The Chef's Table - Provo

The Chef's Table in Provo

Review by The Date Night Critic

 Now, don't get me wrong, the food is great, the presentation is a cut above many others, and the service is professional, but, and yes there is a but, it isn't to the level I have experienced in so many other restaurants asking the prices that the Chef's Table is asking.

I'll start with the reception desk area.  There isn't a lot, I suppose, that can be done about the noise from the very busy street right outside the front door, but, perhaps that wouldn't have bothered me so much if the reception desk wasn't so cluttered, including papers, an umbrella, and some other personal items behind the desk, and clearly visible on the floor.  It was a poor first impression, but, the food could have redeemed this restaurant, so, I was willing to look past that.

The hostess asked if we were out for a special occasion, and as it was our 30th wedding anniversary that night we happily offered that and thought perhaps we might get a great table because of it.  She stated she would have the best most private table set for us, and we were asked to wait.  Once it was ready we were taken to what she called the tower.  It is a small alcove, next to windows completely obscured by bushes and trees, no view at all.  That might not have been a big deal, had it not been for the fact that we chose that particular restaurant because of the view it offered from it's dining room of the entire valley.  Instead, we had no view, and it didn't feel very private because it was open to the rest of the dining room.  Still, I had high hopes for the food, so, I just went with it.

Then the menus arrived.  I was expecting higher prices, so, while it seemed pretty steep to me, $12 for a scallops appetizer, I was hoping the value would be in the food itself, because the ambiance was very lacking.  I'll get to more of that later.

I ordered the Pan Roast Parma Scallops, my husband chose to pass on an appetizer.  When it arrived, there were a total of two, count them, two scallops wrapped in parma ham, sitting on top of a thin piece of crostini, and surrounded by white beans.  The scallops were divine, but, I was left wanting more, and disappointed that all my money bought was two scallops.  Still, they were lovely, so, I was looking to the rest of the meal to make up for it.

Both my husband and I ordered the Squash soup that was listed in the soups as Butternut Squash with Maple syrup.  Well, let me tell you, the maple syrup was at least half the ingredients, because the whole thing tasted like a bowl of syrup with some squash in it.  I couldn't finish it, barely got a few bites in before I gave up trying to like this soup.  My husband liked it, oddly enough, and he ate both of our servings.  That was about $12 each bowl.

Now I'm getting pretty hungry at this point, oh, and the only bread we were offered was a slice of Ciabatta each, with olives baked inside.  They were very small slices of bread, and not very tasty at all, actually quite dry.  Left me wishing for some olive oil to dip it in.  My husband usually eats all the bread, but, he took one bite and passed on it.  I took a few more, because I was starving, but, couldn't finish it.

For entrees I ordered the Duck Breast at $35 and my husband ordered the Short Rib Shepherds Pie at $28.  The duck was nicely presented, although swimming in sauce, on a bed of overly cooked spinach, and topped with mandarin oranges that seemed to have come straight out of the can.  It was fine, the duck was nicely cooked, but, nothing amazing about it.  The sauce was so heavy and sweet that I had a hard time finishing it, not because I was full, by any means.   My husband's entree was more to his liking, but, there were several bites of fatty meat he had to pick out.

Overall the ambiance was almost there, not quite, as it was overwhelmed by the noise from the street and the kitchen.  At one point something was being pounded loudly in the kitchen.  We asked our server what that was all about, and he said it was a to go order being packed up.  Hmm, okay.  The music was barely loud enough to know what was being played, either turn it up so we can hear and enjoy it, or turn it off.

For desssert I ordered the creme brulee.  Now, I love creme brulee, love eating it, love making it, but, the presentation at the Chef's Table was disappointing.  Very little creme brulee topped with a bunch of fruit and pastry swirls they called cinnamon crepes.  $8 for very little creme brulee and it seemed pre-made.  Perhaps it wasn't, but, I just didn't feel the love for this dessert in the result. 

The entire bill was $121 including drinks, and to be honest, we both agreed we would not be interested in going back.  That's pretty disappointing to a foodie when you think you have found a possible Mecca just to realize it doesn't hit the mark.  If you are looking for pretentious implications, this may be your place, but, if you want high quality in your dining experience, you may want to look elsewhere.  For me, I am still on the hunt for a true foodie haven in Utah County. 

Good Wood Barbeque Company-Orem

Good Wood Barbeque-Orem

After being pushed and prodded by a coworker to try out the Good Wood Barbeque I decided to go there for my hubby's birthday. 

