CAFE FRESH

Where: Cafe Fresh, 498 S State Street, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 2

What We Ordered: Border Salad, Turkey Cranberry Sandwich (another time: Tomato Basil Soup)

What It Cost: $16.17

So, I've shopped at Good Earth Natural Foods a couple of times, because you know, there's always that one weird recipe that needs some obscure ingredient like xanthan gum or coconut flour, and they are the place to hit up for that. But I never really got interested in the little Cafe Fresh attached to the natural foods store until one BYU football game where I was FREEEEEZING and wanted something to warm me up, and hot chocolate just didn't sound right, and I bought a tomato basil soup from a little Cafe Fresh stand at the stadium. I don't know if they still do football games anymore, so I don't want to get your hopes up, but at that moment, that soup was EXACTLY what I needed and it tasted sooo good. After that, I naturally wanted to see if the rest of their menu was noteworthy. 

I ordered the Border Salad, which comes with all sorts of excitement like brown rice, black beans, roasted corn, jicama, sunflower seeds, and jack cheese. The salads all come with a side of a roll, but I asked if I could substitute it for fruit, which they did, but for an additional cost. The salad had a great mix of greens and it was enormous, and for some reason, they decided to serve it in those annoying slanted salad bowls that look really pretty, but are terrible for actually mixing the toppings and dressing in. Which would have been a problem except there was a more pressing issue in my way -- they had run out of forks! It was very odd. So we had to wait around for a while until they could find forks, which I thought was weird that it took so long, since they are basically located inside a grocery store which surely sells some sort of fork. The fruit was fine.

Owen got the turkey cranberry sandwich, which is served on German rye bread. And it was just the type of sandwich we both love -- the kind that you look forward to making after Thanksgiving with your extra turkey, and the bread was just the right amount of heartiness to support all of the sandwich's inner goodness. It came with salsa and chips on the side, which were tasty as well.

What You Should Do: I have to admit, I'm a little divided on this one. It's places like this that I wish I could give half stars, because I probably would give 2.5 stars. The service was not great (who runs out of forks, when half of your menu is salads and you aren't even very busy?), but the SOUP and Owen's sandwich were so good. My salad was also pretty good -- I thought the sunflower seeds were a little weird, but I'm a jicama-aholic (say that 10x fast), so I was mostly sold. I'm going to say I like it. It's not the best soup/sandwich/salad joint, but if you're already on your way buying chia seeds or Veganaise, then you won't be disappointed for a quick lunch.

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Taquería 27

Where: Taquería 27, 1615 S Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Mom

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Roasted Guacamole, Carnitas Taco, Fish Tacos (Fish of the Day - Ono), & Carne Tacos

What It Cost: $30.18

What We Thought: 

I'm really excited because I have a lot of places to share with you that I've been lately - something about the holiday season coming up (and also finals season) has made me want to eat out all the time, so we've been to tons of restaurants lately!

Though it was difficult to find (especially if it's snowing outside!), we stopped by Taquería 27 because I noticed they've been getting lots of press of Urbanspoon. We started out with some roasted guacamole which had highs and lows - though the guacamole was very good and given in a good portion, the flavor of the roasted peppers didn't really come through. The chips were not very salted, which was a little disappointing, since they don't have salt on the tables, but overall we still enjoyed the guacamole, thought it was a good starter, and it was just the right size. Very fresh taste.

Of course we ordered some tacos for our lunch, starting with some more traditional carnitas tacos. The pork was very tender, which was a nice contrast to the crunchy chicharones, and I really enjoyed the flavor of the charred tomatillo salsa. The corn tortillas are some of the best I've ever had - they taste freshly made, are not dry at all, and add a wonderful soft flavor to the tacos.

The fish tacos were my second favorite - a delicious crunchy slaw was paired nicely with the fried fish, and I thought the jalapeño cream sauce was very good. Only one of the tacos came with a little bit of lime, which really heightened the flavor, so it would have been nice if they both had the lime. The ono was a little overcooked, but still had a nice taste, fairly decent texture, and was overall enjoyable.

