Sweetly Divine Pastries & Sandwiches

About
1309 Main St. in Logan, UT - map it!
Sandwiched between Costa Vida and Shopko, Sweetly Divine is a hidden gem in Logan. The owner is Mark Grodkowski, a Polish chef who completed pastry school in Europe and served as a pastry chef at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Tetons National Park where he met his wife. He has sold his famous pastries to the restaurants and hotels along the Wasatch Front and finally opened Sweetly Divine in 2006 after visiting Logan and falling in love with the sweet, country feel. The owner is just as sweet as the desserts he makes, he is super friendly and obviously takes pride in his work! Dressed in his chef whites, he came over often and made sure that we were happy!

Menu - view menu!
Sweetly Divine offers sandwiches, soups, and salads, and numerous european and american pastries as well as his jalapeno jelly line that is available at a multitude of supermarkets and shops in Logan and Ogden. The sandwiches are pretty basic: Ham and Cheese, Pastrami, Turkey, Roast Beef, and Veggie. But they include interesting additions such as feta and a variety of jalapeno jelly. The jalapeno jelly is not something I would think to reach for when making a sandwich but it totally makes a delicious difference. The pastries are intricately prepared and they are to die for! They also have a variety of teas and hot drinks that you can prepare yourself with his Keurig machine.

Black Forest and Raspberry cupcakes. (I highly recommend the Black Forest! Best cupcake I've ever had.)

Price Range - $3 - 8
Everything is appropriately priced, especially when you remember that Mark graduated from pastry school in Europe. When you take a bit of anything he prepares, you know that you're not just tasting a dessert, you're tasting the years of culinary training he's received and the finesse he delivers in every creation. For just under ten dollars, you can get a sandwich + soup combo with a delicious pastry to top it all off.

As you can see, the Creme Brulee ramekins are bigger than soup bowls! Perfect for a date! Look at the cute swans!

We are obsessed with Jalapeno Jelly and think that this would make a great Thanksgiving turkey sauce!

Verdict - 5 stars
I do not have a huge sweet tooth, so I was pleasantly surprised by this pastry shoppe! The icing on the Black Forest cupcake had what I think was mascarpone because it tasted similar to tiramisu, not sticky sweet but delicate and mild. The cupcake itself was not dry or dense but just perfect! I was having withdrawals after just 5 minutes of finishing it! (I am kicking myself for not getting my wedding cupcakes made here!)

He also carries a variety of gluten-free pastas and flours that he makes himself.

Pho Plus Noodle House

About
908 S State St. in Orem, UT - map it!
Tucked in a little business building's parking lot just north of Yamato, Pho Plus is a heartily-welcomed addition to the Utah County food scene. UC has seriously been lacking some authentic, soul-satisfying pho and Pho Plus delivers! When you walk in, your heart knows it's home. It could be the immaculate, tastefully-decorated and open interior, or the inviting aroma of anise, ginger, and cloves. (They are also building a new location in Provo, opening soon. Double the awesome!)

Every authentic pho joint should offer you bean sauce, sriracha sauce, basil, jalapenos, bean sprouts, and limes. These are all a MUST in pho dining. Also, the awesome soup spoons.

Menu - view menu!
Pho Plus offers a good range of authentic pho (tripe and tendon, anyone? yum!) and more for those who may not be satisfied with a hot bowl of broth and noodles (say, what?). They offer noodle dishes, to familiar orange-chicken-type dishes and a great range of drinks (boba tea!) If you are a pho novice, I recommend the steak pho- tantalizing pieces of paper-thin rare steak, dropped in your hot soup right before they bring the bowl to the table. The result is a succulent bite of fresh steak cooked in the beef broth. Or the brisket, a surprisingly tender and flavorful cut. The more adventurous types may opt for the #11, a mix of everything meat-topping-wise. As for me, I'll take the steak, tripe, and creamy bits of tendon every time. The only thing I didn't really care for were the meatballs. Not your traditional meatballs.



