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!

Caputo's Deli: Introduction to Fine Chocolate Course

Where: Caputo's Deli, 314 W 300 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Owen & Chelsey

Number of Visits: 3 (1 course)

What We Ordered: Introduction to Fine Chocolate Course

What It Cost: n/a

What We Thought:

Chocolate? At Caputo's Deli? Seeing as these are two of my favorite things, there was no way I could turn down an invitation from Matt Caputo and Janet Thaeler of Newspaper Girl to participate in an Introduction to Chocolate Class for Utah food bloggers! Earlier this year, I took a little visit to the Amano Chocolate factory with my sister's philosophy class, so I felt like I knew a little bit about fine chocolate before going into the evening, but I was excited to learn more! Plus - free chocolate? I'm all about that!!

The primary goal of this introductory class was to help us learn the difference between "grocery store" chocolate and fine chocolate. During the course, we were given this infographic, which outlined some of the primary differences in how they are prepared, what they taste like, and why it's so much more expensive to get the good stuff! Matt Caputo, the course instructor, has been awarded by Salt Lake Magazine as Utah's Best Food & Wine Educator, and his passion for chocolate tasting that has grown in the past few years was clearly evident as we discussed the history and nature of the chocolate industry across the globe today.

Also, how cute is the little girl in the back of that picture above? 

It was pretty crazy to hold and smell a cacao pod, and to try to envision how the chocolate bars at the grocery store could ever come from it! Who would ever think it would be a good idea to eat something from this? Cacao beans are naturally very VERY bitter, so it takes a lot of processing and modifications to get to the chocolate our taste buds are normally used to. But in order to get the real, best, most true chocolate flavor, you have to seek out the best cacao beans, the criollo variety, which are very rare and have incredible depth of flavor. Most cheaper chocolate companies just buy the most common beans, forastero, and then over-roast the beans to get rid of the bitter taste and substitute in loads of vanilla, sugar and cocoa butter to make it taste like "chocolate" again. In fact, Matt told us that in a blind taste test across the US, when people were asked to smell and distinguish between vanilla and cacao, more people thought that the vanilla was the real chocolate! "Grocery store" chocolate, as he referred to it, will smell like marshmallows, whereas fine chocolate will have a more fruity aroma.

But if you are anything like I was during that class, you're probably thinking, "Dude! Let's get to the chocolate." So seriously, let's talk about the kinds we tasted!

We started off with the Patric 75% Madagascar chocolate. When I smelled this chocolate, there definitely was no hint of marshmallow aroma. This bar was made of a mix of criollo and trinitario (mid-quality) beans, and was surprisingly fruity and acidic. The best way I can think to describe it was that it had a very bright taste, and was SO different than chocolate you get at Macey's!

Then we tasted the Pralus Indonesia chocolate. This bar was made from exactly the same mix of cacao beans, but since they were grown in Indonesia instead of Madagascar, they had a very different flavor. Rather than a fruity taste, it had a deep earthy flavor. This was definitely one of my favorite bars we tried because it was so unique.

Next up was the Domori Arriba bar. This bar contained just cacao and sugar - no vanilla, cocoa butter, or any preservatives. Amazing. It is one of the world's leading "fruit forward" chocolate companies, as Matt described, and had undertones of hazelnut and citrus fruits. One thing that really set this chocolate apart was that the chocolate particles themselves are the smallest processed size in the world, so it had a very silky, melty texture. And when you were done eating the piece of chocolate, it left your mouth with that feeling you get after eating an underripe banana - incredible! We bought one of these to take home with us!

Next we had the Dos Rios bar from Amano Chocolate company, which is found right here in Orem, Utah. Bet you didn't know that you had one of the world's leading artisan chocolate companies right in your neighborhood, did you? These guys are pretty passionate about their chocolate making, and it shows in every chocolate bar they produce. This Dos Rios bar had hints of bergamot (flavor in Earl Grey tea), clove and lavender, and was deliciously fruity. I've tried nearly every variety of Amano chocolate, and really have been fascinated by them all. You'll never get bored with the complex flavors in each bar, and they really are a unique treat. And not a bad price either! I would definitely recommend supporting this local chocolate company and their incredible chocolate-making ventures.

Finally, we ended the course with the "world's best chocolate bar," the Amedei Chuao chocolate bar. Surprisingly, this one actually wasn't my favorite, but I think it is because it had a less distinct and sharp flavor compared to the other bars. The notes in this smooth and rich bar were more subtle, and it's a chocolate made from the world's best beans that you would never get tired of.

At the end of the course, we were treated with their new "Black-Out" cake, which contained layers of chocolate cake, Dos Rios Amano chocolate, pudding, and chocolate frosting. Wow. The above picture is of a half-slice, and it was plenty rich and filling enough for both me and Owen, so definitely get this one to share! The cake was very dense and moist, and had such a unique fruity chocolate taste - this one is not for the faint of heart. So I would definitely say go for it :)

We also got a little quarter sample of their kouign amann, a heavenly caramelized pastry that was filled with an Amadei Chuao chocolate ganache. If I wasn't already super satiated by the chocolate cake, I likely would have eaten at least six of these. Kouign amann is one of the most incredible pastries I've ever partaken of, and they produce it beautifully.