These carne tacos were my absolute favorite. In so many Mexican-style restaurants we've been to lately, the carne asada meat always seems SOOOO dry. Taquería 27 wonderfully did not fall into this category - the carne tacos were succulent and flavorful, and I loved the chimichurri sauce with the savory meat. The avocado and radishes provided a delightful dichotomy of creaminess and crispness, and I wished that we had ordered 6 of this flavor!

What You Should Do: I would definitely recommend Taquería 27 as one of our new favorite taco places in Utah! This place is a little expensive for tacos, so I probably wouldn't add it to the top of my list, but it was still pretty darn good. It was the fresh-made corn tortillas that really sold me - this place aims for the freshest flavors and they claim that they don't have a freezer or microwave! I think I would have to go shopping a lot more often without those two things, but it's great for eating out!

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Screen Door

Where: Screen Door, 2337 East Burnside Street, Portland, Oregon

Who Went: Chelsey, Devynne, Lyvia, Charles, Quinn, Mom

Number of Visits: 1

What It Cost: A lot....$100+ (gratuity included)

What We Ordered: Blackberry Lemonade, Fried Chicken, BBQ'd Beef Brisket, Pecan-Encrusted Trout, Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich, Two Screen Door Plates - one with Mac & Cheese, Thin-Sliced Fried Pork Chops, and Red Beans & Rice, the other with Smoked Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya, Fried Catfish, and French Fries, Creole Pecan Pie, Ban-offee Pie, Mississippi Mud Pie, Hummingbird Cake, Upside Down Rhubarb Cake, and Strawberry Shortcake

What We Thought:

Of course I typically write reviews for restaurants around Utah County, but I thought I'd throw in an extra review this week for a fun out-of-town visit I've taken recently. For my birthday at home in the Pacific Northwest, I requested one of the most talked-about Portland restaurant, the Screen Door. This was before my experience with chicken and waffles at Station 22, and the Screen Door receives a lot of press for their famed chicken and waffles, as well as their famed line out the door! They are only open for Saturday and Sunday brunch and dinner everyday at 5:30, so we got there around 5 to start waiting in line! There were already people there of course, but at least we were let in with the first round of diners, even with our large party. I was impressed with how quickly they got our food to us, even though the restaurant was absolutely packed and incredibly busy. Unfortunately, when we looked at the menu, I discovered that the chicken and waffles are only served during the weekend brunch! NOOOOOOOO! I decided I would settle for the regular fried chicken and just overly compensate with tons of desserts. (I also thought it was hilarious that in addition to their traditional Southern-style plenty-of-fried food menu they had a separate menu with organic and vegan options...so Portland).

I started with the blackberry lemonade, which was heavenly sweet and flavorful. We were lucky enough to get to sit outside with the perfect Portland weather and missed out on the hustle and bustle of the indoor restaurant, which I was kind of grateful for. It was nuts in there!

I staked the first claim on the fried chicken, and being the annoying restaurant blogger that I am, I i̶n̶s̶i̶s̶t̶e̶d̶ encouraged everyone else to try something different. I absolutely loved my fried chicken - divine crispy buttermilk exterior with moist, juicy chicken inside. It is definitely at least 10 degrees better than that at Station 22....sorry. It was served with mashed potatoes which were decent and some collard greens - turns out I'm not a huge collard greens fan. But nothing on the side mattered, the real star of this plate was the huge pieces of fried chicken, and they really shone. There was so much chicken on this plate that I even gave in and shared some with everyone at the table, despite the fact that I'd really rather have eaten it all myself!

