the amazing test

This is my amazing test to see if I should eat something.

Amazingly simple and easy.

Ask myself these two questions:

1- Is it amazingly nutritious?

2- Is it amazingly delicious?

Answer key:

1- 2 yeses- go ahead and eat it.

0 yeses- don't eat it.

Here are a couple of examples of two yeses:

Salad from my favorite Pho Green Papaya in West Valley and the Ichi Roll (far right) from Red Ginger Bistro.  Amazingly delicious and nutritious.  Bonus:  It is beautiful.  I love beautiful food.

Went to brunch with some favorite friends at Bakers de Normandy in Holladay, again.  I am not a breakfast fan, but for this place I make an exception.  I have loved this place ever since my mom would bribe us to go to piano lessons with a pastry from here.  They have the best eggs benedict.  This place is so cute and so tasty.  

It gets one yes for amazingly delicious.  So, it is worth it.  

These are some appetizers from Luganos in Millcreek.  That appetizer in the back?  Who knew Prosciutto, arugula, "torched" pears, marscapone, and 12 year balsamic could be so amazing?  I didn't.  But now I do?  It gets a big fat yes.

See that little bowl of while soup?  That is the best.  It is tom ka gai from Thai Orchid in Holladay.  I have had this at many a Thai places.  And this is by far the best.  By best I mean not too sweet.  Though this meal doesn't fit all my rules.  The soup's amazing flavor gets a yes for this place.

This is the very ugly smothered pork burrito (with cheese no onions) from La Puente.  There are several around the valley.  Nutritious?  No.  Delicious.  Yes.  So I let myself indulge.  Especially when I start craving it.  There is nothing I can do but go get one.  You should have seen me beg Karl to meet me there for lunch one day.  

Here are a couple of meals that were not worth it.  The flavor, the nutrition value and especially the way it made me feel.  The machine gun sandwich from Bruges Waffles and Frites... though it was kind of exciting to eat a giant sausage sandwich with fries in it.  My body just kept telling me no with every bite.  I will stick to the "frites" and their amazing sauce next time.  And maybe have a bite of someone's waffle with chocolate, strawberries and creme fresh.  

This pesto pasta from a super cute little cupcake place in St. George looked so good on the menu but was too bitter and bland when it came out.  Not worth it.

You would think this tower of chocolate cake from the Beehive Grill in Logan would be delicious but it wasn't.   We took a few bites, boxed it up, hauled the box home, put it in our fridge, and then threw it out a few days later.  Very good at denying that this just wasn't worth it.  

There you have it.  My test and few photos to illustrate my point.  I would also like to point out that there is a serious aspect of social eating.  I am a huge social eater.  But the question, "Is everyone else eating it?" just does not sound right, does it?  

cristina's

Another one of those places that I think of when they say, "Close your eyes and go to your happy place."

Cristina's Restaurant in Sun Valley.  

Not only do we have a name in common, we have a love of food.  But man oh man, she does it so so so well. 

I didn't do a great job ordering this time.  Ordering is a skill.  I usually do a pretty good job at it. My chicken dinner was a little too manly for my pre snowboarding meal.  And I couldn't help but be jealous of the people across the room from us that had delicious salads.  But this bread basket always makes up for any meal.  See the bread with the purple stuff.  Grapes.  We sat there and tried to guess what fruit it was.  Like something that good had to be all exotic or something.  So we asked.  Grapes.  The hot chocolate is as good as it looks.  

been hosting

Many years ago, this Utah girl found herself in the big city of Chicago. My first year teaching and I decide to take on a class in the Chicago Public Schools. 33 students, 23 of them boys. I am telling you, it was loud and it was hard. No recess, no playground, 20 minutes for lunch, and a big-city-used-to-be-a-cop-and-proud-of-it boss, and, well, it was quite the reality check for this thought-teaching-was-supposed-to-be-like-a-fairytale-because-she-went-to-USU girl.

One of the reasons I was able to get through it was my mentor teacher, Elisa. She lent me supplies when I showed up with almost nothing. She handed me the box of tissues when I showed up in her classroom crying. She helped me get through it and eventually succeed. I am so grateful. Oh, and she also taught me how to make the tastiest Mexican rice ever.

Elisa recently came to visit. I was so excited.

We took her up to Moss Ledge for a picnic dinner and s'mores.

The kids had so much fun climbing and finding sticks and rocks (seriously, remind me why we keep going to Chuck-E-Cheese). Eva found the cutest rocks in perfect shapes. A heart, a diamond, a square, a trapezoid, a pentagon...

This is what Eva looks like when she finds out that Samuel threw her rocks into the stream. That kid is so fast. None of us saw him do it.

