When you think of Northern Utah you probably aren’t thinking of food. A more quiet lifestyle with serene surroundings and friendly small town attitude is common but the food that is enjoyed at the top of Utah ain’t bad either. We recently took a trip to Temonton and the Holmgren Historic Farm to get a taste of what Northern Utah has to offer.

Here are a few of the flavors we enjoyed coming out of our northern neighbors lands:

Crumb Brother’s Bakery – Bread

Butcher’s Bunches Organic Jam

Zollinger Apple Farm

Beehive Brewery – Root beer, Beer

Beehive Distillers – Gin

Idle Isle Candies – Chocolate

Ruth Lewandowski – Wines

Pettingill’s Farm – Peaches

Dallas’s back yard – Apricot Vinegar

Sugarhouse Pork – Pork

Morgan Valley – Lamb Ribs

Holmgren Farm – Beef, apricots

New Roots Farm – Tomatoes

M & M Farms – Peppers, Cucumbers, Squash

Keep it Real Vegetables (Ty Montague urban farming) – Carrots

Winder Dairy – Mascarpone, Ricotta

Road Creek Ranch – Trout

Parker Produce – Tomatoes

Frog Bench Farms – Nasturtium, Oregano

We dined at the Historic Holmgren farm, in the family barn to be exact, and had tastes of the state made by one of our favorite restaurants, Pago. Here’s a little more info on the beautiful farm estate:

The Holmgren Historical Farm was settled in 1896 through the Homestead Act, this working family farm is on the National Register of Historic Places for its gothic-style dairy barn that once retained hay storage and dairy operations under one roof. The farm is still owned by the Holmgren family and is home to numerous events throughout the year including festivals, family gatherings, barn tours, concerts, craft fairs, disc golf tournaments, art projects and much more. The farm has become an integral part of the community and one of the top “go to” places in Northern Utah. For more information, visit www.holmgrenhistoricalfarm.org.

Our purpose of the evening was to discover a little more reason to visit Northern Utah. Here are some reasons that I think will get you heading North:

Bear Lake Valley – A Beach, a Cave and Boundless Raspberries

Dubbed the “Caribbean of the Rockies” by locals, Bear Lake’s turquoise waters and fine sand beaches are an attraction that beckons Utahns and outside visitors alike. Don’t miss Minnetonka Cave—a fascinating 9-room cave of stalactites, stalagmites and banded travertine. Locals also find it hard not to stop at a tiny town along the way – Garden City. Here, the question of ”Who invented the Bear Lake raspberry shake?” will provoke serious contention. However, what is known is that the climate of Bear Lake is perfect for growing some of the most delicious raspberries in the world resulting in a Raspberry Days celebration every August.

Mountain Valley Trout and Llama Farm

Looking to take a great fishing trip in Utah? Smithfield, Utah’s Mountain Valley Trout and Llama farm offers a variety of fish: rainbow, brook, brown, tiger, cutthroat, cutbows, blue rainbows and largemouth bass, all in one place as well as cute llamas (available for rent) that kids are sure to love.

Brigham City’s Golden Spike and Peach Days

September is the perfect time of year to enjoy Brigham City’s heritage. Honoring the harvest and the best peaches in Utah, Brigham City’s Peach Days, Sept. 3–6, has been celebrated for the past 100 years. The celebration includes a 10K race, car show, parade and succulent Brigham City peaches.

Even older is Golden Spike National Historic Site, marking the moment when the East met West and the Transcontinental Railroad, Central Pacific and Union Pacific were connected, forever changing transportation. Golden Spike offers guided Engine House tours, reenactments and nearly 20 miles of auto tours highlighting the original construction sites of the railroad. http://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

American West Heritage Center

The American West Heritage Center sits at the foot of the majestic Wellsville Mountains. Enjoy various activities such as The Mountain Man Camp, pioneer treks, panning for gold and the Native American Encampment, as well as events throughout the year such as Baby Animal Days, The Fall festival and The Christmas Feast.  Visit https://www.awhc.org/ for more information.

Mt. Naomi U-Pick Experience

Mt. Naomi farm is a third-generation family owned and operated sustainable farm in Cache Valley The family created a fun you-pick experience, featuring strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and grapes using water-wise practices.  Bring a water bottle and arrive early (open 7:30 am to noon) for the best fruit and cooler temperatures.  http://www.mtnaomifarms.com/U-Pick_Experience.h

I’ve always thought Park City was lacking when it comes to breakfast options.  Well, until our last visit. Now, don’t let the name fool you, this Deer Valley staple is so much more than a grocery market. Walk into the unassuming Deer Valley Plaza, through the lobby and out the back doors and you’ll step into a little haven.

