They are proud of their heritage. Apparently, the owners hail from the East Coast and bring (or at least attempt to bring) their favorite American flavors back to Utah. The regular guests all ordered fried cod and fish burgers. They claim to have "the smallest freezer in Utah" which I suppose means they serve only the freshest food. In my opinion of the end product, the effort is a little wasted.

The Service 2/5

They were happy to explain the culture of the joint (after noting that they didn't recognize us as repeat customers. Honestly, it felt like walking into a biker bar dressed in button down shirts and slacks.) and the different items on the menu. We were suggested the Boston burger and the "My Bleu Heaven" burger. We happily ordered them. 

The food seemed to take an eternity to be prepared. In fact, we were about to impatiently go ask about the wait time (which I almost never do) when we were finally served.

The Food 2/5

Is it the thought that counts? I mean, the idea behind these burgers was really great, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The freshness of the ingredients was completely negated after the burgers were burnt into blackness. I had a difficult time finding any bleu cheese in my burger at all. We couldn't even make it half way through all the food we ordered. 

Conclusion

 I would gladly make this food on my own. These two could be my favorite kind of burgers, but it would have to be done well which, unfortunately, was not what we found here. 

Los Garcia

My wife and I first stumbled across Los Garcia at 10643 S. 700 E.after a visit to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. We were immediately blown away by the service and have completely fallen in love with this little gem.

Decades ago, I used to come to this building with my friends when it was an old burger joint called Big B's. I fondly remember their dipped ice cream cones.That restaurant and several since suffered from the hidden stand-alone location and failed. I can't count how many businesses have tried to salvage it. I wouldn't have even ventured over that fateful afternoon if it wasn't for the Tookish part of me that my wife and my friend bring out.

The Atmosphere 3/5

This place is tiny with less than 10 tables. The prep area is fully exposed which creates an intimacy between the restaurant and its guests that most establishments are afraid of. Not much by way of decor either, but you'll find they don't need it. Every possible downside is made up for by...

The Service 10/5 (seriously)

This guy. --------------------------------------►

Meet Jose. He embodies every aspect of the word service. Our drinks were never empty and we had all the chips we could eat. He even makes comfortable conversation while you wait for the food. Speaking of...

The Food 5/5

I have admittedly had better Mexican food, but not by much and certainly not at this price. Each entree was priced less than $10 and easily had me rolling on the floor with a fully satisfied stomach. You also have to try the horchata. I've had my fair share of cheap tasting horchata flavored drinks. This is the real deal.

Conclusion

In terms of service, price, and even quality of food, Los Garcia may actually be my favorite restaurant. There are a couple contenders for the title and I'll be happy to write about those too. 

THIS RESTAURANT NEEDS YOU! Try it out before it becomes another name on the list of dead eateries this location has killed. 

Red Rock Brewery

Red Rock Brewery has been around almost twenty years but Saturday was our first visit. They have three locations; Kimball Junction, Fashion Place, and 254 South 200 West in Salt Lake. The downtown location is where we had lunch. The restaurant has the eclectic décor and comfortable feel of a sports bar.

 We might have chosen outdoor seating if not for the smokers. Why would anyone ruin the taste of good food this way?

 Our waiter was enthusiastic and capable. He knew the menu and specials well and made some excellent recommendations.

We’re not Red Rock’s target audience: we can’t tell you about the German Pilsner or Amber Ale. But we can say they make delightful root beer and cream soda. We also tried the turkey burger, chicken parmesan, Rueben sandwich, Cobb salad, sweet potato fries and slaw. These were all wonderful. We were especially impressed with the Rueben. It’s a hard dish to get exactly right, but they hit it out of the park.

We spent a bit more money and time than we normally do for lunch, but we generally don’t opt for a beverage and dessert (the bread pudding and raspberry sorbet were delicious) in addition to our meal. I’d be happy to make a return trip. In fact, I think it’s high time we tried the Red Rock in Murray.

Cafe Molise

Normally I just stick close to work when I go out for food, which normally means the fast food and better known restaurant chains in the food court at City Creek. Today I decided to take a crack at some of the smaller joints that line Downtown Salt Lake's city streets. I took a stroll around and found Cafe Molise.

The Atmosphere 5/5

I entered and was asked if I would prefer indoors or out. Since it was a balmy 73 degrees, I choose outside and was quickly seated. My drink order was taken and quickly delivered to the very pleasant outdoor setting.

The garden patio is quite lovely. It features a pool with a raised section for what I assume a band or musician could play which would set the mood even more for a romantic night out. The patio area has overhead awnings to keep the rain and sun out of your meal as well. In today's temperatures, it was perfect.

The Service 4/5

The service was as expected. I give them the benefit of the doubt as it looked like there were only three working the front while I was there and a group of 20 came in right after me. I also got there right before lunch, which seemed to only increase the load. My service was still fairly quick. My drink did get to the bottom and sat there for a bit, but was refilled within a minute or two by a young lady who looked like she was really trying. Everyone was courteous and very kind, offering suggestions.

The Food 4/5

The menu was about what I expected for a smaller cafe with a limited selection but a number of dishes that sounded great. My waitress, whose tag also said manager, told me of the specials for the day, one of which was the Chicken Panini, which I ordered. It didn't seem like I waited terribly long for it to arrive. The panini was good, though nothing really made me say wow. It had plenty of cheese and plenty of flavor. The salad appeared to have been a store bought mix and lacked much dressing, but was fine.

