APOLLO BURGER

Where: Apollo Burger, 452 N State Street, Orem

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Devynne & Tyler

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Us - Gyro, Bacon Cheeseburger, Onion Rings, "Cookie" Milkshake. Them - Chicken Souvlaki, Western Bacon Cheeseburger, Strawberry Milkshake

What It Cost: $16.99 for two people

What We Thought:

My next door neighbor Jordan told Owen that Apollo Burger was his all-time favorite burger place, but for some reason I thought that the closest location was in Draper. When we realized there was one in Orem, we made plans to go immediately! 

First off, you guys all know about my obsession with onion rings. So when our tray arrived with this HUGE pile-up of onion rings (it was quite monumental), let's just say I was a teensy bit excited. I mean, that is a hefty looking tray of food for under $20, I gotta admit.

I don't know what they do to their bacon, but seriously, it was the best bacon I've ever had on a burger!! It was super hot and crispy and thick and flavorful and amazing!!! The burger itself was pretty delicious too, but THE BACON! Obviously, the bacon was what really sold me on this burger -- the patty was decent, the shredded lettuce and American cheese didn't really win me over, and the rest of the toppings were just fine. It was a nice and thick bun, which was great and definitely necessary for a burger as big as this one.

The gyro was pretty good - not as good as Burgers Supreme, but definitely juicy and tender and flavorful. It didn't come with any lettuce, but I didn't really mind. The tzatziki sauce was still really good, and it was served in a decent pita as well.

Though the mount of onion rings was enormous, I can't say that they were my favorite onion rings of all time. The batter was less crispy than I usually like, and they cooled off super quickly. Cold onion rings...not so amazing. They were definitely better than the Cannon Center/Marley's onion rings, but they didn't blow my mind or anything.

This milkshake was labeled as "cookie," which we thought was funny - it was definitely an Oreo milkshake, but maybe there are some copyright issues with that or something? The milkshake was on the thinner/more drinkable side, had a really tasty flavor (duh - Oreos and ice cream...), but didn't really have any big chunks of Oreos like I was hoping for. Still a yummy compliment to the meal overall though.

The Western burger was essentially the same burger as mine, but with barbecue sauce and an onion ring on it as well. Definitely for those salt-cravers!

We really didn't go for creative choices as you can see - the chicken souvlaki was basically a gyro, but with marinated chicken instead of lamb. Oh, and it did come with shredded lettuce. I personally liked the additional texture that the lettuce contributed, though it was probably some of the palest Iceberg lettuce I've ever seen! Apollo Burger had many more much more interesting choices than what we went with (especially with pastrami?), and I would be interested to try something more exciting next time!

What You Should Do: Rumor has it that Apollo Burger is run by the same people as Burgers Supreme (can anyone confirm this?), but I have to admit, I liked the burgers here better! The gyro was still better at Burgers Supreme in my opinion (that's the only thing we ever order there!), but if you're in the mood for a decently-priced, juicy, BACON-y hamburger, Apollo Burger will definitely fit the bill!

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Pizza Pie Cafe

Where: Pizza Pie Cafe, 2235 N University Parkway, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Devynne, many cousins & other family members

Number of Visits: 5

What We Ordered: Pizza Buffet

What It Cost: $8.25 per person

What We Thought:

All the Utah County culinary snobs are probably going to disown me forever after this post, but I have to get it out in the open - I like Pizza Pie Cafe!

I know, I know.

NO, I do not think that it is THE BEST pizza in Provo. But I do think that it has a fun atmosphere, is great for families and large groups, and is certainly the best pizza buffet I've ever been to! 

I normally try to avoid buffets (the whole germ thing kind of worries me....) but Pizza Pie Cafe is moving through pizzas so quickly that you really have little to fear for here. If you are trying to feed a picky group on a budget, Pizza Pie Cafe is great because they have so many different options that are sure to please everyone. They have a decent salad bar, always at least seven types of pizza, and a pasta bar as well! The pasta and salad bars are included in the normal buffet prices, and you can pay for access to the soda machines as well. Good luck restraining yourself is all I have to say. Shown above are two white pizzas - chicken ranch and white chicken supreme. Yum to both!

