Communal - At long last we come together!

     I have been waiting a while for the opportunity to experience communal. 100% of people that I have talked to who have visited communal have given it raving reviews. I would have to agree with all of the people, it was nothing short of fantastic. The only problem with eating at Communal is that your expectation for other restaurants are places way to high =)

     This little restaurant sits on the corner of 100 N and University Avenue. Upon entering you are immediately drawn to the sight of a long communal table. You might make the mistake of thinking that communal always caters to large groups. In fact any group can sit at the table, its ment to be a table where people can commun in a mixture of cultures, and flavors to enhance the dining experience. The other wonderful thing you experience when you enter Communal, are the smells. The main food prep area is right there in the same room as the dining room. You see the chefs prepping and plating the food, and the smell of it is heavenly.When we sat down, we were greeted quickly and given some helpful advice. One of my favorite aspects of Communal is the fact that they use only locally grown fruits and vegetables. That means the menu is changing constantly. I have been to Communal twice now, and each time I have been pleasantly surprised. Communal recruits its Chefs from the UVU culinary institute, or great Chefs from restaurants such as The Chefs Table. Now Communal has a different ordering style than most places. Dishes are designed to be shared, so you are encouraged to order an appetizer, an entree and a side. This provides a great opportunity for you to experience a wide range of what Communal has to offer.
 

   We started out the meal with what was called an Anson's Farrow Salad. It was so unique and fresh, it combined farrow and cranberries, with some caramelized greens. After the Farro salad we went into an array of wonderful entrees. We had the Pan Seared Salmon and Soubise, Brazen Pork Belly, Caramelized Fennel and Mushroom Tart, and a Sweet Potato Gratin Style. Which except for the salmon, was all new to me.  Every dish brought such new flavors and experiences. The Pork Belly was nothing short of a revelation! The Sweet Potato was layered with an aromatic blue cheese which blew me away (no pun intended.) One word to describe the Caramelized Fennel and Mushroom Tart was different. It was flakey and yet had a bitter edge to it. I loved how it contrasted so well the other flavors presented. The only complaint I had was about the Salmon. The sauce used with the Salmon was anticlimactic, and the Salmon was a bit dry. I do understand that it is very difficult get good salmon, especially in Utah. All in all the meal was great, I left content and already planning my return visit.
     I would give Communal a 9.8/10 for its wonderful food, great service, and unique experience.  Thank you Communal for blazing the trail for a wonderful new way of dining here in Utah. I hope to see more restaurants can follow suit, and I hope to visit you again really soon.
 
 

Terra Mia

    One thing I really don't like is when critics write bad reviews of a restaurant. So you will see my problem in writing this post about Orem's Terra Mia. I really didn't like the place. So I will start with the positive, I like the lay out of the restaurant. It had a nice feeling inside, the decorum and the art made me feel like I was in an Italian place but still maintained the modern feel. My only complaint on the layout was where I had to order, it was confusing.
     Something I have noticed about some Italian business owners (having worked for one myself.) They try to be everything for everyone. The menu was very long, they had so many options. That didn't quiet faze me seeing as I know what I like when it comes to italian food. But to other inexperienced customers, it would be very hard for them.  The other problem with having a large menu means you have to be buying lots of different ingredients. Which by default means the quality of ingredients goes down. You will see what I mean later on.
    I ordered a margarita pizza, which I had to say with an american accent because the girl behind the counter did not understand my italian pronunciation of margarita. After the pizza arrived I found it to be devoid of basil, except for one leaf in the middle. One leaf?...one leaf of basil is laughable. Anybody who knows good traditional italian pizza will tell you that basil is essential to the margarita experience. The cheese, tasted store bought and out of a bag of shredded mozzarella. That was nothing short of blasphemy for me but I think I'll cool my jets for now. I expected fresh mozzarella with an abundance or at least more basil. I will give them some points on the crust and the tomato sauce was ok. Although without the mozzarella and the basil the whole experience was lacking. The center of the pizza was soupy at best and really put me off.
     Terra Mia needs to cut back on their over head, limit their menu options, and save money so they can invest in real ingredients for their stable dish. Not to mention everything else. At the end of the meal I ordered a canoli that took its time getting to my table. The servers at Terra Mia seemed tired and disorganized. A lot of the tables had dirty dishes on them from lack of bussing. The canoli was anticlimactic, which would have been ok had my pizza been great. Since the Pizza was lacking, it really ruined my canoli experience as well.
     I would give Terra Mia a 5/10, if you want good authentic pizza, head over to Pizzeria 712 or Vinto in Salt Lake. All they need to do is focus on making a few things great, rather than a great many thing semi good.

