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”.

The Rock is is a veritable feast which can easily serve two regular humans, or one Joe. The rock is, as the name implies, a molcajete which has been baked in an oven and then filled with their grilled chicken, carne asada, chorizo, shrimp, grilled nopales, shrimp, grilled spring onions, and a delicious sauce. The Molcajete is served with tortillas to eat with the contents of the giant rock. It’s really something quite spectacular to behold.

El Gallo Giro also has a couple of family plates that looked quite wonderful. One of these days, we’ll order one and let you know how it went. They are served tableside on a grill, with rice and beans and lots of tortillas. That brings me to their beans… El Gallo Giro has, unquestionably, the best frijoles I have had in Utah. Bar none. They are fantastically smooth and savory. I’m sure they’re made with lard, so they’re probably not very healthy, but they’re wonderful!

In addition to the wondrous offerings we’ve already described, the restaurant has two appetizers that are worth mentioning. The first is a queso fundito, which is a fajita skillet full of melted cheese and a bit of carne asada. This comes to the table bubbling and steaming, and smelling wonderful. As it sits, the cheese on the bottom and sides burns and crisps up a bit. It’s fantastic to dip your chips into while it’s melted, and once you eat all of the melted cheese, you can peel off the crispy bits stuck to the skillet. It’s just perfect!

The second, and no less fantastic, mentionable appetizer is their fresh guacamole. This can be ordered with or with out a jalapeño, but either way, it’s made tableside. A few minutes after you order, a waitress will appear, bearing a tray with a molcajete, some avocados, a small bowl of pico de gallo, and a chile (assuming you ordered one). The waitress will grind up the ingredients in the molcajete and then present it to you. I suggest adding a little lime juice and salt, but this is some of the best guacamole you will ever taste. It’s wonderfully fresh, and beautiful to behold. Just wonderful.

Now, if you’re still not convinced, let me tell you about their beverage selection… They have the usual array of sodas (if you’re into that sort of thing), but they also have a daily array of aguas frescas, and a juice (licuado in Spanish) bar. Their aguas frescas are made daily, and the selection changes, you will almost always find horchata, but we’ve also seen mango (basically lemonade but made with mangoes instead of lemons), strawberry (made with strawberries, sugar, and milk), watermelon, mixed berry, and others. These are served from the traditional large jugs, from which you can help yourself. Definitely just the thing on a hot day, or with a hot meal.

Finally, not to be missed, are their salsas. They have the traditional salsa bar with several flavors of salsas, pickled jalapeños, limes, radishes, shredded cabage, etc. Their salsa, however are just fantastic. They range from fiery hot to somewhat mild, but their flavors are bright and clean, and they have a wonderful aroma and texture.

So, what are you waiting for? Stop reading and go to El Gallo Giro for some fantastic food! (Come back and finish reading when you’re done though!)

–Jason

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.

Okay, so now that I’ve told you about the atmosphere, let’s move on to the cuisine, shall we? As I mentioned before, their food is fantastic. It always tastes much more fresh than almost all of the Chinese food that you can get in Utah. They have the usual assortment of traditional Chinese fair, but Gary has added a few things to the menu that you don’t usually see. He has some delicious salads, Honey-Roasted Walnut Shrimp, and a Salt and Pepper shrimp or chicken that are just fantastic.

To start your meal at Shoots, I’d recommend the Po Po Platter: a appetizer combination of egg rolls, two kinds of fried wontons, fried shrimp, barbecued pork and beef skewers that are served on a platter with a flaming brazier in the middle. You can roast the meat over the brazier before you eat it, so that it will be very hot, with a nice charred crust. If you like hot and sour soup, Shoots’ is some of the best I’ve had.

As for the entrees, take a look at the menu on their website. You really can’t go wrong. Because of the quality of ingredients that they start with, the beef at Shoots is so much more tender and delicious than you would expect to find at a Chinese restaurant, so definitely try the Mongolian Beef, Tangerine Beef or Beef with Broccoli. I have tried several of their shrimp dishes, and haven’t found one I didn’t love. The noodles there are fantastic too.

For beverages, you have the usual choices you’d find at any good restaurant, but they also serve green, oolong, and jasmine teas. Something you might want to try, however, is the boba. It is hard to find in Utah (in fact, I think that this is the only place in Utah county where you can get it), and most people here don’t even know what it is. Boba actually refers to an ingredient in the drink (largish tapioca pearls), rather than the drink itself. The drink originated in Taiwan, and was first made with tea. Nowadays, however, you can find boba served in smoothies, milkshakes, and other beverages. Shoots serves theirs in several flavors of smoothies. The drinks are served with a straw that’s about a half an inch in diameter so that the boba can be sucked up with the smoothie. The first time you try this chewy beverage, you will probably be a little surprised by its texture, but you will soon become addicted. It’s definitely something that you should try.

