Delectable Dining
Adventures in Eating
You know that moment when you are trying to decide where to eat and your mind suddenly goes completely blank? It seems like every week this happens to me. You have your favorite places where you are a regular, but sometimes you want to try something new. And let’s be honest. It can be a little intimidating to try a completely new place. You don’t know if the food will be epic or mediocre. Even if you are brave enough to try a new place, you aren’t sure what to order.
Going new places can be amazing, if you make the right choice. Every place has dishes that are LIFE CHANGING good. I am talking about the kind of dishes you are willing to drive 45 minutes in rush hour traffic in the heat of the summer when you are 8 months pregnant, kind of good (Oh Mei Vietnamese sandwich #8). My goal is to help ease the worries of eating somewhere new and help you find some new places to add to your eating out options.
Now, a little bit about me. I grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley (think agricultural goldmine) eating fresh strawberries from roadside stands, tritip sandwiches at the Clovis Farmer’s Market, and Foster’s Freeze ice cream cones (dipped in chocolate, of course). I moved to North Ogden, Utah when I was 11 and learned to love Brigham City peaches at Nielson’s fruit stand, Country Boy Ice Cream (no longer in business), and Training Table hamburgers. After graduating from high school, I went to BYU-Idaho where I met my husband, Nick, at the cafeteria. We ended up sitting across from each other and talking over spaghetti, Snicker’s salad, and chocolate milk. Fast forward and here we are living in Spanish Fork with our two little girls.
My husband and I love eating out. Our favorite thing to do is find hole-in-thewall places that look questionable but have out-of-this-world food. Think “Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.” Like Lonestar Taqueria in Salt Lake City. I would NEVER have imagined that a run-down taco shop in Salt Lake City would have the best fish tacos I have ever eaten. We love going on road trips and looking up Yelp reviews to find hidden gems. It is an adventure to drive through a city, not knowing where you will end up.
Some culinary highlights of my life are eating steak frites at a street café in Paris, eating fish and chips in Stratford on Avon (WITH MASHED PEAS), eating salmon on a boat ride to Victoria B.C., and eating cheesecake in NYC. Some of my Utah favorites are Lemon Raspberry Pie at Ruth Ann’s Diner in SLC, chocolate cake at Magelby’s, top sirloin at Tucano’s, and Chicken Bryan at Carraba’s.
I am delighted to be the newest writer for Delectable Dining! Honestly, it has always been my dream to write food reviews. I hope that together we can explore Utah County’s culinary expanse and find some new favorites. Best Meals Ever: Artisan Pizza: Vic’s Pizzeria in Olympia Washington; Chicken: Nando’s London, UK; Brunch: Sarabeth’s on Central Park South in NYC; BBQ: Ranch House BBQ in Olympia, Washington; Best Fish Taco: Lone Star Tacqueria in SLC; Best Pie: Penny Ann’s Café SLC; Ice: (Not a meal, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to get in Paris. Chinese Lunch Special: Tsing Tao in Payson.