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.

The Elements

About
640 S 35 E at the Riverwoods - map it!
Self described as Contemporary American cuisine, Elements is a culinary powerhouse when it comes to beautifully crafted dishes, in terms of presentation and taste. It may seem like a big fish in a small pond, but the chefs that run the kitchen are truly talented and compete on the levels of any city's best restaurants. Elements is spacious and stunning on the inside with its modern, loft-like architecture and soft lighting. Surprisingly affordable and with its own pub-style bar addition, this restaurant will definitely change how you eat in Logan.

Menu - view menu!
Hubs and I have ordered several options from their menu and here is what we think:

Gaufrette Potato Chips - PASS.  We thought they meant 'chips' as in potato slices but they were literally fried waffle chips. Really heavy and not a great way to start a meal. Sauce was heavy and soaked through the center chips in minutes, leaving the other chips bare. We ate like 5 chips and called it quits. Great presentation though.



Firecracker - B  The standard hummus and chips (hummus not pictured, sorry! It was a decent serving but really unphotogenic). The chips and bread were great but the hummus was a bit lacking, like grocery store hummus. Unless you really have to have hummus, stick with the complimentary bread basket for your starch.

Thai Lettuce Wraps - A+  Always delicious and worth every penny. The bok choy salad is so good and the flavor profiles are spot on! Super impressed! The sauces are pretty good but the only one hubs and I keep reaching for is the chili garlic sauce as the curry one is a bit strong and the peanut sauce was just okay. Pretty messy but our waiter dropped off hot towels with the appetizer (so thoughtful of Elements!) Really filling so we think 3-4 people could share this and still be good to go for the entree course. After the complimentary bread basket and this, the hubs and I were pretty full.

Baby Spinach Salad - A-  We've only ever had this as a side and it's HUGE. The salad itself is amazing but it always has way too much dressing on it. Can easily share this side with another person (or two) due to the size. I definitely appreciate the chefs giving us more bang for our buck, but it doesn't let you savor your last few bites and longingly look at your now-empty plate. Size down the portion by half and scale back on the dressing and it'll soon become a crazy favorite.

Sorry! Hub's iPhone picture bc someone forgot her phone and her camera...

Shrimp Platter - A  Great variety and worth the money. Shrimp lovers rejoice!  (Cold Weather Special)

• Chilled Prawn Cocktail - A  I love shrimp cocktail so this was awesome. Great sauce with a nice kick from the horseradish. Prawns were really fresh and chilled at the right temp.
• BBQ Tiger Shrimp - B  Didn't love this compared to the other options. My least favorite as the BBQ sauce wasn't anything special.
• Cajun Rock Shrimp - B+  It was pretty good, but definitely got out-staged by the coconut shrimp which I felt was too similar and got its butt kicked by coconut-y goodness.
• Coconut Shrimp - A+  I feel sometimes a perfect coconut shrimp is the end-all of favorite foods lists. There is simply nothing better than a perfectly executed coconut shrimp. And admittedly, it's hard to perfect. The batter has to be perfectly cooked so as not to overcook the coconut and avoid fryer-taste, while thoroughly cooking the shrimp, but not overcooking it. And then the sauce as to be equal parts sweet and citrus-y. If you have been searching for said coconut shrimp, you have found it. At Elements. 

BBQ Chicken Woodfired Pizza - A-  Their woodfired pizzas are seriously amazing and a straight up deal at the $8-10 range offered. So good, hubs orders it every single time we're at Elements. Not the best BBQ Chicken pizza ever, but pretty dang close.

Lobster Ravioli - A  So, so good. I would have liked something to cut the lavishness of this dish (like chopped asparagus maybe? capers?) but on a winter night, it seriously hit the spot. Can't really distinguish the lobster as its ground into the filling and not lumps of lobster like I would have liked, but at $23 in Logan, I really can't complain. Beautifully crafted dish and the fragrant saffron risotto was everything I dreamed of and more. Plus, it comes with lots of little shrimp for an added seafood boost. Yum! Comfort food at its best!



