Eat In Recipe: Kahlua Pork

Ahhh, Polynesia!  Wish we were there.  Instead, we tried making Kahlua Pork in our crockpot with a recipe from Favorite Family Recipes.  The recipe is really simple and you leave it all day in your crockpot, so you can have it ready when you come home from a long day of work or errand-running, or you can just enjoy your day knowing you have dinner already in the pot!  I love a good crockpot recipe for all those reasons, so I was excited to try this out.

We were in and out of the house during the day and enjoyed the smell of the salty & smoky pork wafting through the house.  When the time came, I shredded the pork and we served it up as sandwiches on buns.  The flavor was good, but not quite like the real thing (of course, I didn’t have the ti leaves to use…we used banana peels as one of the recipe comments suggested).  I would have liked it even better with a stronger flavor. 

Maybe next time I will try my Oven Kahlua Pork recipe from my A Taste of Aloha cookbook…it uses more salt and you rub the liquid smoke into the pork, which might make a stronger flavor.  Also, that cookbook suggests banana, taro, or spinach leaves as alternatives to ti leaves.  Of course, I could just try my recipe for the real deal – a whole pig cooked in a hole in backyard, but I don’t know what the neighbors would think of that .  (Actually I have great neighbors…they’d probably love it!)

Kahlua Pork from Favorite Family Recipes
3-4 lb. pork roast
1-2 T. Kosher salt
1/3 c. liquid smoke
1 c. water
4 washed ti leaves (optional)

1. Line the bottom of the crockpot with two ti leaves (optional).  Rub pork generously with salt, pour on liquid smoke, then place in crockpot.  Add water.
2. Fit remaining ti leaves around outside edge of crockpot (optional).  Cover & cook on low 8-10 hours or until you can easily shred the pork.  Do not drain off liquid.  Serve as is or on buns.

Note:  Mine took closer to 10 hours.  If you don’t have Kosher salt, use another coarse salt.  Usually a pork shoulder cut like the pork butt or picnic roast is the best to use for a pulled pork recipe.

Average Fork Rating:  3.6
Mr. Diner:  3
Mrs. Diner:  3
Amazing Diner:  4
Sweet Diner:  4
Little Diner:  4

New Sweet Tomatoes & Souplantation Coupons

Photo by Zeusandhera.

I love Sweet Tomatoes…especially during the summer!  Just wish there was one closer to my house!  They’ve just released their latest batch of coupons…including Buy 1 Get 1 Free Breakfast (with purchase of two drinks), $9.99 for 2 lunches M-Th, Free Kids Meal with purchase of an adult meal, and $19.99 for 2 Adults & 2 Kids for lunch or dinner.  Varying expiration dates though Aug. 7.  Get them here.

Eat Out Review: Coneys Custard

These days are just right for frozen treats!  After a sweaty morning at the park, we needed food & refreshment so we stopped by Coneys Custard in Orem.  It was about 1:30 pm (a late lunch) so I was surprised there were so many people there…and there was a line of about ten people at one point while we were eating.  The dining area has counter-height tables with chairs and table-height booths around the edges and is decorated in fun orange and royal blue.

We stepped up to the counter to place our order.  In addition to frozen custard, they have gourmet hot dogs and burgers.  You order at the counter, then a server brings it to your table.  We ordered everything at once, but requested to have our frozen custard after we ate our food. 

It was just my two youngest diners who were with me this time and the both ordered the Kid’s Corn Dog ($1.50 each), which was served up hot and fresh.  I was intrigued by the gourmet dogs and ordered the Sonoran Dog, a 100% beef Nathan’s Famous dog topped with all sorts of things:  caramelized onions, bacon, pinto beans, melted cheese, salsa, guacamole, cilantro cream sauce, & cilantro.  That’s a lot of toppings!  It was fantastic, but huge!  For the first two bites, I actually tried to pick it up to eat it, but didn’t succeed in getting both a bite of the hot dog and the toppings together in one bite.  (I did succeed in making a mess of my hands and face, however.)  So I surrendered and ate it with a fork and knife.  The combination of everything on there was a good one and I would recommend it to anyone who finds all those toppings appealing.  We all shared an order of fries, which were cut thickly and fried up just right – nice and crisp on the outside with a soft potato center.  Their fry sauce is thick and sticks nicely to the fries.

We really enjoyed our food and then requested our Strawberry Cyclone to share.  It is large and after eating our hot dogs, we just barely made a dent in our frozen custard.  It was delicious, though!  The custard was really smooth and creamy.  The strawberry topping was similar to a canned strawberry ice cream topping, with little pieces of strawberries in it.  I would have preferred fresh strawberries, but at least it wasn’t artificial strawberry flavoring!

Custard is like ice cream, but with eggs added in, which gives it a richer flavor.  Coneys has a freezing barrel that rapidly freezes the custard, resulting in smaller ice crystals and less air making a smoother, creamier ice cream.  Coneys typically has vanilla and chocolate custard, along with a flavor-of-the-day (that day it was Mango…go here for their flavor schedule).  Over two dozen toppings are also available and can also be mixed in like there were in our Cyclone.