I've never actually wasted stomach space on the pasta bar, but Owen decided to try it this last time we visited and was pleasantly surprised. They have at least four different sauces (which all are great as dipping sauces for your leftover pizza crusts!) and various pasta that are all pretty decent. Still, I'd go for the pizza...

My weakness here is definitely the cheese sticks. When I was growing up, my mom never allowed us to order cheese sticks as any restaurant because they were so easy to make at home on our own. But when they are free?? I can't help myself. Cheese and bread...does it really get any better? They also have a tasty barbecue pineapple pizza that is one of my favorites.

Dessert pizza? Um, yes please. Most places that offer dessert pizzas usually have one or two pathetic choices, but Pizza Pie Cafe is well equipped with six different choices, including three fruit (I am especially partial to the peach crumble!). They also have an Oreo pizza (soooo indulgent), cookie dough pizza (perfect for super-sweet lovers like me), and a simply delicious cinnamon pizza with cream cheese frosting. Really, where else can you get salad, dinner, and dessert for under $9??

The one complaint I have about Pizza Pie Cafe is their excessive use of bacon. I know it's a "thing" right now, but they put bacon on too many pizza for my personal liking, and it is always a very strong flavor presence. Usually I just shake off some of the bacon crumbles, and then I am much more satisfied. I like Pizza Pie Cafe because they try to keep it interesting, with fun options like this pizza with potato slices on top - I've never heard of such a thing, but it's surprisingly good!

What You Should Do: If you're feeling indulgent and have a pizza craving that must be satisfied, or if you're taking your football-playing cousin out to dinner, or if you are taking a large party of picky individuals (especially kids!), then Pizza Pie Cafe is a fun and delicious choice. I have to warn you - you will probably regret your stomach for the rest of the evening, but it will be worth it! Just please eat one of those silly cheese sticks for me!

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Rocky Mountain Drive-In

Where: Rocky Mountain Drive-In, 43 S 500 W, Provo 

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Onion Rings, Potato Twirl, Bacon Cheeseburger & Ranch Burger

What It Cost: $14.49

What We Thought: 

Another burger place, another ho-hum meal. The old-school dining atmosphere and out-of-the-way location gave us hopes that Rocky Mountain Drive-In would be one of those special finds with great food, but unfortunately it only turned out to be average. 

The one thing that was NOT average were these onions rings -- these are no question, the BEST onion rings I've had in Utah! It was so strange because everything else was just normal, but these onion rings were exactly the way I like them - no weird beer-batter breading or sogginess. They had a crisp, crunchy batter exterior and they were the perfect onion ring thickness. I had to bat away Owen's hand because I certainly did not want to share these golden rings of goodness!

The burger was nothing special. The bacon was perfectly prepared and flavorful, but the cheese was fake-tasting and the burger too wimpy and charred. They had fairly decent buns, but flavorless iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. If you are one of those people who like thin classic burgers, then you might go for this, but it just din't really do it for us.

The ranch burger was exactly the same as the bacon burger, except the mayonnaise was swapped for ranch dressing and it had white American cheese instead of yellow. Meh.

Now this little guy was exciting -- they had one on display at the cash register, and I just had to try it because it looked so interesting! It was a potato, sliced and pulled into a long spiral, and then baked I think...it basically tasted like a bunch of thick crunchy homemade potato chips, on a stick. Kind of weird, but fun to eat! Not sure if I would order one again, but it was certainly entertaining!

What You Should Do: First off, if you do decide to go here, do NOT use the bathrooms! They are downstairs, in a dingy little corner and were pretty scary. I probably would also not recommend seeking this restaurant out specifically, unless you are a huge onion ring lover like me. I probably would never go here again, unless I got a super craving for onion rings. I also have heard their milkshakes and scones are pretty good, so you may want to try these as well. But altogether, Rocky Mountain Drive-In is pretty typical, and I feel like there are better burgers here in Utah County.