The Screen Door Plates are a fun choice for those of us who can't ever make up their mind about what to order - you get to choose three separate "sides," most of which could really be a complete dish on their own! On this plate, I was actually a little disappointed with the red beans and rice - it's one of my favorite Southern dishes, and this one was just under the expectations I had for flavor. The macaroni and cheese was good of course - cheesy, oozy, intense, and with a tasty crunchy top crust. And the fried pork was a little dry but had a nice salty crispy profile and it was all an overall enjoyable plate.

The pecan-encrusted trout was probably our least favorite plate - the fish had a little bit of a dirty taste and the pecans did not add much of a flavor-punch. The potatoes and asparagus were fine but a little boring, and there wasn't enough sauce to add enough pizzazz to the trout.

The beef brisket on the other hand, was absolutely delicious. Huge slabs of tender meat, doused in a sweet and spicy sauce was complimented with twirls of crunchy fried onions. Yum! Devynne ordered this plate and it was hard to pry a single bite from her, but I greatly enjoyed the little taste she spared :) The potato salad was a nice refreshing touch to the savory meat, and there were some forgettable greens that upped the healthiness factor at least.

Our second Screen Door Plate was ordered by someone who's not actually part of my immediate family, so I tried not to be too awkward about wanting to try everything, but he was surprisingly compliant. He greatly enjoyed the fried catfish and I was impressed with the jambalaya - since I'm not a huge shrimp fan, I thought the slightly different combination of meats was a delightful change.

This pulled pork sandwich was probably my second favorite dish that we ordered - I've never had my coleslaw actually piled on top of the sandwich, and it has changed my life! Now I always slap some slaw on top of my pulled meat sandwiches. It is so good!!! The pork was tangy and delicious, and some of the best peppery coleslaw I've ever had on a toasted tasty bun. If I ever could convince myself not to order some of that amazing fried chicken, this would be an excellent second choice.

Now on to desserts! We went a little crazy and ordered every.single.dessert on the menu! They just all sounded so good that we couldn't exclude any of them...well, we were going to say no to the strawberry shortcake, but we just couldn't leave it out. They brought out this Ban-offee Pie to me with a little birthday candle, oh-so-festive. I've never had Ban-offee Pie before - apparently it is a traditional British dessert, and it is a dessert that I am definitely going to add into my rotation! A crispy shortbread crust, tender bananas mixed with delicious toffee, all topped with a caramel-infused whipped cream. AMAZING! I may need to move back to Portland just so I can eat this EVERY SINGLE DAY!

This was the Mississippi Mud Pie, and honestly, it was gone between Charles and my brother before I could even get a bite! I was lucky to even get a picture...I'll take that as a good thing :)

The pecan pie was cute, but a little too much crust and not enough filling for me...though still delicious.

We probably should have just said no to the strawberry shortcake. You know, I've never really had a strawberry shortcake that I've been super impressed by. With this one, the biscuit was too dry and crumbly, and there were not enough strawberries or sweetness. Definitely our least favorite of the desserts.

This cake definitely made up for it though! A mix between a carrot cake and pineapple cake, this Southern classic with cream cheese frosting was absolutely delectable. I hate raisins and love pineapple, so this baby was right up my alley. In fact, I don't think I'll ever be able to have carrot cake without pineapple again! It was just too darn good this way.

Finally (I know, you thought it would never end) was the upside down rhubarb cake. Not too much to say here - the toasted almonds were a nice touch and the cake had a good flavor and texture, but I really could have gone for more fruit in the cake itself. The rhubarb flavor was more of an accent than the leading role in this cake for us.

What You Should Do: Well, if you ever find yourself in the Portland Oregon area, I'd definitely recommend going there! But if you don't mind doing me a small favor, try to go for brunch and then report back to me if the chicken and waffles are worth all the hype (and the line out the door and around the block)! There were a couple of misses in our meal, but probably just because I forced everyone to try something different - if I was a little nicer and less selfish (hey, it was my birthday at least), then probably everyone would have ordered the fried chicken and we all would have gone home as happy as me!

