Cubby's Chicago Beef

A friend of ours recommended that we try this place out. She knew the owner/founder and told us it was good. Ash and I had to investigate, and hopefully lend our support to the rising generation of new Provo restaurants: locally based, more niche menu, better ingredients...

Here's Cubby's blog.

Price:


Lunch/Dinner:
        Most main dishes range from $6 to $10

Atmosphere/About:

Some friends of ours instigated "new-food-Wednesdays" where we eat out at some restaurant we've never been to. I think everyone should have something like that. And as you may have guessed, this week we went to Cubby's Chicago Beef.

Located in-between Little Cesar's and that electric wheelchair store near Macey's Grocer, you'd think from looking at the outside, that a pretty average meal was waiting inside. It's by no means in the classy part of town, but wait on passing judgment until you get inside.

There is a very heavy use of chalk paint inside. I like the idea. Since its a pretty small venue, the menu is visible from anywhere. Plus it has a kind of "urban outfitters" feel to it.

No, we didn't get special privileges to see the back. This is the view from where you order. I like places that have open kitchens like this that are visible to the public because in order to keep business, the kitchen needs to stay clean. So there's this kind of natural, cleanliness mandate being enforced. Kitchens can seriously get so nasty. As you can see; however, this one is clean and tidy.

Food:

You know when you see "quinoa of the day" on the menu, that you are eating at a place that has a higher sense of what food can be, you aren't going to see a lot of mediocre food masked with salt or fat to make it good, but are probably going to have food that took thought and quality ingredients. It even says on the menu (the part I didn't get a picture of) that all their food is fresh, local, not frozen, etc. AWESOME!

As I've been typing this and staring at the salad below, I've thought several times "that is a really good looking dish."

This is the dish that Ash got. The apple pecan chicken salad. Complete with beets, apples, and Red Dragon cheese (yet another detail that impressed me. Red Dragon Cheese???). Described as buttery and spicy,  the cheese is made with Welsh brown ale, and mustard seeds, so it packs a flavor punch. Not your traditional American Cheese by any means. Seriously, find a piece and suck on it for a little bit. Find those flavors!

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

I on the other hand had to get what the Cubby himself recommended. When we were there, he said that he'd been open for 25 days, and there was some guy who'd been in there 23 times getting this very same thing. The Rip City Tri-tip Sandwich. I seriously can't even write about this without salivating.

I love BBQ. It's such a sensual combo of tangy, sweet, and spicy. By the time I was done, I could have walked right back up there and asked for another one. It was SOOOOOO good!! If you're new there, and aren't sure if you're going to like the place, get this. You'll convert on the spot. It's saucy, its flavorful, the meat is tender and juicy, mmm!! If this kind of stuff is prevalent in Chicago, then I am suddenly very interested in going.

Rip City Tri-tip Sandwich. Can you say saucy?? 

My friend did his homework on their blog and decided beforehand what he wanted. The Mr. Beef. Now I only had a little taste, so it wasn't enough for me to have dreams about, but the flavors were there, the texture was there, it was super tasty. I really liked the extra crunch from the marinated carrots and celery.

Mr. Beef

OK. Let's talk fries. We wanting to be a little on the frugal side, I suggested to Ash that we get the Rosemary fries. "Heck no! I want those bleu cheese Buffalo fries!" was the quick response! I love it when she does that.

OMG!!! These fries were TAAAASTY!! First, for everyone that might not know, in its basic form, Buffalo sauce can be just butter and Tabasco sauce. A divine combo. So on the one hand, we have the rich, spice from the Buffalo sauce, offset by the tangy, creamy bleu cheese sauce, both smothering some deliciously cooked fries. If that description didn't convince you, then you're hopeless. Stick to Denny's.

Bleu Cheese Buffalo Fries

(Here's the trick. Once you get the fries DO NOT start eating them. Stir the sauce all around and let them sit for a little bit. Let the sauces soak in and they become AMAZING!)

And P.S. As of recent, Cubby's now offers gluten free options, so celiac conscious, enjoy!

Overall:

A resounding "GO!" If it were reasonable, I could seriously see myself eating here for lunch everyday for a month straight. The only hesitancy I have is that it may not fill up a college student for the same price as somewhere else. For me, that's fine, so long as the food was good (and it was) but I can see that for someone who can't appreciate the importance of using quality ingredients and flavors, they might have a harder time justifying a $9 sandwich when they can get a foot long from subway for $5.

But seriously, the food was great, Cubby was cool, it had a really cool ambiance in there, they are conscious about the quality of ingredients, and, as of recent, they have gluten free options.

GO!

