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
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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
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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.

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.

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
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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.

Pounders Hawaiian Island Grill

About
473 S. Main St - map it!
Pounders is a casual Hawaiian joint that is open Mon-Sat 11-9. They serve up the good old rice with meat combo. They range from chicken cooked in various ways to traditional Hawaiian Kalua Pork, smoky, slow cooked pork and Locomoco, a hamburger patty on white, sticky rice with two eggs and smothered in brown gravy.

Menu
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The menu is split in half by meats + sides entrees and Pounders Originals. The meats + sides are combos of your choices of one, two, or three meats ranging from Kalua Pork to Papalani Chicken (a must try!) and a side of macaroni salad and rice. They also have burgers and other meat-lover-heaven goodness. The food is hearty and comes in large portions. I love that they have a balanced menu filled with "safeties" and more intriguing traditional Hawaiian food.

Price Range
The price ranges from $4.95 to $24.99 (but that's for like, 5 people). Kids can eat there for $2.99. I would say it's a bit pricey for what it is, unless you're willing to bump it up and share. Extra meat comes in a heaping to-go box, so that is totally worth it. For a meal for two, you can expect somewhere around $20 with drinks. Single person, anywhere from $7 to $12 with drinks.

Verdict - 3 stars
Hubby went out on a Friday night to grab Pounders to go and waited an HOUR for one order. There were groups there that came after him that got their order before he did. That definitely dampened our mood. We had the Kahuna, (an order of 3 meats, a side of rice, and a side of macaroni salad) with a side order of extra meat and extra rice. The Kalua pork was pretty dry and bland compared to the ones I've eaten before and the macaroni salad tasted strongly of bulk macaroni salad, the one eerily similar to the one that we served at Honeybaked Ham, scooped out of a huge white bucket and very mayonnaise-y. The rice was disappointing because there were so much meat but a tiny scoop of rice (like literally 3 tablespoons of rice) so if you're ordering for one, definitely get an extra scoop of rice (even though it's super pricey at $1.50 for the amount they give you). The Papalani Chicken was definitely our favorite- so flavorful! They were sold out of Kalbi and gave us two Teriyaki Chickens instead of the Pounders Chicken we ordered alongside the Kalua pork. So with a screwed up order, an hour of standing around wait time, and two tiny scoops of rice with bland Kalua pork later, we give it 3 stars for the Papalani Chicken alone. We'll try Pounders again sometime after the initial shock wears off.

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!