Adobos Caribbean Grill

I've been getting woefully behind in writing these posts. There are a few restaurants we've visited lately still waiting to find themselves here. None of them have been so memorable to have me worry about getting the review out quickly until today. I've found myself daydreaming about the meal long after we left.

My wife and I went to see a movie today that tells the story of a Chef de Cuisine at an established and successful restaurant who was beginning to feel trapped by the popular and unchanging menu. Circumstances of the film lead the culinary master out of the restaurant and back to his roots in Cuban street food. He procures a food truck and begins constructing gastronomic art in the form of Cuban sandwiches as he travels across the country from Miami to Los Angeles. The movie is pure food porn... and it left us STARVING for Cuban food.

Our favorite restaurant discovery apps brought us to Adobos Caribbean Grill at 9460 S Union Square in Sandy, Utah. They have several types of Caribbean food, not just Cuban. The serve Puerto Rican and some Mexican dishes as well as popular South Beach items as well.

The Atmosphere 4/5 

The seating area is small and open and the decor celebrates all things Caribbean. I think there is some opportunity here for a more thematic approach to the walls and the furniture.

The Service 3/5

We were literally the only guests in the restaurant at around 3pm. We ordered a Mango and a Pina Colada which came quickly, but we found ourselves waiting a very long time to see our meal. The server made no effort to follow up with us or give us a time estimate. No appetizer (chips and salsa, etc.) was offered. We were left to stare longingly through the hole in the wall at the kitchen staff hoping that they just might have noticed our presence and might be willing to feed us ...and then the food came.

The Food 5/5

Forget everything I just said... about everything. I never thought a sandwich could be this good. I never thought ANY food could be this good. As I mentioned at the top of the post, I've spent the greater part of a day dreaming about how incredible this sandwich was. I may very well go back today for another. Especially since there's a Tuesday deal I didn't know about!

Conclusion

Seriously. Eat Here. Now. 

Cous Cous

My friend wanted to go out to dinner with me and we happened to be in the Murray area. With no other forethought, we opened the urbanspoon app on my phone and found a wonderful Mediterranean place called Cous Cous.

Cous Cous finds itself in the parking lot of a shopping plaza at 5470 South 900 East in Murray. It's a small place, but its popularity is no secret. They've been receiving awards since they first moved in a few years ago. Despite its accessible and friendly atmosphere, the menu boasts a collection a very authentic dishes of shwarma, hummus, and of course, cous cous.

The Atmosphere 5/5

The place is reasonably small as you might expect from a strip mall restaurant, but they've managed to pack it full of aesthetics that are pleasing and interesting. The kitchen grill is open to the dining room so you can see and hear everything that goes on back there. They have a hummus bar and and olive bar to the far right of the above picture. 

The Service 4/5

The line starts at the door and makes its way to the cashier who was very helpful, but rushed. There weren't that many people in the restaurant when we arrived and I had hoped he'd be able to spend a little more energy making recommendations from the menu for us first-timers. The restaurant manager actually did come later in the meal to ask us how we were and he even personally bussed our table when we finished. 

The Food 5/5

The food was absolutely wonderful. The portions weren't enormous, but I left feeling very satisfied. I ordered the shwarma wrap which was served with their amazing cranberry cous cous. My friend ordered the steak pita with creamy tahini garlic sauce, mushrooms, and avocado... of yeah. The really go overboard with the avocado. Not that it's a bad thing, but but my wrap and his pita were seriously 30% avocado. Anyway...

I would absolutely suggest Cous Cous for anyone looking to break the usual routine and enjoy some multicultural goodness. 

Bangkok Thai on Main

So its been four months since my last posting and I have my little infant son to blame. He has, on occasion, been able to behave himself long enough to enjoy an evening of fine dining, but it happens so seldom, it's difficult to plan around.

We found ourselves in Park City this afternoon and decided to chance having the baby during dinner. My wife is on a dairy-free diet while breastfeeding, so we decided to go with an Asian cuisine.

Bangkok Thai is located on 605 Main Street in Park City on the lower end of the historic shopping district.

The Atmosphere 5/5

The entrance to the restaurant is in the basement (and I do mean creepy old basement) of the Park Hotel which, despite all aging appearances, was built in the 1980's. The restaurant has a traditional dining area to the left and a lounge to the right. We had initially planned on enjoying the all-you-can-eat Pad Thai at the bar before 6pm for $10 a person, but were turned away because you have to be at least 21 years old to be in the bar... We sort of forgot that we had the baby.

The interior of the restaurant is impressive. My 4 month-old spent most of the evening fascinated with the ceiling. The dining room is actually pretty small, but it didn't run the risk of getting too loud or crowded.

The Service 5/5

Despite not being an example of their usual upper-class Après-ski guests, they did an amazing job of taking care of our needs and preventing any issues having our potentially noisy baby would impose on their other patrons. 

Our order was quickly taken with a smile and our glasses were never empty. They didn't hover over the table and allowed us plenty of time to enjoy ourselves, but not so long as to wonder if our food would ever arrive.

The Food 5/5 

I ordered the Panang Curry and my wife ordered the Pad Thai with Chicken (an apparent favorite among all of their guests and the dish that won them 2013's BEST OF STATE award). I was worried about my decision to go with the brown rice instead of the traditional white with my dinner, but the resulting texture sold me. The food was absolutely heavenly. The only downside was the price. I'd have gladly paid $30 for the food pictured here, but the dinner came to $55 after tax and tip.

We were, however, full and satisfied long before any dessert inquiries were made. I'd gladly go again, but the premium price lands this restaurant squarely in the "special occasion" category and will have to wait for me to devise another excuse for coming.

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.

Lone Star Taqueria

Where do you go when you're hungry, bored, and feeling a little broke? The Lone Star Taqueria at 2265 Fort Union Blvd in Salt Lake City. This little taqueria (pronounced "talk-WHERE-ee-ah" by my GPS) is craaaaaaaaazy busy, but its ok. They know how to handle the traffic and their popularity is completely warranted.

The Atmosphere 5/5

I was worried as we drove up to the restaurant. The drive-through was lined out to the street and every single parking stall was taken. Oddly, I'd never even heard of the place and it seemed the whole town had the same great idea. There ended up being one single, solitary, parallel-parking spot available at the back of the tiny building, sandwiched between the parade of hungry drivers and a foreboding concrete wall that had made its mark on many cars who had foolishly attempted to park there.

The inside of the eatery is sensory overload. Every square inch of the place is decorated with colorful quirks and just plain weird. Masks... with lizards for noses, for example. And, oh yeah. It smells like fish.

The Service 5/5

Despite the long line, it moved really fast and I was worried we'd be herded like the unsuspecting cattle that had eventually become the meat I was about to enjoy. Luckily, they handle their popularity like pros. Our order was taken by a hurried, but very helpful man who directed us toward the reason everybody comes to the joint: Fish Tacos. I do not eat fish under most circumstances, so I ordered the 1/2 size Carnitas Burrito and my friend ordered both the shrimp taco and a fish taco.

The Food 5/5

Our food arrived very quickly, giving us barely enough time to procure utensils and peruse the salsa bar. My burrito that claimed to be "1/2 size" was as big as my face. $6 well spent and very filling. It was heavenly. This is one of the few times I would direct you to let the food speak for itself as my description probably would not do it justice.

Conclusion

Even for the "fish-smell adverse" among us, this place is entirely worth the trip. Think ahead and either brave the drive-through or consider parking elsewhere.