Price Range - $6 - 12
Pho will be one of your cheapest and most buck-for-the-bang options, priced at around $7 for a regular bowl. I don't honestly know who could finish a large bowl (a dollar more) as the regular is enough to even have the hubs finish before the bowl's empty. (I foresee a pho food challenge in the future...) Some of the pricier options will be the orange-chicken type dishes, at $12/plate. But as you can see that plate comes with a salad, a heaping portion of rice, and a small bowl of soup (same soup as the pho but without noodles). It may seem a bit pricey at first, but upon trying it, the orange chicken is perfectly cooked and more authentic than you'll find anywhere else. Mm.. tastes like mom's cooking! Hubs did mention that this may have been the best orange chicken he's ever had.




Verdict - 5 stars
Utah County has been missing a good pho joint for so long, but Pho Plus has rightfully won the sole crown of pho king. (Have your laugh..) The staff is super nice and hard-working. Pho Plus is authentic, always crowded (but not in a bad way), and a soul-satisfying meal you'll come to crave in the not-so-distant future, or if you're like me, in the middle of the night. If only they could cater to my pho cravings 24/7.

Garlicky Cream of Broccoli Soup

Excellent for beginners, great for people who are on a time crunch to savor that lusciously rich, slow-cooked taste with only 15 minutes of work. Serves 2-4.

Ingredients:

1 cup small broccoli florets

2 cups chopped broccoli stalk and bigger florets

1/2 small onion, quartered - optional

4 giant cloves of garlic

1 pint half and half (or whole milk, but it's only 99 cents and well worth it!)

1 can (10 oz) condensed cream of celery soup

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar (or really, any cheese)

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch of nutmeg (seriously)

To start, bring a well salted pot of water to a boil and toss in the 2 cups of roughly chopped broccoli, the chopped onion, and 2 cloves of garlic. Boil on high until the stalk pieces are fork tender and scoop out and blend in a food processor until smooth. Save 2 cups of the pot water and dump the rest.

In the same pot, mix the can of cream of celery and the carton of half and half. Add the blended vegetables and stir on medium heat. Mince (don't food processor it- no matter how tempted you are) the other two cloves of garlic and toss in. Add in the cheese and stir. As it bubbles away, periodically add the saved pot water to keep it from getting too thick. I used about a cup and saved the other cup to add when I boiled the soup again later for leftovers.

Remember to keep tasting as you stir so you can flavor it with salt and pepper accordingly. I did add quite a bit of salt and pepper, but I find broccoli usually requires more salt than most veggies do and I just plain old love pepper. Add the nutmeg and cover and let simmer on very low heat for however long you want. I let mine sit on low for 45 minutes since we were in no hurry and it was amazing. Serve with crusty sourdough bread!

Look Paula Deen, no butter! I love butter, but why add it when you can't even taste it in the end? This soup is plenty rich and flavorful without any. The nutmeg saves the soup from tasting too vegetable-y and gives it the right amount of fall spice. You can't taste the nutmeg too much, but it definitely makes a difference.

Stroganoff

About
Stroganoff is creamy and peppery and hearty - all of which soul food should be. We love this recipe, as it allows a lot of wiggle room for creativity and adjustments. Stroganoff would be good served with cut corn, green beans and cottage cheese, or a simple salad.

Recipe

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 pkg of egg noodles
• (1 small can of mushrooms, drained)
• (1/4 of an onion, finely chopped)
• (2 cloves of garlic, minced)
• black pepper

Boil 6 cups of water in a medium sized pot (or fill it halfway). Add the egg noodles in and keep on medium-high heat until tender. Meanwhile brown the ground beef on medium-low heat. When noodles are done (about 8-10 min) drain and set aside.When the pink color of the meat is almost gone, add the onions and garlic and simmer until meat is thoroughly cooked through (10 min). Add in the can of mushroom soup, sour cream, and mushrooms (if you want them). Add in generous amounts of black pepper to taste (at least about 1/4 tsp). Stir until heated through and serve! 

(While the onion, garlic, and mushrooms are not necessary, we find that they improve the flavor of the stroganoff a lot, so if this isn't just a quick meal for you, I'd definitely use those if you have them.)

Price Range - $4.00

This is a serving for two without sides and maybe one plate left over, so I'd say it costs about $2/person to make, less with the more you make (the more you buy in bulk) of course. We both had 2 big plates each with another plate in leftovers, so with side dishes, you could stretch this to a 4-5 serving meal.

Verdict - 4.5 stars

We love stroganoff and love even more how easy this meal is to make. It takes 10 minutes and uses ingredients most people already have around. Hubby and I used to eat the Pastaroni kind until we realized how easy and painless it really was.