My waitress came back to pick up my plate and asked if I would be willing to have any dessert. The panini had left me pretty full, but I figured, what the heck. If I'm going to rate a place, I'd better get the full experience. She recited the dessert options and I went for the bread pudding. Now, I've had some wonderful bread pudding, and I wasn't expecting to have something that would wow me, but this one did it. It was smothered and covered in a delicious caramel sauce and the pudding was delicious, moist and fluffy. Absolutely delightful. I would recommend it to anyone needing a nice sweet spot hit as well as a taste bud extravaganza.

Conclusion

 This was a lovely place for lunch. I'm sure dinner would be nice as well, and will definitely consider taking a date here sometime. I may wait until it gets a little cooler, but not too much. I imagine their staff will be fuller in the later evenings due to this mentality as well, so I don't expect the standard to be different.

Training Table

I was on the fence about posting this review, but I've decided to put it out there. The Training Table was once a thriving chain of 9 or more locations in Utah. I suppose the times have been hard on them as they've lost all but 5 of them. Even their website is no longer hosted. Who knows how much longer we'll be able to enjoy this "Utah Original" restaurant. 

My family and I visited the Cottonwood location on 4828 Highland Drive on the 4th of July. The place was practically empty. We used to come here all the time when the Cottonwood Mall was across the street. Now there is simply a years-long empty field and a lonely Macy's with a sign declaring it is open during "mall construction". 

The Atmosphere 4/5

There is a lot of subtle, yet interesting eye candy in here. Sepia-toned pictures of turn-of-the-century athletes and icons. I particularly like the ceiling decor. 

The floor plan is not very friendly to handicapped guests. In an effort to make the dining room interesting, they've created several tiers of seating areas. This makes navigating the space with a wheelchair difficult. 

 

The Service 3/5

What makes this restaurant model unique is the way orders are placed. Each table has a phone that directly calls a operator in the kitchen. They take your order and ring the phone back when it is ready. As fun and different as it sounds, I found this to be a glorified way of eliminating wait staff from the restaurant. I wouldn't feel this way if the staff at the counter treated the few interactions they have with guests the same way a waiter/ess would. 

The two employees I encountered seemed indifferent and disconnected, hiding behind the counter as they did. The food came quickly and well-prepared, but its easy to miss the human aspect of dining here.

The Food 3/5

I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered the broccoli cheddar soup. I enjoyed it, but it was apparent the soup had been warming for a long time. 

Others at my table ordered a burger and sweet potato fries. Training Table is known for their cheese fries and Utahn fry sauce, so we thought they'd treat the sweet potato fries the same way. The fries were great, (I suppose it's difficult to fail at fries, but it's been done) but the sauce was the strangest thing. They served us a thin caramel sauce with the fries. It was as cloyingly sweet and about as viscous as straight sugar water. I had to awkwardly go back to the counter to ask for their reportedly amazing fry sauce. 

Conclusion

I will miss this restaurant if it ever goes under entirely, but even now it's a shadow of what it once was. They can serve large groups more easily than others because of their unique ordering model. The food was better than average, but not as well-made as I remember. 

Bombdiggitys

After a particularly enjoyable family event in South Jordan, we decided to enjoy a late dessert at a place we'd noticed on the way. The name was certainly interesting and it made us mentally salivate for, of all things, Beefalo burgers and frozen custard.

Bombdiggitys at 1481 W. 12600 S. in Riverton bears all the appearances of a local burger joint. Shakes, fries, sodas... even the picture board of Man Vs. Food survivors of whatever ginormous concoction they could invent. The twist of it all is that they do it with Beefalo, a hybrid invention crossing domestic cattle and the North American Bison. They boast a healthier burger of more than 70% protein.

The Atmosphere 3/5

I don't believe the small town grease-hut feel of the restaurant benefits its intended appearance. It is more special and has more to offer than it lets on at first glance. I imagine, however, that presenting themselves as a lesser quality eatery allows them the advantage of lower expectations. If you expect a $0.99 blackened puck of meat with american cheese between slices of wonder bread and receive a $6.00 sweet carolina barbeque burger, you'd likely walk away with a positive experience.

The Service 5/5

We were practically the only people there. It was their last operating hour on a Saturday, but places like these tend to be hotspots for the local high school kids. We had all the attention to ourselves. They were very helpful describing the restaurant and its menu. The food was made quickly and was delivered to us.

The Food 4/5

I ordered the special of the day, the "Hawaiin Burger" (I love public typos) with fries, drink, and a shake. This turned out to be far more than I should have. I was very full. The meat was great and I'd be inclined to have more of it at a backyard barbecue of my own. Actually, they sell the beefalo meat directly out of the restaurant in every variety. Ribs, Steaks, and ground beefalo. 

 I did have a problem with the rest of the burger, however. The bun was a thin white bread that soaked up the BBQ sauce and became too flimsy to support the sandwich. It began to crumble into a messy disaster. Also, the sauce itself pooled in the center of the onions which then created a pressurized liquid bomb that exploded on impact. 

Conclusion

This place is a great local burger joint to go to with friends and family. Beefalo is a fun and seemingly healthier alternative to the cow. The shakes are thick and stacked high. Bring an empty stomach. Enjoy!