Chadder's Closes for Memorial Day Weekend

It was strange to drive by Chadder's on a Friday afternoon and see absolutely no one in the drive up line. Usually the line is several cars long. Curious, we drove by to see what the paper on the door said. (I wondered if a law suit from In-N-Out had finally caught up with them.) Put the paper said that due to overwhelming demand over the past week or so, they had to close for the weekend to make new arrangements with their suppliers. In other words, they ran out of food. Remarkable.

Another rumor. My daughter tells me that a friend at school told her that Chadder's is actually owned by In-N-Out. Perhaps so. But it's strange that they have no web presence or new coverage. But lots of "word of mouth."

Pizza Factory

Lunch today at the Pizza Factory. I usually get the half pasta with half Caesar salad, but today I went for the calzone. This place makes their own breadstick twists. They have pretty good salads and a good mix of pizza, calzones, and sandwichs. It's a good family place. Unfortunately, the took caffeine-free diet Coke off the menu. You would think in Utah value, you could still get caffeine free, but it's all or nothing. (By the way, look at the label. Diet Coke actually has more caffeine than regular.)

I particularly like the Pizza Factory in Lindon because it's in a remodeled older home with beautiful original glass (some of it stained glass). Check it out. 291 W 400 N Lindon, just off State Street across from Los Hermanos (which is also in a beautfully restored older home). There are other locations in Salt Lake City, Provo, Spanish Fork, Cedar City, St. George, .

The Pizza Factory is a Utah original, not to be confused with The Pizza Factory restaurant in Beaver, Utah, which is part of a chain based in California.

Hooray for Pizza Day

I love this song by the Aquabats:

Pizza Day

Well I remember my first day of public school
I was very scared of getting pummeled
And sure enough I did at first recess
I got pegged in the head by a big red ball
And stumbled, my head hung
Back to class with a bloody nose and soon it was lunch time
Mom said I should ask about how poor kids there get fed
So I got a book of tickets and a scedule and it read

(chorus)
Momday: hotdogs
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: hamburgers and chocolate milk
Thursday: sloppy joes and burritos in a bag
Friday was pizza day, the best day of the week
All the kids would line up super early just to eat
Momday: hotdogs
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: hamburgers and chocolate milk
Thursday: sloppy joes and burritos in a bag
Friday was pizza day, the best day of the week
It always came with salad and a side of pork and beans
Hooray for pizza day
Hooray for pizza day
I miss pizza day
The best day of the week

Well i remember my first day of Jr. High
I had hairspray in my hair and my pants were way too tight
And all the breakers and new-wavers and the rockers and the preps
Would all be in their places on the front lawn or the steps
I hung out with some punker kids who used to make me laugh
Got thrown in the dumpster by some rich kids near the caff
As time went on we figured out it was totally uncool
To eat the welfare lunch
Provided by the school
So in poser punker fashion we just mooched off all the kids
And lived off eating candy bars and bags of nacho chips

(chorus)

Well now I'm out of school and i don't have a job (you're a slob)
I just sit around all sweaty and lethargic
And I'm just thinkin' 'bout where it all went wrong
Why I can't concentrate on anything but reruns
I wish i had some more stability and
I wish I had somebody makin' lunch for me
I guess I miss the simple things in life
The thought of pizza day
I thought it stupid then but I wish I had it now
I just want

(chorus)

Hooray for pizza day
Hooray for pizza day
I miss pizza day...

More on Chadder's

There are two theories about Chadder's. One story is that it was started by Californians who missed the In-N-Out experience and wanted to recreate it here in Utah. The second theory is that is was started by people at the highest level of In-N-Out who were forced out but allowed to start a second chain through a legal settlement. (In-N-Out is a private held company that does not franchise.) There is apparently some precedent for this. The Apollo Burger/Burgers Supreme split here in Utah as well as the Kneader's/Picasso's split (are there any Picasso's still open?). The second theory about the origins of Chadder's is supported by the Wikipedia article about In-N-Out. It doesn't mention a second chain, but it does mention some "legal turbulence" in the company in 2006.

The food is good, and they appear to also have the In-N-Out secret menu.

However, KSL news reports in an interview with the owners that there is no connection to In-N-Out burger. But does that mean no "official" connection? So why is it so similar? The mystery continues.

Pizza Night, the Best Night of the Week

King Of Queens - Pizza Night - Watch more amazing videos here

Del Taco

I don't speak Spanish, but I think that "Del Taco" means "of the taco." Kind of a strange name for a restaurant, but no more so than "Der Wienersnitzel," which should be "Das Windersnitzel" and actually has nothing at all to do with hotdogs (I guess the "wiener" part sounds like it should).

Del Taco has a few things going for it. First of all there is the "Del Scorcho" sauce, which is hot, but flavorful. Better than the sauces at Taco Bell. Also, there is "half price Taco Tuesday," a Del Taco tradition for over 40 years. That's why Tuesday is taco night. Locations in American Fork, Orem, Provo, Springville.)