Literally, when we got out of our car, our friends asked, now where are we going again for breakfast?  They were a bit alarmed that we were stopping at a old lodge front but they quickly sided with us as they walked out to the back deck.  The cafe patio opens up to a serene pond, with views of the slopes, and lower Deer Valley lodging. Guests may sit on the comfy patio furniture, couches, or at sun covered tables as you sip on coffee and away your warm breakfast.  You may even catch a moose if you get there early, or you may see a group of paddle boarders practicing yoga out on the pond (they entertained us for a good bit).

As for the food, Deer Valley just never does disappoint, even in a more casual atmosphere like the grocery cafe. I ordered the Challah French Toast which was served with house made strawberry rhubarb compote and pure maple syrup. Josh tried the Southwestern Breakfast wrap and enjoyed it so much that we returned the next day so he could have it again.  Both were made with the Deer Valley quality that I’ve come to expect.

Other breakfast choices include Tomato Spinach Croissant, Irish Oatmeal, Quiche, Lox and Bagel, Egg and Cheese Panini, or House-made yogurt and granola. And you’ll want to peruse the grocery market too, as they sell lots of local goods like Hell’s Backbone Peach Butter, Amour Spreads, Allgood Provisions Nuts, Popart Gourmet Popcorn, and several Deer Valley specialties like their Turkey Chili Mix, Salad Dressings, Fig Grain Mustard, and Cookie mixes.

Deer Valley Grocery Cafe
1375 Deer Valley Drive in the Deer Valley Plaza Building
breakfast from 7:30am-11am

We all know that it’s an exciting time for food and drink lovers who live in Salt Lake City. The same can be said for those who live in Park City, Provo, Saint George and Tooele. Wait, Too-what? You know, the small town just southwest of Salt Lake City, known a century ago for it’s gold and silver mining, and in more recent years, grains and sugar beets. Tooele is Native for “tumbleweed” as people are known to just pass through town. Nevertheless, Tooele wants a piece of the action.

Enter the Bonneville Brewery. Opening its doors this month, Owner Brad Shepherd brought together a team of experienced chefs and brewers and made himself a beacon of delicious local fare and in-house crafted beer that can be seen the moment you enter town.

I went on a cold, rainy Saturday afternoon and was greeted by a friendly staff and a warm fireplace. The interior is appropriately themed with salt flat racing photos and memorabilia. I chose to sit upstairs at the bar, but passed through a family friendly environment downstairs. I got to meet “Chef Joe” and talked to him about the menu he constructed. Originally from California, Chef Joe honed his cooking skills in L.A., San Francisco, Portillo (Chile’) and some of our own local resorts.

They have separate lunch and dinner menu’s, both with a wide assortment of choices. Starters like: “Chef Joseph’s Famous Tomato Soup” – made with local Shepherd’s Farm goat cheese & basil oil.

“Canadian Pub Fries” – these are the real deal, made me think of the time I spent playing hockey in Saskatchewan – these are house-made fries covered in local Beehive cheese curds & rich chicken gravy.

Entrée’s included savory choices like “Joseph’s Cheese Steak Sandwich” – complete with purple olive puree, melted smoked gouda, roasted tomato’s, peppers & frizzled onions.

I went with a classic – the “Bonneville Cowboy Burger”. ½ lb. local beef patty, homemade Hefeweizen battered onion rings, Beehive promontory cheese and homemade Bonneville stout BBQ sauce. The presentation was commanding but clean. After compressing it down to a jaw-friendly size, I was astonished that I was actually able to taste each individual ingredient.

I also got to meet Dave Watson, their master beer-crafter. Dave grew up in New Mexico and has been living in Salt Lake for the past 5 years and has been an avid brewer for nearly a decade. He’s spent time working with brewers from Desert Edge and The Beer Nut and talked enthusiastically about his love for science & art. His fascination with the chemistry of crafting beer was indeed inspiring as he described his methodology similar to that of painting on a canvas. “I never get tired of developing beautiful, sweet colors and tastes… I love how I have a hand in the process, but have to allow the yeast to leave its thumbprint.”

My favorite came with dessert – Sir Malcom’s Stout. A dry, smoky heavyweight that was smooth and full of flavor – packed with notes of roasted coffee & dark chocolate. I paired this with their Bread Pudding. This moist sensation was made with golden raisins, cinnamon and other fresh ingredients and came drizzled in a light bourbon caramel sauce with a side of fresh raspberries.