We enjoyed both our food and frozen custard and would love to go back!  I may have to try their burgers next time; they were named one of the 75 Best Burgers in Utah by Salt Lake Magazine in 2010 under the Classic Burgers category.  Speaking of awards, Coneys also recently earned the 2011 Best of State award in the Specialty Foods category.  If you really love Coneys, you can sign up for the Coneys Club to receive special offers.  They also have a location in American Fork.

Entrée Price:  $
Average Fork Rating:  4
Mrs. Diner:  4
Sweet Diner:  4
Little Diner:  4

Arby’s Free Fries & Drink with Angus Cool Deli Purchase

Photo by rob_rob2001.

Get free small fries & a small drink when you buy an Angus Cool Deli Sandwich or Wrap with coupon.  Sign up here for the coupon.  Expires Aug. 4.

Denny’s Tour of America: B1G1 Free Coupon for Utah Today!

Denny’s has been choosing one state a day to receive a coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free Tour of America entrée.  Today (July 29) it’s Utah’s turn.  Go here today to print a coupon good only at Utah locations.  Expires Aug. 3.

What’s on the Tour of America menu? 

• Pacific Northwest Iced Coffee
• Hawaiian Tropical Smoothie
• Florida Orange Milk Shake
• Hawaiian Tropical Pancakes Breakfast
• Hawaiian Tropical Pancakes Puppies
• Georgia Peach French Toast
• Philly Cheesesteak Omelette
• California Cobb Salad
• Midwestern Meat & Potatoes Sandwich
• Southern Shrimp & Grits

25% Off at Kostizi Through Sunday–No Minimum!

Kostizi is going through some changes and will not be offering The Daily Doro (specials) anymore.  This weekend is their final sale with 25% off everything with no minimum purchase when you use the code INSANE.  I’ve used them to get my Beyond Glaze certificates (see our review here).  The only downside is that they have a $1 order processing fee per order, not per certificate even though my orders have always been ones your print at home.  Go here to see all dining deals available.  There are a lot of great dining offers available, but here are some especially great ones (all prices listed after INSANE code, but before $1 processing fee):

• Beyond Glaze (Draper location only) – $10 certificate for $3.75
• Blue Lemon (Highland or Salt Lake) – $20 certificate for $9
• Blue Fish Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar (South Jordan) – $20 certificate for $9  This one’s already gone!
• Buck’s Grill House (Moab) – $20 certificate for $7.50
• Elizabeth’s Bakery & Tea Shop (Salt Lake) – $10 certificate for $3.75
• Kimi’s Mountainside Bistro (Solitude) – $25 certificate for $9.38
• Mi Ranchito Grill (3600 S. Salt Lake location only) – $10 certificate for $1.50!!!
• Sugar Baby’s Inc. (West Valley City) – $10 certificate for $3.75

Munchkin Radio’s Christmas in July Tomorrow

Munchkin Radio is a free online radio station for kids.  Tomorrow, July 30, they are sponsoring their 2nd Annual Christmas in July celebration at The District in South Jordan.  They have Christmas music playing right now and will have Santa Claus visiting as well as fun activities, prizes, and an ice-cream eating contest.  The highlight of their celebration, though, is their canned food drive with freebies!  Bring canned goods (not expired) to donate to the Utah Food Bank to get a whole bunch of freebies (see below).  Their website is not the best to navigate; I like their Facebook page better.

They also have a Birthday Club for kids with freebies, but I’m waiting till the next diner’s birthday to see how it works out.  I’ll let you know.

Participating Merchant Schedule – Updated
Each offer is one per person present.  You must donate at each retailer for their offer.

• Marble Slab (12pm-4pm) 1 can = One FREE child’s size Ice Cream
• Chick-fil-A
  • (6:30am-10:30am) 1 can = 3 count mini’s (plus a party & pictures with the Santa Cow from 9:00-10:30)
  • (3:00pm-6:00pm) 1 can = 8 count Chicken Nuggets
• Megaplex 20 (1:00pm-4:00pm)
• 1 can = 1 FREE popcorn voucher
• 3 cans = One FREE bounceback movie ticket to see “Cars 2” on Aug. 1-3 only while supplies last
• Ryan’s Diamonds (12pm-4pm) 1 can = 1 entry to win a Diamond Pendant valued at over $500.00
• Canyon Bicycles (12pm-4pm) 1 can = 1 entry to win a kids bicycle valued between $170.00-$190.00
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (12pm-4pm) 1 can = 1 Small Size Chocolate Covered Banana
• Wild Rose Restaurant (12-4) 1 can = 1 FREE appetizer voucher
• Hair Elegance (12-4)
  • 2 cans = Free Brow Waxing voucher good 8/1-8/4
  • 2 cans = FREE kids polish voucher, good 8/1-8/4
  • 6 cans = One FREE haircut and style, (men, women or kids) voucher, good 8/3 & 8/4
• Red Robin
• (11-1) 3 cans = Lunch & Pictures with Santa and Free Kids Meal with adult meal purchase (limit 2 per table) Bring your camera – no photographer available.
• (11-1)  1 can = Picture with Santa (bring your camera – no purchase necessary)
• (11-4) 1 can = Free kids meal voucher for return visit
• Rumrz Bar & Grill (12-4) 1 can = 1 kids meal
• Downeast Basics (12-4) 1 can = 20% off voucher good for 7/30-8/31
• Cookie Cutters (12-4) 1 can = $2.00 off kids haircut
• White Elegance
• 1 can = 10% off one item (you can use one can for each item you buy)
• 1 can plus a $50 purchase = 50% off a Clearance item
• Sizzler – they are opening soon & may have an offer, so bring an extra can or two

