Utah County Reviews

Utah Tourism & The Greatest Snow on Earth

I’ve been so amazed at how much “hate mail” and “boycott threats” I’ve seen about Utah Tourism. What is the world coming to? I’ll attempt to stay off my soap box on this one but COME ON!

In the heart of the fall season and as the snow begins to fall in Utah, I thought I’d share a somewhat corny Utah Tourism ad I found on YouTube. More Utah videos to come:

If you haven’t been to Utah and skied the “greatest snow on Earth”, you’re missing out. This Utah Tourism campaign on YouTube is fitting, especially with all the “Utah Boycott” bologna flying around online.

SKI UTAH - I dare you!

Posted in Utah County News | No Comments »

Utah’s Alpine Loop Closed for the Winter

The Utah Department of Transportation recently advised motorists that the Alpine Loop in Utah County - a segment of state Route 92, from Pine Hollow to Aspen Grove (milepost 15 to 22) - is closed for the winter.

The Alpine Loop is a beautiful scenic attraction in Utah County.  This 20-mile drive winds through rugged alpine canyons of the Wasatch Range offering stupendous views of Mount Timpanogos and other glacier-carved peaks. The route follows Utah Hwy. 92 up American Fork Canyon and then continues through Uinta National Forest into Provo Canyon on U.S. 189.  Because it’s a seasonal highway, the cost to keep the road open during the winter months is not practical due to heavy snowfalls in the area. This section of road will remain closed until spring 2009.

Here are a few pictures to help you remember what it looks like until next year

pic soures: scottks1 & viamagazine

Posted in Utah County News | 1 Comment »

Carabba’s Italian Grill in Orem, Utah

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Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Orem, Utah
683 University Pkwy
Orem, UT 84097
(801) 765-1222

I know we’re supposed to give a fair and objective opinion at Utah County Reviews, but I have to admit that if I am looking forward to a fancy night out, Carabba’s in Orem, Utah is one of my very favorite restaurants in Utah County. In my opinion, the Steak Marsala is the best steak in Utah County (sorry, Outback), and when it’s paired with their fettucine alfredo, it is an absolutely heavenly indulgence. Carabba’s hits every detail “spot on” even before your meal arrives with an excellent house salad and delicious warm Italian bread dipped in herbed olive oil.

While this restaurant is not cheap whether you’re counting your pennies or your calories, it is a necessary occasional luxury (and is definitely worth getting a babysitter). We love Carabba’s…and don’t worry, you can always take some home in a box!

A couple “heads up” tips, however:

1. Not the best place for kids:  it’s not Carraba’s fault on this one, just a bit nice to take a “terrible-two year old”.  We’ve taken kids once; if they sit you in a booth where you can keep the kids in it’s not terrible, but if you are seated at a table in the middle of everyone else, better bring your patience and lots of games for the kids to keep the occupied.
2. Timing is everything: although Carrabba’s in Orem is fairly prompt once you’re seated, you better plan to wait if you go on a Friday or Saturday night.  Going at about 5:00 worked great for us with a group of about 20 people.  But at around 5:30 on it’s chaos (and they don’t really take reservations).  I say “really” because it seems like its on a case-by-case basis depending on the mood of the manager.  In addition to the traffic, there isn’t a great deal of space to just hang out and wait - it’s a struggle to even put your name in when the place is packed.  So - go early or go somewhere else is our recommendation.

What do you all think of Carrabba’s Restaurant in Orem, Utah?

Posted in Utah County Raves, orem utah | 5 Comments »

Jason’s Deli in Orem, Utah

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Jason’s Deli in Orem, Utah
771 University Pkwy
Orem, UT 84097
(801) 655-1150

If you’re looking for a Utah County restaurant with a huge selection specializing in sandwiches, wraps, and baked potatoes, chances are you should give Jason’s Deli in Orem, Utah a try.  When we recently visited this delicatessen, located conveniently in the University Mall parking lot, we had a hard time making up our mind.

