A goodbye to Dave & Cranky's

The time has come to say goodbye to one of Utah Valley's restaurant Dave & Cranky's, but they're not going out with out a fight! Regular service ends this Saturday, but you shouldn't miss their "wake" Monday nigh. Come and party with the staff and owners one last time.
Make sure you stop by this week to enjoy a special "best of" menu. Start your night off with some nachos, it's a regular's favorite or the goat cheese fritters. The garlic rosemary chicken is a perfect meal and end the night with the pazookie. It's amazing and who doesn't like a little cookie and ice cream? Make sure to call and make a reservation or expect a wait. So stop by and say goodbye to this amazing Utah Valley restaurant.

The good times Monday night will include light snacks and drinks. The entertainment will be the brass section from The Strike. It will be a good time had by all.

Restaurant Spotlight: Pop-N-Sweets

Pop-N-Sweets is located in Provo on Bulldog Blvd just off of Brigham Young University. This place is amazing. If you like candy and soda you have found heaven. This place is full of candy from all over the world. We had a great time looking at all the chocolate bars from countries we have visited. Think a kid in a candy store, but more embarrassing because we are adults... They even had the pop-rock chocolate bar I'm in love with from Israel. They have over 700 different kinds of candy, so you will find something you love. If you're not into international sweets, they have american candy and retro candy from as far back as the 50's, where else can you find the cigarette candy? The only thing more impressive then the candy collection is the glass bottle sodas. They have 100s of flavors and brands. You can enjoy a ginger beer or a Jones Soda. At the soda bar you can try 13 flavors of Reading Draft on tap, with free refills. They have BYU Creamery ice cream to add to your soda for some really delightful floats. If you and your friends want to share, or you've had a hard day, get a "Monster Float". It's so big you have to use serving spoons to get to the bottom.

Check them out on Instagram with the hashtag #popnsweets and on Facebook. Every Tuesday they do trivia games on their Facebook for free floats. The best way to get your candy of choices in the store is to post a photo of it on their Facebook page. They say if one person wants it others will to! Stop by on Monday nights for the Family Night discount of 10% off.


Hours
Monday-Thursday: 11am-12am
Friday: 11am-2am
Saturday: 11am-12am

Restaurant Spotlight: Ice-N-Cream

Something new and exciting has come to Provo... DOLE Whip! Ice-n-Cream is a new dessert parlor located on Freedom Blv. Their specialty is the famous DOLE Whip Pineapple soft serve ice cream just like at Disneyland, but they also have amazing Dole Raspberry and delicious Hawaiian shaved ice! They have over 50 flavors to choose from and all their flavors are directly imported from Hawaii.

We loved the twist DOLE Whip soft serve with both the pineapple and raspberry ice cream with Li-Hing-Mui powder (traveling plum) on top. The ice cream is amazing and the powder only enhances the flavor. Try it in a waffle cone or a bowl. Stop by today and bring the little ones, they have kids sizes just for them. They will also enjoy the wall size chalkboard. 

Move Over Mousse, Here Comes Mamacitas!

Located in what was once The Choc’late Mousse at 155 University Ave., Mamacitas is bringing South American Tapas to Provo!

Never had Tapas before? It’s not necessarily a kind of food. Tapas mean you have an opportunity to sample dishes without having to order a full entrée. Have you ever made a meal out of appetizers? At Mamacitas, that’s the point!

Featuring an eclectic, young vibe and Latin foods served family style, Mamacitas promises a meal designed to encourage interaction and conversation amongst family and friends.

We had the opportunity to try a few of Mamacitas offerings such as their Chilaquiles (a fantastic twist on nachos with chips sautéed in salsa rojas and topped with a fried egg); Pulled Pork tacos (which feature tender and juicy pork with a subtle but sweet hint of mango flavor) and their Carne Asada tacos (in short: to die for! The meat was perfectly cooked along with beautifully caramelized onions). You can also get the Carne Asada in an entrée. Many of their offerings are also available vegetarian or gluten free.

Craving a sweet treat? Mamacitas has you covered with their dessert menu which includes a Flan; a Flourless Chocolate Cake; and Chocolate Strawberry Empanada with many more options to come. The strawberry empanada tastes like fried summer: a light, flaky crust filled with warm gooey chocolate syrup and strawberries and topped off with soft, cold cream and chocolate flakes.

Of course, a Tapas bar isn’t officially a “bar” without a number of delicious drink options! They have a rotating menu of frozen drinks. The Guava Passion drink is absolutely delicious; cold, tart, and served in a unique and fun glass! Eventually, Mamacitas will have a liquor license so they can expand their drink offerings to include magaritas and the like!