El Gallo Giro

This post is waaaaaay overdue. Ash grew up going to San Diego every summer where her grandparents lived. Finally when she took me there, we had to go to a little Mexican restaurant that she and her brother frequented....frequented frequently. It was there that I was turned on to how delicious a true Mexican taco is. I'm not talking ground beef with chopped lettuce and Ortega taco shells, I'm talking real corn tortilla, carnitas tacos. 

El Gallo Giro is the only place that I've found so far that comes close to matching such flavor. Its definitely the most authentic Mexican food you'll find around here. If the food doesn't say that itself, then the fact that more Spanish than English is spoken there should convince you.

Typically, I would write about the tacos, but for the sake of demonstrating the uniqueness of this place, I decided to order something else. (But seriously, if you're there, get the carnitas tacos. They are sooooo good!)

Price:

Lunch / Dinner: It can really range from $5 a' la carte items to $15 combo meals.

Food:

I have a friend who lived in Tijuana. Whenever I eat out at Mexican places with him he always gets upset when they bring out chips and salsa. Apparently, real Mexico doesn't eat that (at least not together). Munching on chips and salsa though is a lot better than doing nothing when your'e waiting on your food.

That took a long time to say "they give you chips and salsa to start".

And their salsa is pretty good. 

Next time I go, I promise I'll get a picture of the juices, but this will do for now. Its about a pint of tamarind juice. It'll give you a sugar high in about 12.3 seconds. The flavors switch up here and there, but they always have horchata (a personal favorite drink).

Chips and tamarind Juice

The Molcajete comes with a side of refried beans and rice. I don't know if there's much to say on that other than "they taste good". 

Ok, here's where it's at. The Molcajeta. Its a giant bowl of rock that is full of everything: chicken, shrimp, steak, cheese, cactus, jalapeno, and onion. It comes with a side of tortillas, so you end up treating it kind of like a Fajita. The bottom line is, it is loaded with flavor. Seriously, so good. It's on the pricier side of the menu, but if you go there a few times and are ready for a change, then I would give it a try. It's one of those things that you really can't get anywhere else, its that unique (at least around here).

You may learn that I am a huge sucker for flavor. Yeah, I love a tuna sandwhich and potato casserole here and there, but spices, and herbs, and tanginess, and whatever else, mmmmmm, I love it. In this one bowl, you find all of that. So try it out!!

The bowl is around 1 million degrees, so be careful!

The Molcajete

Overall:
If you like Mexican food, it's worth your time; you'll probably get hooked. Ash and I have totally become regulars, and are actually hesitant to blog about it for fear of it loosing its "hole-in-the-wall, our-own-find" kind of status, but alas, the purpose of the blog lives on: good, local food must thrive.

Portland

I know this is a blog about Provo food, but I just wanted to share how amazing the culinary scene can be elsewhere. Ash and I went to Portland last week. That town is absolutely amazing. Some dub it as "the city that never stops eating". With thousands and thousands (yes and even more thousands) of restaurants, food carts, breweries, food shops, it is my favorite place to go for food. This is less of a review and more of a report.

Nicola's

Peach Drink

Grape Leaves with Tzatziki

Marinated Beef with Tzatziki and Saffron rice

(It's Ash here..I snuck into the blog!! SHHHH don't tell Ian!! muahah! I thought I would add a few words about these places cause they mean a whole lot to me! I actually went to college in Portland, OR for 4 years and man, did I eat out! My friends and I would try tons of places on the weekends and that is how I achieved my "foodie" award. I really wish there was an award for that! Anyway, the restaurant above is literally a hole-in-the-wall. People wait up to an hour to sit and eat there. My friend, who is Lebanese, introduced me to this Lebanese restaurant my second year in school and I would leave it up to him to know the best place with the most authentic food for that region. I pretty much had to go there at least once-a-month to get my fixins'. It's delicious and beyond addicting. I have taken many out-of-town family and friends, everyone one of them walks out with the biggest smile! So, if you end up in Portland, it is a must go to place! FYI..at the beginning of the meal they bring out a huge pita for you to eat off of!)

The Mac' and Cheesery

Cesar Salad

"The Truffle"

"4 Cheese"

(Ash again: We had never been to this place before. Looked great...but it was not so great. I don't recommend this place. I had to get the gluten-free mac and cheese which pretty much tasted like cardboard. Ian's truffle dish was really overwhelmingly truffled, to the point that it was not edible. Darn anyway! At least we tried a new place! P.S. it is on Mississippi, just so you are aware if you ever try not looking for it...) 