Unfortunately, when we finally ordered, half of us were less than excited about what we got.  While this place has tons of options, beware: if you are iffy on onions, steer clear of the menu items that list them…because they are liberal with the onions!

Overall, this establishment was clean and kid-friendly, and we loved the California Club sandwich. However, when half of us go back and order something different, we just can’t give it all 5 stars.  Let us know what you think of Jason’s Deli in Orem, Utah.

Posted in orem utah | 8 Comments »

4 Reasons I’m Glad to Live in Utah County (PICS)

Had the chance today to visit Rexburg, Idaho for a few hours.  I went to school there for a few years and really enjoyed my time camping, hiking and snowboarding at Grand Targee.

HOWEVER, as we came back home, I thought about Why I’m Glad I Live in Utah County:

1. Four Seasons: Even though some may not like all the snow, I love how there are four distinct seasons in Utah County.







2. Good regulation of traffic: I know, I know, this is very debatable depending on the time of day and location; but as we got on the freeway, I noticed how effective the traffic lights were to pause an influx of all the vehicles attempting to merge.  Thanks for adding the traffic meters and the car pool lane to make driving a bit easier in Utah County.



3. Oh How Lovely are the Mountains! Mt. Timpanogus, Mt. Nebo - picturesque!



4. So much to do, so little time: from hiking the Timpanookee trail, to fishing in Provo Canyon, to visiting the magnificent BYU campus, to eating at the number of fast food restaurants in Utah County - there is a lot of great family activities in Utah County.

What do you love about Utah County?

Posted in Utah County Raves | 9 Comments »

The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah

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The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah
1240 N University Ave
Provo, Utah
(801) 356-7482

The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah has got to be one of the best places I know of to find fast, healthy food that is to-die-for-good and really fills you up.  My personal favorite at The Pita Pit is “The Aloha”, a savory blend of teriyaki-grilled chicken, ham, and pineapple with all the veggies you want and, of course, I top it off with plenty of tzatsiki sauce.  Even my husband, who groans at the healthy suggestions I often give for eating out, is sold on this one.  This pita is stuffed with all the good stuff and leaves you feeling stuffed…but without the greasy hangover.

The only warning I’d give is that it can get pretty crowded.  If the parking lot is full, you may be waiting around for quite awhile.

At around $7 per person, you definitely get your money’s worth at The Pita Pita - an innovative and delicious fast food restaurant in Provo, UT.  And they know how to treat their customers.  Last time we were there, they made a small mistake on my husband’s order, and quickly offered him a $1 off coupon for our next visit.  Isn’t it those small gestures that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy?  You’ll definitely leave The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah feeling warm, fuzzy, and satisfied.

Posted in provo utah | 4 Comments »

Visitor Feedback - Thumbs or No Thumbs?

Thanks to our readers at UtahCountyReviews.com for their feedback and comments.  We are getting more and more traffic every day and look forward to “discovering the hidden treasures in Happy Valley” together.

We have recently added a couple new images: the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down images.

What do you think of them - should they stay or should we find something else?

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If you have suggestions, please leave them in the comments.  Thanks!

Posted in Utah County News | 3 Comments »

El Azteca Mexican Taco Restaurant in Provo, Utah

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(See Key for Rating Break Down)

El Azteca Mexican Taco Shop

46 West 1230 North

Provo, Utah

375-9690

El Azteca Mexican Taco Shop is conveniently located right off Bulldog and University Avenue in Provo, Utah.  The price is around $7 for a good size meal that’s filling.  They have free refills on drinks too!  It’s a great place for kids with booth seating to keep things closely knit .  It’s fairly clean - the salsa area was a bit cluttered but this can be expected. The promptness was probably our favorite thing about El Azteca in Provo.  We had barely sat down to wait for our Mexican food and our number was called (probably 5 minutes max).  The workers were friendly and seemed happy to be there - which is a plus too.