Mamacitas is located at 155 University Ave. in Provo and are currently open from 11am – 9pm Mondays-Thursdays; 11am – 10 pm on Fridays; and Saturday evenings at 4pm.

Wanna try out some Tapas?

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a coupon for $5 off any menu item!

Restaurant Spotlight: Aubergine and Company

 You gotta love the popularity of restaurants born in the valley! There are so many choices that it can be difficult to choose. However, if you're looking for something that is not only delicious but also healthy, then look no further than Aubergine and Company.

Located on State Street in Orem (next to Sprouts), Aubergine and Company is a new restaurant featuring healthy eats with a Mediterranean vibe. Unlike other restaurants, Aubergine and Company is on a mission. They are preparing meals with a purpose: To change the way that people eat by offering healthy and delicious food.

We had the wonderful opportunity to stop by and visit with the General Manager of the restaurant, Elcio. The restaurant was opened last April and it has been enjoying wonderful success ever since. Elcio told us about the importance of healthy eating, stemmed from his own experience changing his eating habits to a diet that is much more natural and healthy. He found that in doing so, he immediately began to have more energy and feel better.

Everything at Aubergine and Company is made fresh from scratch, without sugar (they use natural sweeteners like agave, honey, and dates) and using only healthy fats (like cashews, tofu, and avocado). They even have offerings for those who suffer from gluten intolerance (like their absolutely heavenly cheese bread). For those who don't mind a little gluten, Aubergine and Company makes their pita breads (for their Mediterranean sandwiches) fresh with wheat flour. Even the meats they use are healthy: wild salmon from Alaska and antibiotic-free chicken.

Naturally, being a health-focused restaurant, Aubergine and Company also has a wide variety of smoothie options and even Acai bowls (think parfait-meets-smoothie in a bowl). If you've never had an Acai bowl, I can't recommend it more highly; all of the delicious and naturally sweet flavors of cold blended tropical fruits without any of the guilt that you might get from a similarly sweet treat - it's basically nature's ice cream!

Before we left, Elcio shared with us a couple of secrets about healthy eating:

• We are what we eat, so it's critical to eat well. 
• We don't worry too much about calories; we care about offering the right nutrients.
• Eating healthy isn't more expensive than the alternative when you consider all the health benefits.

So, if you're health-oriented and you're looking for something fresh and delicious - head over to Aubergine and Company. Your body will thank you. 

Restaurant Spotlight: Coney's Frozen Custard

Coney's Frozen Custard is a family owned restaurant located for the last 10 years in Orem at 242 East University Pkwy. We were able to stop by today and talk with the owner and enjoy some great food. I was not prepared for how amazing the food at Coney's was going to be.

Lets start with the hamburger. It was made with high quality beef on one of the softest buns I've had in a long time. They are made fresh at Great Harvest. The burger is topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, and onions covered in sauce. The cheese was melted perfectly and all the flavors together made an unforgettable hamburger.  Their burgers won Best in State in 2012. We also tried the Coney Dog. This is a fully loaded hot dog with chili, onions, tomato, and cheese on a fresh bun. Try the fries! We tried the normal cut as well as the waffle fries. Both were really good. I'd go back just for them.

Now lets talk custard. If you have never had custard before it's like ice cream in that it is a frozen dairy treat. Custard is richer and has a creamier texture. Everyday at Coney's you can pick from three flavors of custard: chocolate, vanilla, and the flavor of the day. Today the flavor was caramel cookie crunch. We were told some favorites are lemon chiffon, cherry amaretto cheesecake, and black raspberry. They put out a calendar every month so you know when your favorite flavor is coming up. They came up with all their own flavors and have around 50 different options. After you pick your flavor you can add toppings to customize your custard. Their topping options include (but aren't limited to) hot fudge, pineapple, Butterfinger, cookie dough, and pecans. If you don't want to pick yourself, you can always try on of there specialty sundaes, that's what we did! We had the strawberry shortcake and loved it. they start with angel food cake and top it with two scoops of Coney's vanilla custard and add in their signature strawberry topping. This thing was life changing.
If you are just looking for some custard to take home, they have that option too. You can pick up a pint at the restaurant.    

Summer Schedule: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
                             Friday and Saturday 11 a.m-11 p.m.

Restaurant Spotlight: It's Time for Shaved Ice

Utah Valley had its first 90 degree day of the summer this week, and that means it is time to eat some shaved ice. You can find shaved ice all over the valley, but here are some great places in Provo to try. 