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Pizzeria 712 - Update

Where: Pizzeria 712, 320 S State Street #185, Orem 

Who Went: Chelsey & Devynne

Number of Visits: 2

What It Cost: ~$35.00

What We Thought:

I have to admit, I am primarily doing this review for very personal reasons -- I am so embarrassed by the horrible photographs from my first review of this restaurant that I just had to redo it. Plus I think Pizzeria 712 is delicious, so any excuse I can come up with to justify the price is good for me! 

The fact that they serve pita bread as a starter for pizza still makes me laugh a little bit (Team Carbs!) but just because I'm anticipating more bread later on does not mean that I can restrain myself from the delicious hummus and pita bread they serve. The hummus has a delicious texture, rich flavor and vibrant color, and is irresistible with the soft fresh pita bread. Plus, you know, anything served on a slab of wood just automatically tastes better if you ask me. 

This little dish is probably in my top three favorite plates ever. Tender juicy braised beef short rib is served on top of a little polenta cake that is more delicious than any polenta I've ever had! The polenta is sourced from the local Anson mills, prepared to perfection, and then sautéed so there is a crispy top that is incredible. It is all served with savory au jus and a spicy amazing horseradish cream that brings it all together. Normally I'm not a huge horseradish fan but it paired so well with the luscious and appetizing short rib that I just couldn't get enough!

Their pizza was delicious as usual - this specific combination of toppings is no longer available, since they typically rotate their menu seasonally. This particular pizza came topped with toasted walnuts, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley, and our server recommended that we try it topped with speck (smoked prosciutto) as well. I wish she had told us that there was an additional charge for the meat - I guess I should have assumed there would have been, but the casual way she suggested it made me surprised when I saw the bill. Nonetheless, it was delicious and left us feeling great after the meal -- good quality food = good feeling afterwards!

The dessert met mixed reviews at my table - it was a bread pudding served with honey almond granola, lavender, and a homemade crème anglais. I liked the crème anglais but thought the overall dessert was kind of bland and that the granola gave it a weird texture. Devynne, on the other hand, thought it was amazing. She loved the delicate lavender flavor and consistency of the bread pudding. So I guess you can decided if you want to take the risk on this one - for us it was either a love it or leave it dessert.

What You Should Do: Well, I think my opinion of Pizzeria 712 has been sustained during this visit - they consistently produce tasty food, have a fun and trendy atmosphere, and are still pretty pricey. I don't think that I want to spend around $14 a person when going out to pizza all the time, but for a special occasion or treat, Pizzeria 712 brings fresh and wonderful flavors right here in Utah County. So check them out!

Station 22 Cafe

Where: Station 22 Cafe, 22 W Center Street, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen, Chelsey & Katie

Number of Visits: 2

What We Ordered: Trip 1: Sage Fried Chicken & Waffles and Indian Summer Sandwich. Trip 2: The Ratatouille Sandwich and Tuna Tarragon Sandwich

What It Cost: $17.24

What We Thought:

I've got to admit - I have mixed feelings towards Station 22.

First off, I have mixed feelings towards paying around $8 for a sandwich. Sandwiches definitely have to be on the top 10 list of easiest foods to make, and sure you can throw on a bunch of fancy ingredients, but all you have to do is plop them on top of each other, and BAM - you have a sandwich. So it's going to take a lot to impress me enough that I feel like a sandwich is worth much more than the cost of the ingredients.

So let's start with the best of Station 22 --

Have you ever tried fried chicken and waffles? It's been on my food bucket list for the past couple of years now, and I was so excited to finally try it here in Provo at Station 22! Luckily for me, it lived up to all my wildest sweet & salty imaginations. The waffles provides a slightly sweet and sturdy base for heavenly fried, savory and juicy chicken, topped with crispy bacon and a creamy syrup. Are you one of those people who secretly dips their bacon into the leftover syrup from your pancakes? If so, this is a dish made for you! Every piece of this dish is executed with style and flavor, and it was a wonderfully hearty and soulful lunch. The only thing I was disappointed with was the fact that it was called "Sage Fried Chicken & Waffles," and there was absolutely no sage detected in my meal. Since sage is a pretty potent herb, I assume they just forgot to include it, which was kind of a bummer to me since I love a little sage here and there.