Posted in Utah County Raves, provo utah | 14 Comments »

Utah Tourism in Tokyo?

A flight from Paris, France, to Salt Lake City has done well for the destination resorts of Utah. With that in mind, Utah tourism officials are eagerly supporting a potential flight from Tokyo.

As in Europe, the North American West is a hot commodity in Asia, tourism officials tell The Park Record. But important is whether the U.S. dollar remains low relative to the Japanese yen.

Delta Air Lines is considering starting direct flight service from its hub in Salt Lake City to Tokyo.

Yesterday the Governor’s Office of Economic Development said it agreed to give Delta $250,000 after the airline brought up the idea. That money would be added to a $2 million incentive package being funded by local businesses and governments to lure the new connection.

Delta spokesman Anthony Black says the company is considering adding the route because of the success it has had in offering direct flights from Salt Lake City to Paris.

State officials say that if Delta accepts the incentives offer, flights to Tokyo could begin next year.

The state also says the flight could lead to business opportunities not only in Japan, but also South Korea and China. Officials believe it could bring $90 million and 1,100 new jobs to Utah.

source 1, source 2

Posted in Utah County News | No Comments »

Taco Bell in Provo, Utah Explains?

Some of you may have read the post about the bad experience at Taco Bell in Provo, Utah.  Although we still like the fast food at Taco Bell, this wasn’t an experience we will hold near and dear to our hearts.

The funniest thing is that we received a response.  It appears the response was from their manager, but we’ll let you be the judge on that.  Here’s what it said:

if any of you would have stopped and noticed, they were most likely SHORT HANDED. those that are hired, call in sick or never show up. there is a huge turnover. we have unreliable teens and even very unreliable ‘adults’. so when it does take more time than usual, its most likely because the managers are stuck doing it ourselves. we hire every other day, people that keep saying they are reliable and responsible, and they have every excuse in the book not to show up. we give excellent pay, incentives, everything we can think of to keep them. but they are lazy and stupid. and when they are at work, they screw around to the point i have to fire them. not the greatest job in the world, and when i am finished with my education at BYU I AM LEAVING fast food. tired of crappy employees, tired of customers yelling at me because of them. customers are rude, thoughtless and i have yet to meet one grateful person for a hot meal that i had to make with 15 other orders by myself. so before you start falpping your mouth. be grateful for those that actually work. and if you still cant handle it, buy your food at smiths and make your own darn taco!

Let’s point out why Taco Bell in Provo, Utah may not be the best place for fast food (according to the possible manager):

1. “SHORT HANDED”: we agree.  As we waited for over 40 minutes for one small order, we could definitely tell that this fast food joint was under-staffed.
2. “…those that are hired call in sick or never show up”: again, we agree.  As a manager of a fairly big company, WHO you hire is probably one of the most important responsibilities.  As the response states, “…so when it does take more time than usual, its most likely because the managers are stuck doing it ourselves…we hire every other day, people that keep saying they are reliable and responsible, and they have every excuse in the book not to show up.” Our recommendation then would be to be a bit more picky on who you hire so every client can be taken care of in a timely manner.
3. Employee Loyalty: again, from the response, “…not the greatest job in the world”. It sounds like the manager also states that the people he/she hires are “…lazy and stupid. and when they are at work, they screw around to the point i have to fire them.”
4. “Attitude reflects leadership, Captain!”: this comment caps it all off -”…customers are rude, thoughtless and i have yet to meet one grateful person for a hot meal that i had to make with 15 other orders by myself. so before you start falpping your mouth (we left the misspelling for emphasis). be grateful for those that actually work. and if you still cant handle it, buy your food at smiths and make your own darn taco!”

We don’t think we need to say much more about the Taco Bell in Provo, Utah: it appears that one of their employees said it all for them…

Stay tune next time for other reviews on fast food restaurants in Utah County.

Posted in Utah County Rants, provo utah | 12 Comments »