Grandma Kelley's Waffles

About
Apparently Grandma Kelley is renowned for her cooking prowess: Grandma Kelley's this, Grandma Kelley's that. Her recipes don't do her cooking justice as she has that magic touch and it can never be replicated. I've always thought that grandmothers were excellent cooks and Grandma Kelley having 12 kids and who knows how many grandkids, I guess that makes her a super-grandma. Anyways, I found her recipe for waffles digging through Braden's parents' kitchen cupboards and wanted to try it out.

Recipe

• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 c milk
• 7 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Place milk, eggs, and oil in a blender (don't really have to, just whisk furiously for a minute or two), then add to dry ingredients and bake in a preheated waffle iron. No greasing of the iron needed unless you wash it regularly (then just give it a quick spray of Pam or wipe it down with some veggie oil on a paper towel, getting into all the crevices). When the steam comes out the sides of the iron, it's almost ready, or bake until it's golden brown.

Price Range

Since it's from ingredients you should already have in the pantry, I'd say this cost nothing to make or if you really must know, probably around 2 or 3 dollars, if even. Makes around 10 waffles, or two batches and then some in a 4-square waffle iron.

Verdict - 4.5 stars
These were great! All the waffles we've previously made were just alright. These were fluffy, light, eggy, and delicious. And the best part? No buttermilk needed for that wonderful childhood reminiscent waffle flavor and texture. We had ours with lots of butter and Mrs Butterworth's syrup and homemade strawberry and Grandma Kelley's homemade pear jam. Of course the hubby had his with cinnamon peanut butter. We might get creative next time and add in chips of fresh strawberries or blueberries.


This is what we use in our kitchen.
We got it as a wedding gift and it's fantastic to have.
But any waffle iron should be good for this recipe.

Pupusaria El Salvador

About
95 E 1400 N Logan - map it!
Pupusaria El Salvador is located kitty corner next to 5 Star party supplies and where Tummi Yummi's used to be. It's a quaint little family-owned place that serves great pupusas and amazing tacos. The prices are great and it's a thoroughly delicious and satisfying meal. They have food deals going on Monday through Thursday (which you can check out in the side bar on the right).

Menu
The menu is limited but each entree is delicious and any Mexican food lover will find a new love once they've had it. They serve pupusas, carne asada plates, tacos, and more. Pupusas are basically a corn tortilla stuffed with cheese and sometimes refried beans or pork (I always get everything in it) melted and steaming hot to fill or eat with curtido, a spicy, vinegar based coleslaw (no mayo) that is highly addictive. There is something here for everyone. Also, if you've never had agua fresca (fruit juice), they have it here and you should definitely order it.

Price Range
The price range is very affordable. They have deals going on from Monday-Thursday but even if you're not going on one of those days, you should definitely go (it only saves you a couple bucks). It's satisfying, soul-food that will have you coming back for more a couple times a week. It's a cute little grandma cooking up authentic food in the back, and you can't slap a price on that! It's great for get-togethers, a quick family bite out, or a casual date. I'm not exactly sure, but it ranges from $1.50 or so per taco/pupusa to $10 a plate.

Verdict - 4.4 stars
The hubby and I adore this place. The food is immensely satisfying and I just can't get enough of that curtido (it's probably the best curtido I've had yet), paired with their spiciest sauce on a pupusa doesn't get much closer to happiness for me. The tacos there are small but loaded with savory steak meat and top La Tormenta's tacos by tenfold. The Carne Asada plate is of actual steak, not like La Tormenta's super thin, questionable-cut of meat. It's definitely a different craving than Mexican, it's a pupusa craving! The owners there are super super nice and casual. You go in, sit down wherever, and order! Once you're done (sad!) with your meal, you pay up front. It's not as well rounded as La Tormenta in menu, but it shines in the differences. Definitely go and try the pupusas, tacos, and carne asada (and order extra tortillas if needs be, they're amazing), you'll see us there on a regular basis!

Wok On Wheels

About

123 E 1400 N - map it!
Wok On Wheels is located right next to the Little Caesars across from the mall. They've got an ad in the Aggies Coupon Book for a lunch special for $5.49 which included an entree, ham fried rice, egg roll, and a drink. A pretty good deal for any Chinese food lover. And they deliver for free with a $8 minimum order.