 Ono Shaved Ice: Located on 900 East in Provo across from the BYU in the same parking lot as Subway. They have all your favorite flavors along with some new ones.
What makes them unique is the option to get a Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana!

 

Sumo's: Located on 900 East 400 North in Provo. This one is in the same parking lot as Gold's Gym. Their shaved ice is amazing and it's such a cute little shack. Try them out on a date or with friends at night when they turn on the lights. What makes them unique is the many options of flavors, they are always inventing new ones.  

Hokulia Shave Ice: Hokulia is located next to the BYU dorms on Canyon Road. You have to try it with sweetened condensed milk. They have a nice little parking lot in the back and tables so you can kick back and enjoy.   

 

If you want your shaved ice to come to you try Kona Ice. They can come wherever you want for parties, special events, or get togethers. You can call them at 801-610-9558 to book for your event. You can also find them around town and at the Food Truck Roundup on Thursday nights.

Restaurant Spotlight: SOS Drug

SOS Drug has been located at 214 South Main St. in Springville since 1909. It is a fully functioning pharmacy, but what caught our attention was the soda fountain that was put in during the 40's. They serve malts, shakes, floats, cones, soda, and sundaes. Everything is made with Meadow Gold ice cream and served out of the original freezer! Even the swivel sets are original, walking into SOS Drug is like walking into the past. It is one of the only places like this around.

We tried the strawberry milk shake and loved it, it was made by hand right in front of us with fresh strawberry and hard served ice cream. Some other flavors to try are chocolate chip and cookie dough, both are amazing. You can get it in a cone for around a $1. It is the perfect place to take the kids, go on a date, or just hang out with some friends. Come and enjoy the ice cream and get a little bit of American history on the side.

Restaurant Spotlight: Ike's Creamery at Provo Beach

 Our summer time adventures this week took us to Provo Beach in The Shops at Riverwoods where you can surf, play, and eat Blue Bell ice cream at Ike's Creamery. Ike's is the only place in the whole state of Utah where you can get this frozen treat. They change out the flavors on a regular bases so you can try something new every time you come in! I really enjoyed the Southern Blackberry Cobbler and the Pecan Pralines 'n Cream. How could you go wrong with flavors like that?  What makes Blue Bell so good? It is made the old fashioned way and taste like it was hand cranked. It is only available in 15 states, but is still in the top 3 in the nation.The Ice cream is shipped all the way from the factory in Texas. Ike's Creamery is all about the Blue Bell ice cream, even the shakes are made with it!
Ike's is a 50's style ice cream parlor with everything from mint green walls to red and white booths. You can even have your ice cream served in a 50's style glass. Everything is done with quality in mind, they even make their own homemade waffle cones!    
If you want to make a date out of it, try getting some ice cream then renting a bike from Provo Beach to enjoy the surrounding Provo Canyon with. You can get a tandem, single cruiser, kids bikes, and this little beauty.

Restaurant Spotlight: Rita's Ice

Rita's Ice newest location in Utah is in Provo at 1283 North University Ave. At Rita's you can enjoy Italian Ice, Cream Ice, Gelati, Misto, Frozen Custard, Blendini, Sugar Free Italian Ice, Milkshakes, Light Vanilla Custard, and Custard Cakes. If you don't know what all these are don't worry they're all great and we will tell you a little about each.

Italian Ice-Made fresh daily at the location with ice and real fresh fruit.
Cream Ice-It only takes on bit of the cream ice to know you love it. It is smooth, silky, flavorful goodness. Think hard ice cream icy.
Gelati-Take a layer of custard, a layer of your favorite cream ice flavor, and another layer of custard.
Misto- They take the gelati and blend it into a cool, creamy drink.
Frozen Custard-You can get it in a cone or with your cream ice.
Blendini-You pick your favorite ice custard flavor and a mix-in and they will blend it to perfection.
Milkshake- These come in vanilla or chocolate and can be topped with whipped cream.

We tried a Swedish Fish and Vanilla Gelati and loved it. It is like summer in a cup! The creamed ice and frozen custard are perfect together. We also tried cookies n' cream, chocolate chip mint, mango, and peanut butter chocolate cream ice. We loved everything we tried.

We were able to go to the grand opening a few weeks ago. Here are some fun photos of that day:

Restaurant Spotlight: Los 2 Amigos

Next time you are in Eagle Mountain stop by Los 2 Amigos at 3563 E Ranch Rd for some great Mexican food! Must tries at Los 2 Amigos are the Chile Verde, Taco Salad, and Chimichanga. I had the Taco Salad and really enjoyed it. The beef was perfectly flavored and everything was fresh! I am a big salsa person and theirs is made fresh everyday. The restaurant itself is very cute inside; it's a fun atmosphere to eat in. There are traditional costumes hanging on the wall as well as artwork. They are open from  11:00 am-9:00 pm.    

