I hadn’t been to Takara Sushi for quite awhile, so I headed north to see what it was like today. The last time that I visited the restaurant, we had a mound of sushi and other great food. This time, I was looking for something a little lighter.

If you haven’t been to Takara Sushi, the restaurant is open and decorated with dark, inviting woods. The sushi bar is ready with dozens of ingredients for fresh sushi. However, there are other items on the menu from teriyaki beef to tempura vegetables.

I decided to try the Chicken Teriyaki Box with teriyaki chicken, rice, salad, California sushi rolls, soup and tempura vegetables and shrimp. It was a nice quick meal that wasn’t “fast food.” Plus it was relaxing and prepared me for the rest of the day. It is refreshing to eat at a Japanese restaurant that isn’t a buffet restaurant.

Would I visit Takara sushi again in the future? Most definitely I would return. There are still many items on the menu that I want to try. It may take me awhile.

Takara Sushi is located at 55 West 1000 North, Logan, Utah, (435) 752-1677.

As far as I am concerned, this is the place to go if you want a fresh sandwich, chips and a drink. There are no pretenses, just good food with a local flair. This is a place where you are not forgotten. Go there once a year and the owner will remember you. It feels like home.

There are a dozen different sandwiches available and they are packed with whatever you want on them in the way of lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, pickles, etc.

I am not going to tell you a specific sandwich because every sandwich that I have eaten there has been good. From the Gyro to the Italian, they are good. You will enjoy it for a sandwich when you go.

Logans Heroes is located at 101 South Main in Logan, Utah. The phone number is 435-750-0110. It is right on the corner and the parking is a little tough, but there should be places within a couple of hundred feet … and the walk is nice.

However, with the opening of the Elements Restaurant, Springhill Suites, and several other complexes, it was just a matter of time before a new restaurant opened. I watched with anticipation when I began to see signs of construction and remodeling. Then the sign appeared … Gaucho’s Grill. What is a Brazilian grill?

In my mind, I imagined a restaurant similar to what I would find in Salt Lake City or Provo with all of the meat choices, an interesting salad bar and a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The other day after not being able to find anyone to try it out with me (is there a hidden message there?), I stopped by for a quick lunch. There were 10-15 cars in the parking lot, so I didn’t think it would be too bad of wait. Entering the front door, the atmosphere was warm and inviting with a dining room to my right and to the left.

There was a salad bar with some of the exotic choices I was expecting such as quails eggs, palm hearts and then regular choices. There were some hot choices, but I chose to have the meat come to me. Gaucho’s Grill is created with a one price for lunch and one price for dinner. For $13.99, you have an all-you-can-eat salad bar, and all-you-can eat meat that is roasted and carved at your table. It is a unique experience.

The meat choices that I sampled were chicken, sirloin and lasagna. Other grilled choices that I saw were glazed ham and grilled pineapple. One of the unique details with Gaucho’s Grill is that you control how much meat and how often your meat plate is replenished. And when you are finished, you decide when the check comes.

The food was fresh and tasty. I hope that Gaucho’s Grill is around for awhile. It is a restaurant out of the ordinary from other restaurants in the Logan area and was a pleasant experience.

If you are visiting, Gaucho’s Grill, 633 South Main, Logan, Utah (435) 750-6555.

In November, La Fuente Cafe opened its doors and has enjoyed a great reception. I stopped by the other day to check it out and say hello to the new owners. It was a little later in the afternoon, so there wasn’t a huge crowd and it was relaxing. There was nice selection of sandwiches and burritos to choose from, but I just needed something to carry me over to the evening.

It seems that I always fall back to the simple tacos. It was not any different on this day. I ordered four “street” tacos, chose a table and waited. Chips and salsa were brought to the table while I waited for the tacos. The chips were thick and looked like they had just been cooked … not out of a bag. A few minutes later, the tacos arrived piping hot with additional salsa (green and red) and a couple of limes to flavor the meat on the tacos. After the first bite, I was in heaven.

A bit later, the owner came by the table to see how the tacos tasted. They were good and I asked her a few questions. I found out they had just returned from living in Wisconsin for a year and a half. A combination of cold and humidity didn’t sit well with the family. So, they came back home to be closer to family and a drier air. I also learned that they used to make tortillas in Hyrum until some things changed in the local economy.

Well, on their return to Cache Valley, they uncovered their tortilla makers and decided to open up a restaurant doing what they know and love.  The food is fresh … from the tortillas to the meats and the salsas. Another surprise is the hibiscus tea. She uses hibiscus flowers to steep the tea. Could it get any better than having a fresh hibiscus drink with your tacos? I love seeing new things come to Providence and Cache Valley. The local workers have found La Fuente Cafe and hopefully will keep them there for quite awhile.

You should stop by, get a bite to eat and enjoy your time while eating freshly made meals. La Fuente Cafe is located at 517 West 100 North in Providence (next to the Stadium 8 Theatres).

A few weeks ago, the Thai House opened for business and I had been looking for a chance to try it out. This past week, I had a little extra time for a late lunch, so I stopped by to see what it was like. It was a late lunch so there were not a lot of people inside, but I was met quickly by a friendly host and directed to a table.

The menu had a range of Thai offerings and they all looked good. I decided to have try the Pad Thai with chicken for lunch. It was a lunch special with an egg drop noodle soup to begin with. When you order, you can choose to have it mild to very spicy. This is given on a scale of 1 – 5. To test the waters, I chose a “3”. This had nice heat, but not overwhelming. Next time, I will probably step up to a little spicier addition.

The food was served piping hot and had a great flavor. If you like Thai food, I would definitely check out the Thai House. Take some friends and enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner. I don’t think you will be disappointed. It is located at 51 West 200 South in Logan.