What You Should Do: Take the Intro to Fine Chocolate class yourself and find out what it's all about! When I had originally visited Amano Chocolates and brought back some bars to share with Owen, he didn't really appreciate the unique flavors and thought I was crazy for being so into it. Now, he's the one pressuring me to buy tons of different fine chocolates! Though I'll still probably eat the pretzel M&Ms I have in my cupboard, it's fun to learn about the world of artisan chocolate. If you're interested in signing up for your own introductory course, you can check out their list of classes here on their website. Owen and I seriously want to try one of their fine cheese courses next! And a huge thank you to Janet Thaeler of The Newspaper Girl and the Utah Hive for organizing this event with Caputo's Deli - it was a great opportunity to meet other Utah food bloggers and partake of some truly incredible chocolate!

Awful Waffle - Update

Where: Awful Waffle, 815 N 700 E, Provo

Who Went: Owen & Chelsey x2, then Chelsey, Monica, & Devynne

Number of Visits: 3

What We Ordered: Liège waffle with Nutella and Whipped Cream, Crêpe with Strawberries and Grandma Nellie's Cream Syrup, and Sausage & Egg Crêpe

What It Cost: $13.85

What We Thought:


As some of you may recall, during the early days of my site I previously wrote a fairly scathing review for the Awful Waffle when it first opened. I felt like they were still trying to work out the kinks and I didn't really get the whole waffle craze. But after many protests from loyal waffle fans and friends, and my revelatory experience at Bruges, I decided to go back and give them another try.

I remember that last time I felt like I was overwhelmed by all of the choices for toppings that I ended up ordering too many toppings and it just didn't work very well. So this time we decided to keep things a little simpler, which was a great choice. You can see from the picture above the difference in the amount of toppings that they used to give compared to now - before I complained that they hardly gave any syrup at all, but since they have been in operation for a while it looks like they have made a delicious change for the better.

Though I think I still prefer the taste of the waffles at Bruges in Salt Lake, I do have to commend Awful Waffle for their great variety of options. Any topping you can think of, they have it. And unlike Bruges, they also now have the choice of a Brussels or Liège style waffle, in addition to gratifying savory crêpes. I'm particularly fond of the locally-sourced Grandma Nellie's Old-Fashioned Cream Syrup that I've never had anywhere else - it is less overpowering and thicker than normal syrup, and is absolutely amazing.

They've also changed from the styrofoam plates that drove me crazy before to these cardboard boats which are much easier to eat from. The crêpes do sometimes stick to the boat itself, but they are much better. We also loved how the egg crêpe was served in a convenient foil wrapping, which would be great for BYU students who are looking for a quick tasty lunch near campus on the go. I like I definitely prefer savory crêpes to sweet crêpes - this one contained plenty of cheese, well-prepared eggs, and flavorful spicy sausage.

What You Should Do: Definitely go. They have made a ton of improvements since first opening, and have so many different choices that you'll never get bored. I love the addition of the savory crêpes, and want to try the barbecue chicken one next time I go - I've heard it's phenomenal!

Read other reviews here:

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Also, for those of you who are concerned - I do not have a personal vendetta against the owners of Dave & Cranky Chuckie's. I just did not enjoy the meal I was served. Yes the photos make the food seem appealing, but as I am sure we all know, just because something looks good doesn't mean it tastes good (see McDonald's commercials for examples). I was completely honest in the review, and don't feel like I need to sugarcoat anything just because other people disagree. However, I am sure I will be back there again some time, and hopefully, like the Awful Waffle, they will prove me wrong and I can get some of that food that everyone else seems to love! 

Restaurant Update: Diego's

Sometimes I look back at some of the restaurant we've been to and I wonder if they've changed. Many of the restaurants on here we've only visited once or twice a few years ago, so I want to know if my viewpoints on their food and service are still accurate. For this reason, I will occasionally post "Restaurant Update" posts like this one, where we will head back to a place we haven't been a while and see if anything is different.

The first of these will look at Diego's Taco Shop, which somehow is a Provo favorite, despite the horrible experience we had.

Owen got Diego's for lunch the other day, just to see if our terrible memories of the place still are applicable. And I am sorry to inform you that they completely are. Owen got a chicken burrito, which seemed simple enough. Here was what he had to say to me in a Gmail chat that day after partaking of it:

4:54 PM Owen: Possibly the worst burrito of my life

  if you can call it a burrito

  all it was was slimy chicken and cheese in a tortilla

  there was one chunk of tomato in it though

  I took a picture of it

4:55 PM I was hoping for some kind of salsa or sauce

  or something other thank chicken and cheese

  I guess if you like just chicken and cheese in a tortilla, it's the perfect burrito for you

There it is, the one sad little tomato that existed in his entire burrito. The whole burrito was bland, unvaried, and overall disappointing. The only good news is that our first review of this taco shop still holds true, and we would recommend to avoid this place like a plague of undesirable Mexican food.