Turkey Chop - A+  If you like turkey at all, you will love this dish! An unexpected gem in their vast menu, this dish is brilliant; the turkey is so perfectly cooked- juicy and tender and mind-blowing and goes well with the marmalade/reduction (peach and orange, I think?). The filet-mignon-like bacon wrapped turkey is finished with butter and does not have the weird gamey taste that it usually has. If you said this was hearty chicken, I would have believed you! The french beans are cooked with bacon and compliment the Thanksgiving theme perfectly. And as always, the sweet potatoes here are a must-have. So good you will want to wrap yourself up in it and give in to the food coma that will surely ensue.

Price Range - $8 - 29
Surprisingly affordable and worth every penny! There's something for everyone here in their smartly curated menu and full size salads and soups go for as cheap as $5! Whether it's a causal lunch (even cheaper prices) or a romantic night out, Elements will never disappoint!

Be sure to check out their Cold Weather Specials for their daily special offerings!

Verdict - 5 stars
Whenever the hubs and I want to have a nice night out or have a thoughtfully prepared meal, this restaurant is it. The chefs deserve medals for opening a place like this in Logan. Everything on the menu is so well put together and the effort really shows. From this happy foodie, please never change the quality!

Apple Spice Bakery

About
1545 N. Main St - map it!
Apple Spice Bakery & Cafe is a cute new restaurant in Logan. They have multiple other locations throughout the US and offer cafe-style seating, delivery, and box lunches. There are in a convenient location but be wary of eating in their outside seating area, as it could get quite loud due to traffic.

Menu - view menu!
They have a great variety of soups, sandwiches (including paninis), and salads, as well as baked goods such as dessert items or freshly-baked bread. There is something for everyone, which is great because it's a healthy and delicious alternative to having lunch at common fast food places around, like Taco Bell or McDonalds (hey- I love those too, but sometimes a girl craves something healthy!). Apple Spice Bakery has an incredible selection of sandwiches and salads, so every visit there is something to discover!

Granny Apple Turkey on Honey Wheat Bread with (half-eaten) Pasta Salad

Price Range - $5-9
The cheaper items in the $5 range are breakfast items, which they serve until 10:30am. Other than the lone Mac n Cheese or the Garden Salad options at $5.99, all other menu options fall in the $6.99-8.99 range. A little pricey for lunch, but you pay for the creative options and unique variety you wouldn't find much else of in Logan. They do offer free delivery which is a great deal!

Freshly sliced turkey, havarti cheese, crisp apples, and lettuce on gloriously mouth-watering bread.

Verdict - 4.5 stars
The food was great and the atmosphere inviting, my only complaint is that it was a bit pricey for portion sizes (which is rightly justified by the creativeness and rarity of menu items but we were still kinda hungry after). But all the menu items seem thoughtfully crafted and delicious! I would definitely come back here again even without the "Buy one menu item, get one free" option from our Cache Valley Club Card.

Art City Trolley Restaurant

About
256 N Main St, Springville
Art City Trolley is a cute restaurant that opened in 1995 that features a real 1931 trolley built into the front of the restaurant that you can dine in (I definitely suggest it for spring-fall), and their menu boasts lots of delicious creations. Their baby back ribs won Zagat's Dining Guide's "Best BBQ in the State" and their salads (can you say huge portions?) won "Utah Valley's Best Choice" for salads. And you can get their famous salads as a catering option, as well as whole cakes (be prepared- they're giant) and cheesecakes, dressings, wing sauce, and salsa.

Menu
view menu!
The menu is sectioned off into Salads, Sandwiches, Burgers, Quesadillas, "Basket of Goods"(fried chicken and fish), and "Off the Grill," where you'll find the wings and ribs. And of course, appetizers and dessert. I've had the Oriental Express Salad and Trolley Chicken Sandwich (soo yummy, get the "Lip-Sweatin' Hot!" sauce- not too spicy but has a Wingers-like tangy-ness to it). Hubs has had the Fish and Chips and the Bleu Bacon Burger (he ordered it "Build Your Own" to get it cheaper and without tomatoes).