Interested yet? Here’s what I’d do – When Salt Lake shuts down on Sundays and you want to catch the game while enjoying something delicious to eat and drink, jump in the car with some friends and take the simple, scenic drive out to the brewery in Tooele. Yes, they’re open on Sundays!

Bonneville Brewery
1641 North Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074

Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Sat: 10:00 am – 1:00 am
Sun: 10:00 am – 12:00 am

I haven’t always been a downtown dweller.  For the first year of marriage, Josh and I lived in Draper.  For those of you who primarily stick to the downtown scene, Draper is about 25 minutes south of downtown Salt Lake.  While this commercialized suburb mainly hails popular food chains and strip malls, there are a couple cosy local spots to hit up.  Food for Thought, serves up brunch foods, and remains a little saving grace in the old-town area of Draper.

This quaint little house-cafe lies next to the town hall and library. Not far away you may see cows and homes from the turn of the century.  This sort of area in Draper  is now, unfortunately, rare but at least it still exists.  You can imagine what Draper used to be like with lots of open lands, farm-style homes, and a tight-knit community.

A month or so back, my girl friends and I went out for a little long-distance breakfast (you can read more about our long-distance dinners here).  We carpooled through blizzard like conditions in hopes of some different scenery and a warm breakfast.  The whole drive over I was keeping my fingers crossed that this little cafe was still as tasty as I had remembered it being years ago.

Luckily, the food was still as comforting as I remembered and they were able to meet our very urban needs as many of us made special requests like for non-drop coffee or gluten free options.  It seemed as if they don’t serve coffee of any kind around that neck of the woods, though they were pleased to serve it to us!  And they did in fact have a couple salads that were gluten free, possibly just by chance but they did have the option none-the-less.

Though everyone enjoyed their meals, I must say that their French Toast was especially delicious.  It was oven baked with pecans and served with a creme anglaise sauce.  You will also find quiche, crepes, eggs, sandwiches and salads on the menu.  And you can’t leave without picking up a sweet treat to go, like their house-made marshmallows and chocolates.

If you’re wanting a little brunch adventure outside of the downtown scene, you’ll have to give this little spot a try!  After returning, I think we will be visiting the cosy cafe more often!

Food for Thought
12640 South Fort St.
Draper, UT 84020

Somehow, High West Saloon has become one of the great Park City destinations for Salt Lake City locals.  If you ask High West founder David Perkins, he’s not in the restaurant business, he’s in the whiskey business.  James Dumas is in the restaurant business and rightly so. As executive chef and general manager of the saloon, James makes things happen.

(James is not pictured in the blog because, well, as mentioned above he’s the GM and executive chef.  He’s always on the move and his appearances at our dinner we’re very James-Bond-drop-in-from-the-ceiling like. ) 

However, we had the pleasure of sitting close to David Perkins and his High West belt buckle.  If you didn’t know David was the founder of High West and Whiskey Advocate’s Whiskey Pioneer of the Year you’d probably just think he was a nice guy who loves whiskey.  And, you’d be right.  But he’s also provided little a shot in the local economy and given more bragging content to Utahans – we’ve got the best snow and best whiskey around (I’m looking at you Colorado).

A night at the saloon would not be complete without some great bites.  Enter Creminelli.  Cristiano Creminelli and our favorite locavore, Vanessa Chang, brought some of Creminelli’s finest for an appetizer and joined us for the evening.

As always, Becky takes great photos of food.  To wet your appetite, I’m posting a few for you to enjoy.  Take a look at the whole menu and make it a point to go there the next time you’re looking for a night out.  As James’ staff brought out the goods for all to taste the night got even better.  As the drinks came, the laughter grew louder.

Of course, each course was paired with one of High West’s great whiskeys – Prairie Reserve, Rendezvous, Double Rye, Silver, Campfire…  The locals, with good reason, are certainly proud of what High West is doing in our great state.  Thanks David and James.

A few of our favorite highlights from the new winter menu include:  open-faced reuben sandwiches, cowboy mac n’ cheese, and we can’t forget the High West Grillswirth, a grilled krispy creme donut served piled high with whisky-laced ice cream, a dessert you must come prepared for!

A few of our favorite highlights from the new winter menu include:  open-faced reuben sandwiches, cowboy mac n’ cheese, and we can’t forget the High West Grillswirth, a grilled krispy creme donut served piled high with whisky-laced ice cream, a dessert you must come prepared for!