Owen ordered the Indian Summer sandwich which came with roasted pork tenderloin, a pineapple-tomato marmalade, and brie cheese. Unfortunately, this sandwich didn't come close to my chicken and waffles. Overall, we felt like it was way too sweet, the meat was too dry and not very flavorful, and the bread was disappointing. It just seemed like normal grocery store wheat bread, and didn't really add much or seem to go well with the sandwich. Brie cheese is best enjoyed warm, and sadly the brie on this sandwich cooled very quickly and was less desirable by the end of the meal. The sandwich was definitely unique and unlike any other sandwich I've ever had, but still wasn't that delicious to us.

I decided to go back with my friend Katie to see if I could make up my mind about Station 22. Lots of people rave about their vegetarian options, so I decided to go for the Ratatouille sandwich, which seemed to be missing the key tricky ratatouille ingredient - eggplant! I wanted to see if they would be able to incorporate this much-hated vegetable into a delicious tasting sandwich, but oh well. I did enjoy the sandwich, after I was able to devise a strategy of fitting it's hugeness into my mouth. It probably would have been equally delicious and much easier to eat with half the amount of fresh spinach, but I enjoyed the roasted vegetables, basil spread, and fresh ciabatta. I ordered the steak fries on the side too since many people seem to enjoy them greatly, and they were pretty good - a nice unhealthy addition to my somewhat healthy sandwich...Served with fry sauce in classic Provo tradition, they were hearty, flavorful, and served in a portion where you felt like it was worth the extra $2.50.

However, Katie's sandwich proved to be another disappointment. When it first arrived, it looked promising - a nice mix of fresh greens, tuna meat that didn't look like cat food (I am not a huge tuna fan, but Katie is :) and some interesting-looking herbs mixed in. But after the first bite, the sandwich was decidedly way too salty. To me, this is a carnal sin of tuna sandwiches, since tuna is already pretty salty to begin with, and Katie had to remove two-thirds of the tuna meat to even be able to complete her meal. Part of the saltiness culprit may have been the excess of capers mixed into the tuna meat - since capers have such a strong flavor, they really overpowered this sandwich.

What You Should Do: Go for the chicken and waffles. I'm 2 for 4 here at Station 22, but I keep finding myself wanting to like it so much - I like the interior decor, the creative sandwiches, the CHICKEN & WAFFLES, but have to issue caution when picking a sandwich here. I'd say either get the chicken and waffles (am I being obvious enough?) or go for a sandwich that looks like it's served on a good type of bread with vegetables (not the meat) being the highlight of the sandwich. I think I would go for the caprese sandwich next time, or chicken and waffles. Obviously.

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Les Madeleines Patisserie

Where: Les Madeleines Patisserie, 216 E 500 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen & Grandma

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Chocolate Éclair, Mango Jasmine Pâté de Fruit, Peach Charlotte, Meyer Lemon Tart, Hazelnut Buttons, Craquelin, 2 Mint Limeades


What It Cost: ~$15 for half of that...


What We Thought:


Dear Eliane Bakery,

I hate to say it, but I think I may have found a new favorite French bakery. Don't hate me, I'll still come visit you since it's all the way in Salt Lake, but they are just so cute and delicious!

My sister's roommate was getting married in Salt Lake, so after we dropped off her and my mother at the reception, we had an hour or so to kill in Salt Lake with my grandma. Where better to take her than a bakery? Nowhere, let me tell you. We got a little sampling of treats and then sat outside under the maple trees and enjoyed the lovely weather.