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Vinto

Where: Vinto, 418 E 200 S, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey & Owen

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Blackberry Italian Soda, Roasted Vegetable Piadine, Tuttabella Pizza, Butterscotch Budino, and Nutella Gelato

What It Cost: $40 (including tip)

What We Thought: 

Located in both Salt Lake City and Park City, Vinto offers casual Italian food with a modern atmosphere. Though they were pretty busy the night we went there, the service was pretty quick if not overly-friendly. I really liked the interior decor of the restaurant, and thought it was a fun place to eat (though I wished we had been seated in the comfy-looking circular booths!)

I was feeling a little daring, so I ordered something that I didn't know what it was - the roasted vegetable piadine. It was basically like a really messy, open burrito. The "warm, tender unleavened flatbread" was more like a crispy dry tortilla that cracked and fell apart as you tried to eat it, but at least the inside of the sandwich (??) was interesting. The arugula was some of the most mild greens I've ever had, and there was a great variety of roasted vegetables that were all super tasty! I just wished that it was served in something that was more malleable, but that's probably less "authentic." In any case, if you vegetarian, then Vinto has a lot of delicious choices.

The pizza was very delicious, but only after we realized that the little dish of seasonings on the side was intended for the pizza! The pizza comes with a little plate of parmesan, red chili flakes, and dried oregano, which are really necessary to bring out the flavor and savoriness of this tasty pizza. The sausage was plentiful and delicious, and the roasted red peppers were colorful and wonderful as well. Owen isn't a huge fan of caramelized onions, but the ones on this pizza were not too overpowering and added greatly to the pizza. This is definitely a pizza I would want to repeat in the future.

They surprisingly had a lot of dessert options I actually wanted to try, so we had to go for some! The butterscotch budino was a chilled pudding with a salted caramel topping and whipped cream. It was so indulgent and SO goooooood. Owen and I kept fighting for the spoon to have a go at it, and I wished that we had ordered two! The salted caramel had rather large crystals of salt, which were a fun surprise while eating the smooth pudding, and the biscotti was wonderful when dipped in a little pudding!

Unfortunately, the meal ended on a sad note with this exceptionally overpriced and pathetic gelato. The gelato was served far too cold, so it had more of an icy quality than the smooth texture you normally think of with gelato. The Nutella flavor was barely noticeable, and I thought it was pretty teeny for "two scoops" of really expensive ice cream. The cookie on top was cute and tasty, but it didn't make up for my disappointment with the subpar gelato.

What You Should Do: Go for the pizza and budino - everything else was only just alright. I thought the atmosphere was fun, and the Italian soda was actually one of the better ones I've had (not pictured). The pizza was definitely delicious, and they have many other flavors that sounded equally interesting and appealing. Budinos are really time-consuming to make, so I would also recommend getting this scrumptious dessert if you're in the mood!

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Mystery Post...

Today's post is going to be a little different....

Take a look below and try to guess where this sandwich is from: 

Super thick piles of freshly sliced turkey, layers of salami, crisp lettuce, tomatoes and onion, all on a super soft hunk of white bread?

Would you ever guess that this sandwich was from....Walmart????

I can hear the sound of your jaw dropping right now.

Where: Walmart, 1355 Sandhill Road, Orem

Who Went: I ordered a sub sandwich for my on-campus club, around 20 people

Number of Visits: 3

What We Ordered: Two 4-foot long sub sandwiches, one with turkey and salami, the other with turkey and roast beef.

What It Cost: $44 (which is around $2 a person!)