Restaurant Spotlight: Hungry Howie's

Do you like pizza? Are you a fan of flavored crust? Are you all about wings? How about Salads and bread sticks? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions it's time you tried Hungry Howie's in Orem located at 1549 North State Street.  This is the home of the Free Flavored Crust and it's amazing. They have 9 different flavors, we tried the butter cheese and the garlic herb and loved them both. Sometimes with pizza the toppings overshadow the crust, but not at Hungry Howie's. The flavored crust makes the crust the best part of the pizza, and the dough is made fresh daily! You can come into the store front in Orem or they deliver to a 3 mile radius.

They have great specialty pizzas including:
BBQ Chicken
Buffalo Chicken
Asian Chicken
Howie Special (Pepperoni, mushrooms, sliced ham, slivered onion, fresh green pepper and mozzarella cheese)
Howie Maui (Pineapple, Smoked Bacon, Sliced Ham and Mozzarella Cheese)
Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger
Philly Cheese Steak

Restaurant Spotlight: Food Truck Roundup

Every Thursday at The Startup Building (560 S 100 W) from 5-9 you can find the Provo Food Truck Roundup. Food trucks from all over the county come together for the round up. You can get everything from one truck or try a little something-something from everyone. They have everything from corn dogs to pizza, burgers and burritos. All the local favorite trucks come to this event. They even have live music every week to entertain you as you eat. The weather doesn't matter, the round up happens in heat or cold.
Check out some of the great photos we took at the Roundup last week.

Restaurant Spotlight: Hruska's Kolaches

I have never had a Kolache before, but I will be having them again and soon. For those of you like me, they are soft, buttery bun that are just the right amount of doughy topped/or stuffed with filling. Hruska's Kolaches opened two weeks ago in Downtown Provo. The fruit topped Kolaches are done in the traditional Czech style and the savory filled ones are done in the Texas style. We tried three different types: the brisket, raspberry, and cream-cheese. The fruit filling is made in the restaurant fresh and is so tasteful. The sweet fruit filling was perfect with the bun. They serve them warm, and they are perfect. The brisket was amazing and had a great kick to it. You can also get ones filled with bacon, cheese, ham, or sausage. They make the sausage fresh at the restaurant. There really isn't a bad choice with these amazing little breakfast buns, and they are a great price. The restaurant is so cute inside. They have brought a little piece of Texas to Downtown Provo.

You can walk into the store front or order catering for events and brunches. The restaurant is located at 434 W Center St, Provo 84601. They are open in the mornings, so get there early and enjoy a little taste from Texas!

Restaurant Spotlight: Daylight Donut

As of two weeks ago, there's a new place in town to get some amazing doughnuts, Daylight Donut at 1180 N Main St, Springville. When the owner was a little kid, he always thought it would be fun to have a doughnut shop one day. His dream came true when this adorable shop opened up. The doughnuts are amazing and they have done a great job creating a fun atmosphere for families to hang out. If you don't have time, use the drive through to get your favorite pastry. The bakers start at 10 pm every night to make fresh doughnuts every morning. They also offer breakfast sandwiches and drinks. They have Pepsi (with the pebbled ice), coffee, fraps, hot chocolate, chocolate and strawberry milk, and juice. They are open from 5 am to 6 pm or until they are out of doughnuts.

Doughnuts you must try:
-The Bear Claw (Strawberry, Blueberry, or Lemon filling)
-The old fashion...you just can't go wrong with this one!

Let us know what your favorite doughnut is when you go to Daylight Donut.

Restaurant Spotlight: Provo Bakery

This week we went to the Provo Bakery on 190 East 100 North Provo. This Provo gem is a family-owned business. They have some of the best baked goods around. When I walked into the door the air was so sweet it was almost like I was already eating something delicious.
They have every kind of doughnut you can think of, and everything is made on site at the bakery. Make sure to try the Red Velvet Cake Doughnut and the Alligator Jaws. The Alligator Jaws are a doughnut cut in half and filled with cream! We tried the Raspberry Sweet Rolls and Orange Sweet Rolls. They were amazing!
If sweets aren't your thing try some of there home made hamburger and hot dog buns, hoagie buns or focaccia bread. It's all so good and you will be happy you made time to stop by!

Muffin Tops