Cubby's- Chicago Style

     Im going to be honest, I was not really excited to go and review Cubby's. I'm really not a huge beef fan, but I will tell you I was pleasantly surprised. The lay out of the restaurant was very backstreets Chicago with almost a ranch feel. I liked how simple the menu was, there were just sandwiches, soups, and salads. Everything felt very authentic and down to earth. After ordering, it took a little under five minutes to get my food. I had a little trouble finding napkins and stuff, but that was due to the fact that I wasn't paying very close attention. The restaurant felt very much like I would expect a downtown Chicago style beef joint. The wood work inside was great and I like the big screen T.Vs Normally I don't love T.V in restaurants, but at Cubby's, it seemed to go with the whole ambiance.
     So I took my first bite in to what was known as the "original Mr. Beef." I'll say it again I was really surprised  It was such a balanced sandwich. Filled with just the right amount of meet and smothered in an italian giardiniera, and their secret famous sauce. I'm not really a beef kinda guy and I really enjoyed the sandwich. It had a smokey flavor that carried nicely through each bite and it surprisingly was still hot by the time I finished it.
     I would give Cubby's a 7.8/10, it was a good meal and a nice place to eat, but I'm really not feeling any great need to go back soon. I would recommend it to any of my friends who are looking for a low key, filling beefy meal.

Tips to improve the dining experience

   

 It has been said that the enemy of great is good. This applies very well to the dining experience in any restaurant. In this post, I wanted to give you, the reader, some ideas on how to improve the eating out experience. 

1. Make a reservation

- Making a reservation ensures obviously that you get a table. But also I have found that it makes your dining experience feel exclusive. It also helps the servers to prepare for you, this ensures that you have better service. Often restaurants will ensure that only their more experienced servers take on the reservations.
2. Talk to your server

- Do your best to get to know your servers. By getting to know them you will not only make a new friend, but also help facilitate the service you will receive. Having been a server I have been guilty of favoring my nicer clients with favors and faster service.  On top of that your server will have access to tons of information to allow you to make the best decision for your meal.

3. Step outside of your comfort zone

- Nothing makes a meal more enjoyable in my opinion than a surprise. Whenever you go out to eat, make sure to choose something that you have not tried. Now I'm not suggesting that you eat things that you do not enjoy, simply try to get free of the same old when it comes to your order. 

4. Make time for your meal

- Take your time with your meal and really enjoy every bite. Take in the sight, and the sounds, but make sure that you do not over eat. Enjoy the company you have, meals are filled with many subtle pleasures that transcend the food. Imagine if every time you went out to eat you had just the best experience. Also eating more slowly and enjoying food helps your metabolism and digestion. 

5. Save room for dessert

Try your best to get a dessert that you can enjoy at the end of your meal. Most desserts in restaurants are hand made, and therefor unique to the establishment. Eating a dessert can really finish the meal, also your body will feel more satisfied and full due to the sugar found in the desserts. 

Eating out is an experience rarely treasured by a majority of restaurant goers. I hope these tips can not only help you enjoy your next night out, but also every meal in between.