What We Thought:

I'm not a huge Walmart fan in general, and I almost always go to Target instead, but the one thing Walmart does have going for them is their catered sub sandwiches. When you are looking to do something besides the ever-present pizza at an event and you are on a budget, these sandwiches are a relatively healthy and super low-cost option! They may even be cheaper than pizza (unless you're into those $5 disks of horror...). And the sandwiches are actually pretty good, as you can see from the pictures! It's not really a place to go out to eat, but I just thought I should share this with you because it's a great choice for catered events or even if you don't feel like cooking one night!

This is not a sponsored post. I was just so surprised at the quality and cheapness that I had to share it with you all! 

Michelangelo's

Where: Michelangelo's on Main, 132 S Main Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Owen and Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Lemon Italian Soda, Melon with Prosciutto, Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce, and Rigatoni with Side of Asparagus Soup

What It Cost: $45.00 (including tip)

What We Thought: 

Another Italian restaurant, another disappointment. We originally planned on going to Siegfried's Deli one night in Salt Lake, but they were surprisingly closed so we had to walk around and find somewhere new. Michelangelo's was just right around the corner and had only one other table filled, so we decided to go in. 

We started out with some bread, and I was a little disappointed with this teeny bread bowl! I mean, I shouldn't be eating that much bread before my meal anyway, but seven measly little cubes? And the bread was actually really good so we wanted more, and it just looked so silly in the huge black bowl it was served in.

Owen ordered a lemon Italian soda which was not very sweet at all (super tart) and did not have much cream. Plus, no refills. Not impressed. And expensive.

I wanted to substitute my soup or salad side option for one of the appetizers and just pay the difference, which the server said I could do. I chose to get the honeydew and prosciutto, because I love prosciutto and it sounded interesting. The melon was not very ripe, but the prosciutto was thinly sliced and flavorful. I think I enjoyed it more than I would a normal side, and it was a nice refreshing break from my heavy pasta.

Owen chose the asparagus soup for his side, which was also hilariously small, and not all that wonderful. It was good and filling, but the asparagus flavor was a little wimpy and not exceptionally creamy. I probably would want to try another soup if I went there again.

I ordered the gnocchi because I love gnocchi and it is a huge pain to make on your own. The gnocchi here was smaller than I've had before and a little sticky, but it had good flavor. I liked the bolognese sauce, which was meaty and fresh, and there was a good sauce to pasta ratio. I would have preferred more than a little sprinkling of basil (it was kind of just a tease), and since it was a potato-based pasta, it was very filling. Was it a decent meal? Yes. Was it something I couldn't make at home for a quarter of the price? No...

Owen's rigatoni was probably the best dish out of everything we ordered - it was coated in a slightly sweet red sauce with cooked onions and spicy sausage that was all very tasty. It was much less heavy than my dish, and had a nice blend of Italian spices. But once again, pasta is so easy to make! And this wasn't really anything very difficult at all.

What You Should Do: Stay at home and make Italian yourself! Pasta is so cheap and easy to make on your own, so I almost always feel like I'm paying way too much for what I get. My server forgot to substitute in the melon for my side, so not only did I end up paying more, but I didn't get a soup or salad that my meal should have come with! The service was not very attentive, and the food was only alright. If you are really craving Italian food and feel like you have money to spare, then Michelangelo's is usually not very busy and would be an acceptable choice. Otherwise, the quest for reasonable Italian food shall continue...

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Suki Hana

Where: Suki Hana, 28 S State Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What I Ordered: Chicken Teriyaki with Noodles

What It Cost: $5.25

What I Thought:

Where I'm from, Asian restaurants serving pho and teriyaki are as prevalent as Mexican restaurants are here. So every now and then I get a serioussss craving for some salty, sticky, saucy teriyaki that must be filled! Since City Creek is a popular destination for me and all my shopping, I decided to give Suki Hana a try at the City Creek food court.

I am sorry people, but this is some sad teriyaki. The noodles were obviously prepared hours ago and were slightly cold and oily. And the chicken, though it did satisfy my craving, was definitely nowhere near the best teriyaki I've ever had. It was drowning in too much sauce and felt soggy. There was enough salt and MSG in the dish to make it palatable, but I don't think I'll go here next time I get the teriyaki urge.