Ruby Tuesday Free Garden Bar Add-On

Ruby Tuesday is offering coupons for a free Garden Bar (salad bar) add-on with entrée purchase to the first 100,000 when you “like” them on Facebook.  Coupon will arrive in the mail.  Go here to get started.  There were over 73,000 coupons still available when I checked.  In Utah, our Ruby Tuesday location is next to the outlets in Park City.  Use your Tanger Outlet 20% off coupons that came in the mail, then go over and get a meal at Ruby Tuesday!

Dining Deals for Today

• Mimi’s Café – “Like” them on Facebook for a coupon for 2 free muffins with any purchase good through Aug. 2.  Of course, you can always just print the same coupon here with the same expiration date.
• Star of India (Salt Lake City) – Get a $20 gift certificate for $10 at Living Social through Sunday.  Expires Oct. 29.  Sign up for a new account here (referral link).
• Whistle Wok (American Fork) – Get a 2-pack of $10 certificates ($20 total) for $9 at Deal Dragon when you use the code SOUTH10.  Certificates expires one year from purchase.  Remember – you can only use one of these at a time.

Date Night! Dinner & a Movie from Screamin’ Daily Deals

Here’s a super easy date night deal!  Screamin’ Daily Deals is offering 2 movie tickets (Cinemark, CineArts, Century, or Tinseltown Theatres) and a $25 Restaurant.com certificate for $15.  Available through Sunday.  No expiration!  Open a new Screamin’ Daily Deals account here (referral link).

Movie tickets will arrive in the mail within 2-3 weeks.  The Restaurant.com certificate can be used at participating restaurants.  Go here to see where you can use it in your area.

This may or may not be a good deal, depending on how much movie tickets are in your area and what restaurants are available in your area, so be sure to check.  My area only has one participating restaurant.

Eat Out Review: Los Hermanos

As you may know if you have read some of my other “Eat Out” posts, I have been searching for a great Mexican restaurant to fall in love with in Utah County.  I’ve been to Los Hermanos many times and have often thought the salsa is decent, but the food is just okay.  But, we had a gift certificate that we got for less than half off from City Deals, so we took the whole family to Los Hermanos for dinner. 

Several months ago, they moved from their prime location on the corner of University Avenue and Center Street down a block to the old Ottavio’s location.  It’s interesting to see a Mexican restaurant settling into an old Italian restaurant.  They’ve tried to adjust the existing décor without making major changes (that I can see).  They adjusted some of the murals to Mexican scenes and brought along items from the previous location, but many of the efforts just come up short or even looking ridiculous. 

On this visit, we were led back to our table within a few minutes or arriving, though we saw crowds of people trailing in after us…I guess we arrived just in time.  However, when we arrived at our table, they were still cleaning it and we had to wait while they finished up.  Not a major inconvenience, but that along with some other hurrying employees in the restaurant made us think they might be understaffed that evening.

Our server brought out four bowls of salsa and two bowls of chips for our party of five…almost enough for each of us to have our own private salsa bowl….nice!  Their salsa has an-almost pureed texture and a very mild flavor.  I am a huge guacamole-lover, but their regular guacamole is unimpressive, so we ordered their newer Guadaguac (has chunks of avocado & tomatoes in a verde sauce with hints of lime).  The Guadaguac is tasty and definitely worth trying.  My kids ordered specialty drinks, one thing that I think Los Hermanos does very well.  Their Raspberry Strawberry Colada was especially good.

Mr. Diner went with one of his favorites, the Smothered Burrito ($11.50), which is a shredded beef burrito smothered with chile verde, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, & tomatoes.  It is huge, and Mr. Diner can usually eat only half of it.  I decided to choose from their newer Street Market section of their menu and chose the Street Market Tacos ($7.50), one grilled steak & one grilled chicken, served with tomato, onion, cilantro, lime, & guadaguac on the side to top your tacos with.  I really love that they put all the toppings on the side so you can decide exactly what & how much of each thing you want.  The tacos were easily the best entrée I’ve had there with a good fresh flavor. 