Chefs Table - Le Piece De Resistance

I have been waiting ever since I began this blog to go to, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Utah Valley. The Chefs Table. Located on what us locals call the landing strip, the south end of state street where Orem becomes Provo. This elegant restaurant, if not for its sign out front, could be mistaken for a very wealthy home. When you arrive at the Chefs Table, it is very apparent, even from the cars in the parking lot, that you are at an upscale eatery.
Upon entering we were impressed by the ambiance. The decorum was elegant, and the layout of restaurant was nothing short of classy. Once we were seated our waiter promptly took care of any questions. The service at The Chefs Table is nothing short of amazing, the atitude and timing of each server was very well sharpened. All of the food was brought to us right on time.
I ordered the filet mignon steak cooked perfectly (medium) along with a potato lemon oil bisque soup (the soup of the day,) and to start a butternut squash risotto. I should have brought some luggage, because I was taken on a trip. A wonderful journey of flavor and self discovery. The food was exquisite, absolutely amazing. Each bite seemed to improve on the last. The risotto was so smooth and cooked to perfection. The portion only prepared me perfectly for the bisque. The bisque transported me to a magical place, it was utterly astounding how powerful the flavor, and yet at the same time the subtlety of the lemon oil blew me away. It was over much too soon, and then came most likely the greatest thing my taste buds have yet experienced. The filet mignon was elegant, and perfectly cooked through. It was so tender, I would equate it to finally falling in love with a life long friend. The feeling was just great, and the flavor could not be matched. The steak had been smothered in a sweet chutney sauce that took the whole meal to another level.


I was utterly blown away by the whole experience, after the meal was done they cleared the plates and gave us a moment to rest and just talk.



I would highly recommend The Chefs Table to anyone looking for just the best of Utah Valley. I would give it a 10/10 and even more if my scale allowed. It was hands down the best meal this blogger has experienced and I look forward to returning soon, hungry for more.

Baaah Baaah Black Sheep...Cafe

Situated almost on the corner of center street and University Ave, you will find the Black Sheep Cafe. You might have heard other raving reviews of this new little place. The fact of the matter is, when you first walk in you don't know whether to say "cool!" or to say "this is weird." The immediate confusion that one experiences upon entering the restaurant is due to its very alternative decorum, and native american art work. It almost feels as though the restaurant is trying to combined the native american culture with the more popular modern feel.

The Food, was in a word, unique. Every dish at the restaurant is made to order (it took a little while), and is grown locally. Never had I experienced the styling or the flavors presented at the Black Sheep Cafe. I ordered the Blue burger, with a side of true sweet potato french fries. The burger, was exquisite, it came topped with blue cheese, mixed greens, and bacon. All smothered in a beautiful almost smoky burboun sauce. The burger was wrapped in pitta bread, that held together everything surprisingly well. The sweet potato fries were very authentic, in the sense that they were white sweet potatoes and not yams. To top it all off, we enjoyed a pare and cactus lemonade, it was like drinking jelly bellies, it was amazing. Every aspect of the experience felt fresh and authentic, which to this critic is one of the most important aspects of any up and coming restaurant.




Everything from the decorum (that ended up growing on me) to the food, to the service. I would give the black sheep cafe a 9.4/10 and would highly recommend it.

Station 22

Imagine you were traveling along in the middle of no were, you had run out of water, desperate to find a place where your alternative music and fashion trends were accepted. A place where you could wear the tightest jeans, and drink water out of jars. Then you see it, the nirvana of all hipster hangouts, the neon sign above says "Station 22." 

When you walk in to Station 22, the only word to describe the decorum is, bohemian.  Everything is folkie, even down to the staff, with their very fashionable uniforms. I couldn't tell if they were uniforms or if you just have to be a hipster to work there. Our servers name was dandy... ok I'm not sure what her name was, but she said she was dandy. Anyway Dandy helped us out to find some great options, she also let us know that everything was locally grown, and in season. 

I ordered the sweet potato wedges with fry sauce, and then the Jack Barowak burger. The wedges were very well done, I liked the presentation, it was served in a small tin pale. I drank my water out of a jar, which at first was weird, but then I really liked it, it held a tone of water so that I didn't run out. 

The Jack Barowak burger was superb. It combined bacon, slow grilled beef, and a wonderful burbon sauce. The powerful flavors and huge portion really left me satisfied. 

