One of the best sushi establishments in Utah, Tsunami now has three locations. The third and newest location, in the river bottoms at 106th south, in South Jordan, just opened, and I figured that would give me a good excuse to put up a review. The other two locations are Sugarhouse (their original location), and Fort Union.

The Tsunami restaurants are, I will admit, a little trendy for my tastes, and not very traditional at all. The first time I walked in to the Sugarhouse location, I felt a little out of place. The clientele seemed to be lots of young hipsters and older, wealthy people. The new location seems to cater more to the BMW and Mercedes crowd, but if that doesn’t put you off, you definitely need to check this place out.

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t tried any of the regular menu entrees at Tsunami. I go to Tsunami for their sushi, which is excellent. Their selection isn’t vast, but what they do have is very high quality. They have the usual (in North America) plethora of rolls and other ‘tame’ stuff you’d expect to find, as well as nigiri and sashimi. They do not have temaki, or hand rolls, on the menu, but if you politely ask your sushi chef, they might be willing to make one for you.

Have you ever had real Mexican food? I don’t mean taqueria style, like Betos or Gualbertos, nor do I mean any of the popular Americanized chains like Chevy’s, and I definitely don’t mean Taco Bell, The Taco Maker, Del Taco, or any other similar abomination. I mean real home-style Mexican food.

There are several places in Utah where one can eat good Mexican food. One of the best, however, is El Gallo Giro. Their menu is expansive. On it, you’ll find the customary foods you would expect at any Mexican restaurant, such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and the like. But you will also find things like a delicious grilled chicken, Menudo and other soups, grilled nopales (the leaves of the prickly pear cactus), and a wonderful shrimp cocktail. Their shrimp cocktail, or coctel de camarones, is not the American style kind that you might be used to. Theirs is done in the Mexican style: it comes in a large mug or bowl with the peeled and chilled shrimp mixed into a sweet tomato sauce. To the shrimp and sauce are added avocados, onions, cilantro, lemon juice and wedges, celery, and some other wonderful things. It’s beautiful and delicious. Definitely something you should try. The undeniable king of their menu, however, is “El Molcajete”, or “The Rock”.

A quiet little place in Provo’s Riverwoods, Shoots restaurant is a fabulous place to eat. I’ve been several times now, once with a business group, once with Joe, and once again with my family. I have to say that this is one of the two best Chinese restaurants in all of Utah County (the other being Four Seasons Hotpot and Dumplings). The food is fantastic, the restaurant is always clean, and the staff are very welcoming. In fact the owner, Gary, is also usually waiting on customers and making sure everybody is happy. He works hard to make his customers feel at home in his restaurant, and I think it really shows. He is a wonderful and charming person and I appreciate his friendliness. The last time I was at Shoots, I brought my wife and our three kids (all under 5) with me. My two-year-old was not feeling very well at the time, and was a little fussy. Gary came out several times, making a big fuss over the children and won smiles from each of them. It sure made them happy, and helped their parents to not be too stressed out about their kids behavior in public.

Settebello, named for the most sought after card in the popular Italian card game Scopa, is a wonderful new restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. Now, although Settebello is a pizzeria, it is most definitely not “just another pizzeria”. Settebello is different. They are a certified member of Vera Pizza Napoletana, or true Neapolitan pizza. While they are the only VPN member in Utah, this is not too surprising, as there are only 16 VPN members in the United States as a whole. For more information about Vera Pizza Napoletana, see the quote from their website at the end of this post.

Great Korean food in Provo? Who knew?

Sam Hawk Korean Restaurant is located in a seedy-looking strip mall in Provo. The atmosphere outside leaves much to be desired, but inside, it is a little better. They have some attractive decorations, and you can tell that they worked hard with what they have and taken pride in their appearance. So, if you want atmosphere, go to Pizzeria Seven Twelve or Yapona. Now, if you want some really good Korean food, then Sam Hawk is the place!

Good sushi is one of the few foods that can be as healthy as it is delicious. Those who know Joe and I know that we love sushi. I am enamored of the food not just because it’s tasty, but also because of how it looks and how it makes my body feel. Sushi really is an art form. Well prepared sushi is a beautiful thing to behold, and it pleases the eye whilst pleasing the palate.

Because I am such a fan of sushi, I have eaten in many, many sushi restaurants. One of the restaurants I frequent is The Happy Sumo at the Riverwoods in Provo (there is also a Salt Lake location in the Gateway). The reason I go back to this place is because it is much closer to my office than either Yapona or Tsunami, and because it is occasionally very good. Usually, however, it is mediocre.

A recent find (introduced to me by Joe), Phở Green Papaya has become my absolute favorite Vietnamese restaurant. The ingredients are fresh, the atmosphere is classy, and the service is impeccable. There is an incredible variety of selections on their six page menu. Although I have by no means tried them all, everything I have tried has been top notch. Their prices are reasonable too — my most recent meal, consisting of tea, an appetizer, and a large bowl of phở, came to less than $19, including a generous tip.

When you go, start with an appetizer. Though not typical Vietnamese fare, their chicken satays are fantastic — coconutty, lightly sweet, moist and tender. I like the fresh spring rolls (Gỏi cuốn), but their crispy, deep fried rolls (Chả giò) are also excellent.

If you like tea, they have a broad selection of green and black teas, as well as a couple of herbal tisanes, all served in a cast-iron tea kettle. I am a big fan of green tea, and I always order a pot when I’m there. I especially love Chinese jasmine pearl tea (Dragon Pearls), jasmine scented green tea leaves and sometimes a jasmine flower, hand rolled into small pearl-sized balls, and was delighted to find it on the menu. If you like teas, try it — you won’t be disappointed.