Amazing & Sweet both ordered the Little Amigo Pork Taquitos ($4.40).  I was surprised that their meal was about the same size as the adult Taquitos plate…two large taquitos with beans and rice.  Los Hermanos’ taquitos are huge, not the thin crunchy taquitos I generally think of.  Both of them really liked them, even though Amazing is generally not a Mexican food fan.  Little Diner shared food with everyone, but did not seem particularly interested in any of it. 

I think Los Hermanos needs a revamp – both of their new location and their menu.  The Street Market section is a step in the right direction.  I’d love to see more fresh, taste bud-awakening items on their menu instead of the blander items with few seasonings that are currently the mainstay of their menu.

Los Hermanos has two locations:  downtown Provo and Lindon.  They offer take-out and catering services and frequently have discount certificates that sell out on CityDeals.  They also have their t-shirt “eternal coupon” promotion:  buy their t-shirt and every time you wear it to their restaurant, you get a free specialty drink.  You frequently see entire tables with their t-shirts on and many have just temporarily pulled it on over their other clothes. 

What do you think of Los Hermanos?  Love it?  Hate it?  What’s your favorite Mexican restaurant in Utah County that I need to try?

Entrée Price:  $$
Average Fork Rating:  3
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  3
Amazing Diner: 4 
Sweet Diner:  2
Little Diner:  2

New Dining Deals

Yum, yum, yum!  More great dining deals!  Hope there’s one you like!

• Papa John’s – Get a $10 gift certificate for $6 from Saveology for new Saveology customers today only or while supplies last.  Thanks Hip2Save!
• Buca di Beppo – Today’s the day to get your free lunch-size lasagna when you purchase an entrée!  Use this coupon to get it!
• So Cupcake (Salt Lake) – Get a $12 certificate for $6 from Deals That Matter through Friday.  Expires Oct. 16.  Remember, if you’re new to Deals That Matter, you can get this for $1 with your $5 credit when you sign up here.
• Nicolitalia Pizzeria (Provo) – Get a 3-pack of $10 certificates ($30 total) for $12.60 at DealDragon when you use the code SOUTH10.
• Caterbee (Taylorsville) – Get a $15 certificate for $7 from Groupon through Friday.  Expires Oct. 30.  New to Groupon?  Sign up here (referral link).
• Wasatch Bagel & Grill (Park City) – Get a $10 certificate for $4 from CityDeals when you use the code FREE20.  Expires six months from purchase.  Sign up for CityDeals here (referral link).
• The Awful Waffle (Provo) – Get a 5-crepe punch pass for $4.80 from CityDeals ($12 value) when you use the code FREE20.  Toppings are extra and cost 50 cents to $1.  Expires six months from purchase. Sign up for CityDeals here (referral link). 

Noodles & Co. Free Salads to First 75 People Today

Noodles & Co. will be offering free summertime salads to the first 75 people who ask for them today only at select locations.  Go here to see if there is one near you.  In Utah, they will be at the following places:

• Orem – 2:00 pm Scera Park (701 South State St.)
• Sandy – 2:00 pm South Town Mall Entrance near Forever 21
• Layton – 3:00 pm Layton Park (cross streets of Wasatch & Gentile)

Grocery Bag: Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips

 

I can see why Costco has its sampling program…it works!  At least on me.  This was another sample I tried at Costco…they were highlighting a salsa, but it was the chips that got me…a terrific nutty flavor that I’ve grown to love in multigrain chips!  I asked about them and the sample lady said, “Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips!” and showed me the bag.  I’ve heard of Food Should Taste Good, but have never bought their chips before, but WOW, I should have.  They are fabulous!  And if you look at the back of the bag, you can see that almost anyone could eat them; they’re gluten-free, kosher, vegan, with low sodium and no MSG, etc., etc.  Best of all, to me, they’re delicious!  But, as you can see, the little diners did not share the same opinion that I did about these.

We dipped them in salsa, guacamole, & a couple flavors of hummus.  The bag also suggests that you use it as a cracker.  You could, but keep in mind that they are not really flat like crackers usually are.  They are thicker than many chips and have a coarse, crunchy texture because of the grains and seeds, but I them that way.

I can’t remember how much they cost, but it seems like the 24 oz. bag was $5-6.  Worth every penny.  I’ll be adding these to my Costco cart again.  Soon. 

Average Fork Rating:  2.8
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  5
Amazing Diner:  1
Sweet Diner:  2
Little Diner:  2

Free Dessert or Appetizer at Chili’s Today - Again

Photo by rob_rob2001.

Chili’s is once again offering a one-day only coupon for a free dessert or appetizer when you purchase an adult entrée and use this coupon.  Good July 27 only.

Thanks Couponing to Disney!

Pei Wei 20% Off on July 27th Only

Photo by admiller.

In honor of their 11th anniversary, you can get 20% off your Pei Wei order when you place it online and use the code BIRTHDAY. Valid through today (Wednesday). See details on Facebook here.