All in all, I would give Station 22 a 9/10, the food was great, but the feel, well lets just say I wasn't feeling it. It felt so Portland, I felt that I couldn't fit in with the demographic. If you go, please go for the food, and the service. I really did enjoy my experience.

GURUs

Guru's is one very unique place. It is an exciting mixture, food, art, and people.  Lets say that if your a hipster, you will love Guru's, but wait, if your a t shirt and running shoe person, then you will love gurus, wait! if you are a house wife, with five kids, you will love guru's.
Basically, Guru's may seem to play to a very artsy crowed. But the truth is it caters wonderfully to every one.

They have a wide variety of different culinary delights to choose from. The food itself feels very "art" inspired, with its clever names and moderate portions. Its got Mediterranean/American fusion for its cuisine. I ordered the Marco Polo Pasta, which included steamed veggies, and Alfredo and basil sauce. We had a side of to die for sweet potato french fries. That with my soda, the ambiance, and my friends made for quiet an enjoyable evening.
Guru's is great for the fact that it feels formal/casual. You could take a date there, or just drop in with some friends for a quick bite. Its warm but open atmosphere invites you to sit back, enjoy, and talk for hours. It has a very chill feel, absolutely no pressure is felt to eat more, or to leave to make room for more people.


I would give Guru's a 8.5/10 the only downsides I could find were the wait time for food, it took a while to get everything, and the food, although its great. Its really nothing to write home about.

Just a Tip- Little ideas to really get into the culture of dining well.

I feel very passionate about restaurants. An intricate part of any restaurant is its waiting service. These dedicated individuals we call waiters, do much more then just serve us our food. They are in charge of creating an experience that we will either love or hate, the very future of their restaurant rides on how well they can accomplish their goal. I having been a server for about 2 years, can identify with these unsung heroes.

Little known fact about servers in utah, they are only paid $2.15/hr and everything else is made up for in tip. That is shocking to some to learn, you can see why it is important to always leave a tip with your server. Their very lives, and the lives of those who depend on them are hanging in the balance with each check.

My general rule is that; regardless of service rendered, I always leave as a base %15 percent. A lot of people in utah tend to think that %15 percent is a good tip, this is false. If the server gave great service and you think they deserve a good tip, try %30 percent. If that makes you a little uncomfortable, try thinking of it as a charitable donation. Utah is renowned for it low tipping  it could be because of the large LDS culture, they are generally very frugal and they deal a lot with %10 so.

What ever your personal belief may be, please leave your servers good tips, they are depending on you.
There are advantages to being a good tipper. The biggest one is that if you return, you could get the same server, and this time they are more likely to render even better service than before. They could even throw in some free stuff just to sweeten the deal. It pays, to pay well.

Pizzeria 712

From the outside 

Pizzeria 712 is one of the best, and most unique culinary experiences any one can have in Utah Valley. I talked about a trend that has been cropping up in restaurants lately in an earlier post. 712 is the definition of trendy. Upon entering the restaurant you can feel an atmosphere of classy. The new age music, coupled with the old world feel with its modern touches, the feeling is just awesome  The restaurant feels really big, but on the contrary it only has about 20 tables, if you count the romantically lit outside area.

Starters

One of the great things about Pizzeria 712 is that they use all locally grown ingredients, this means that the menu is constantly changing. Every time you go, you are bound to have a new experience, and apart from the generally great food, is what keeps me coming back.

Just for starters

After we got our drinks, our server brought us some pitta and garlic humus  It was the perfect thing to tide us  over. The timing was great, after the pita was gone, the server brought out our appetizer. We had the lamb brisket, covered in a horse radish cream sauce atop a bed of corn Flat bread. It was a flavor I was not expecting. After thoroughly enjoying the brisket, we got our pizza. We ordered the cauliflower  mozzarella  and white truffle oil pizza. It was in a word, unique. The garlic they used mixed so well with the truffle oil to create almost aromatic experience. When ever I came upon a slice of mozzarella, its as if I understood some secret of the universe that before was unknown. The flavor was unlike anything I had  
experienced before, and I loved it.

