This has been the de facto Mexican restaurant for me for years! I really enjoy the chips and salsa appetizer and have never left without being full and satisfied. Prices range between $9 and $16 with most of the platters $11 or less.

390 E State St

American Fork, Utah 84003

801 756-6138

My wife and I often go here on special occasions. I don’t know if it’s the peanuts, the twangy music or the baked and then fried sweet potatoes, the place just has character. The steak ain’t bad either. It’s a good excuse to sneak away and eat an entire onion – cleverly disguised as a delicious appetizer – and spend a night out with good food and good company.

85 E 9400 S

Sandy, Utah 84070

The beef bulgogi was good, the pork better (spicier), but I think that I wanted more. While I normally go for a salad, for some reason piling everything into the lettuce leaves wasn’t enough. I’ve had fajitas with the same amounts and… well, I ramble now. It was good and light. The little beans were fantastic and I could have had much more. I’ll pass on the kimchi next time, but the presentation and flavor overall was very good.

This is a fun Korean restaurant if you want a taste of the foreign stuff, which was quite savory. I give it 4 stars because it seemed authentic, was decently priced and tasty.

Sam Hawk Korean Restaurant
660 N Freedom Blvd
Provo, UT 84601
Phone: (801) 377-7766

My wife and I have always loved the Olive Garden. The classic is the fettuccine Alfredo, but we often have the chicken parmigiana. Lately I’ve been ordering the steak Gorgonzola, which is a turn for me because I normally try to order something different – but when you have a winner, why move on?

The salad and bread sticks are staple. For the extravagant, order a boat of Alfredo sauce to dip the bread sticks in. The dressing on the salad is absolutely delicious. This duo is probably the tastiest and most filling free appetizer available.

Typically the servers are helpful and friendly; although the last two times we visited the one in American Fork the service for our large groups was scattered and slow. I have no complaints about the service for small groups and couples from any of the locations I’ve been to (Sandy, Provo, and American Fork).

I give Olive Garden 5 stars because they have so consistently delivered over the years.

Olive Garden
olivegarden.com

504 W 2230 N

Provo, Utah 84604

Classic, small-town burger joint flavor in an unforgettable restaurant. This is a must if you’ve lived in Utah valley and especially if you like delicious burgers and tots!

85 E State Rd

Pleasant Grove, Utah 84062-2636

801 785-2458

I agreed to go to the pizzeria hoping for a cross between a Pizza Hut buffet and California Pizza Kitchen. There is always a danger for me in ordering pizza from a sit-down restaurant and that is that somehow I can only get half as much as I can get delivered for the same price. Nonetheless I forged ahead, trusting in the refined senses of my friends. Although several of the five pizzas listed on the menu looked good, and several looked as though they have no meat, I ordered one with soppressata, which turns out to be a fancy pepperoni. It was delicious, and it was not as good as the one with slab bacon! The pizzas were indeed big and I was not left wanting. In fact, I found it to be the most acutely-flavored pizza I have ever eaten. Very good, 5 stars.

So this thought came to me, as I read it off a chalkboard in the restaurant: When you start with the finest ingredients, you can cook it simply because you taste what it is.

Pizzeria 712
320 S. State St. #185
Orem, Ut 84058
(801) 623-6712
pizzeria712.blogspot.com