LUCKY 13

Where: Lucky 13, 135 W 1300 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen and Aaron

Number of Visits: Sadly, only one

What We Ordered: Regular hamburger, Ol' Man hamburger, Celestial hamburger, and three ginger sodas

What It Cost: $24.84**

What We Thought: 

Welp, all I have to say about this is that it is simply the best burger I have ever eaten. 

I feel like there are not sufficient words in the dictionary to describe how incredible the burgers at this place were. Any words I use don't do it justice.

Fresh. Flavorful. Perfect. Fresh. Delicious. No other burger in the world should even exist.

I may sound ridiculous to you, but go there. You will understand. Also, get the fried pickles. They are so fun. Cajun fries and onion rings were also so good though. You really cannot go wrong here.

What You Should Do: I feel like crying when I think about how long I have been in the state of Utah without knowing about this place. Just make sure you're over 21 and bring your ID, because it is a bar, but you don't have to drink if you don't want. JUST EAT THESE BURGERS. now.

ROMANO'S MACARONI GRILL

Where: Macaroni Grill, 4801 N University Avenue, Provo, UT

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Blood Orange & Basil Soda, Spaghetti & Meatballs, and Pasta Milano

What It Cost: $31.32

What We Thought:

Sorry these photos are so crummy - it was kind of a last minute decision to go here since we won a gift card to this restaurant the night before and I didn't feel like making dinner...so I was unprepared, but now I am here to talk about the food!

On a side note, I really should just give up on Italian restaurants. Or someone should just prevent me from entering them. It never ends well. 

So I started out with a pretty tasty non-alcoholic cocktail -- it was a fizzy blood orange soda with basil and some other stuff... I actually really liked it! But I'm the kind of person who likes weird herbs and flowers in their food, so yeah. You should try it if you never have before :)

We started the meal with a hunk of bread big enough to serve a small family, and embarrassingly, chowed it all down at lightning speed because it was probably my favorite part of the meal. Yeah. Good bread, I must say. It was flecked with rosemary and probably doused in butter, and had a perfectly crispy exterior and soft interior. Everything you could ask for in bread, if you ask me!

I ordered spaghetti and meatballs because I really couldn't think of a more classically Italian dish, and if you're going to go boasting yourself as Italian cuisine, I should hope you would do the basics darn well. Well. This is where the line of good things ended for us. The pasta was cooked fine, but the sauce was lacking (both in volume and in flavor), and the meatballs were just a source of sadness. They were a totally overcooked, completely lacking in moisture and goodness, and I'm pretty sure the kind you can cook from the grocery store are superior. Blaahhh. I didn't even finish this dish or want to take it home, which was pretty disappointing for overpriced pasta that I could have (and should have) made better in my own kitchen.

Then Owen's dish, the Pasta Milano. It was supposed to be some sort of chicken penne dish with white sauce and some array of vegetables I believe, but to be honest, all I can remember about it is SALT. I seriously have never had such a salty dish in my whole life, it was even saltier than Carrabba's! Another dish we didn't bother to finish, another dish we regretted. There is a fine line between hearty Italian food and a salt lick, and this place just went way beyond the boundary.

What You Should Do: The quest for edible Italian food (beyond pizza) served in a restaurant that actually feels worth the hefty bill that often accompanies these sorts of restaurants STILL CONTINUES. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. I should mention however, our server was very nice and friendly.

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OASIS CAFE

Where: Oasis Cafe, 151 S 500 E, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Tara + her daughter 

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Tomato and Fennel Soup, Blueberry Pomegranate Juice, Breakfast Croissant, Kids Quesadillas, and Grilled Salmon

What It Cost: $29.51 for me -- grilled salmon, soup and juice

What We Thought: 

I had heard a lot of good things about this place from the internet world, so when I had a chance to pick a spot for lunch with a friend, I decided to check it out! This place is especially popular amongst the more "granola" population of Utah (I can say that since I'm from the northwest haha... :), and they have plenty of vegan options for those who are into that kind of thing. They were moderately busy for a weekday lunch, but we were seated quickly even with a toddler (and they had a high chair readily available too!) 