Jerry's Hamburgers--Gone but Not Forgotten

A couple of years ago, we stopped by Jerry's Hamburgers (1151 N. Canyon Road) because we had a little time before a BYU ward activity (where I was in the bishopric). Then we found that it was closed for good. My kids were pretty upset. My little daughter cried. We had some great times and great food at Jerry's. My wife liked the chili burger, and my sons and I went for the Jerry's Burger--cheeseburger with bacon and a fried egg on top. That's packing a lot of protein. I guess the egg made it unique. (We still call hamburgers with a fried egg on top a Jerry's Burger.)

Jerry's also had great fries, fry sauce (a Utah original), mix-your-own flavored sodas, and small bags of doughnuts with a "surfer" diner atmosphere. I guess they just didn't get enough business (not for a lack of effort on our part). Now it's a Leatherby's ice cream parlor.

Wingers

My oldest son had to work tonight (at Wendy's) so we took the younger two to Wingers. The kids like it because they get free popcorn, and they have pretty good meals for kids. But I always find myself a little disappointed. AnneMarie and I split a mango chicken salad with a poppyseed dressing. It sounds like a good recipe, but the mangos were still a little cold.

You're probably safe if you stick with their wings and ribs. I like their Amazing Sauce, but AnneMarie finds it too sweet. As I recall, they used to have a sweet sauce (the Winger's sauce), and a spicer BBQ sauce, but they've gone to a new menu, so some things have changed (such as no celery with the wings. How can they be Buffalo wings without celery?)

But spending just more than $20 we got free dessert, so that worked out all right. Wingers isn't unique to Utah, but it started here, and most of the restaurants are here too. There are Wingers in Orem, Provo, American Fork, Lehi, and several other places in Utah. They are also found in WA, OR, ID, WY, NV (but not California). There are also restaurants in Germany on the military bases. What's the story there?

Shirley's Homemades Bakery

This morning for a meeting we ordered the cinnamon rolls and raspberry rolls from Shirley's Homemades in Provo (684 North Freedom Blvd). These may be the best breakfast rolls I've ever had. I like the flavor of the cinnamon better at Cinnabon's, but these are better rolls. Oddly enough, I've never actually been to the bakery, but BYU orders through them all the time. In fact, I've heard that a lot of the baking that used to be done at BYU is now ordered through Shirley's (including, I think, BYU's great Parkerhouse rolls, now Shirley's--$3.39 a dozen through BYU).

Jason's Deli

When Jason's Deli first opened in Orem (771 University Pkwy), I didn't realize it was a chain. But these are all over the country. (My assistant at work is from the mid West and is a big fan.) The two in Utah are in Murray and Orem. Jason's has ridiculously huge sandwiches (as you would find in a NY style deli). In New York, you find different kinds of delis (Jewish, Italian, German). Jason's combines some of each. I'm a big fan of their Muffaleta (a creole sandwich with ham and olive spread) with the spicy shrimp gumbo as an accompaniment (it's actually pretty spicy). I also liked the NY Yankee, which has both pastrami and corned beef. These meats aren't up to NY standards, but still better than what you get from the supermarket. Jason's also has a pretty good salad bar, free muffins, and free soft serve ice cream. Come hungry.

Where I Come From . . .

At BYU, you often here folks complaining that the food here just isn't as good as "where I come from," whether it's the pizza, the hotdogs, the ice cream, the doughnuts, or whatever. I don't want to enter into these debates. I'm happy to admit that barbecue tastes better in Kansas City or Memphis or wherever. But sometimes you can find places here that are pretty close.

So I'm looking for places outside of Utah that just can't be found anywhere else as well as places here that might just tide you over until you can get back home.

Chadder's

OK, it's not In-N-Out Burger, but it's reeeally close. In fact, I wonder how long before In-N-Out decides to sue. They serve fresh burgers wrapped in paper with fresh cut fries and shakes. Even the inside layout looks the same. Nothing approaches the hipness of In-N-Out (with their logo, Chadder's won't be selling a lot of t-shirts), and Californians will surely argue that it isn't the same at all. Still, it's a long drive to California (or even Las Vegas).

Chadder's is located in American Fork at State Road and Pacific, just by Smith's and across from Appleby's. It's easy in and out. Can I get an amen? http://indyfoodcritic.blogspot.com/2007/05/in-n-out-nope-itschadders.html.

Brick Oven

If you're in a college town, then that means pizza. The place just south of campus is The Brick Oven, formally known as "Heaps" or "Heaps of Pizza" (ask your parents--or grandparents). The Brick Oven features a thick crust pizza. My personal favorite is the ham and pineapple, primarily because it is topped with slivered almonds. http://brickovenprovo.net.

Even the folks in Salt Lake like the Brick Oven. Read a review by Ted Scheffler at Salt Lake City Weekly. http://www.slweekly.com/article.cfm/peerlessprovopizza.