Eating Utah

Reservations? Not applicable - Wallaby’s is kind of fast food. You order in a line and they bring the food to your table.

Overview: If you like Goodwood (or any barbecue restaurant), you will love this Australian version. The meat is slow-cooked and tender, the sides are delicious and the place is clean. The only drawback is that the menu can be kind of confusing for first-timers and the friendliness of the staff is hit and miss.

Total price for 2 (includes entrees and a drink): $20 for lunch

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Comments: I’ve been here a few times and it’s just hit and miss. One time the owner waited on us and was very friendly (and even brought us some free desserts, which we thought was pretty cool). This last time, though, asking for a clarification the menu (which is kind of confusing for a first-timer) seemed to be a real inconvenience to the cashier.

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Comments: It’s great for what it is - a casual barbecue restaurant. The place is well decorated with an Australian flair.

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Best dish: Hands down the pulled-pork sandwich (I think it’s called a Sanger). I was nervous when I first saw it because it was a huge chunk of pork (it didn’t look like it had been pulled thoroughly), but it was slow cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. One of the other people in our party made the same comment about the pulled pork.

Other comments: Overall I would say it’s a great casual alternative to Goodwood. The meat is better and the sides are almost as good. If you like barbecue give it a shot - you won’t be disappointed.

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Reservations? Drive-thru - no need for reservations.

Overview: The Jamaican Jerk Shack is a pretty good place to go try Jamaican food. I’ve never had authentic Jamaican food before so it was new for me.

Total price for 2: <$20 - A combo includes meat, rice and peas (which is just rice and beans - I was confused), and a drink.

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Comments: I thought the guy working there was pretty nice and willing to help us figure out what we should eat. I told him I wanted my met bushman style but I guess he thought it would have been too hot for me so he gave it to me on the side which was cool.

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Comments: There’s really not much to say - it’s a shack that you drive up to. I guess in warmer weather there is a place to go sit down and eat which would be nice. I kind of liked the shack though, overall.

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Best dish: Rice and peas (beans) - my wife loved them, they were just OK for me (they needed something on them but I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to pour the cinnamon sugar on them or the jerk sauce.)

We both liked the pork sandwich with the jerk sauce on the side. I also got a meat plate with curry chicken and pork - it was OK, but I was really wishing the pork would be pulled. All in all I think the food was pretty good.

Worst dish: Probably the only thing that could have been better was I would like to have tried the bush man style pork prepared bush man - they gave me the spices on the side and I didn’t have a great way to mix them.

Other comments: For what it is I think the price was a little steep. My wife liked the rice and peas and her sandwich so much that I think I’ll be going back soon.

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Reservations? You definitely won’t need them at lunch time (I’ve rarely seen more than two tables occupied), but it’s not a bad idea to call ahead on special occasions like Valentine’s Day.

Overview: If you’re craving sushi in Orem Sakura is a pretty good option because the food is pretty good and much cheaper than Happy Sumo (the quality is comparable). The teppanyaki grill is also pretty good.

Total price for 2: Expect to pay $30-40 depending on your dining style (drinks, appetizers would put you at the high end).

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Comments: Despite the fact that nobody is ever there it takes a long time to get a waitress/waiter to your table. Also, if you order a drink don’t expect any refills without asking for it. They really need to improve their response time, especially for the lunch crowd who wants to be in and out.

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Comments: It’s a nice place, definitely good enough for a business associate. It is not quite as nice as Happy Sumo which feels a little bit more hip.

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Best dish: I prefer sushi to the grill so I would choose the spicy tuna roll. I thought their Philadelphia roll had too much cream cheese. My friends tell me the beef is the best.

One of the problems with Sakura is that a good sushi place needs a “critical mass” - a lot of diners ensuring that the food is turning over quickly (meaning you always get fresh seafood). Sakura doesn’t have that yet - sometimes I wonder about the quality of the sushi and it seems to be hit-and-miss.

Worst dish: Probably the Philadelphia roll - I like cream cheese but it just seemed a bit heavy.