I am showing this picture in the order I wish I had received my food, rather than the order I actually received them...what is it with restaurants not bringing soup as an appetizer any more? Does anyone really want their soup once you're gotten your main dish? I just think its weird. Guess I'll just stop ordering soup. Anyway, I had read rave reviews on this soup, which is why I wanted to try it, but it really was kind of odd to our tastes. The fennel tasted a little soapy when next to the roasted tomatoes (and I'm a person who normally really, really likes fennel) and it was pretty cold once I got a third through it and just really was not very appetizing at that point. Meh.

This blueberry pomegranate juice was probably the highlight of my meal -- yum! Wicked expensive of course, but I can imagine that it took quite a few blueberries and pomegranates to reach this point, so I am okay with it. Plus, it was delicious.

Tara got the breakfast sandwich, which looked pretty tasty, though I am not sure if I will ever be able to eat a croissant here in the states ever again after going to Paris this summer...but it seemed nice, and even had some avocado on it that looked pretty tasty.

The quesadillas were...well...cheese between tortillas. Can you really screw this up? At least they were arranged cutely on the plate I guess. No salsa though. Weird.

Then I ordered the grilled salmon, because it looked fun -- it was topped with olive-oil and merlot vinegar tossed arugula, and accompanied by a honey-lavender polenta cake and saba (a syrup made from freshly squeezed grape juice). I like weird floral food, so the polenta cake was probably my favorite part of the dish. It was slightly sweet and original and nicely cooked. The salmon tasted a little overcooked and dry to me, but I like it rarer than most people, and the arugula just kind of felt like a presentation afterthought. The weirdest part of the whole dish was how sweet the salmon was -- I couldn't tell if it was the saba or if they put honey on the salmon as well, but it was just a little too sweet for me personally. Maybe it would suit others fine, but I'm a pretty big sweet lover, so it may just be a little too much. The service was mediocre -- aside from getting my soup super late, they sat us next to the back door where staff members kept coming in and out, even hitting my chair twice, which was a little awkward. Sorry to be in the way?

What You Should Do: I know a lot of people go crazy if I post about places in Salt Lake, but don't worry, I'm not forcing you to make a trip up here for this one. I can't really say it was worth the drive, so you are welcome for saving you from a trip and a mistake. Not to mention it was pretty expensive. If you're vegan and always find a shortage of places to eat out, then maybe Oasis Cafe would be a good place for you, but I'm not so I'll probably won't choose to eat here again.

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EGGS IN THE CITY

Where: Eggs in the City, 1675 E 1300 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Me + a bunch of classmates

Number of Visits: 1

What I Ordered: Huevos Rancheros and Hot Chocolate (me), Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine with side of French Toast, Meaty Omelet with side of Pancakes, and something like Mexican enchiladas...

What It Cost: $15.48 (for the Huevos Rancheros and Hot Chocolate) 

What We Thought: 

Ah brunch. What a leisure and luxury. If you've made enough time out of your day for a belated breakfast, you want to make sure the food is worth it! Word of mouth led me a group of classmates to Eggs in the City one morning for breakfast, and I'm here to tell you all about it :) 

One of my all-time favorite splurge breakfast dishes is Huevos Rancheros -- eggs on tortillas with tasty sauce, beans and salsa. YUM! Obviously the portion sizes here at Eggs in the City are enormous, so it has that going for it, and my dish was reasonable in flavor. I've definitely had better, and I've also definitely had worse, it was just kind of middle of the road for me.

Mmm saucy. This was another twist on Huevos Rancheros, with a verde sauce instead. I like green sauces a lot, so I kinda wished I had ordered this one instead!

They have a couple versions of eggs benedict, including the florentine with spinach and tomato. A nice lighter twist on a delicious dish!

Ummmm talk about a meaty omelette -- I think there is more meat than eggs in this dish! It was pretty intense, but for those who are super meat-lovers, I really can't see any better options than this for you!

Oh, and did I mention you can order a side of pancakes? Ummm yeah -- this pancake above is the SIDE DISH. It kind of looks like a main dish, but if you're into that kind of thing, you can definitely get two breakfasts for one!

They also have regular eggs benedict, if you're into that kind of thing :) The eggs were poached perfectly, and everyone who went with the eggs benedicts were totally satisfied.

Also you can get a side of French toast - yep, another side dish!

What You Should Do: If you're in the neighborhood, Eggs in the City could be a decent choice. It's a pretty small restaurant and we definitely had to wait with such a big party (I couldn't believe how busy it was on a weekday at 10!), and the flavors were pretty decent, so it could be okay, especially if you're in the mood for eggs benedict, which seemed like the best prepared dish in my opinion. The dishes were pretty large, but definitely not on the cheap side, and I don't know about you, but every breakfast food seems weird to take home and reheat (microwaved eggs? bleh) so I don't know if I'd really want leftover breakfast.