Elisa and I have a lot interests in common. She loves to scrapbook. Can you believe it? I go all the way to Chicago and I find a scrapbooker. So, in the short time she was here, I showed her "my Utah."

Zumba class

Creme Brulee French Toast

Hip and Humble

Koo de Ker

Lunch at Mezza

Heartland Paper Co.

Roberts

the Quilted Bear

Dinner at Tin Angel

Elaines Quilt Block

Pho Green Papaya

Just a few of my favorite places to go. We both had a great time.

I decided I love having visitors. Family? Friends? My guest room is open!

peking duck, this is how we do it

Karl's dad is the "Director of Academic Initiatives for Asia" for USU so he comes to China a couple of times a year to teach. He invited Karl to come teach because of his economic skills, his teaching skills, and his Chinese skills. I invited myself to come along.

My dad said, "I could go to China just to eat."

There you have it. It is genetic. I have inherited my love of food. And there is no shame in the fact that, "I am just here for the food."

Because he is a professor, they give Karl's dad the royal treatment here (when will America learn how to treat teachers?). And I love being a part of this (when will my family learn how to treat Mommies? Just kidding. Kind of. Maybe). One of the benefits is that they take us out to eat and as soon as we walk in the place we are led to fancy private rooms and someone orders us a beautiful, well balanced meal of about a dozen different dishes, put it on the giant lazy susan in the middle of the table (a great way to eat, I love it), and the feasting begins.

. For a food nerd like me, well, it is just perfect.

The nice people took us to Peking Duck. It was so neat to see the guy cutting it up. They taught us to take the pieces of crispy skin and dip them in a little bit of coarse sugar. The sugary, salty, crispy, oily combo we so good. Totally worth the fat and calories. Then they showed us how to take pieces of meat, dip the in the sauce, add a little onion, cucumber, and roll it up in a thin crepe like wrapper.

If you know me, you know I was crazy about the precise presentation in the square dishes.

Some firsts for me at this meal: the skin of duck feet (once is probably enough), the sweet bean squares (we have something similar in Japanese food), and something they just called sea vegetable (in a vinegary sauce that I was absolutely crazy about. I definitely ate more than my share of this dish).

We stopped at the grocery store. Rafaelo's, man these guys are smart. Beautiful cakes. The bottom right one made me giggle. And point. Just like a kid. And some Chinglish. Because, in my neck of the woods, we celebrate being nerdy.

Good, Better, Best... Bitty Cakes

Hi, today, I am still thankful for food...

I guess cupcakes are all the rage because shops are popping up all over. There are still a few that I need to try but of the ones I have tried:

Good: So Cupcake 3939 S. Highland Dr.

The Goods: The shop is super cute and they have a really sweet story behind the whole store. They have a huge variety and each one is unique and colorful.

The Okays: I feel bad saying this but I haven't loved any of them, even though I keep trying to. They are just a little on the dry side.

Better: Nothing Bundt Cakes 10389 S. State Street

The Betters: The cake is so moist, dense and tasty and the shop is very cute.

The Okays: I didn't realize that this is a franchise. Kinda takes away from the charm.

Best: Diva's Cupcakes and Coffee 1560 E. 3300 South

The Bests: The shop is neat inside. The cupcake was so moist and so good.

The Okays: I didn't buy two :).

Good, Better, Best... Mexican

Okay, I probably shouldn't admit it but I just realized why every one has been blogging about what they are thankful for. Um, hello.

Okay, so, me too! I am thankful for... FOOD! I am going through all my photos and have tons of food that I want to blog about, that is why all the food reviews. At least for this week.

Good: La Puente 7301 S 900 E

There are a few locations, but this one is my favorite.

The Goods: The chips and salsa they bring out when you sit down. The salsa is in this big ketchup-esque squeeze bottle and you get to squeeze as much as you want. The thin but strong, and delicious (ooo, and who wouldn't want to be described that way?) chips are dusted with chili powder for a little kick. Sometimes I get an order of chips and salsa to take home. The smothered burrito with cheese no onions cannot be beat. The sauce, the thick tortilla, the cheese... I scoop up every last drop with the great chips.

The Okays: The above mentioned things are the only things I like there. The rest? Can you say, "Taco Bell?"

Sue, the girl who introduced me to this place, proudly displays her dish.

Better: Trompos 2265 E Fort Union Blvd

The Betters: A drive through. They have a drive through. That means so much to a mommy of two. Fast food, delicious Mexican food, fast food, delicious Mexican food... you know who wins for me! Their flour tortillas are so fresh, chewy, and oh so yummy. If you choose to dine in, some of their dishes come on this cool wooden thing. I love thoughtful presentation. They have a great variety... their tacos al Pastor (which they always recommend) and smothered burritos are worth trying.