First up, the Peach Charlotte, which is made with peaches from the Salt Lake Farmers Market just down the road. Wow. This little fruit delight was absolutely heavenly. The light spongy cake was a little basket for a wonderful whipped and chilled peach filling. The peach flavor was so real and fresh and was absolutely divine with the soft cake exterior.

And as if that wasn't enough, we also partook of the most incredible Meyer Lemon Tart. I surely have mentioned this before, but I am a huge sucker for anything lemon flavored, and Meyer Lemons contribute this wonderfully unique and sweet lemon flavor that I. Die. For. It has a sweet and sturdy crust, and the filling tastes like real lemons, not weird pudding or something. It has a cool and creamy texture, and the meringue on time is indescribable. I love how it is lightly toasted and the whole thing together is officially my new favorite dessert.

Chocolate éclairs that actually taste like chocolate are always a favorite of ours, and this one did not disappoint. Although, of all the pastries we tried, I have to say that I think I actually prefer Eliane's chocolate éclair to this one. But there is absolutely no competition with that Meyer Lemon Tart!!

I've always been a macaron lover - the super cute double foot, the meringue-like texture, and the thin crisp crust on the exterior - and Les Madeleines does not disappoint here. These cookies are so delicate and hard to make, but I love them so much! It is hard to find a place that will sell you one for under $2, so when I saw these for $1.75 each, I had to get two. The hazelnut flavor was light and enjoyable, and they are just so dang cute...I can't help but loving them!

The craquelin was a unique buttery brioche pastry, with loads of crystalline sugar on top and a brown sugar & orange chewy center. Of all of the desserts we got, I probably would never order this one again, but Owen absolutely inhaled it, so to each his own, I guess!

We each got a refreshing fresh squeezed limeade, which was delightfully tart and a little fizzy - a perfect beverage for sitting outside and enjoying a nice spring day.

What You Should Do: You have to check it out! They have pretty limited hours - closed at 6 on most weekdays and at 4 on Saturdays, but they are absolutely worth the trip! I haven't even tried a majority of their desserts, but they each looked as amazing as the next. I think that for my birthday, I am just going to requests 5 of those little Meyer Lemon Tarts, and be happier than I can even explain. They also have a large lunch menu with a variety of sandwiches and other items, but really, how was I supposed to get something healthy with all of those cute little desserts staring me down?

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Guru's Café

Where: Guru's Café, 45 E Center Street, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Devynne, then Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 3

What We Ordered: SWEET POTATO FRIES, Waldorf Salad, Chicken Avocado Wrap, Burrito Grande with Carne Asada, Pan-Seared Salmon Rice Bowl

What It Cost: Trip 2: $15.00, Trip 3: $28.00

What We Thought: 

Those fries. Those wonderful, amazing, life-changing, sensational sweet potato fries. These are the things that dreams are made of people. Specifically, my dreams. Of all food items to be found in restaurants near BYU, I crave these sweet potato fries most. They are crispy and crunchy and perfectly fried on the outside, with the perfect density and soft sweetness on the inside. And paired with that southwestern sauce? Heaven. And they definitely give you your money's worth - the serving shown above is only a small order of fries, and the large is enough to feed 1.5 people a full meal! The best part about them is that I don't ever get tired of them...even the very last bit of sweet potato goodness on the plate is as incredible as the first. I don't care if you buy anything else from this place, but you MUST get the sweet potato fries! Now!

On this trip, I also ordered the pan-seared salmon rice bowl. I have to admit, I was actually a little disappointed with this. I was grateful that I ordered the half-size rice bowl - even with the half-size, I ended up taking a sizable portion home with me. There was a good mix of fresh vegetables in there, but the red pepper sauce was not super flavorful and the salmon was disappointingly fishy. I liked it on the brown rice, and it was pretty filling, but it didn't blow me away and I probably wouldn't order it again.

Owen loved his Burrito Grande, and hardly even let me take a bite of it. It had a different flavor than I was expecting - very fresh and Tex-Mex flavor. And it certainly was grande...with plenty of salsa and other flavors to compliment it.