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POP'NSWEETS

Where: Pop'nSweets, 42 E 1230 N, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Sour Patch Peach, Wunderbar, Mars, & Hello Panda 

What It Cost: $8.54

What We Thought: 

Kind of a freaky picture of me, but we had to tell you about the newest little shop along Bulldog Avenue -- Pop'nSweets. The name gives it all away -- all they sell here is pop and sweets. And a LOT of it. Rare sodas from all over the place, including my all time favorite ginger beer (super intense!) and even bacon soda (ew!). You can get those sodas chilled or even get them prepared as a float with BYU Creamery ice cream! 

In addition to hundreds of sodas, this place has candy bars from all over the world! Mexico, Europe, China, and tons others that I'm sure I am not remembering :) I can see this place becoming super popular with return missionaries who are craving candy from their mission!

I'm not a huge candy person, but obviously we had to try a couple! Let's start with my favorite, the Sour Patch Peaches! Now, everyone knows that the Sour Patch Watermelon are the best candy that you can get out of the BYU vending machines, so I obviously had to try the peaches. Um....why are these not sold everywhere?!?! They were amazing!!!!!!!!!!! So much better than the weird little dudes and even (dare I say it) the watermelons! Its like peach rings with a kick. YUMZ. Next up, Mars bar. Apparently the European Mars bar is basically like a better Milky Way. And it was better. Also a total yum. The Wunderbar, which apparently is the same as the Canadian Starbar, was a chocolate bar with caramel and a crunchy peanut center. It was reminiscent of a Take 5, but without the pretzel, and I kinda liked it! Finally the Hello Panda. They were super adorable, not exactly the tastiest, but still super fun to eat in a eating-panda-heads-kind-of-way.

What You Should Do: If you're a candy-aholic, this is SO the place for you. Obviously its not a place you'd go exclusively for dinner or anything, but I could see it as an excellent place to stop by after nailing it at the Testing Center for a little treat! We didn't try any floats because I wasn't in the mood, but I think its pretty awesome how you can come up with whatever combination float you want! You should definitely stop by and check it out.

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MAGLEBY'S FRESH

Where: Magleby's Fresh, 3362 N University Ave, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen, Chelsey & Sarah

Number of Visits: 4

What We Ordered: Buttermilk Pie and Carrot Cake

What It Cost: $9.89

What We Thought: 

We went here on our second date. Adorable, I know. Owen told me that they have "the best pie in town" and that we obviously had to try it. His favorite kind was the buttermilk pie. And I got carrot cake because carrot cake is the bomb. And after our second date, this carrot cake became my all-time favorite carrot cake because it was perfectly moist, perfectly carroty, had a great amount of heavenly cream cheese frosting, and most importantly - did not contain raisins. 

Since we had such fond memories of this place, we decided to go back recently for a little dessert following our trip to nearby 180 Tacos. 

We placed our order, and when we got our cakes, we were surprised that it had taken them so long just to cut up a pie and microwave it for a little bit. I mean really, that presentation was just abysmal. And it was a little later in the evening, so I can understand not having a full kitchen staff, but seriously from what we could see, there was just one kid working the register and microwaving stuff in the back. Every time we heard someone order, we heard the microwave go off in the back a couple of times and then they called up the food. For a place with "fresh" in the title, I was a little disappointed. And that pie above? Really? Yikes. Did not look appetizing, and it tasted dry and a little old. Where did the magic go??

The carrot cake also did not live up to our memories. It also tasted like it had been set out on the counter for a couple of days, and was a little skimpy on the frosting. Such a bummer.

What You Should Do: Ever since the other location closed near BYU, I feel like Magleby's has been suffering a little bit. It's not really very fresh, considering the establishment's name, and the scattered beeping of the microwave in the background didn't really do much for the ambience. Let's bring back the goodness Magleby's! What once was a favorite should be restored! Also $10 for two subpar desserts? Meh.

