epic

So, my cute parents took me out to dinner the other night to a place called epic (707 E Fort Union Bldvd). The atmosphere was really cool and the food was fabulous. It's a little more pricey but nothing crazy. The entrees ranged from 18-30$. They had a tons of yummy side salads. The appetizers are awesome. We ordered a grilled artichoke drenched in Parmesan and butter. Oh my, so good. They also have tons of cool flat breads with yummy toppings. For dinner, I got the grilled tenderloin with a reduction and the yummiest mashed potatoes. My mom got a chicken Marsala, and holy cow the sauce was so good. My dad got a really good shrimp fettuccine. I would highly recommend this place. We didn't get desserts, but it seemed like a place that would have fabulous desserts.

Finn's

Derk and I were out and about on Saturday morning, and thought it might be fun to get some breakfast. Not something I normally would do because I am a cereal person in the morning, and in fact had already had some. Our first choice was way too crazy busy, and I remembered that some of my friends like this place called Finn's, so we tried that.

Finn's is on 1624 South and 1100 East. And as always, here is their website; check out their history and menu. They're open for breakfast/brunch and lunch. As you might guess from the look of their menu and website, this place is a great place to just chill. We weren't rushed, and had time to sit and really enjoy our food, the setting, and hanging out with each other.

Like I said, I'm not a big fan of most breakfast foods, they're suspiciously eggy. But every now and then I will be brave and try some. And omelets can be OK, especially if they are loaded with other things, which mine was! It was the omelet special of the day and had all sorts of peppers, onions, tomatoes, chorizo sausage, cheese, and even some guacamole. It was actually really pretty good, and lucky for me, the egg was not juicy or squiggly. And it came with some nice hash browns and toast with really tasty jam. If you go, you really must try their mint lemonade. It's amazingly good and dare I say refreshing? Derk had the usual: eggs over hard, sausage, hash browns and toast. And he really liked his food, too. In fact, he's the one who wanted me to remember to write this post. Our experience inspired us to go out for breakfast every once in a while. It's kind of fun!

And while you're there, try some dessert, too. I had the marzipan cake, which was good. Derk tried the red velvet cake, but here's where we differ. For most people, I think the red velvet cake would be great, a nice cake with yummy cream cheese frosting (I tried some and liked it). However, people from Derk's family I would probably recommend they make their own red velvet cake because this one is nothing like what your mom and grandma make!

Connor's Cafe'

So, this is not technically a "Utah" restaurant, mostly because it's in Burley, Idaho.  We went to the Twin Falls Idaho Temple Open House over the weekend and we ate at this place Friday night.  You know it's going to be a great, hometown restaurant when you walk in and there is a picture of the couple who started the place in 1930.  There were truckers and old farmers sitting around the counter and everyone else was seated in booths when we arrived and as our party was quite large, they put some tables together for us in the back.  The menu was huge and included breakfast...served all day.  I love breakfast.  I knew this was going to be great.  There were also seven kinds of homemade pie.  Holy cow, I think we hit dining nirvana.  Most everyone, including the kids ordered breakfast, Blair ordered the T-Bone steak special and Marilyn (Blair's mom) ordered the turkey dinner.  I ordered eggs, toast & hashbrowns and they were wonderful....basic but great!  Anyplace that serves breakfast all day is always going to be #1 in my book.  So, if you're going that way and want some good, old-fashioned, homemade food....stop in Burley at Connor's Cafe'.  It doesn't get better than this!  

TOMATOES

This post isn't really about a place so much as it is about a tip, recommendation, and about where I was at 8:30 this morning. My favorite day of the summer happened today: it was the first day this year that I went to the Farmer's Market. Let me say here that everyone should go and enjoy the closest Farmer's Market to them. And then I will tell you that the best one to be found, at least to me anyway, is the one in Murray. They have it at the Murray City Park right there on State Street and the earlier you get there the better--I went too late once and all the good stuff was gone. My dad and I have always left our house at 8 or 8:30 and have always left quite happy with our purchases.

Why do I love this Farmer's Market? Because it's an honest to goodness market with real actual farmers. The next closest one I've been to in quality of stuff is perhaps the one in Ogden (sorry guys, maybe I'm partial to the one in Murray, too, because that's where I have made memories for so many years). And only go to the one in Salt Lake at Pioneer Park if you absolutely have to--again, entirely my opinion, but there you have it. I went to check out the one in Murray today and yes, there are tomatoes, and green beans, and squash, cucumbers, corn, one guy even had Dutch Beans, raspberries, and more. And when I got home, there was one tomato that was just almost ripe, so of course I had to keep with tradition: every time you get home from the market, you must eat one tomato and peach (if you bought them). And let me tell you, this tomato smelled like an actual tomato, and with a little salt...heaven. I have been waiting all year, since last October, for this moment. Of course I had to share.

So let me once again advocate for going to the farmers markets, and early every Saturday until the end of October, or until they close it, I can be found out in Murray, happily checking out what the farmers in Utah have to offer.

And stay tuned for more fun food stuff in September! And I'm not talking about Farmer's Markets.

Pho Green Papaya A vietnamese and Thai Bistro

So, Billy is always up for a new fun restaurant and he read about this in the Deseret News and it was really tasty. If you're not afraid to head out west (3500 South, 2000 West), I think you will really like it.

We got the fried Quail appetizer. Yes, I have to admit I was pretty nervous. Never had Quail before. But the whole, "it tastes like chicken description" held true for this and it came with the 2 yummiest craziest sauces. Every dish had the best sauces, and I am kind of all about foods that are saucey.

For dinner, we shared the Dinner special, and we wished we would have each done this. It actually is for one and this is what you get. Soup and Salad that were so different and fabulous, gyozo, shrimp crispy roll, and then you get to choose 2 dishes. We chose green beans and I know doesn't sound exciting, but they were so darn good. There were lots to choose from. Now, I have to say, when I go to Chinese places, I am all about sharing. I think their dinner for one options, are very marginal. Not at this place. It was fabulous.

We also ordered a large (so huge, way too much) bowl of their Pho noodle soup. This is actually what they are known for. Billy and I weren't too sure about the flavor. It was a little much. But I guess this is why people go here, so it might be worth trying, but get a small.

So, conclusion, you get tons of really good food and it is very inexpensive.

Go, try it. I Think you will like it.