We've also had the chicken avocado bacon wrap (a special) and Waldorf salad and loved them both. Their wraps are pretty big and filling, and I would definitely recommend them over the rice bowl. And the salad...wow. The salad was great, full of fresh produce, deliciously creamy bleu cheese, and the most delicious candied nuts.

What You Should Do: Hop in your car and drive down there to get yourself some of those AMAZING FRIES! Trust me, you won't regret it. They were even able to remedy the sweet potato fry damage that Sammy's caused my husband, which was really a miracle. They have a wide variety of food options (including vegan and vegetarian), so if you're looking for a place to go with a group where there will be something to please everyone, I would recommend giving Guru's a try! I've heard their breakfast is wonderful, so I'll be trying that next!

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Omar's Rawtopia

Where: Omar's Rawtopia, 2148 Highland, Salt Lake City (in the Sugarhouse area)

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, and Jarom (brother-in-law, vegetarian, and it was his birthday!)

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Pizza, Bean Burrito with a side of guacamole, Pasta, Chocolate Açaí Beverage

What It Cost: $60 (for all three people)

What We Thought:

Omar's Rawtopia is the first, and only, raw food restaurant in Utah. From what I gathered from the menu, it is specifically a raw vegan restaurant - serving only unprocessed, uncooked, organic fruits, vegetables, and grains (no meat or dairy). Raw diets are becoming increasingly popular, and though I can not get into the idea of only eating cold food for the rest of my life, I thought it sounded like an interesting idea and we decided to check it out for my BIL's birthday dinner.

I started out with a chocolate açaí beverage, which was probably my favorite part of the meal. This was the half-sized beverage, and it is definitely only half of the regular size drink. But it was pretty thick and filling, so I'm glad I ordered the smaller option. It kind of reminded me of a healthier version of my childhood favorite drink, Ovaltine, but with a little chalkier texture. Throughout the whole meal, it was the difference in textures that stood out to me most, rather than the flavors. Everything had really intense and rich flavors, but sometimes the textures were just too different from what we were expecting.

Jarom ordered the pasta, and loved it. The "noodles" were made from shredded vegetables, and it kind of reminded me more of a pasta salad than anything. The presentation of each of the entreés was phenomenal, full of bright colors and interesting textural contrasts. Some people have complained that the service is too slow here at Omar's, but considering that they are not using any pre-processed foods or anything, I felt like it took an appropriate amount of time for us to receive our meals. It also is on the pricey end, but I swear there were at least 4 avocados split between the 3 of us, and there is so much fresh and organic produce in the meal that I can understand the cost.

This was the "bean burrito" - certainly unlike any bean burrito we've ever had before! Though recommended to us by the server, I think this was overall our least favorite of the three meals. The bean texture was too grainy and it just wasn't as satisfying on the lettuce wraps (not to mention my natural distate for lettuce wraps...). We ordered a side of guacamole for $1.50, and though it was pretty delicious, I felt like we didn't get our money's worth, especially since there was already avocado in the bean burrito mix itself. However, I was greatly impressed at how much the "sour cream" tasted like the real thing!

I ordered the pizza, which was full of intense pesto and pepper flavor. I liked the creamy avocado on top as well, and even though it didn't look that big at the beginning, I was only able to eat half of it, it was so filling! But I must warn you - this pizza does NOT make good leftovers! The apple buckwheat crust became soggy and the macadamia nut "cheese" texture was just too much for me to handle the next day.

What You Should Do: Even if you are not vegan or into the whole raw food thing, I would still recommend giving this place a try. It is fun to see the innovative way that they manipulate food in different ways and to see the new creative twists on traditional differences. I was surprised at how flavorful all of the food items were -- who needs artificial flavoring anyway, right? For a meal that will make you feel good inside and will cleverly challenge your palate, I would head to Omar's Rawtopia.

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