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SAIGON CAFE

Where: Saigon Cafe, 440 W 300 S, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Egg Rolls, Szechuan Chicken and Mongolian Beef

What It Cost: $22 (including tip)

What We Thought: 

Being from the Pacific Northwest, I have a special spot in my heart for every type of Asian cuisine. And it's so hard to find here in Utah for some reason! Especially teriyaki. Does anyone know of any good teriyaki places in the state of Utah?? I crave it all the time! Anyway, when I saw that Saigon Cafe was one of the highest rated Chinese restaurants in Utah County, I immediately added it to my wishlist. Then Owen surprised me on a date taking me here - what a great guy :)

I heart egg rolls. These ones were about as good as you could expect -- not outstanding but definitely satisfying. The dipping sauce was tangy and delicious, and they were served hot and crispy. So far, a good start. 

I ordered the Szechuan chicken, which had a couple chili peppers next its name, which made me pretty excited. Who knew they were literal chili peppers?! Nonetheless, it was super delicious, just the right amount of spicy, and a good balance of meat and vegetables. And I'm not sure if you noticed the plate above, but it was huge! Definitely plenty of food for dinner and at least one lunch later on...

They also brought us a little plate of fried wontons with some dipping sauce, which was kind of cute, but I didn't really get it. Are you supposed to eat them just like plain? Is it like the tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant? I don't know. We ate them because we were hungry and they were tasty, but I'm not sure if we were doing it correctly...

Owen got the Mongolian beef, which was super fun with these little crispy white things on top. The meat was super tender and delicious, perfectly cooked, and there was a lot of it! We loved the flavor of the sauce, and the dish as a whole. Yum!

What You Should Do: I don't know...I think Saigon Cafe may be moving up the ranks as my new favorite Chinese restaurant in Utah Valley! I'll have to visit it again to confirm, but it was pretty tasty. It was also a great deal! An appetizer plus two gigantic entrees for around $20 -- not bad. I would definitely recommend Saigon Cafe to anyone looking for excellent Chinese food near BYU.

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SWEETO BURRITO

Where: Sweeto Burrito -- follow the food truck on their Facebook Page

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Order: Smoke House Burrito and Original Sweeto Burrito 

What It Cost: $10.78

What We Thought: 

Food trucks! Fun! I mean, there is just something special about ordering food from something on wheels. So obviously we had to test out one of the most visible food trucks in the Provo area (except Waffle Love...is it worth it? The waffles just seem so expensive!)) -- Sweeto Burrito. Fun name, fun looking truck, and its often at Macey's, which is pretty close to my house so yeah. We went there. 

Burritos just do not photograph well.

The pictures are crappy and taken in my car because when its winter time and where else do you eat when you order something from a food truck in 10 degree weather? So I'm just trying to give you all a taste of reality here.

Okay let's start with Owen's burrito -- the original Sweeto Burrito. Obviously we had to try their namesake burrito because it should be one of the best, right? It's kinda similar to the Cafe Rio taco -- its got sweet slow-cooked pork, black beans, lime rice, pepperjack cheese, and a special sauce. Sounds familiar. Anyway, the flavor was pretty good, but it was hard to get into the burrito because the rice was crunchy. Not fully cooked rice is a surefire way to make a burrito pretty undesirable. We kept trying to eat it and then giving up because it's kinda hard to get around that unpleasant texture. I get it that they are working out of a truck. But if you're only doing one thing (burritos), and a lot of burritos on your menu feature the same rice, I would hope it would be fully cooked. Maybe it was just a bad night.

I ordered the Smokehouse Burrito, which has smoked shredded chicken, onion rings, bacon, cheddar cheese and cilantro ranch dressing. As you likely know, I'm a pretty big onion ring fanatic, so the one obviously stood out to me. Sweeto Burrito is definitely a fun place to get crazy combination burritos -- some with tater tots, buffalo chicken, sundried tomato, wonton strips, and a cheeseburger-inspired burrito. But the Smokehouse Burrito just didn't not impress me all that much. The onion rings got a little soggy in the burrito, and the smoked chicken was super dry and in nearly impossible large chunks that were pretty challenging to eat. So much potential, such disappointing execution.

What You Should Do: I really don't want to give up all hope on Sweeto Burrito, since hello, its food from a truck and that is just a lot of fun. I'm really hoping that they will work out the kinks during this slower winter season and that by the time summer hits, they will be pumping out quality, creative and exciting burritos. But for now, there are lots of places to get burritos in Utah County, and I probably wouldn't make this quirky truck a top destination.

