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. 

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.  

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.

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.

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. 

Royal India

I had been dying for Indian food for a while. There are actually quite a few good restaurants fairly close to where I live. We ended up going to Royal India at 10263 S 1300 E in Sandy, UT.

The Atmosphere 3/5

The restaurant finds itself in a strip mall in a fairly small single unit. Despite that, they've managed to cram twice as many tables as you'd expect into this tiny space. It makes you wonder how big the kitchen could be. They've decorated it nicely and the ambient cultural music is comforting. I would suggest going at an off-peak time. Once it gets busy in here, it's LOUD.

The Service 0/5

And now for the disappointment. :( I've had good experiences here before and I do take authentic Indian cuisine service with a grain of salt, but tonight's performance was unacceptably ridiculous. My wife and I were greeted by four seated employees, who sprang to attention. We were then given a small table for two and menus to look at. It hadn't been three minutes before a server arrived to take our order. She almost seemed annoyed that we weren't ready. We weren't offered drinks or specials. Feeling uncomfortable, we  hurriedly ordered the two most pedestrian items on the menu, Chicken Curry and Lamb Vindaloo. 

It gets worse. A friend of ours pleasantly surprised us and joined us at the table. The staff seemed panicked. I asked if we could be seated at a larger table and we were given a third chair. We requested a plate and silverware. This took them more than 10 minutes to produce AFTER our food had been delivered. There were tons of employees, many of whom came to the table, and yet our friend went unserved for the entire meal. He was given no menu and no chance to order any food for himself. Our water glasses stood empty for the majority of the evening.

The Food 5/5

At the very least, I can say I got what I came for. I don't crave Indian food often, but when I do, Vindaloo hits the spot. Perhaps it's impossible to get it wrong, but I can't remember ever having bad Vindaloo or Curry. We also ordered these lamb pastries, which we served with two sauces: fruity and minty. I really enjoyed these little things, but they were decadent. Had the friend not shown up to help us with them, I doubt I'd have finished.

Conclusion

Royal India is a convenient little Indian food restaurant that can usually seat your whole group without waiting. Lower your expectations on the consistency of the service and enjoy the authentic cuisine. Arguably though, with so many great Indian restaurants in the area, you might consider going elsewhere. 

Calypso's Cafe

What better way to spend an anniversary than at an aquarium? Thanks to a very generous mother-in-law and a fantastic Mother's Day gift, Matt and I used our annual passes to go visit the sharks, otters, and penguins. We also decided to get lunch at the in-house cafe. I was disappointed that they didn't take the potentially offensive opportunity to offer sea food of any kind :)

The Atmosphere 3/5

The cafe had a sort of nautical convenience store feel to it. There was nothing too flashy but the school of fake oceanic life strung from the ceiling did provide enough sub-par distraction to get us through almost the entire wait for our food. Almost.

The Service 5/5

I was actually pleasantly surprised and impressed with the service. Most restaurants of this caliber are run by high schoolers and college drop-outs who make it obvious that they are miserable being there. We were helped by a rather pleasant and helpful man who greeted us kindly. As he and his coworker prepared our food, they talked and laughed back and forth and appeared to genuinely enjoy what they were doing.

The Food 2/5

This smorgasbord of culinary brilliance kindly unburdened us of $15. On the left, we have Matt's selection: the Hot Italian. It consisted of spicy sausage, pepperoni, black olives, mozzarella, and roasted red peppers. He opted to get it in a combo meal, so he was also treated to a handful of greasy potato chips and an 8 oz cup of Sprite. In his words, the sandwich was having an identity crisis and, with each bite, would change its mind on whether it was an Italian sandwich or a Mediterranean one. Basically, too many flavors between two slices of Wonder Bread.

The sandwich on the right was the Pesto Chicken. It claimed to be made up of mozzarella, chicken breast and roasted red peppers with a pesto spread. I suppose technically the pre-formed meat patty could have once been the breast of a chicken, but the journey from cluck-cluck to Sysco's frozen meat selection was not a kind one. It was dry, tasteless and desperately needed the pesto to give it some life. This brings me to the most disappointing part of the meal: the pesto. If I had to guess, the recipe is 1 part canned pesto to 4 parts mustard. Personally, I'm of the opinion that mustard is a punishment sent from heaven for all the cruelty in the world. To add insult to injury, the sandwich came with pickles on the side.

Conclusion

In the end, the Calypso's Cafe did not disappoint because I didn't have terribly high expectations. We enjoyed our time together and left feeling like our hunger was satisfied. (You better believe I ate the $7 sandwich! Money doesn't grow on trees after all...) Had we decided to go with other items from the menu, their surprisingly low prices would've offset the disappointment I had from the meal. I suppose it was my own fault for going with the most expensive sandwich they had to offer.

I couldn't shake the feeling one might get when they compare Lagoon to Disneyland. One is fun and has good intentions, the other is heaven on Earth. I have not yet written off Calypso's however, because in about 6 months, the new, bigger, better aquarium will be open and will hopefully have more high-quality dining options available.