Category Archives: Restua-rants

Seating, greeting and eating out. Reviews for your food needs.

Thai Drift Swift – Lehi, UT (Review)

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I’ll start off by saying that I just found my new favorite Thai restaurant (subject to change per the whims of my discerning pallet)!

My experience is related strictly to the green curry- that’s all I’ve eaten so far (well, I did nibble some excellent tamarind chicken). Great flavor- very strong with a good spice level (I have had some very bad green curry experiences). The best part is that you can mix our curry choice with whatever meat and vegetables you’d like. In effect you can make unlimited combinations. Although the meats and extras aren’t cooked in the actual curry you’d never know as everything tastes full and rich (they are probably cook/ steam the extras in curry broth- is that a thing?). I really liked the rice too- long grain, cooked properly and it seemed to hold the curry juice really well.

Another major benefit for me is that you get your food much quicker than at a sit down restaurant. Some of the servers move in slow motion but it’s never taken more than 10 minutes to my meal.

Info: Curry types include Masaman, Green, Yellow or Red. Meats offered are chicken, beef, pork and shrimp. Select from vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, potatoes, pumpkin, etc.

Prices: You can select from a half or full size curry meal. Prices are lower than / in line with other Thai restaurants (around $9)

Location: They have three locations but I have only been to the one in Lehi (in between 7-eleven and Subway by the Thanksgiving Point area). Not an easy spot to get to during the lunch rush (go around from the back). Sort of a hole-in-wall feel. Around peak hours things get crowded but the tables seem to rotate out quickly.

Final verdict: 8/10
Website: https://www.thaidrift.com/

10/31/2017 – Totally sad news. They closed Thai Drift Swift today. We were the last people to eat there. We will miss you… 

Tokyo Falls, Nori Rises (Sushi Adventures)

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Once upon a time the IT team at BHQ went out to lunch (a lunch to which I was inexplicably invited). One of the programmers suggested a sushi place called Tokyo, a little dive on Main Street in Lehi. It was the best sushi I’d ever eaten. In the years since that first visit I have been to Tokyo dozens of times and, with very few exceptions, the flavors and textures impressed me every time.

Imagine my surprise when I went there a few weeks ago and discovered a series of strange exterior banners promising exciting new menu options. Inside I discovered a new menu with some interesting additions such as ramen and sushi burritos. Instinctively I could feel something was wrong but I resisted the impulse to run and decided to have lunch. I got a few of my favorite rolls, some nigiri and then decided to get a sushi burrito as I had been recently craving just such a thing (weird, but absolutely true). Fran decided to try out the Ramen. When the waitress came over and asked if everything was okay we nodded our heads like morons. I wish I’d had the balls to say, “No, it’s not okay…”

While I wasn’t courageous enough to say anything on the spot I’ll say it here, online (because everyone is tough online). Call me a sushi snob if you want… The knife work on the nigiri was sloppy and each fell apart as it was lifted.The rolls were careless, the flavors diminished. This sushi burrito was barely edible (in fact I ended up just throwing half of it away). What I should have said was “This food is not up to the previous standard. This new stuff is mediocre. What happened?” I wasn’t at Tokyo to eat trendy sushi treats- I wanted the best damn sushi ever, like before (I know, I got the sushi burrito so some of this is definitely on me). By no means am I suggesting anything akin to a boycott – the sushi was still okay. But I’m not after okay. I’m after exceptional.

My wife, heartbroken by the loss of our good friend, Mr. “great sushi” Tokyo, endeavored to find a suitable replacement. Her efforts led to a new sushi bar in American Fork called Nori. We gave it a try and came away pretty impressed. The rolls are well constructed with good texture, ingredient ratios and flavor. The nigiri was very good in all respects (also not pictured was some excellent miso soup). The setting is very pleasant-  modern, yet traditional. While it’s not quite as good as what Tokyo was, it’s fantastic sushi and it will be my new go-to sushi stop for the foreseeable future.

I’m fairly certain I’ve tried every sushi establishment in Utah County at this point but please feel free to make any recommendations that some to mind- maybe there’s something I’ve missed.

Restaurant Reviews – 2015

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4/30/2017 – This post is part of a large release of “DRAFT” entries. Many of these these entries were never finished (and may still not be) or were composed but never published for one reason or another. If you run across one of of these in a strange spot or out of chronological order that may be one reason.

Bona Vita

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Can be very good. Hit or miss.

TemptAsian

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Tried it once but the food was only so-so

May 1, 2017: This was going to be part of my restaurant review section. But I never got around to it. The caption text is woefully inadequate, I know- never bothered to write anything real. 

A Sushi Burrito!?

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When a coworker showed me his coupon for Chiba Sushi Burrito we laughed. I love sushi, but a “sushi burrito” seemed like a questionable idea. It seemed so odd that we agreed we’d have to go check it out (we’re adventurous like that). We rounded up several “victims” and headed over to Chiba.

chiba-sushi-burrito-jan-2015

The restaurant is fairly nondescript and I couldn’t get a good sense of what kind of experience to expect. They offer a dozen or so burritos and I ordered one called the 49er. When it came out the amount of tuna was alarming but I’m the kind of guy who follows though (plus other people were making satisfied grunts). After my first bite I was a fan. It was delicious!  It’s a little awkward to eat but that’s a price I’m willing to pay. The the amount of “sushi”” you get works out to be a great deal. I think everyone in our group enjoyed their burrito. I will absolutely go back and I can recommend Chiba if you’re in the mood for something a little different.

Hong Kong Teahouse

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I think I’ve eaten at every Chinese, Thai and Sushi restaurant in Utah Valley. When Fran announced that she wanted roast duck and that we had to go to Salt Lake to get it I was delighted. Nothing like expanding one’s culinary horizons. Her quest took us to the  Hong Kong Tea House in downtown Salt Lake. I have to admit that my initial impression wasn’t overly positive, but I’m willing to try any Chinese restaurant. And then I saw the daily special: ribeye steak stir fry. Fran got her duck, an order of bok choy and some shark fin soup.

The food presentation was captivating and the taste was extraordinary. The ribeye stir fry has been, by far, one of the best meals I’ve eaten in years. I asked about the availability and, sadly, it comes and goes (you can call ahead if you’d committed to this particular dish). If anyone is looking for a new Chinese food experience I’d readily recommend Hong Kong Tea House.

Posted April 13, 2011 by Cam Hughes