It was a Tuesday night but surprisingly the restaurant was busier than we expected.  The atmosphere is far from a barbeque place, and more like a mid range restaurant, which raised my expectations of the menu.  The prices were mid range as well, so I really had high hopes and after the raving my coworker did I was prepared for a treat.  Sadly, that was not my experience.

We started with the Spinach Artichoke dip appetizer, which was described as being served with Pico De Gallo, but, it was not.  That was a disappointment and things didn't get much better after that.

I ordered the two meat platter, brisket and pulled pork with mac and cheese and vegetables.  At $15.00 I was expecting something very tasty, but, the pork was a pile of sloppy shredded pork covered in a sweet sticky sauce, and yet it was still dry.  The brisket was also very dry, and rather than fall apart tender it was sliced, clearly not slow cooked the way it should be.  The sauce was non existent, so, I used what was provided at the table, and that was again so sweet it was not even pleasant.  The mac and cheese tasted like a pre-made bland frozen dinner.  Very disappointing, and in the end I didn't eat much, took it home, but, couldn't even muster up the appetite the next day for a re-heat.  I tossed it out, easily ten dollars worth of food in the garbage.

My daughter ordered the ribeye steak, and she was happy with it.  She felt it was nicely seasoned, and done the way she ordered it.  So, score one for whoever cooks the steaks there.  The price though was pretty high at $16.00 and if you want onions or mushrooms on it that will cost you extra.

The husband ordered the ribs, West Texas half rack.  He thought the taste was bland and the sauce didn't help.  He also had ribs left over and not because there are so many on the plate.  The one thing he ordered that he liked was the Key Lime Pie.  I doubt that they prepare their own pies, so, props to whichever bakery or supplier they got it from.

Because it was his birthday the restaurant said he could have a slice of their Sheet Cake for free, which my daughter and I shared, well, tried to share.  It was heavy, syrupy, and so sickeningly sweet.  Thankfully it was free.

Overall I give this restaurant a passing grade for anyone who likes highly sweet food, but doesn't care much about the quality of the barbeque itself.  I go back to my previous review of the Smokehouse Barbeque just west of the Good Wood Barbeque.  So much better, perfection in barbeque, and the prices are so much better.  No, you won't get the somewhat fancy decor or the hard working waitresses, but, what you will get is real barbeque.

As for Good Wood, well, it may be good wood but it's poor barbeque.  I am giving them 3 points for ambiance, 4 points for service, 4 points for menu selection, and 2 points for food.  My suggestions for scoring higher points- re-work the way you are preparing the meats to make them tender and juicy, perhaps chat with the guy that owns the Smokehouse to get his advice.  Also, instead of slathering everything with a sweet sauce, consider offering your guests a choice of several sauces on the side, not everyone wants all that sugar and it doesn't help your barbeque taste.  True barbeque is served without sauce.  If it's truly good and tender it doesn't need it. 

The Smokehouse BBQ in Orem

The Smokehouse BBQ is a quaint little hole-in-the-wall place located in Orem in the same strip mall as Deseret Book, and is next door to the Sister Missionary Mall, 214 E University Ave.

Can I get an Amen for the heavenly BBQ we had when I took my 18 year old son with me for lunch.  Now this is a kid that loves his BBQ and I am a mom that loves a good price for the value.  We were both pleasantly surprised with what the Smokehouse has to offer.

We chose the two meat platter for each of us at $12.49 per platter, both getting the pulled pork and the brisket, I chose cole slaw and mac n cheese for my sides, while my son chose the corn bread and cole slaw.

The brisket was done to perfection, and tasted great.  The pulled pork fell apart just as it should.  They offer a table full of various sauces and dips, and I tried the sweet and the spicy.  Both were perfect.  The mac n cheese was a white cheddar style and very tasty.  I liked that their cole slaw was not soupy or sloppy and had just the right amount of seasoning.

With country music playing and the decor hinting at the cowboy theme, you just felt that all was right with the world while you sat and ate BBQ in an unpretentious atmosphere and at a price that made sense.  I am giving this place 3 points for atmosphere (after all, it doesn't pretend to be anything it isnt), 5 points for menu selection, 5 points for the quality of the food, and 4 points for service, which is not a big deal in this place, it's mostly serve yourself.