A final recommendation is Shoot’s shaved ice dessert. This is not your typical snow-cone — it is served in a bowl and will feed several people. Their dessert is a small hill of shaved ice in the center of a large bowl, over which is poured some strawberry syrup, heavy cream, and then your choice of up to three fresh fruits. It’s truly beautiful. The next time I go, I’ll try to take a picture of this (and our entrees) to get your mouths watering.

So, to sum up: Shoot’s is a fabulous restaurant with fresh ingredients and an exceptional staff. Try it once, and I guarantee you’ll be craving it fortnightly.

–Jason

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!

I have been to Sam Hawk several times now, and I have never been disappointed with the food. The have great appetizers, like the traditional Korean seafood or green onion and kimchi pancakes, and maki-sushi like rolls containing korean ingredients. Their Bulgogi and Daeji (pork) Bulgogi are excellent. Their Kimchi Jigae (a very spicy, very hot (it’s served while still boiling) soup or stew made from kimchi, red pepper, pork and some vegetables) is also fantastic. They also serve japchae (Korean chop suey), Duk Mandu Guk (another Korean soup), and many other soups, noodle dishes, and various meats and seafood.

All of their entrees are served with traditional banchan or small side-dishes. You will find in your assortment of banchan such items as kimchi, sesame flavored bean sprouts, boiled peanuts, sweet potato, pickled cucumber with a spicy sauce, and others.

I am a fan of Sam Hawk, and look forward to returning. This is definitely a place worth trying.

–Jason

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.

The service at The Happy Sumo is usually fairly ambivalent towards the customers, but there are a few waitresses that are very friendly and helpful. In particular, my waitress this evening, Jessica, was very nice. She has waited on me before, and I always appreciate her friendly smile and careful attention.

So, why do I say that the food is often mediocre? Well, let’s take tonight’s meal as an example. I ordered some tuna and salmon nigiri and a “Marz Roll” for my entree. The tuna was very stringy. This isn’t something that you want in sushi. The salmon was good though. All of the rice I ate this evening was pretty mushy. Sometimes, the Marz roll has a very bright flavor, and a nice variety of textures. Tonight, it didn’t really have either. It was fairly bland, with all of the textures (mushy rice, un-crispy tempura shrimp, crab salad, tuna sashimi) blending toghether. The last time I was here though, my roll was terrific. I also ordered some Hokkigai (surf clams), which were beautifully presented, but they were tough and dry around the edges and seemed to be freezer burnt.

Tonight, I also ordered a dessert — the “Mount Fuji”. This was a “chocolate lava cake” served with ice cream and whipped cream. When my dessert came, it was served on a heavily chipped and cracked plate (the NSF and health departments have rules against serving foods on cracked or chipped porcelain, as they can harbor microorganisms, even through washing). The cake had good flavor, but the texture was rather course. The ice cream that came with it was freezer burned and grainy. All in all, it was a disappointing dessert, although it had great potential.

So, what’s my overall take on The Happy Sumo? Although I am often disappointed when comparing it to the likes of Tsunami or Yapona, it is a fairly decent place to grab a bite to eat.

–Jason

Where do I start with Four Seasons? This place is one of my very favorite restaurants in all of Utah. Run by one of the cutest couples I have ever met, this is a family business in every sense of the word. The restaurant, for the most part, serves two things: hotpots and dumplings (did you expect something else?). The hotpots are cooked in the traditional way, at the table by the customer, and the dumplings are made fresh to order by the owners. I love watching the couple that run the place make their dumplings. They so obviously enjoy each other, it is a joy to watch them work together.

They serve several different kinds of dumplings: boiled and steamed Jiaozi, tasty Xiao Long Bao, and my favorite, fist-sized Baozi; all served with their special dipping sauce. You can choose from a variety of ingredients for the dumpling fillings. You can choose vegetarian dumplings, or you can choose from pork, chicken or beef. Once you’ve chosen a base, you can choose several from any number of vegetables to add to the fillings. The dumplings will then be prepared for you by the proprietors as you wait. These are seriously delicious dumplings. The Jiaozi are not unlike what are commonly called “potstickers”, however they are steamed or boiled, rather than being steamed and fried. These are very light and tasty. The Xiao Long Bao are like small purses (about the size of a walnut). These are then steamed to perfection. These are also very light and fairly healthy. The Baozi are much larger, about the size of a fist, and are a different animal entirely. Made from a raised dough, and filled with a larger quantity of fillings, these are not as light as the other dumplings that you can find here. They are, however, very good, and I highly recommend ordering one per person to eat with your hotpot.

Now, for the hotpots! If you are having a hotpot for your meal, you first choose a broth. You can choose from a chicken broth, a Chinese miso broth (great with seafood), or my favorite, the hot and spicy broth. If you can’t make up your mind, they have a special pot with a divider down the middle that will allow you to have two broths in the same pot. Once you choose a broth, they make it in the kitchen and then bring it, boiling, to your table. The pot of broth is then put onto either an electric or gas burner at your table to keep it boiling. Once you have your broth, you can go to the ingredients buffet and choose from a wide assortment of ingredients to put into your hotpot. Included in the array are the standard pork, chicken, and beef (all raw), as well as some other, more exotic ingredients. You can choose Chinese meat or fish balls, tofu skins, shrimp, eggs, a wide assortment of vegetables, noodles, and much more. Dinnertime has an even wider assortment of seafood, including mussels, fish, whole jumbo prawns, and squid.