When you think of food on the ski slopes it’s not always a positive impression. You might think of over priced hot dogs or chili, so heavy that it disables you from getting back out in the snow… not so at Deer Valley.  The food at Deer Valley Resort, whether you’re dining in their lodge on a ski day or at one of their restaurants at night, just might change your idea of ski food altogether, or maybe, if you’re a foodie like me, you’ll be changing the slopes you ski on. I’m talking Roasted Red Pepper Smoked Cheddar Fondito, Niman Ranch Beef Shortrib, and Chai Gianduja Ice Cream. These slopes are for food lovers! The food at Deer Valley goes far beyond just an energy source for your ski day!

One of the beautiful things about being a chef at Deer Valley is that you work seasonally.  Often times, the Deer Valley chefs travel to Europe in the off season to be inspired as they create their new winter menus. Thus, every year, we are getting new delicious flavors and a reenergized chef. Here are some highlights of the 2012-2013 Deer Valley Resort restaurant menus:

Smoked Tomato Blue Crab Dip, served and for sale by the jar at Deer Valley Grocery Cafe. Wild Caught crab, house smoked tomatoes, fresh tarragon, and parmesam baked pita chips.

Juniper Berry Crusted Walleye, served at Fireside Dining.  This lake fish dish was inspired by the chef’s summer trip to Northern Italy, where cooks often use every part of the ingredients as not to waste any potential flavor. The fish is topped with house-made ricotta, garnished with tiny pearls of balsamic, and surrounded by a lemon sauce made with the extra whey from the ricotta cheese.

Garithes me Domato Kai Feta, served at the Seafood Buffet.  A Greek inspired dish, served with white shrimp from the gulf, Shepherd’s Farm Feta, and herloom cherry tomatoes.

Niman Ranch Beef Shortrib, served at Mariposa. A perfect portion of rich beef in a Pontack sauce, with chevre mashed potatoes. Mariposa now serves a whole menu of dishes similar to this, as they transformed their restaurant to a small plate style of dining so you can enjoy more variety during your meal.

The RSC BBQ Sampler, served at the Royal Street Cafe. Three distinct sliders: maple bacon barbecue bison burger, bugogi on a bao bun, and house smoked puled pork. The secret to flavor in all of these tasty bites is smoke, slow-cooking, and fresh meat.  The bison is freshly ground, while the bulgogi contains slow-cooked beef cheeks, and the pork is slow-roasted and served with a smokey barbecue sauce.

Brown Butter Almond Pineapple Upside Down Cake, served at the Seafood Buffet. A new take on this classic dessert, garnished with coconut-ime mascarpone cream, and candied marcona almonds.

Ice Cream and Sorbet, served at Mariposa.  Not many ice creams can touch what they’re creating in the kitchen at Mariposa.  The chai gianduja ice cream, being my favorite, was perfectly spiced with a nutty flavor of hazelnuts and a perfectly creamy consistency. Also, their hibiscus sorbet was remarkably refreshing and perfectly tart.

Even if  you’re not hitting the slopes this year, a trip to Deer Valley is in order!  I promise, your thoughts of ski resort food will forever be altered!

Check out the Deer Valley website for more information on dining at Deer Valley Resort. You can also see last year’s dining highlights on this slcfoodie post.

I feel like a good steak house is hard to come by in Utah. Anyone else with me on that? Or maybe its just that steak houses are not usually my first pick when it comes to a nice dinner out (which usually happens only on special occasions). Either way, it has been a long time since I’ve really enjoyed some good steak and seafood.  Z Chop Haus offers a European style to the traditional American Steak House making you feel like you’re far away from home when in reality you’re only an hour drive away. 

The dining room is filled with tall back chairs and slow tunes making you completely comfortable and ready for a hearty meal and a full glass of wine. Or you can sit on the patio, as we did, enjoying the Swiss architecture of the Zermatt Resort and the cool fall air that the mountain evening regularly brings. 

As the evening progresses, lanterns are lit and bread is passed, which at this chop house includes homemade pretzels and mustard seed butter. And if at any point you need a little extra shake of salt or freshly ground pepper, two fancy grinders sit tall at your table.

As for dinner… I perused the menu and decided, well, we’ve come all this way, maybe I’ll just get the lobster.  They say it’s flown in daily from Maine, which is hard to resist.  Go big or go home, right?  Well, I did, and so did Josh.

My lobster came pre shucked, so the tender meat was easy to eat.  I dipped each buttery bite into creamy bechamel sauce, which was also a perfect accompaniment to the gumbo grilled asparagus.