Ruby Jewel 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Ice Cream

(Ash: And you thought ice cream makes the world go round. Well, how about hand-made, all natural ice cream! Ya, that will DEFINITELY make my world a happy place! One of my best Portland friends scoped this place out a little while before we had come to visit. I am soooo glad we stopped there. It was a happenin' and very busy ice cream joint! I loved the feel in there. Those people scoopin' the ice cream were proud of their product and knew you would be a happy customer after doing a few taste tests! You see that Salted Caramel Choco Ice Cream up there in the pic...come on, who can resist that!! They had some wild flavors such as honey and lavendar! Such a fun "foodie" experience. 

P.S. if you are on Mississippi then DO find this place and ENJOY!!) 

Flavour-Food Cart

Sausage Maple Butter Waffle

(Ash: "Flavour" or known to the University of Portland students at "The Waffle Man." I have been going to Mr. Waffle Man for as long as I can remember and I have NEVER been disappointed. This food cart is the only one on the corner. It is on Lombard St., and not the easiest to find, except for all the commotion happening during eating hours! Who can resist a Gouda and Ham Waffle or a Sweet Cream and Jam! Get anything there and you will walk away with a full tummy off of a $3.50 deal (or something around that price). And that is why I love food carts..the price..quality...and excellence of food is unbeatable! Just know that when you head to Portland and wake up that first morning, YOU WILL head to Waffle Man, or else your day will be a little less satisfying!) 

Down Town Greek Food Cart

(Ash: Ever been downtown Portland?! And you feel like you are in the middle of the mecca of food-carts, 1,000 options of any type of food you want! Well that is how I felt when I went to go find Ian and I lunch! I believe this cart was around the 2nd street carts. Within that pile of food-carts there were the following options: Egyptian, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, American, Italian, Mexican, Greek and probably some others I am missing. If you can't find something within that two block radius, then I don't know what to tell you! This Greek place (only one in that area) was really good! We had to wait a while for our food, which can make it all the more delicious when you are starving, but really, it was good! I traveled around Greece back in my college years and this took me straight back to the gyro joint in Athens that I loved. Get the Greek Fries when you go! Too good not to have. Ian loved his Gyro and I loved my Greek Salad!) 

Toro Bravo

(Ash: You ask anyone in Portland where there favorite tapas bar/restaurant is and you will get one answer: Toro Bravo. I lived in Spain for 5 months on a study-abroad program and this food was spanish tapas on steroids. No joke! Spanish food can be kind of bland, not overly exciting except for Paella. Well, Toro Bravo took it to a whole new level! They added some flare and excitement and flavors that make you begging for another tapa. Our friends joined us, and one of them is a big "yelper" and "tripadvisor" reviewer. He liked to check every review before we went to a restaurant. Let's just say my friend couldn't find a flaw in the reviews! It is on Russel St. off of Martin Luther King in NE. Trick is, you have to get there about 15-20 minutes before it opens or else you will be waiting for over an hour to eat there! But the wait is worth it...) 

Kings Bakery

(Ash: Kings Bakery is so cute! Really it is! It is on Alberta Street which is just another place to find awesome food in Portland. I found out a month ago that I am gluten-intolerant, ya I know, a gluten free foodie is a huge disappointment. None the less, I have been seeking out some great places! One of which is this place. They have some really delicious, gluten free options. Just a few, but hey, I give a bakery a credit for doing a few. That nice little, choco, morsel above is NOT gluten free but way too delicious..and I payed the price!) 

King Estate Winery, Eugene OR

(Ash: Our main purpose for going to Portland was because my brother graduated from University of Oregon in Eugene this last weekend (GOOOO DUCKS!). We are HUGE Duck fans..just look at my car and you will not be mistaken that I am a true Oregonian Duck Fan. If you know anything about Eugene, you know it is a college town with some good food options but not a ton. Your typical bars, restaurants etc.. But about 30 minutes outside of town is this gorgeous winery. WOW! Seriously gorgeous! Breath taking..get the picture. Of course, the whole place is sustainable, run off solar energy, all those good things in life that I want to strive for. So I give them even more credit for their work. We are not alcoholic beverage consumers but what I can tell you is that it was a good meal. Not the best, but it was still really good! And that cheese plate is making me salivate. So if you are driving through Oregon, want to see a beautiful view of a winery and enjoy some cheese..then this is the place! All 18 guests that joined us that evening left very satisfied with their meals. A job well done!) 

-Well my foodie friends, I must post this asap and sneak away! Hope you enjoy these reviews! Maybe I convinced you that you must visit Portland asap?! I hope so because beyond those great food options, the city itself is gorgeous and so fun! Maybe I will come pop-up again on here in the future! Till then...keep eating lots of great food!

Chef's Table

I really didn't expect to write about this any time soon, but it was our anniversary, and Ash decided to surprise me with a special place for lunch. My coworkers already think that I'm Mr. Fancy Pants, cause I'll occasionally wear pointed leather shoes to work, so when they found out Chef's Table is where I spent my lunch, it took some time to convince them this wasn't an every day thing.