Buca di Beppo National Lasagna Day

Photo by Bytemarks.

Tomorrow (Thursday, July 28) is National Lasagna Day.  Who comes up with these things?!  In honor of that day, Buca di Beppo is offering free lunch-sized portions of their lasagna with purchase of any Buca Small or Buca Large entrée when you use this coupon.  Good July 28 only.

Dining Deals for Today

 

• Quiznos – Get 2 regular subs or regular salads for $6 ($12.98 average value) from Groupon.  Expires Oct. 30.  Valid at all US locations that accept Groupons (most Utah locations should accept them…go here to check your location for the Groupon icon).
• Hawaiian Island Hut (West Jordan) – Get a $10 certificate for $5 from Deals That Matter through Thursday.  Expires Oct. 29 (will this place even be around then?  I’d plan to use it earlier!).  Not a member of Deals That Matter?  Get a $5 credit & get this deal for free when you sign up!
• Stefano’s Gelato (Riverton) – Get a $10 certificate for $5 from Groupon through Thursday.  Expires Jan. 29. 2012.  Sign up with Groupon here (referral link).
• TGI Friday’s – If you have My Coke Rewards points, you can get a $5 gift card for 175 points here.  Card expires July 31, 2012.
• Taco Bell – You can still get a Burrito Supreme for 99 cents through Aug. 6.  Limit 2 per person per visit.

Eat In Recipe: Asian BBQ Chicken

I’m always looking for great recipes to try online, and Our Best Bites frequently has some good ones!  And since it’s summer, we love to make use of our grill and enjoy that cooked-over-the-fire goodness.  Mm-mm.  This chicken turned out great…still moist (those thighs stay moist much better than chicken breasts) and quite flavorful with just a little kick from that cayenne pepper (but not enough to call it spicy).  And we had leftovers perfect to top a salad or make a wrap!

Asian BBQ Chicken from Our Best Bites (adapted from Cooking Light)
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 green onion, sliced (optional)

1. Combine everything but the chicken & green onions in a small bowl.  Whisk to dissolve brown sugar.  Place marinade & chicken in a ziploc bag.  Marinate in fridge for 4 hours to overnight.
2. Preheat the grill (or indoor grill pan or broiler).  Brush grill with oil (or spray surface w/ non-stick cooking spray) and place chicken on it to cook.  Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on thickness.  Optional:  garnish with sliced green onions.

Notes:  As the suggested on Our Best Bites, I made 1 1/2 times the marinade and reserved some for basting.  Our chicken took about 5 minutes on each side on the grill.  We brushed on the marinade when we turned it and then again right before we took it off the grill.

Average Fork Rating:  4
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  4
Amazing Diner:  4
Sweet Diner:  5
Little Diner:  3

Utah Dining Deals for Today

 

Here’s a list of some dining deals you might want to take a look at for today:

• Denny’s (Provo Freedom Blvd. location only) – Get a $20 certificate for only $10 at Screamin’ Daily Deals through Wednesday.  Expires Oct. 28.  Not valid with Kids Eat Free promo on Tuesdays or Thursdays.  Sign up for a new account here (referral link).
• Mimi’s Café – Two great offers!  Buy 1 Get 1 Free breakfast entrée with the purchase of two drinks when you use this coupon through July 28.  Or…Get 2 free muffins with any purchase when you use this coupon through Aug. 2. 
• TGI Friday’s – Get a free Crispy Green Bean Fries appetizer when you use this coupon.  Expires today!  Oh, how I love these!
• Restaurant.com – Use the code SAVE to get certificates at up to 80% off through July 31.  Remember to check out all the limitations and requirements before you buy…many of these have specific requirements for when you can use these and a minimum purchase.

A Roundup of Dining Deals

Here you go…more dining deals to take advantage of!  We’ve been working around the house today, so I think we might head out to dinner tonight…what about you?  Many of these are available to print and use tonight.

• Chili’s – If you’re going to Chili’s today, make sure you print and use the coupon for a free appetizer or dessert – today only!
• Rumrz Café & Grill (South Jordan) – Get a $15 certificate for $7.50 from Deals That Matter through Tuesday.  Expires Oct. 27.  Sign up for a new account and get a $5 credit, making this deal only $2.50!
• Boccias Pizza Bistro (Ogden) – Get a $15 certificate for $7.00 from Deals That Matter through Tuesday.  Expires Oct. 27.  Sign up for a new account and get a $5 credit, making this deal only $2.00!
• The Juice Press (Lindon) – Get a 10-punch smoothie card plus free boosts with each smoothie for only $18 ($36 value) from Deals That Matter through Tuesday.  Expires Jan. 27, 2012.  Sign up for a new account and get a $5 credit.
• Yogurtland (Orem) – Get a 3-pack of $5 certificates ($15 total) for only $7.50 at Deal Dragon.  Expires one year from purchase.  May only use one certificate at a time.
• The Awful Waffle (Provo) – Get a voucher for 5 crepes for only $3.90 ($12 value) at CityDeals with code PARADE.  Available through 9 pm tonight.  Expires six months from purchase.  Toppings are extra and cost 50 cents to $1 each.
• Rocco Gandolfo’s (Provo) – Get a $5 certificate for only $1.63 at CityDeals when you use the code PARADE.  Available through 9 pm tonight.  Expires six months from purchase.
• Breakfast at Communal (Provo) – Get a $10 certificate for only $3.25 at CityDeals when you use the code PARADE.  Available through 9 pm tonight. Expires Nov. 30.  Valid only for breakfast.
• T’s Diner (Provo) – Get a $10 certificate for only $3.25 at CityDeals when you use the code PARADE. Available through 9 pm tonight. Expires Jan. 31, 2012.

