El Taco Riendo

So after dabbling in some delicious French pastry which, although scrumptious, is a little pricy, I am back to cheap undiscovered eats.  Next time you are craving Mexican food, don't turn to Taco Bell, Del Taco, or even Rancheritos.  Instead, head south on Universtiy Ave. til you get to the shining silver diner that used to be Wingers, but now has been converted into a little piece of Mexico.


El Taco Riendo is not a sit-down, look-at-the-menu restaurant, but it still incorporates some of those elements.  After ordering at the register, you find a seat and wait for your food to be delivered to you, but unlike many fast food style restaurants, the waitress promptly brings you a basket of steaming chips and fresh salsa.  You can also take a few moments before your food arrives to get some small plastic cups full of the many salsas offered at the salsa bar.  I really loved the creamy avocado salsa that was a mix of salsa and guacamole.

 I ordered a gordita, which is nothing like the gorditas Taco Bell has to offer.  If you haven't tried a real gordita before (like me until I tried this one), it is like a thick fried tortilla which is cut in half and stuffed with any variety of things.  The gorditas at El Taco Riendo come with two types of cheese--one that melts and another that stays crumbly--and your choice of meat.  I chose the carne asada and was not disappointed.  Top that off with some fresh cilantro, onions, guacamole, and a squeeze of lime and you are in business.  You've gotta give this a try.

 My wife went with the quesadilla, which also comes with your choice of meat.  At the suggestion of the lady at the register, we went with the pork al pastor.  Al pastor is pork prepared with a sweet and slightly spicy marinade and finished off with pineapple along with onions and garlic.  The huge tortilla was the best flour tortilla that either of us had ever tried.  So, match a tasty tortilla with gooey cheese and savory pork and we had a can't miss plate on our hands.  We would definitely order both of these items again, although the tacos, nachos, and tortas looked worthy of an order as well.

El Taco Riendo is the perfect place for a casual night of dining.  I'd take this place over Los Hermanos or any other Mexican restaurant in a heartbeat.  Best of all, my wife and I got out of there with full stomachs and a full wallet: we only spent $10.58 between the two of us.  Check them out:

El Taco Riendo

465 S. University Ave

(801) 373-1266

Buen Provecho!

Carrabba's Italian Grill

Okay, okay... I know that this blog is about showing the hidden gems that Utah has to offer, so why am I doing a review of Carrabba's, a famous nationwide chain restaurant?  It's delicious, that's why, alright?  When I started this blog I had the hope of helping you have fantastic dining out experiences, and I would feel like I was hiding something from you if I didn't share my love for Carrabba's.  What follows is a very specific menu that my wife and I enjoy every time we step into the cozy dining room at Carrabba's Italian Grill.  Give it a try and I guarantee 100% Italian bliss.

You start, of course with the hot, steamy slices of chewy bread served with olive oil and Carrabba's special spice and herb blend.  When the time comes to order, follow my every word:

Watier:  "What can I get for you tonight?"

You:  "We are going to split the Italian Chicken Pizza and get two salads.  I'll get the (insert "Mediterranean," "Caesar," or "Italian" here)."

Your date:  "And I'll get the (same options as above)."

Seems pretty simple, I know.  But each of these dishes is absolutely top notch.  My salad of choice is the Mediterranean, it has romaine lettuce topped with pepperoncinis, olives, fresh tomatoes, and the kicker--sliced fennel.  The end product is a fresh, tangy salad which wakes up your palate for the rest of your meal.  My wife prefers the Caesar, which is solid as well, and I am sure that the Italian is great, too.

 

Here is the menu's description of the Italian Chicken Pizza: "Grilled chicken in our Italian-style sweet and sour sauce with pine nuts, scallions, romano, fontina and mozzarella."  The highlights of the pizza are threefold.  First, the thin crust, cooked to crispy perfection in the blazing hot brick oven.  Second, the sweet, tangy tomato sauce which is unlike any I have ever tasted.  And third, the pine nuts which add a unique crunch and nutty flavor to send this pizza over the top.

You didn't think I was done there, did you?  Dessert?  Yes, please.  I have heard that they have other specialties, but you've gotta go with the Sogno Di Cioccolata (Chocolate Dream) with a scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.  It is a layered dessert that goes like this from bottom to top: fudgy brownie, chocolate mousse, whipped cream, repeat, topped off with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.  It may sound too rich, but it all just works.  The textures are fabulously blended together and the cold, silky ice cream adds a new temperature element that is divinely inspired.  Take a look.