Will I go back again, oh yes, and soon.  Would I recommend it for a date, well, truthfully, if you are on a budget, on a first date, and you both just want good food and don't care much about location or decor, then absolutely.  If you are trying to impress a new date, probably not.   After the first date, however, bring them here, it's so good.  Highly recommended.

The Wall at BYU

Brigham Young University has added a new eating establishment to their already wide variety of restaurants on campus.  The newest addition, The Wall, is located in the Wilkinson Student Center on the first floor southeast corner by the games center.  My daughter, a student at BYU, and I stopped in this week just to check it out.

The atmosphere is much like a sports bar, without the alcohol of course, which seems to have put some students off as they find that to be a problem, which I really do not understand.  The place is clean, sparkling and fun.  I especially liked the counter, with comfy stools and congenial staff.  Activities include the many flat screen tv's for enjoying a sport event, the stage for band performances and karaoke, and the tabletop video games.

The menu includes delicious fries, and a wide range of Italian sodas.  I recommend getting the half scoop of ice cream in a basic Italian soda, it makes all the difference.












This place is just fun and relaxing, and I plan to return to try some of the menu's other offerings.  For points I give this place 4 points for atmosphere, 3 points for service (make it a habit to allow customers to order from the counter), 5 points for food quality, and 4 points for menu selection.

La Jolla Grove

La Jolla Grove in Provo

Chef Kent Andersen has done an amazing job with the menu at La Jolla Grove in the Shops at the Riverwoods here in Provo.  We have long been told how good the food is at this restaurant, but, it took us a while to give it a try.  Thank goodness we were open to it on one of our recent date nights.

It was a weeknight, so the crowd was pretty quiet, and we arrived right at the start of dinner service.  The ambiance is nearly en-pointe but could use a bit of tweaking when it comes to where the wait staff spend their down time.  Having them standing around at the back right next to several tables makes it feel a bit more like a family style restaurant than the upper market establishment they are going for.  Still, we can overlook that when the food is as delicious as this menu offers.

We started off with Italian sodas.  Frankly, most places will give you this huge glass full and it just overwhelms the rest of your experience.  La Jolla Grove offers slender flutes.  For appetizers I ordered the Balsamic Marinated Stuffed Mushrooms and shared with DH.  So delicious, and just right for sharing.  The mushrooms sit on a bed of spring greens, and the balsamic glaze is perfect.  The mushrooms are large, with a tasty stuffing of gorgonzola cheese.

For our next course we each had a bowl of soup.  I ordered the Potato and Garden Leek Soup, and DH ordered the Mushroom Soup.  To be honest, we would have both been just as happy with each other's choices as we were with our own, and we took turns sharing sips from each other's bowls.  The soups are so good, I would have been happy if that was all we had.  But wait, there is more deliciousness to come.

For entrees we chose from different sections of the menu.  I chose to order the Shrimp Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach from the pasta menu.  The sauce is perfection, and the pasta cooked just al dente as it should be.  Everything about this dish made me so glad I chose it.  After already having an appetizer, soup, and Italian soda plus sharing some of the bread rolls, I was glad to have room for this entree.  The spacing between service of each course was just right, and the portion size makes the experience much more pleasant than the usual American sized offerings that leave you feeling over full and needing a take home box, which in my opinion should not happen on a regular basis in any restaurant.  If you find most customers leaving with boxes in hand it is a signal that the portion sizes are too large.

DH ordered from the Signature Entree's menu, ordering the Roasted Chicken Marsala.  He was very happy with his choice, and after sampling some of his dish I could understand why.  Very light and full of flavor, the chicken was juicy and tender, the sauce was not too heavy, and the accompaniments were perfectly suited to the other flavors on the plate.


Our choice of dessert was to share the Berries and Cream, which was enough for both of us simply because we had already had so many courses.  While we did enjoy this dessert, next time we will need to try the famous Lemon Cake.

The wait staff was attentive without being pushy or intrusive, the location is romantic especially on nights when live music is playing in the gazebo just outside the front door.  I just wish the clientele showed more respect for the class of restaurant they are enjoying and dress up a bit.  Wearing jeans and flip flops to a place that takes itself this seriously is just disrespectful.

I would give this a high rating in all categories and highly recommend La Jolla Grove.  Prices are reasonable, and the variety on the menu is wide enough to please everyone.   As for breaking it down by the numbers, I give this place 4 points for atmosphere, 5 points for food quality, 5 points for menu selection, and 5 points for service.