Eat In Recipe: Curried Beef Pitas

My mother made this delicious recipe when I was growing up and we have continued to make it at our house.  I don’t know the source unfortunately.  Most of us really like it, but Amazing doesn’t at all…he really doesn’t like pita bread so he eats the meat mixture without the bread.  As you can see, we omitted the tomatoes this time. 

Curried Beef Pitas
1 lb. ground beef or pork
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, halved
1 T. curry powder
2 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 c. water
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
1 9 oz. package pita bread

1. Cook ground beef (or pork), onion, garlic, & curry powder in a skillet over medium heat until meat is browned and onion is tender.  Drain, remove and discard garlic.
   
2. Add zucchini, water, salt, sugar, & pepper and heat to boiling.  Cover & simmer for 15 minutes or till zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally.
   
3. Add tomato, stir, & heat through.
   
4. Cut pita pockets in half if not already halved.  Place on cookie sheet.  Heat at 350 degrees till warm, about 5 minutes.  Fill with meat mixture and serve.

Notes:  Sometimes I mince the garlic and leave it in…that’s good, too.  We didn’t add the tomato this time, but it makes a more colorful dish.  You can also make these into wraps if you can’t find pita bread, but it’s always fun to eat a sandwich in a pocket! (Well, for some of us.)

Average Fork Rating:  3
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  4
Amazing Diner:  1
Sweet Diner:  3
Little Diner:  3

Choose a Free Appetizer or Dessert at Chili’s on July 25

Photo by rob_rob2001.

Chili’s has a great coupon for tomorrow – you get to choose whether you want a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entrée.  Good July 25 only.  Go here to get it. 

Pay $15 for $30 to spend at The Bridge Café & Grill

Living Social has a good deal for The Bridge Café & Grill in Park City.  Pay $15 for a $30 certificate.  Expires Nov. 25.  This one does have some limitations, though.  It’s valid all day on weekdays, but only after 4:30 pm on Saturday & Sunday.  Not valid on Aug. 5 or 6.

The Bridge Café & Grill serves breakfast all day and also specializes in Brazilian fare. 

Eat Out Las Vegas Review: Max Brenner

I have been drooling over the Max Brenner menu since it opened a location in Vegas.  Why I didn’t know about it and indulge in it when we lived in the NYC area, I don’t know.  It’s a pity…or maybe it’s a good thing because I might have begged my husband to take me there all the time.  A few days ago I got to turn my menu-drooling into reality when we went out for dessert to The Bald Man’s restaurant while in Vegas.  And let me tell you, it was worth waiting for.

We had a reservation for our large group (with kids) and they had our table waiting for us.  The restaurant has a modern, eclectic feel with dim lighting to set a nice mood (but bad for pictures), but mostly the décor hints at chocolate with every chance it gets:  cocoa beans in barrels and jars, brown pipes in the ceiling labeled “100% pure chocolate”, three types of chocolate mixing in labeled containers on the wall behind the “chocolate bar”, and I swear I even smelled a strong scent of chocolate as I walked but one of the lit candles.  But that’s what I was here for anyway:  CHOCOLATE!

We were there with my sister and her husband who have both been there before and had their own recommendations.  The server brought two menus:  the dinner menu (yes, they have things besides chocolate) and the dessert menu (with mouth-watering pictures).  It is pricey, but hey, we’re not here everyday. 

Mr. Diner and I decided to share the Sharing (tasting for two) plate which is like a sampler and cost $25.  It included fondue (we chose Milk Chocolate since Mr. Diner is not a dark chocolate fan like I am) with strawberries, marshmallows, bananas, and a mini grill to roast the marshmallows on; a banana split waffle; chocolate sponge cake; chocolate egg roll; and milk & white chocolate “bark”.  Though they were small portions of each thing, it was a lot of dessert and we couldn’t finish it!