Josh ventured out into the unknown… dry aged beef, something we’ve both been wanting to try for sometime now. He ordered the 21 Day Dry Aged New York Striploin, and enjoyed every bite.  He said, “So good you really don’t even need any sauce with this steak.”   The extremely tender cut of meat was bursting with earthy flavors from the aging process. The sautéed mushrooms were an obvious pick for a side dish, being the mushroom lover that Josh is.  And they were cooked perfectly with a dark rich reduced wine sauce.

Like I said, we went big on this occasion.  So big that we didn’t have room for dessert. Something that we’ll have to go back for.  I also would like to try more of their traditional Swiss/German menu items like the Spätzle with Spinach and Tomatoes, Gruyere Fondue, or the Pork Tenderloin Schnitzel.

If you’re like me and you’ve been hunting for a good steak in town, or maybe it’s just been a while since you’ve splurged for high quality steak and seafood, then you should definitely check out Z Chop Haus on the next special occasion that you have.  It’s just about an hours drive in the quaint Swiss-like town of Midway, a true getaway from the city.

Z Chop Haus at Zermatt Resort
784 W Resort Dr, Midway Utah
Wednesday/Thursday 5pm – 9 pm
Friday/Saturday 5pm – 10 pm
Sunday Brunch 11am – 2 pm
Reservations at (435) 657-0180

If you live in Utah there’s one thing that you absolutely must not miss out on in the summers … taking a chair lift up for a slopeside dining experience.  At Deer Valley Resort, you can take a ski lift up or drive the windy mountain road to get to the treasured Royal Street Cafe, which serves up light fare all summer long.  Eat on the patio, overlooking the green slopes and colorful floral arrangements that Deer Valley is known for in the summer.  You might also catch a mountain biker or two, cruising down near Silver Lake Lodge as you dine.

As far as the food goes, you can’t go wrong.  Although I do have my favorites… the Fresh Crab Tower is on the appetizer menu but could be a perfect lunch in itself.  The tower is piled high with dungeness crab, avocado, and tomato concasse; the plate garnished with pea sprouts, crispy won tons, and you’re given three sauces to choose from: wasabi, ginger soy, and sweet chili.

Another great appetizer, which I enjoy as a light lunch is their Yellowfin Tuna Tartare. Finely chopped high grade tuna is scooped on top of crispy herb chips, lime caper aoli, arugula, white truffle oil, and fresh lemon juice.

If you’re looking for a more hearty lunch try their grilled tuna tacos, or Bulgogi Bao Buns, both of which come highly recommended from the group I dined with.  And I can’t forget their gazpacho, it’s simple but I crave it every summer.

Deer Valley’s award winning cuisine doesn’t stop in the summer-time.  I find there’s always something new and delicious to be found on their menu. And from one friend to another, I must tell you, save room for dessert!

Have you ever had a dining experience that just completely changed your mood or helped you forget everything going on around you? As we sat inside the atrium umbrella on the deck of The Canyons ski resort at one of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in Park City, The Farm, and as our friendly waiter handed us over a couple of cocktails, I easily slipped into the euphoria of the moment. Sometimes a book or a long run helps me to take a break from the business of life but in this case it was a meal, and a delicious mulit-course meal at that!  Today I’m going to take you on a journey through our tasteful evening at The Farm.

The open air kitchen allows anyone entering the restaurant to see just how freshly prepared each dish is that comes to your table at The Farm. Many of the dishes they serve at The Farm highlight the natural flavors of the food, without any distractions or overly seasoned additives to keep you from tasting the fresh selections of produce and meats.

After walking past the kitchen area we chose to sit in their indoor/outdoor area, what they call the glass atrium or the umbrella. Blinds guard the sun from making the area too hot and if the sun is getting in your eyes at all a server will hang up a thicker blanket to shade your table.  We always feel spoiled by the quality of service we get in Park City.  When the sun goes down the blinds go up and you have a peaceful setting overlooking the ski slopes with the cool mountain air greeting each table.

The chef started the evening by bringing a complementary amuse-bouche to our table. Of our first few small bites, my favorite was the fried-green tomato, a firm tomato fried to a crisp in grainy cornmeal and served with a tangy, spicy aioli and an assortment of unusual greens on top.

Pork Belly also graced their amazing menu of hors d’oeuvres (which we can never pass up an opportunity to taste pork belly).  This salty cut of meat lived up to its reputation – it melted our mouths.

