Konnichiwa

Sushi is such a complex thing.

It can be too fishy tasting, to trendy, not enough options, over priced, not fresh, etc.

A friend suggested a placed called Red Ginger Bistro because they had good sushi and some of their rolls were 50% off.

If you blink while driving down State Street in Salt lake at 3333 south you will miss it. I've driven by that location dozens of times and never seen this place. Walking inside it is clean the decor and atmosphere is pleasant. I loved the chairs and the tables were beautiful if you have an appreciation for Oriental art. I had been weary because reviews on Urbanspoon weren't exactly the best about the staff. Our waitress' were friendly, attentive, made wonderful suggestions, and made me rethink the reviews with a grain of salt. The waitstaff/staff in a restaurant always makes the experience lean towards more positive or negative.

.There was plenty to chose from on the menu. If you love nigiri, sashimi, futomaki,hand rolls, uramaki, it is there for you. If you are not feeling sushi they also have a Chinese menu as well. We dove into an order of edamame which came out warm and salted. Perfect! At our table we ordered the Suna, the TNT, the sweetheart, the kiss, yellowtail, sweet potato, and some octopus. Wow. Everything was so fresh, the presentation was stunning Each roll was presented either on square dishes or a small wooden platform. We watched as the waiters took around other orders and every single dish was beautiful.

(the Kiss)


(the Sweetheart- awe cute)

(the sweet potato)

(the Suno and Yellowtail roll)

When the bill arrived we almost fell over because what should have been a $65+ order was only 40$! Talk about a deal. The cashier was incredibly friendly and invited us back to partake in their 50% off again. I will definitely be returning to this location. It is nice to find a place that doesn't have all the same rolls as every other sushi place in Utah valley. (Happy Sumo, Yapona, etc) Plus it is centrally located and you can go there before or after a movie because it is across the street from Century theatre.

Muy Bueno

I have very few food memories from being little. (under the age of 9) I do remember going with my mom and grandma to a little white building on State Street in Orem called Mi Ranchito. I remember it being festive and colorful and the food was pretty decent.

Fast forward... a few years. It was one of our favorite places to go eat with our grandma, and now the tradition continues. Mi Ranchitos tradition started in 1983. The best part about this restaurant is 17 years later it is still a family owned and run restaurant. The Armenta family came to Utah from Guanajuato, Mexico. The location in Orem doesn't exist anymore (that i know of), but you can stop in on State Street in American Fork or there is also a location on State Street in Sandy.


The colors when you walk in are bright and fun. The chips are some of the best chips and salsa at a restaurant like this. I am a fan of anything burrito so I had the carne asada burrito which is also served with beans and rice. My friend ordered the enchiladas de mole. When the plates come out you almost have to take a deep breath to make room because they are so big. Perhaps if you haven't eaten for a couple days you can eat a whole plate, but they definitely make great leftovers. I think this is a place you can go back to over and over because there is so many flavorful fresh menu items to chose from.

I must add as well, the horchata.. some of the best I have ever tasted!!I believe that the staff needed a little lighter of sense of humor and to pay a little more attention, I know how hard it is to be a waiter but personality will always be key.

http://www.miranchitogrill.com/index.html

You call that a sandwich??

As a matter of fact I do!!

I am very particular about my deli's because of one back in New Jersey (the Millburn Deli) that will have my heart forever.

Last summer I went to a bring your own entree BBQ and a friend brought a sandwich. But this wasn't an ordinary sandwich it was GINORMOUS!!! Of course I had to ask where in the world it came from. Grove Deli he said. I had never heard of such a place. I knew I needed to visit though. If you drive down Main street and blink you will miss this little gem. It is on about 1900 S and Main Street on the west side of the road.

When you pull up its a great little spot, not a lot of parking but what better than a deli with benches outside to enjoy your food and some sun? As I took a step inside, it wasn't really what the deli's I knew looked like. It was more of a convienence store, but with the best part at the back. The menu is basic. The specials are hand written. I went with the pulled pork bbq sandwich, and my friend got just a regular sandwich... or so I thought. When they handed it over, I am pretty sure it was the length of my elbow to my shoulder!! Mine wasn't quite as big, but it definitely wasn't something I could eat on the way back to work. (there is a reason for those benches) I can tell you that next to the amazing pulled pork at Rib City Grill, this pork was a very close second. It was juicy and tender, the bread was fresh, and the bbq sauce was just right and not overwhelming. I hope this isn't just a special they have sometimes.

I liked that they have almost any soda or juice you could want in their fridges. Any candy (American or foriegn) or chip to go with your sandwich. Although it is such a small space and it would probably take a couple times going back to get acquainted, there is always something unique about the first time. The cashier was super friendly, the sandwich maker very accomodating. I am looking forward to enjoying my next sandwich.

Cute as a Cupcake

I have to admit, it's hard to follow up the sweet entry I did for My Dough Girl.

If you wander down the road, there is a little place called Mini's Cupcakes across from Sears. I am a true believer of finding places that are "Utah's Own" That doesn't just mean it's local to Utah. I also look for the places that utilize Utah's products. The dairy, the flour from Lehi Roller Mills, etc. Mini's is definitely one of them, and you can definitely taste it in their products.