There is a great kids menu with a good assortment of desserts including several types of chocolate drinks and some creative items (Chocolate Hamburger, anyone?).  Amazing Diner wanted the Snowy Vanilla Popsicle, but they were out, so they substituted a Create-Your-Own Waffle Cone ($5.50 for a waffle cone with vanilla ice cream and an assortment of toppings including wafer balls, candied hazelnut bits, and chocolate sauce).  Sweet Diner ordered the Hot Milk Chocolate ($4.20) and Huge Chocolate Syringe (yes, it is a syringe full of chocolate that you squirt in your mouth for $4.75!  And you can get them to go!).  Little Diner shared our huge Sharing platter with us. 

The desserts came and the presentation was fun and creative.  Sweet Diner’s syringe got a lot of attention and smiles as we and others watched her squirt the fluid chocolate into her mouth bit by bit with a handful of gummy bears to break up the chocolatiness (okay, not a word, but it should be!) when she needed it.  Amazing had a great time topping his ice cream. 

Mr. Diner and I were overwhelmed by all the choices on our plates, but dove into the fondue first.  The milk chocolate was gratefully not overly sweet and was very smooth.  It tasted good with everything, but especially the strawberries.  The chocolate sponge cake was cut into three small squares, which were more like little powder-sugar dusted cake-like brownies…a disappointment when I was imagining cake.  The chocolate “bark” was also a disappointment; they were basically two rice crispie bars with chocolate mixed in.  The chocolate egg roll was an interesting creation with a thin crispy shell and a molten chocolate center with an occasion slice of banana.  The regular version of the eggroll is served with a chocolate dip and a caramel sauce.  For me, it was overly rich as it was, so I can’t imagine the extra sauces on it.  Lastly, the banana split waffle was my favorite!  It featured a small sugary waffle with sliced bananas, caramel sauce, and choice of ice cream (we chose dulce de leche).  We drizzled it with the provided chocolate sauce and crunchy wafer balls.  The flavor combination was wonderful with chocolate, caramel, & banana complimenting each other so well on top of a tasty waffle.  I loved it!

Max Brenner is located in The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace.  They also have a counter outside the restaurant to grab a pre-made goodie to go and a chocolate shop with a lot of good-looking treats and gifts.  They offered a sample of their chocolate-covered praline nuts while you’re browsing…it was very good & tempting.  If we get the change to splurge here again, I’d probably go for the Banana Split Waffle again or the Hazelnut Cream Banana Toffee Crepe.  Mmmm.

Entrée Price:  $$$
Average Fork Rating:  4.4
Mr. Diner:  5
Mrs. Diner:  5
Amazing Diner:  5
Sweet Diner:  4
Little Diner:  3

More Dining Deals for Today

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• CityDeals – Use the code RODEO to get $5 off any order (no minimum).  There are quite a few $10 certificates for only $5, so you could get one of these for free!  Go here to browse the restaurant certificates (couldn’t get it to just to show the $5 ones…sorry).  Don’t know when this one will end, so use it soon!
• TGI Friday’s – $5 off $15 purchase.  Go here to print it.  This one doesn’t expire till Oct. 31!

Thanks Coupons4Utah!

Smashburger B1G1 Coupon

Photo by urban.houstonian.

Smashburger has a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon for any entrée.  “Like” them on Facebook to have it emailed to you.  Expires Aug. 8.  You can also sign up for SmashClub while you’re at it to get more discounts emailed to you. 

Today’s List of Dining Deals

Looking for a dining deal for today or the weekend?  Check these out:

• Mimi’s Café – $5 off a $25 dinner purchase after 4 pm through July 24 with this coupon.
• Taco Time – “Like” Taco Time on Facebook to get a coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free Fajita Burrito. 
• Ruby Tuesday – “Like” Ruby Tuesday on Facebook and sign up to get a new coupon for a free burger with the purchase of two drinks.  They are giving away 200,000 this time & when I checked there were over 160,000 left.
• McDonald’s – If you haven’t printed your Buy 1 Get 1 Free Frozen Strawberry Lemonade, Frappe, or Smoothie, go here to get it now.  It’s still available and valid through July 31.
• Arby’s – Tomorrow (Saturday, Jul 23) Arby’s is celebrating its anniversary by offering 64-cent regular roast beef sandwiches when you buy a 22 oz drink and a coupon you can print when you “like” them on Facebook.
• Cupcake Chic (Orem) – Get a $20 certificate for only $10 at Groupon today only.  Expires Jan. 23.  I haven’t been to Cupcake Chic yet, but they have a couple special summer flavors:  S’mores and Strawberry Lemonade…yum!  Sign up for Groupon here (referral link).
• Osaka Sushi (Layton & Tooele) – Choose from two options:  a $20 dinner certificate for $10 or a $15 lunch certificate for $7 at Groupon through Saturday.  Expires Dec. 20.  Sign up for Groupon here (referral link).
• Santa Monica Pizza (Midvale location only) – Get a $15 certificate for $7.50 at The Daily Deal through Sunday.  Expires Jan. 22.  Sign up here (referral link).

23 Ways to Save Money While Eating Out

Photo by o5com.