The Okays: I feel bad for them but they are located in kind of crappy place. Seems like restaurants always go out of business here. Help them out! The cheese and chorizo dip was so greasy it made me feel kind of heavy and guilty... but probably not guilty enough to not get it again.

Best: Restaurant Morelia 6098 S State St

The Bests: Maybe it is because I have fond memories of this place because, growing up we used to go there after we went shopping or maybe it is because everything tastes better slathered in melted cheese... I don't know but I just love this place. The staff is super friendly. I have probably tried almost everything on the menu and I love it, especially when it is topped with their super fresh salsa. They are super consistent, you always know what you are going to get. My favorites? The loaded nachos and the fajitas.

The Okays: I am not the only one that loves this place, therefore it is usually very crowded. To make the wait more bearable, I usually hop on over to the nearby Cotton Shop. They have two kinds of ice, I haven't figured out how they decide which one you are going to get and I keep forgetting to ask for the crushed kind.

Once upon a time, we all fit in a single booth. My, look how we have grown.

Bonus- the Bestest: Lone Star Taqueria 2265 Fort Union Boulevard

The Bestests: Drive through. You know how I appreciate a drive through. Their carne asada salad is a great way to get in your veggies. Things I love, let's see, their giant burritos, their fish tacos and the sauce that comes with it, their fun decor... Hey, if it is good enough for Food Network's, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, it is good enough for me.

The Okays: Can get crowded, but I guess that is part of the experience.

Good, Better, Best... Girl Food

Food, Food, Food...

When it is time to go out to lunch with friends, I always want the perfect place with "girl food." In my mind, girl food is fresh and pretty with an ambiance to match.

Good: Zinn Bistro 2020 E 3300 S

The Goods: The famous bread/pastry basket is amazing. There are about 7 different treats in there to get your appetite going.

The Okays: The "I can't believe my mom is making me work here" attitude of the staff. I acted too annoyed to even talk to us. No thanks, I have my own kids to treat me like that. Seems like they price the entrees to cover for the enormous bread basket so, we're talking $15 (over dressed) salads and $12 soups.
Better: Oasis 151 S 500 E

The Betters: I liked the whole "I love the earth" atmosphere of this place. I have had the veggie sandwich, the brie panini, the veggie burger and I can't remember what else and they have all been super tasty. You don't feel all oafy after eating here because the ingredients are so fresh and light.

The Okays: The food takes a while but maybe people that love the earth like it that way.

Best: Food for Thought 12640 Fort St, Draper

The Goods: This place takes the cake for girly atmosphere... The wait staff was so nice and let us sit and chat for a really long time after our food was gone.

The Okays: It isn't super kid friendly, they didn't really like it when Samuel ran into the kitchen, um, but who would? It just seems like a great place to go with girlfriends where you don't have to yell to have your conversation. So, it kind of makes sense that it isn't kid friendly.

The Experience: The second time I went, Paula ordered hot chocolate and it came in this huge bowl looking thing. Samuel stuck his straw in to have a taste and before we knew it all four kids had their straws and they downed the whole thing. Paula only got a sip.

This is the only photo I can find from all three of these places. Us in front of Food for Thought.

Good, Better, Best... Sandwiches

Good: House of Bread 2005 E 2700 S

I love local little shops and sometimes I go just because I want them to "make it."

The Goods: The giant wheat grinder in the dining area, the Veggie Triple Cheese Delight on Squaw bread

The Okays: The mini cinamon rolls that they offer with every order and the broccoli cheese soup.

The experience: Eva cracked us up when we realized that she was sneaking all of Karl's cinamon roll. Found some (daring for now but I will wear them when I get used to them) boots for $10 at Whimsy, the store next door.

Better: Robin's Nest 311 S Main

(don't make the mistake I did and go to 33rd S, that location is closed)

Karl goes here all the time and I have wanted to try it out.

The Betters: The cute (yep, cute) tri colored chips, the decor, the Dessert Bites for 75 cents

The Okays: The Mexican Spiced Hot Chocolate, sound gross? Well, that's because, uh, well, it is.

Best: Village Baker 1658 W 9000 S

This place has pizza, salads, and sandwiches.

The Bests: Good Ranch (maybe its the Utah in me, but I consider good Ranch dressing one of the finest seasonings out there), awesome chef salad (and many other great salads), they will make your pizza on whole wheat if you ask. Oh, and yes, they have many delicious sandwiches, my favorite is Turkey Breast and Provolone on squaw bread.

The Okays: They don't have any inside seating! You have to get take out.

(Sorry, sandwich was devoured before I remembered to take a picture. That happens a lot)