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CANNON CENTER

Where: The Commons at the Cannon Center, BYU Campus

Who Went: Every freshman at BYU practically, plus my family :)

What It Cost: $10.75 for adult dinner 

What We Ordered: Ummm...anything and everything (its an ever-changing buffet). And you can always count on Jello...

What We Thought:

Ohhhh....the BYU Cannon Center. I mean, what blog called "Eat BYU" could get away with not talking about one of the most classic university establishments. So many wonderful freshman year memories were made here, not to mention those come by during summer sport camps or Women's Conference. But --- how is the food?

I have to admit, the excitement of all of the many food stations and the possibility of eating as much as you want caused a memory lapse, and I totally forgot to actually take pictures of the food. Shame, I know. But, there is this adorable picture of me and my not-so-little brother above that can give you a pretty good idea about the Cannon Center highlights. Here they are:

1. BYU CREAMERY CHOCOLATE MILK
There is no other chocolate milk on this earth that is as worthy of your stomach as this BYU Creamery delight. It is seriously soooo crave-worthy. And at the Cannon Center, you can get as much chocolate milk as you want. It's true. You can put just twenty cups of chocolate milk on your tray and GO FOR IT. There is nothing I miss more from freshman year than this chocolate milk.

2. Unlimited Waffles and Soft-Serve Ice Cream
Even better when you put the ice cream on top of the waffles, as seen above.

3. Constantly rotating menu
Which they oh-so-kindly post online for you to see, which is pretty great. If you are just a random visitor, like we were, you can check their website and go on a day when the food stations offer items that sound delicious to you. They almost always have some sort of burger, a pasta dish, a couple of soups, one exciting type main dish (it was chimichangas for us! But I've also had salmon, chicken cordon bleu, fajitas, and a whole bunch of other things) and also an extensive array of desserts (some better than others...)

4. Unlimited pre-cut fruit and you don't have to do your dishes
Things you really don't appreciate until you move out of the freshman dorms.

What You Should Do: If you're a freshman who doesn't like to cook and/or likes to eat a lot, you gotta stay in Helaman Halls and get the Cannon Center meal plan. You'll probably get tired of it by the end of the year, but it's pretty great, with an awesome salad bar at every meal, and THE CHOCOLATE MILK! And if you're just in the Provo area, there really is no more quintessential BYU eatery than the Cannon Center, so you have to try it at least once!

SETTEBELLO

Where: Settebello, 260 S 200 W, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen and Aaron

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Involtini di Prosciutto, Settebello Pizza, Vico Pizza, and Pizza Special 

What It Cost: ~$50

What We Thought: 

People, people, people. 

THIS PLACE is what it is all about.

Pizza like it should be. Its seriously so good. Well unless you don't like thin, authentic-style Italian pizza which I won't judge you for of course. But I will probably feel very sad for you, because this stuff is so wonderful and amazing. 

We started with a little appetizer, with goat cheese, prosciutto, a reduced balsamic dressing, and microgreens. It was pretty good, served on a cute little wood block which was adorable, and altogether a nice way to start the meal off...but really not the most important thing here...let's get to the pizza.

The crust is so chewy and good, and the ingredients are all fresh and so flavorful -- I could eat this pizza every day. I know, I know, its in Salt Lake, and you will all cry at me that its so far away, but seriously, its so worth the drive. My pizza, seen above, had super tasty sausage, fennel, red onion and fresh basil. A warning -- it doesn't have sauce. Heathens, I know. But trust me, you won't miss it with all this goodness going on.

This pizza was the special of the day -- can't remember everything on it, except lots of cheese, some parsley, a spicy oil, very peppery meat, and a fried egg on top! If you haven't had a pizza with a fried egg on it my friends, you are missing out on something truly special.

Owen ordered the restaurant's namesake pizza, with pancetta, sausage, roasted mushrooms, and toasted pine nuts. If you're into a more traditional tasting pizza, this one would be an excellent choice, with a crushed tomato base and sensational toppings. Its really hard to rave about pizza, since its like already the perfect food. But somehow, Settebello really manages to take it the next level in a way you'll be thinking about for weeks after. 

What You Should Do: Drop all other pizza commitments and try Settebello next! If you love that authentic Italian pizza taste, I have it on good authority (former missionaries from Italy and Italians themselves) that this place is the most legitimate Italian pizza in the state, and besides that, its just amazing. And I wish I was eating it. Right now.

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