What You Should Do: The City Creek food court has lots of different options, and in the future, I'd probably recommend avoiding this one. Though inexpensive, the food was not very good quality, the teriyaki was very sad, and the noodles were too oily and tepid to be enjoyed. Check out Taste of the Red Iguana instead!

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Pantrucas

Where: Pantrucas Chilean Restaurant, 3161 N Canyon Road, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey, Owen, Anthony & Kierea

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Churrasco Palta, Barros Luco, Ave Palta, Completo Italiano, Cheese Empanada,  2 Peach Juices and a Mango Juice. 

What It Cost: $26.00 for two people 

What We Thought: 

In the mood for something unique, flavorful, and local? Pantrucas is a delicious little family-owned and operated treat hidden up on Canyon Road that serves Chilean fare. They have been on my to-visit list for a long time now, and when I set up a double date with one of my friends who served his mission in Chile, I knew we had to go here so I could get a real opinion on its authenticity!

We started out with three juices - two peach and one mango. Though a little on the pricey side, they definitely do not skimp out on the juice with these huge carafes filled with fresh-squeezed flavor! Definitely some of the best juices I've ever had at a restaurant, and I can only imagine how delicious and refreshing these would taste on a hot summer day! Definitely will have to come here mid-August!

My favorite sandwich was actually the one Owen ordered - the Barros Luco sandwich. It is essentially a steak and cheese sandwich, served on their homemade crunchy bread. The homemade bread is outstanding - very fresh and toasted to a fun crispness, and I really loved the marinated, flavorful, tender steak inside. They went a little crazy with the cheese, which made me love it even more! So comforting and soooo good!

Anthony ordered the Completo Italiano, which was essentially a loaded hot dog. I had no idea that hot dogs would be considered Chilean food, but Anthony said that food carts sell hot dogs just like this all over the place! The hot dog was enormous, and had plenty of tomatoes, onions, and other toppings that all looked fresh and wonderful.

The Ave Palta and Churrasco Palta sandwiches were essentially the same - the former with chicken and the latter with steak - and they were equally tasty. Served on the same bread as the above steak sandwich, these were absolutely loaded with fresh, ripe avocado, smashed and spread into a thick layer. Then the same delicious marinated meat, topped with hefty slices of thick tomatoes and herbs. So simple, but so amazing. This is another one that I bet would be absolutely divine in the summer, and it is definitely worth it.

What You Should Do: Pantrucas is definitely one of those special Provo places you should add to your list. They are very different, very delicious, and very authentic according to my friend! You may not have known what Chilean food is like, but Pantrucas can give you a fun cultural dining experience with plenty of choices to satisfy all palates.

Taste of Red Iguana

Where: Taste of Red Iguana, 28 S State Street, Salt Lake City

Who Went: Chelsey

Number of Visits: 1

What I Ordered: Enchilada Verde Lunch Special

What It Cost: $4.63

What I Thought: 

Red Iguana without all the lines? They don't have all of the options or the ambience, but the Taste of the Red Iguana at City Creek is a great option if you are in a hurry but really are craving that unique Red Iguana flavor! They have some of the best Red Iguana options, like the Tacos don Ramon and Enchiladas Suizas at the same prices. They don't have the huge menu of the normal restaurant, but they also don't have the long wait! My enchiladas had a nice and tangy chile verde sauce and flavorful chicken with soft corn tortillas, and it came with their regular refried beans and spicy rice - so good! The lunch special came also came with chips and a little bit of salsa - it was actually quite a bit of food for under five dollars!

What You Should Do: If you are in downtown Salt Lake Lake and love Red Iguana, go ahead and give the Taste of Red Iguana at City Creek! A lot of people give it a bad rap because it's not exactly the same, and of course it isn't as incredibly amazing, but for a quick Mexican tasty fix, this could certainly beat any of your other typical food court choices.

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