Once you have your plate full of raw ingredients, you bring it back to the table and begin to cook them in the broth. Everybody puts a few ingredients from their raw plate into the broth, and as they cook, you remove them. You will have a second plate on which to place the cooked food. There you can dip it into the house special dipping sauce, or as Joe calls it: Awesome Sauce, and then eat it. It’s a really fun meal, and as you cook as you go, it’s great for socializing with those at your table.

Once you have eaten what you like from the ingredients bar, your broth will have become fantastically seasoned. Now for the best part: take some noodles and put them into a bowl. If you like, add some vegetables or other ingredients (choose ones that cook fast), and ladle in some of your broth. Now, eat one of the best soups you’ve ever had!

After your meal, the host or hostess will invite you to help yourself to the ‘dessert freezer’. Inside the freezer is an assortment of ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and other frozen treats. It makes for a pretty good bargain as meals go, especially since a drink is also included.

I just can’t say enough good things about The Four Seasons. The proprietors are so warm and inviting and the food is just excellent. Also, while not the most kid-friendly of meals, the restaurant itself is very kid friendly. Joe and I brought our families once, and our kids were treated to plastic cups and plates which had fun Asian cartoon characters on them. The kids loved them, and it was obvious by their kind words and doting attitudes that the couple that run the place were very happy to see them.

I’ve gone back here many times, and will continue to do so. I feel it is important to support small businesses like these, especially when they are so fantastic. Please give this restaurant a try, I’m sure it will become one of your favorites as well!

–Jason

Gloria and Mauro Bonfanti, both native Italians, have created something truly special at Gloria’s Little Italy. Gloria’s is both a market and a trattoria. Because they are a market, they directly import quite a bit of Italian staples. Meats such as prosciutto, speck, and various other salumi, as well as several wonderful varieties of cheeses are plentiful at the market. They also stock olive oils, vinegars, pastas, and several of Italy’s more famous soft drinks (San Pellegrino waters, Aranciata, Limonata, Sanbittèr, and Chinò to name a few).

It’s the trattoria, however, that really makes this a destination to seek out. Gloria’s is a family affair. It is run by a husband and wife, and supported by several of their children. Gloria’s cooking is just fantastic! Their menu contains a delicious array of entrees including gnocchi, pasti, and an entire page of panini. On Tuesdays, they make calzoni. These are not just any calzoni, these are Gloria’s calzoni! They are filled with any of the wonderful vegetables, cheeses and meats that the market stocks, lovingly wrapped in their amazing home-made dough. What really sets Gloria’s calzoni apart from your standard calzone, however, is the way they are cooked. These calzoni are deep fried! Holy Cow! Try a deep fried calzone with ricotta, prosciutto, salami and tomato sauce. You’ll be in heaven.

To start your meal, Joe and I highly recommend the Misto della Casa.

This is a traditional antipasti plate comprised of prosciutto, salami, fresh mozzarella, and either a sharp provolone or the ever-welcome Parmigiano-Reggiano. All drizzled with a fine olive oil and a few grinds of fresh pepper. For me, these flavors just speak to my soul. Although my heritage is Italian, my family did not really pass down any of the culture or traditions. It’s strange to me how certain foods, especially those foods traditionally served or produced in Northern Italy, just seem to resonate with me in ways that no other foods do. Don’t get me wrong though — I love good food in all it’s varieties; and you might notice that my tastes predominately lie with Asian foods these days. There’s just something about classical Italian cuisine that really moves me, though. I’m not talking about Olive Garden or The Macaroni Grill here, but real, honest, classic Italian cooking. It’s comfort food for me.

So, after your entree, whether it be a panino like I had, a plate of spaghetti or gnocchi, or a deep fried calzone, you’ll have to try one of their desserts. You probably won’t have much room, so you might need to take it to go, but trust me — you have to order dessert. Gloria’s desserts are plentiful and varied. They make several amazing varieties of fresh gelatti (an Italian ice cream), exquisite cannoli, fantastic cakes and pastries, and a home-made tiramisu. Our friend Monica swears by their “Vulcano”, a moist, rich, chocolate layer cake, filled with mascarpone cheese. I have to push the traditional cannoli and gelati, though. They are just perfect. Whatever you choose, however, you just can’t go wrong.

Well, what are you waiting for? Hurry on over to Gloria’s Little Italy where you will be greeted like family and you will eat like real Italians. In the process, you will be supporting a true jewel of a restaurant. A local, family owned business that just happens to be one of the very best restaurants, albeit relatively obscure, in all of Utah.

Gloria e Mauro, sono l’amore!

Ciao, Jason