The pizzas are about 10" in diameter, so I would suggest splitting your pizza if your on a date. The pizzas usually cost around $13 average. With the appetizer  drink, and tip, it the total came to $40. It was well worth it for the experience, I would have paid a bit more.

The Main Event

I would highly recommend Pizzeria 712 to anyone looking for a unique and classy dining experience. My rating for the Pizzeria would be a 9.3/10, my only complaint was that our server seemed a bit aloof from us, I really enjoy more interactive service. Remember if you are going to eat here soon, make a reservation, the place is always packed with at least a 20 min wait.

Classy

EL GALLO GIRO- VIVA MEXICO!

If I were to sum up my experience at El Gallo Giro in one word, I would say, authentic! I absolutely love mexican food. Having lived there for two years, I know what real Mexican food should be. But like anyone who has ever experienced the real food of Mexico will tell you, it is very hard to find good authentic Mexican food this side of the border. El Gallo Giro delivers with its colonial Mexico ambiance and rich flavors, you'll feel as though you were in a "pueblito" eating at a "comida corrida."
Situated on the corner of 300 S in provo right next to chase bank, this little establishment is easily recognizable by its huge rooster sign.
Apart from the food being excellent, and the ambiance saturated with culture, the prices are not that bad. After drinks, and complimentary chips and salsa, the whole meal came to $7
I ordered a "panbaso" which is a dish straight out of Mexico Cities street cooking. Its basically two chili soaked buns filled with any meat you want, lettuce, potatoes, and onions. Oh and don't forget the sour cream. It was monstrous, I couldn't even finish my meal. The flavor was indescribable, I loved how the flavors complimented one another. It was exactly as I remembered it from my days in Mexico City. Oh and don't even get me started are the great drinks, they have freshly made "aguas" every day. I had a Horchata, basically a cinnamon and milk drink. It was amazing, ask anyone who has returned from mexico how hard it is to find a great Horchata and they will tell you. I was so surprised to find such an authentic little place right under my nose.
With its perfectly authentic feel, great service, and wonderful food, I give El Gallo Giro a 9.3/10- It is a must go for anytime you are craving the real mexican experience.

Mountain West Burrito

I have noticed recently a trend in the culinary industry. Small cozy places with one of kind food, they attempt to give off a hip vibe with their well designed yet simple menus, and they are likely into some sort of social cause.  

Mountain West Burrito epitomizes all that this new trend has to offer. The location for this hip hot spot is relatively small. They took over for the awful waffle's location, for those of you who knew the greatness of the awful waffle, just south of campus across from the very much over rated J- Dawgs. If you aren't looking for the place you might miss it, seeing as it is hidden away behind the dentist office, and sandwiched next to the gas station. 

Upon arriving I was immediately stuck by the vibrant sign and large menu. One of my favorite parts about this hip trend in food service is the simplicity of the menu. You have only four options to choose from as your entre and from there you can customize. I was given the impression that even though they didn't have much, what ever they had was bound to be good. The staple of Mountain West Burrito is that they use only fresh and locally grown ingredients. This is what perhaps drew me to try this little place.

I ordered the slow cooked pork burrito with lettuce, rice and all wrapped up in a flower tortilla. There couldn't have passed three minutes and it was done. I was taken by the efficiency of the place, it was great to order and then almost immediately be on my way. The 

Burrito itself was well made, but very big. The burrito brought to memory the burritos of places like Chipotle or Cafe Rio. I had a hard time finishing the whole thing, but none the less found it very enjoyable. The all natural ingredients were proportioned well, and the fact that they were fresh did make quite the difference. The flavor was great, and the burrito held together throughout the meal, unlike others I have tried.

          My only complaint is that, although the burrito had a good flavor, it had nothing to distinguish it from all the others. The flavor did not jump out at me, as much as I would have liked. I was hoping, due to the good reports I had received, that it would have been more memorable.

All in all I would say to my friends and family, that if they would like a complete, delicious, and quick meal, they should definitely swing by Mountain West Burrito. I would give Mountain West a  8.6/10