Interior

The restaurant is situated on a hill on State street, right on the border of Orem and Provo. A really nice looking building, and a great interior. Troy Wilson and Peter Sproul run the place and are both certified executive chefs. I will admit, I actually applied there at one point ... maybe two, I can't remember. Either way. Both times, they had a full staff though. Sad.

Fortunately, everything seemed to work out. As much as I loved working in kitchens, it takes a toll. Kind of like running. You know it's good for you, but that doesn't mean that every step is enjoyable. For one thing, kitchen folk are strange, strange folk. I love 'em. The ones I worked with were tattooed from the neck down, had some of the worst language (and a tiny vocabulary outside of that), occasionally drunk, but they were all SOOO passionate about the food. It was a true art form for them--a way to express themselves in a truly beautiful way. So that's kind of what I imagined happening in the back kitchen of this place.

Anyway, enough with my tangent.

Price:
Lunch: $9 ish appetizers, $12 to $16 mains
 (not as bad as I would have thought)

Dinner: $9 ish appetizers $26 to $36 mains

Food:
Each meal starts off with a tiny drop of lemon sorbet to cleanse the pallet. It was good, but more so fun than anything else. I really liked it because it represents that the place is going beyond what's expected to make your experience unique and enjoyable. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of it.

We ordered the coconut crusted shrimp. -Quite good. Ya know what? They were perfect. Exactly what you would expect a fantastic coconut crusted shrimp to be. However, it came with a lemon marmalade, and chopped chives. Separately, I love both, but I was not a fan of the combo.

Coconut Crusted Shrimp

Now, before I go on to talk about my entree, I have to preemptively state that I am not steak guy. I love a good steak as much as anyone, but when going out I barely ever get it because usually, there is much cooler stuff to eat. When the server came to take our order, I said I'd have the Steak Frites. As is typical, he asked how I would like that cooked. I asked "what does medium mean here?" (It's important to ask because there really is no standard. Each chef considers it differently, and it's tough to match a chef's taste to a customer's  in meat temperature) "Medium is a hot red center, and pink on the edges." He said with confidence. "Great, I'll have that."

The steak was great. Seasoned fantastically, tender--but! there was not even a trace of pink in there. It was at least 2 temperatures overdone. I cannot stand overcooked meat. There is sooo much less flavor in it. (It breaks my heart being married to someone who always orders "well-done"). And it makes sense, I mean, the more cooked the meat is, the less liquid it has, hence, the less of a vehicle flavor has to tell your taste buds "I'm delicious!"  So even though it was good, I just really feel like a place with such caliber of excellence should never overcook meat since it is such a basic element of cooking.

Steak Frites

Like I said though, nonetheless, it both tasted and looked great. The dish came with  Parmesan fries and was topped with broccolini and a sun dried tomato. It came with a side of what seemed to be a  hollandaise sauce. It went really well with the broccolini  and steak.

Ash got the Macadamia Encrusted Halibut. (I don't really understand that combo, since macadamia nuts come from the tropics and halibut comes from Alaska.) It looks great. A very smooth potato mash topped with summer squash and the Macadamia Encrusted Halibut (with a crunchy wafer on top). I thought it was great. 

Macadamia Encrusted Halibut

Ash however was appalled that we had to pay $16 for what she considered to be a halibut nugget. It was too small for her. Now you have to understand that I am much more passive than she when it comes to confrontation. She flagged down a waiter and told them that the halibut was unacceptably small and wanted more. I was shocked when they came out with a whole new plate, as we were both expecting just more fish. (She left a little bit of the potatoes to show that she really only wanted more fish)

 We recently found out that Ash is gluten intolerant, so we were a little more limited in the dessert category, but it turned out great.

NAPOLEON AU CHOCOLAT

This really was all about presentation. Ill give you the recipe. Cut a sheet of puff pasty into rectangles. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Make ganache by mixing 1 part bittersweet chocolate with 1 part cream. Melt till smooth. Layer the two. Top with raspberry and powdered sugar. Did it taste great? Absolutely. Did I have to call my family about it? No. Still though, with the layered action, the berries, and the design on the plate, you can't help but feel like it's a special occasion.

Overall:

I'm mixed. For a special occasion or you want to impress someone? Then this place would be great, if for nothing other than the atmosphere. It is definitely not your stop-in and grab something place. Don't expect to leave full, but do expect to leave satisfied. Again, this place has a focus on creating a food experience, not just feeding the customer. So if you're "feeling like a sir," then find some occasion for it, cause you need to try it once, but there are places far better not to far away ... even if it did win best in state or whatever.