If you are a girly girl (which, I am not) this place would be your sanctuary. When you walk in the walls are white and pink. There is pink decor, vintage gifts, bride magazines on the tables, pictures of Audrey Hepburn, and of course those tasty little mini's.

Why a mini? After researching on their website it is to make sure it is the "right size," unlike the typical American cupcakes we are use to. Yes, they are a little pricey, but when you are dealing with fresh ingredients and time sensitive products you must pay for quality and please, never think differently.

At 2.50 a piece there are definitely plenty to choose from. I picked the s'more please one for me, the tiramisu for my mother, and the chocoholic for my friend. I'm almost positive it would be worth trying each one because just the presentation is lovely.

Next door is a fun little room that can hold parties. You can also have breakfast and lunch at Mini's.

For those of you that are not close to downtown, there is also one located in Sugarhouse.

http://www.mini-cupcakes.com/

Car Hoppin back in the day

Many of you are familiar that I have a love for finding the mom and pop burger joints. I've visited Millies, Purple Turtle, Parkers, Paces, Emmett and Ethels... On about 61st south and 1300 East is another place I would visit again in a heart beat. And, if you blink you miss it as you drive by.

When you pull in, you have the option of either going inside or they have a car hop station (yes think modern day Sonic style). The decor inside is circa James Dean. They have a juke box, but the only thing I would change is make sure some type of music was playing all the time. The space is awfully small so everyone can hear everyones conversation.

What is unique about this one? The prices and oh- you cannot forget the burger that is 11 dollars! Yes, you read that correctly. 11 dollars! It is 2lbs of fresh cooked beef with the fixins and some fry sauce. I didn't try this. cause well, it's as big as my head.

I went for a melt in your mouth garlic burger and some hand dipped onion rings. I was more than impressed with the quality of the food. For two of these burgers and two orders of onion rings my friend and I spent less than 10 dollars. Wowza!!

This is a great place if you want something quick, something tasty, and something that will leave a great after taste. For sure a little stop you would want to make on your lunch break or on the way home.

Ps. Sorry there are no images of the food, we ate it too fast!!

Always an exception to the Rule

Hello Readers, as you know I do all I can to keep this blog as Utah's own restaurants. Created and made in Utah. I pride myself on no franchise's and no corporation's. (ie. the Chili's and Applebee's of the world)
I am in need to make one exception to my rule. In American Fork you will find some of the best BBQ. (and I ate a LOT of BBQ last year) This little joint, Rib City Grill, has something unique about it that the rest of the RCG franchise's don't have: That's two of the greatest owners ever: Vincent D'onofrio (yes people, we're talking Men in Black and Law and Order Criminal Intent actor) and his lovely and brilliant sister Toni Jorgensen.

(Toni, Vincent, and myself)

My first experience with this place was about a year and a half ago. Toni had been on a local television show, Good Things Utah, doing a pulled pork sandwich. I knew I wanted to meet this lady and eat that sandwich! She was in her store that afternoon and she made me this sandwich that wasn't even on the menu yet. Fast forward to this week... I had an opportunity to wait on her at the restaurant I work at, and she invited me back to her restaurant, I just couldn't believe she remembered me. Now, most people were in the restaurant tonight to meet her brother for a wonderful charity event (See Ride for a Hero- in support of Hero's Health Project and Utah Meth Cops Project), although he was VERY nice... My celebrity is her. She definitely knows how to run a business, take care of all her marketing and public relations, and still has time to visit with guests. Wow!

Ok. Ok. On to the tasty food!!

When you go there- Get the pork!! Not only does it taste fantastic and you get your choice of sauce to put on, but it literally melts in your mouth. The meat is so tender and juicy you just want to put your fork or sandwich down after every bite to savor it. I love sides when it's not just broccoli and french fries. Their coleslaw is so creamy! The beans are flavorful. You even can have corn on the cob on a stick. And ANYTHING tastes good on a stick right? The onion rings are ginormous, the spicy ranch should be added to everything, and don't forget the sweet potato fries.

If you can make it through the entire meal, please save room for pie! The pecan pie, I don't know where it comes from, but its so gooey and caramely (is that even a word?)

Even though this IS a franchise, you can tell that it is filled with love and hard work. If you are craving BBQ it's worth the drive from anywhere. It is in the same plaza as the Big Lots and Golds Gym.

http://ribcityutah.com/

Amendment to a blog

Today I am making my very first amendment to a blog. .

After taking a couple visits back to the "My Dough Girl" bakery to check out the other flavors (I couldn't possibly eat them in ONE sitting, well ok MAYBE if my arm was twisted) I felt the urge to talk about a couple of the other "girls."

Virginia.. oh sweet robust Virginia. Think: ginger and dark molasses and super chewy with sugar on top. When you bite in this cookie its not a typical ginger snap. As a matter a fact, there is no snap at all. The after taste... Heaven! Actually the after taste, and I am not sure where it comes from, is as if you just had a slice of a gingerbread cake with whip cream on top. What an amazing after flavor!!

If you are looking for something to cleanse your palatte but with a bit of warmth. Oh Vivianna, she will fill that need. Think: citrus dough with mangos and dark chocolate on the inside.

I still have a few more flavors to try, but for March I suggest Lucy. She is a lime cookie with cheesecake in the center and a lovely lime curd on top with some powdered sugar! Ps. Don't wear black and eat this cookie!!

Remember... run, don't walk!!!