Now I'm sure that you can go a lot of different routes at Carrabba's and leave satisfied, but this meal is honestly one of the best I have ever eaten.  On top of the food, the friendly, quick-but-not-rushed service and cozy atmosphere make Carrabba's a hit every time.  Click HERE to go to the Carrabba's Italian Grill home page to find your nearest location and get there ASAP.

Cheers!

Thai Ruby

Less than a stone's throw away from the Mecca that is Jay Dawgs lies a little Thai restaurant named Thai Ruby.  Upon opening the front door, you feel like you've stepped off an airplane into a new Eastern existence in exotic Thailand--the warm lighting, modern Asian decor, and the undefinable smells are unlike any you will find in Provo, UT.  One look at the menu will also make you question whether or not you were just sitting in the SWKT Tower mere hours beforehand; if it weren't for the italicized captions listed beneath each of the dishes, you would have no idea what you were about to eat.  However, you must conquer your fear of the unknown if you want to experience the unique Thai flavors that Thai Ruby has to offer.

I have three dishes that I can personally recommend, but if word of mouth holds any weight, I have yet to hear a bad review of any plate served at Thai Ruby.  My personal favorite is the house special curry with chicken.  The dish is composed of a red curry with chicken, pineapple, tomatoes, peppers, and other spices which give it just enough kick to make the back of your tounge tingle.  Top all that off with a touch of coconut milk and basil and you have yourself a winner.  The bowl of brothy goodness is served with a huge bowl of rice--assuring that any visitor will leave with a full stomach.  My mouth is honestly watering right now as I think back to that sweet, savory, spicy dish I had so recently, yet seemingly so long ago. 

They say a picture is worth 1000 words...

in this case, one bite is worth 1000 pictures.

This photo really doesn't do the dish justice.

I got ahead of myself.  I should have talked about the appetizer first; but if you only knew how good that curry is, you'd understand why I had to talk about it first.  The chicken satay appetizer is fabulous.  It is skewered chicken breast slices marinated and grilled to perfection served with a side of peanut sauce.  In all honesty, the chicken is just the vehicle to get that peanut sauce into my belly.  I can't tell you what's in it or what makes it so special, but you'll never want to go back to the old chicken nuggets once you've given this thai version a try.

The last dish to which I can personally testify of its greatness is the pad thai.  You could call this dish the gateway drug to all the delicious flavors that Thai food has to offer.  With so many ingredients in this dish, it is classified as a "do not try this at home" dish which has people flocking to their favorite Thai restaurant to get some more.  It is the Thai equivalent of Italy's spaghetti with tomato sauce--when it is done right, there is nothing to beat it.  If you are wanting to try Thai for the first time, this is definitely the dish for you.

Click HERE to check out Thai Ruby's website, complete with contact information and a complete menu.  Give this place a try and expand your idea of what Asian cuisine is all about. 

Cheers!

Eat for Less

No restaurant review for today, but I heard about a deal on the radio today that could help you eat for less.

Text "food" to 53535 and you will receive daily texts with offers for restaurants in Provo/Orem, Salt Lake City, or both.

I tried it out today and got an offer for Wallaby's Smokehouse: buy one meal, get one free. 

Try it out and save yourself some dough next time you go out.  Leave me a comment with any good experiences you have.

Cheers!

El Mexsal

If you are feeling like branching out to not only a new restaurant but also to a new international cuisine, head down Freedom Boulevard in Provo and try some pupusas at Mexsal.  What are pupusas, you might ask?  Well, they are these:

To put it simply, it is a tortilla stuffed with beans, cheese, and pork in any combination.  They are served steaming hot with curtido--lightly pickled cabbage with onion, cucumber, and carrot--and tomato salsa.

I served my mission in El Salvador and pupusas are by far the most popular food in the country.  The best thing about them is that they typically cost only 25 or 35 cents a piece, so you can get stuffed for about a dollar or a dollar twenty.  Now in the States, a pupusa from a small restaurant like Mexsal will cost you about $1.20, but still, for under 4 bucks you can get three of these bad boys and leave more than full--trust me... I'm a big boy but after three of these, I 'm down for the count.

Mexsal has the best pupusas I have tried since being back in the U.S..  They also feature several other traditional Salvadorean dishes, and a full menu of Mexican plates.  The restaurant also gives each table a basket of chips with a delicious house-made salsa.  I'm not gonna lie to you, I have only tried the pupusas and one bite of a friend's enchiladas, but I trust that the other dishes are solid as well.

Try this place.  You won't be sorry.  Click HERE for the address and phone number.

Cheers!