(for mouth-watering foodie goodness, right click on pictures and open in a new tab)

Bleu Cheese Burger (doesn't normally come with fry sauce but the hubs slathered it on before I took take a picture)

Trolley Chicken Sandwich with "Lip-Sweatin' Hot!" sauce

Trolley Chicken Sandwich

Bleu Cheese Burger (not real bleu cheese, but a bleu cheese sauce... still delicious)

Price Range - $7-14
The menu has good variation and is fairly priced for the generous portions and quality of ingredients. The chicken is juicy and seasoned well, never dry. And the cod for the fish and chips were fresh and flaky. The salads are enormous, so if you're not planning on sharing or taking it home to eat relatively soon, I'd order a half salad. The burgers are a bit bigger than your normal burger. So in summary, a little pricey for a casual lunch (or decently priced for dinner) but worth every penny for the quality and creativity.

Verdict - 4.5 stars
Hubs said this might be one of the best burgers he's ever had. The salads are a repeat favorite of mine and the mother-in-law. The chicken sandwiches are to die for (if you're a chicken sandwich fan, you have to try one here) and the fry sauce is one of the best in Utah. The service is awesome and attentive. This place is my favorite place to eat in Springville! A must-try for anyone.

Happy Sushi

About
20 W 400 N - map it!

Happy Sushi is located in a tiny, gray building in downtown Logan. Hubs and I were a bit hesitant our first time there, but we know some of the best gems can be in the most unlikeliest of places. Repeatedly one of the highest reviewed sushi restaurants in Logan, Happy Sushi is a clean, tastefully decorated sushi joint that rarely disappoints and always delivers on the freshest fish in Cache Valley.

Menu
view menu!
Happy Sushi offers a variety of Japanese classics such as teriyaki, katsu, tempura, donburi, and udon, but its specialty lies in sushi. It boasts a large variety (and I mean a large variety- its menu rivals some of the more expensive sushi places in SLC) of nigiri, sushi rolls, and sashimi options. Everything is meticulously made and delicious. 

image via Yelp: Double-Dash C.

Lunch Special: Spicy Tuna + Chef's Choice (image via UrbanSpoon: Chip Royce)

Price Range - $10-$15
The prices are pretty fair for sushi and the bento boxes are a good deal. Happy Sushi is always fresh and you don't have to worry about sketchy sushi with cheap cuts and questionable shelf life. Nigiri is a little pricey, the rolls are delicious and filling, and the lunch specials and non-sushi entrees are the dishes to order to get the most bang for your buck. Hubs usually orders a dinner box or an entree and we share 2 rolls (1 if we got an appetizer), and I get a bunch of different nigiri. It usually runs us about $50 (incl. tip) a night out, but I love sushi, and when we go I splurge a little.

Verdict - 4.7 stars
Happy Sushi is a great place for a sushi fix and higher quality than a lot of sushi joints I've eaten at. They have a certain appetizer made with halves of jalapenos stuffed with minced tuna, deep fried with tempura and topped with this amazing teriyaki sauce (or is it eel sauce?) and finished with nori. I can't for the life of me remember the name, and it's going to bug me forever. If you don't know what to get as an appetizer and don't mind a little spicy, I highly recommend that.

Le Nonne

About
129 N 100 E - map it!
Le Nonne is a cute little house right around Center St. It's a tiny, authentic Italian restaurant that brings a little class to Logan. The chef, PierAntonio Micheli was born and raised in Tuscany off the northern coast of Italy and learned to cook from his mother and grandmother. With an impressive culinary background like that, you just have to try Le Nonne. ("leh noh-nay" - "grandmother" in Italian) If you want some helpful tips on how to pronounce basic Italian dishes, this website is pretty handy. [Basics: "ch" is our "k" ("Bruschetta" = "broo-SKETT-ah"), "cc" is our "ch" (Carpaccio = "car-PAHCH-ee-oh"), always pronounce the e's at the end of a word ("penne" = "PEN-nay"), and "co" is a long e (like "oh"), not a short e.]

Handmade Crab Ravioli - amazing.