I let Josh enjoy most of the pork belly while I moved on to a small serving of their cracked pepper fettucini served with sweet english peas, a bite of trout and the smallest quail egg cracked on top.I am so glad that The Farm serves up fresh, lighter fare because we had a long evening of eating on this occasion!  Before our main entrees came out we cleansed our pallets with some refreshing golden and pink beets that were lightly roasted and naturally flavorful.

At this moment in our meal, we took a few deep breaths and a few more sips of the tasty Pinot Noir selected by our waiter before we moved to our entrees.  I really appreciate that the Farm serves half-bottles of wine.  Especially since I began the evening with a cocktail, a half-bottle is the perfect amount to enjoy with a meal.  We enjoyed every sip of the Domaine Drouhin from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

For our main course Josh tried their grass fed beef, which was a rare cut on this day, and was served with horseradish flan, chard, beets and chimichurri.  The cut of meat was perfectly tender and as Josh described ‘incredible!’

I chose the Grass Valley Steelhead, a cut of trout simply seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs, served with mushrooms (foraged by the chef himself), asparagus and parsley infused goat milk.  The goat’s milk sauce was most unusual, adding a tangy, creamy sauce that didn’t overwhelm the dish but added a intriguing flavor to a few bites.

After consuming most of what was on my plate I got up to walk around the restaurant and take a few photos.  I wanted to show you their creativity in their outdoor dining area.  The ‘live tables’ were specially made for the restaurant’s spot at Savor the Summit and were lined with a shallow trough for herbs to grow.  Diners can add herbs to their dishes or pick from a wide selection of mint for their summer mojito.

No one had to twist my arm to try something off the dessert menu at The Farm.  The only problem was deciding which dessert.  Luckily there was one that both Josh and I were drawn to, Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo crust and a topping of chocolate ganache and espresso reduction sauce.   We savored each bite as we shared a small glass of Alvear dessert wine, a wine that uses the solera process in aging, which uses fractional blending from previous vintages giving the finished product a vintage to boast about.

I’m always amazed by the interesting and congenial servers in Park City restaurants, but that is even an understatement for our service at The Farm. Our server, Michael, gave us many nuggets of interesting information about our food and wine and did so in a way that we felt was modest and friendly. The Farm served us memorable bites, exceptional service and atmosphere, and overall a magical evening slope-side.  This is a place I’ll return to for any special occasion or just to take a break from the craziness of life and enjoy seasonally fresh flavors and cool mountain air.

The Farm at The Canyons Resort

There’s a restaurant in Provo that just seems out of place, even a little odd, and I mean that in the best sense. Black Sheep is a new restaurant in Provo that’s peculairness lends well to its draw. Josh and I made the trek all the way to Provo just to see what this intriguing new restaurant was all about. Black Sheep, a true family run establishment, gracefully serves up new-fashioned Native American cuisine in a modish atmosphere.

Here’s what I mean by ‘truely family run’ – the owner, Bleu Adams, manages the restaurant, while her mom is in the kitchen making her prized fry bread, brother is the head chef (trained in Italian and French cooking), Dad owns a silversmith shop next door, and several other family members will be seen around the restaurant and kitchen at any given time.

Bleu’s family is from a Navajo reservation in Arizona where she spent much of her years as a teenager. Her hope is to keep her heritage alive by passing on some of her culture’s most delicious foods to Utah, where she now calls home.  She started with a small food cart, all the while dreaming of one day owning a restaurant.  In fact, she saved for six years so that she was able to start this restaurant without even taking out a loan.  Talk about diligence and patience!

The signature dish of Black Sheep, Navajo Tacos, comes heaping with fresh ingredients like spiced pinto beans, tender slow cooked beef, or pork smothered in green chile sauce.  And the traditional fry bread is just as amazing as its hyped up to be.  If you’re not up for tacos there is plenty of other choices on their menu to satisfy from posole to enchiladas, all made in the tradition of the Navajo food culture with a mod twist.

If you talk to anyone who has been to Black Sheep before they’ll all tell you the same thing… you must try their Orange Habanero Creme Brulee, so save room.  They really take this seemingly common French Dessert and turn it up a notch with citrus flavor and a kick of pepper, not too hot to deter the Utah crowds of course. From beginning to end we enjoyed our adventure in Navajo cuisine and I left inspired by Bleu’s tenacity and her delicious tacos.

Black Sheep

19 N University Ave, Provo

Sunday and Monday- CLOSED

Tuesday through Thursday- 11 AM – 9 PM

Friday and Saturday 11 AM – 10 PM