Menu
view menu!
They serve the basics you can find at any Americanized Chinese food place. Meat with veggies in a special sauce. Sweet and sour. Mongolian beef. Cache Valley's Tiny Spicy Chicken (I've been eating Chinese food all my life and I've never seen that one before). Everything is safe, there is more variety at mall food courts. If you have a favorite Americanized Chinese dish and don't care for anything hardcore Chinese, this will hit the spot.


Price Range
The price is decent for the amount of food you get for a lunch special. Everything is under $8 except for the family dinners. And a family dinner for two includes 2 entrees, egg rolls, fried won tons, ham fried rice, and fortunes cookies for $13.98, that can't be beat.

what beef with broccoli is supposed to look like

Verdict - 2 stars
I've eaten at this place once and never went back. I had Beef with Broccoli to-go and it was searing hot in one side and slightly cold on another- a sure sign of microwaving. The beef was sparse and mushy. It was a weird mushy where it felt like the beef just sat in water. Like fake, processed beef. The sauce that was on it was like duck sauce (that goopy red stuff meant for egg rolls). I asked the kid before I ordered it what it was and he said it was simply beef with broccoli in a sauce. Coming from an asian background that usually meant thinly sliced beef with pan fried broccoli in a dark teriyaki sauce with a bit of garlic. This had raw carrots in it, onions, bamboo shoots (which I love, but in this felt like a half hearted attempt to be Chinese), smushy broccoli caked in sauce, and of course that low quality beef. I tried eat the ham fried rice since I was so hungry but it was super bland- not fried and really dry. When I picked up a piece of ham for a closer look it had that grayish color and it smelled rancid. The ham in the ham fried rice had gone bad. That turned me way off and I will never go back there. This meal is so simple to make that I can't believe Wok on Wheels couldn't get it right. I probably should go back there one more time to make sure, but there is no excuse for rancid ham and microwaved food. Go to Panda Express, it delivers on quality and offers more authenticity. I love Panda Express and that will be my go-to Chinese in Cache Valley. Or I'll make it myself.

La Tormenta

About
105 E 1600 N - map it!
La Tormenta is located on the strip mall to the left the old Walmart (if you're facing Walmart). While the name provides entertainment in forms of wondering what the owners must have been thinking (plotting?) naming it the way they did, is it La Tormenta in the bathroom aftermath? Is it La Tormenta while waiting for the food? (We pompous English speakers crudely translate by taking off the a/o at the end). It's a dive-type of place, lacking decor and ambiance- but aren't those the best? No showy gimmicks, just honest to goodness soul food.


Menu
La Tormenta offers great, authentic Mexican at an honest price. I always go for the smothered burrito, and at $4.99 it comes with a side of rice and beans and a slow simmered beef burrito smothered in what has got to be the most cheese I've ever consumed in one sitting. But whereas that's enough to leave me a little over comfortably full, hubby always orders a couple of either the regular tacos or crispy tacos (not hard shell, actual fried tacos) alongside his burrito. You can probably tell we don't branch out of the smothered burrito, but why settle for less when we can order the best every time? They offer so much more, like stuffed peppers, the carne asada plate, fried fish, beef stew, and so much more. The quesadillas are lackluster, a simple tortilla filled with a white cheese and nothing else. it's teeny and at $2.49, definitely opt for the tacos instead ($1/ea for regular, $1.25 for crispy). All of the entrees come out with a cute mini condiments bar, a trio of salsa verde (which I slather on everything), grilled onions (it used to be pico de gallo but I actually prefer this more), and pickled jalapeños and carrots.

Price Range
The prices they have set for the more popular dishes have slowly gone up, but it's minuscule and they set them so low initially that it doesn't bother me. For a great meal for two coming in at around $10, I won't complain. It might not be romantic date material, but it satisfies like none other.


Verdict - 4.2 stars
While La Tormenta does not mean 'the torment' for us crude translators (it actually means 'storm'- brought to you by my lowly Spanish education), hubby and I love this place to bits and visit there at least once a week. It's so far one of the best Mexican in Cache Valley and it's taken the Logan college fooding scene by delicious brute force, nothing less we expect from La Tormenta. If you're looking for messy, satisfying, honest to goodness Mexican soul food, this is the place.