Menu
view menu!
The menu is carries a lot of basic Italian dishes, components that are rarely found in Logan but recognizable. I had the Pollo ai Funghi, Chicken with Champignon Mushrooms in a Marsala Wine Sauce. So delicious and even better the second day. I also ordered the Bruschetta con Mozzarella but it had more of a grill/charred taste than I like and the bread was a bit soggy from the fresh tomatoes. Hubs had the Ravioli di Pollo alla Marinara, Chicken Ravioli in a Tomato Sauce which was really good, considering I'm not a big fan of tomato-based sauce. The olive tapenade they serve you is to die for and I literally ate it by the spoonful when I thought no one was watching. Caesar salad is hard to do wrong, of course and I've heard really good things about their Spinach Ravioli and their Beef Gorgonzola. I've recently had the Pollo al Limone e Capperi, Chicken with Lemon and Capers- so good. And hubs had the Ravioli di Granchio, Stuffed Crab Ravioli in a yummy cream sauce, although it wasn't very filling. The food is always cooked with care and precision and those homemade raviolis are so addicting!

Chicken with Lemon and Capers - good, but a bit too lemony. Good to order once.

Price Range - $10-$20
The price is a bit on the expensive side, averaging around $12-15 a plate, $20+ if you want to go fancy. The dishes are generous and could feed two with an appetizer if you want to split a plate for an additional $2. Although it is pricey, I would say Olive Garden is just as pricey for lesser authentic Italian cuisine. It's definitely worth a try, if not for lunch, then for special occasions. Our bill always comes to around $30 before tax/tip.

Spinach Ravioli - amazing. I could eat this again and again.

Angry Pasta - good, better the next day, huge portions.

Verdict - 4.5 stars
I love Le Nonne, and would like to try all of their offerings. Unfortunately hubs is not a big fan of Italian so I don't get to go as often as I'd like. It's definitely the closest you're going to get to authentic Italian around these parts and once you've tried it, Olive Garden just won't be the same anymore.

Korean BBQ & Market

About
111 S Main St - map it!
Korean BBQ & Market is located next to the Italian restaurant Gia's on Main St. It's a tiny, family owned spot that doubles as an asian market on one side and a small Korean restaurant on the other. Despite the BBQ in the name, there is no actual grill on any of the tables, common with most Korean BBQ places. Everything is cooked in the back and brought out to the front. Service is a little lacking, but do remember that it is a family owned joint with quite a language barrier so it's difficult for the owners, but they are super nice and appreciative of their customers and do what they can.

Jeyuk Bokkum. credits to google (sorry, I was super hungry! I will take my own photos next time)

Menu
view menu!
The menu is limited but carries the basics of Korean cuisine without being too intimidating for Logan, UT. It doesn't sacrifice it's authenticity (such as Americanizing dishes) and each dish has a homemade taste presented neatly. Each entree comes out with rice and a spread of 5 or 6 small side dishes meant to accompany the meal. The entrees are big, traditionally for a family style type serving. You can easily order another bowl of rice and share an entree with another person.

Kimbap. credits to google.

Price Range - $6-$20
The price is a bit pricey, as with most Korean restaurants, but it is meant for family style meals (that means grab your friends/family and make it an event!). You'll find prices range from $7.95 to $19.95 an entree. Lunch is definitely the cheaper option if you're trying it out or don't want to share entrees. Hubby and I ordered two entrees and a side of Kimbap, a small snack, really, and it came out to $24. We were stuffed and couldn't finish our meals (and we were starving before we left the house!)

Soondooboo Jjigae. credits to google.

Verdict - 3.8 stars
Since I can make all the Korean staples at home (like Kalbi, Bulgogi, Kimchi Jjigae) we were in the mood for something authentic we couldn't make. Hubby had a Jeyuk Bokkum which is a dish consisting of spicy, marinated then fried pork with onions, bellpeppers, mushrooms (and some other veggies, I think I covered most of them) and I had the Soondooboo Jjigae, a spicy tofu stew popular in the winter seasons and an order of Kimbap, a kind of Korean sushi consisting of imitation crab, cucumber, yellow pickled radish/daikon, and carrots. The Jeyuk Bokkum was delicious and tasted homemade and the Kimbap tasted just like my mom and I make back home. The Soondooboo Jjigae was lacking in flavor, not as flavorful in depth as it should be and I definitely wouldn't order it again. Usually it is rich and has seafood and/or meat, but it only had tofu and mushrooms. The side dishes were delicious and the kimchi is good (you can usually judge a good korean restaurant by the kimchi). We had a good time and were satisfied, but not the best Korean I've had, but for Logan, it's alright. For your first time trying Korean, try the Kalbi, Bulgogi, Doejibulgogi, or the Jeyuk Bokkum.