Other comments: If you are in Orem you don’t have too many sushi choices and Happy Sumo gets a bit old (mostly the price and the wait).

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744 East 820 North

Provo, Utah 84606

(801)375-6840

Reservations? No

Overview: Thai Ruby is a family owned and operated authentic Thai restaurant with great delicious food, personal service, and an intimate atmosphere.

Total price for 2 (includes drinks, entrees, desserts and tip): $30-$40

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Comments: Because it is such a small restaurant, the service is wonderful. There are usually two waiters working the floor and they are able to give each table plenty of attention.

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Comments: Thai Ruby looks like a hole in the wall restaurant from the outside, but once inside it opens up into a larger room with a warm and intimate ambiance. Traditional Thai décor fills the restaurant and authentic music quietly graces those who are eating.

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Best Dish: Choosing a personal favorite is almost an impossible task, but here are a few of the staple entrées we always get: the famous Pad Thai, the delicious House Special Red Curry, the Sweet and Sour pork and the Cashew Chicken. And you can’t go home without ordering the mango, sticky rice dessert. It is absolutely heaven in your mouth!

Worst Dish: You can’t go wrong with any of the dishes at Thai Ruby. They are all delicious.

Other comments: If you’re going to be in the area, Thai Ruby is definitely worth the trip.  If you’re not in the area check out www.Consupo.com for other consumer reviews in your area.

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Reservations? Recommended on the weekend.

Overview: Pine American Restaurant has a relaxing, romantic atmosphere with fabulous service, great food, and charming ambiance.

Total price for 2 (includes appetizers, entrees, drinks and tip): $90

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Comments: The service has been absolutely wonderful every time I’ve been to Pine. We have always been seated quickly, even without reservations and the wait staff is extremely attentive. I have a huge pet peeve with servers that neglect empty drinks - servers at Pine usually are on top of it and are consistently refilling drinks.

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Comments: Pine has a modern, contemporary, and romantic feel with intimate sitting and a central fireplace. During the warmer months, outdoor seating is available on their patio which overlooks the river.

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Best dish: Everything was great, but their grilled salmon with herb mashed potatoes wins. The salmon is grilled to perfection and their mashed potatoes have real tomatoes in it. Sounds bizarre, but it’s absolutely divine! Their best dessert is a to-die-for passion fruit cheesecake (seasonal). Pine also offers a full bar and happy hour.

Worst dish: I haven’t been disappointed by anything yet.

Other comments: My husband and I loved Pine so much, we had our wedding luncheon there, since there is a dining area upstairs that allows for private parties and gatherings. Again, the service was great and the food was impeccable. I have heard from others that the quality of the food is inconsistent; it’s fabulous one night, and not so much the next. Personally, I have never had an issue and would highly recommend Pine to anyone looking for something new to try.

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Reservations? No

Overview: Village Baker is the quintessential American deli with unbelievably good food at an even better price.

Total price for 2: $15 tops, including drinks (and a cookie, if you’d like). Sandwiches are about $5 and for roughly $4, you can get a pizza slice, drink, and cookie.

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Comments: Although the service isn’t necessarily bad, it is a bit limited since all the employees are high schoolers. As long as you don’t require them to say much more than “what can I get you” and “$10.65, please” and you spell out your name for them, you shouldn’t have any issues. The food is served relatively fast, within just a few minutes of ordering, unless ridiculously busy.

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Comments: The restaurant is tastefully decorated and has all the charm of a local mom and pop shop. Although there is plenty of space for some tables, it’s carry out only, which can make it inconvenient to eat there if you are not in the area anyways.

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Best dish: Everything I’ve had has been great, but my hands-down favorites are the egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches. Try them on the honey white bread, a lightly sweet and soft bread that makes their sandwiches amazing. Other favorites include the turkey on sourdough and pizza by the slice. They also offer take and bake pizzas

Worst dish: I have yet to come across one.

Other comments: Their sandwiches and portions are generously sized, giving you the best bang for your buck. On the downside, Village Baker has yet to franchise and only has the one location on 9000 south.

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