It’s fun to eat out (as a mom, I looove having someone wait on me & clean up the mess for a change!), but it sure can be expensive!  There are definitely ways to save and still eat out, though.  At times, our family spent much more than we should have on dining because we just weren’t thinking about it and at other times, we have been very careful and been astonished by how much we could save.  Of course, some ways to save may be a bit inconvenient, so you have to decide for yourself how important savings are versus convenience.  Here are some ideas:

1. Use coupons – There are so many sources for coupons now including the newspaper, mailed ads, Facebook/Twitter, Entertainment Book, local savings cards, Restaurant websites, and more.  My favorite coupons are those that don’t require you to purchase a specific item; I can purchase what I want and still save instead of buying one kind of burger and getting the same one free.
2. Discount Certificates – As you have seen on this blog, there are so many sources of discount dining certificates now.  Many are only offered for a limited time, often a day or two.  Most have expiration dates and some have requirements or limitations such as minimum purchase amounts or valid on weekdays only, so check the requirements before you purchase them.  CityDeals is one of my favorites because they have few restrictions…usually just an expiration date.
3. Split an Entrée – Most restaurants have no qualms about diners sharing entrees and will bring an extra plate at no charge.  Most entrees are too large anyway, so if you can agree on what to order, this is a great way to save.  Even at fast food chains, if you super-size your meal, you’ll have plenty of sandwich, fries, & drink for two people.
4. Check the Appetizer and A La Carte Sections – Sometimes there are great bargains in these sections of the menu that are often overlooked (other times they are more pricey).  There may even be an item similar to an entrée you are considering, but in a smaller portion or without the side items.  If you don’t want the extras, order what you’ll eat and save some money.
5. Loyalty Programs – If you have a favorite dining spot, check to see if they have a loyalty program.  Many offer a frequent diner card where you can earn a free meal or have a subscription for coupons and special offers via mail or email. 
6. Skip the Extras – The entrée is usually the main star of your dining experience, so opt for water instead of buying drinks and skip the appetizers, desserts, and extra add-ons.  They can really add up!
7. Senior Discounts – Getting older has got to have some perks, right?  If you are 50 or over, ask about senior discounts and what age qualifies.  Some restaurants offer a discount every day; others have a specific day for their senior discount.
8. Early Bird Deals – Restaurants usually get the bulk of their dinner crowd around 6 pm and later, so some places offer a discount or specials from 4 to 6 pm. 
9. Local Visitor’s Bureau – These offices usually have coupons for visitors that locals can use, too, but often overlook. 
10. Daily Specials – Ask your server to tell you about any specials that may be available.  These may be good deals and are often something seasonal.
11. Memberships – Check with organizations you are already a member of.  You may have discounts already available to you that you are not aware of.  Credit cards, banks, alumni organizations, automobile clubs, warehouse clubs, and more usually offer free dining discounts.
12. Birthday Meals – A birthday is a great time to eat out and you can find a lot of great birthday deals at restaurants, everything from a free dessert with your meal to a entirely free meal.  See our previous birthday deal post for some great options.
13. Kids Eat for Free or Cheap – It costs a lot to take a whole family out for dinner if you have several children.  Getting kids meals for free or for very little with the purchase of an adult meal can certainly help.  Chili’s has been offering two free kids meals with each adult entrée about once or twice a week lately.  Watch for an upcoming post on more places that offer discounts on children’s meals.
14. Share with the Kids – Instead of ordering kids meals, share some of your food with the kids.  Just like splitting an entrée with an adult, you can ask for extra plates & silverware.  The kids might even like the food better than the usual chicken nuggets or corn dog!
15. Use a Rewards Credit Card – If you use credit cards and pay off the balance regularly, it may make sense to check to see if any of them offers a good reward for dining charges.  You may also be able to trade in your rewards points/miles/dollars for a dining gift card that is a better deal than getting cash back.  We recently got 1110 airlines miles (worth about $11) when we paid for our $25 meal with one of our rewards cards!
16. Get Take Out – Though a take out entrée generally costs the same as it would dining in, you can take it home and supplement it with your own less expensive drinks and desserts and you don’t have to pay a tip!
17. Shop the Value Menu – Fast food places generally have some great bargains on their value menu for about $1.  You can get usually get a smaller sandwich, small drink, & small fries for $3.  If you want to go really cheaply, have each person get something from the value menu, share the fries, and get water or drinks at home. 
18. Leftovers – If you only eat half the meal and can enjoy the other half for lunch the next day, you can turn a $20 meal into two $10 meals. 
19. Order a Half-Order – Sometimes half-sizes of entrees are on the menu for a lower cost.  If not, ask your server if a half-size of what you wish to order is available.  They may accommodate you.
20. Go for Lunch instead of Dinner – Lunch prices are usually a great bargain compared to dinner.  Sometimes they are smaller portions and other times, they are the same size as dinner. 
21. Fast Casual – There are so many great fast casual restaurants now that offer great food at lower prices and without a tip!
22. Go Ethnic – Some ethnic restaurants have great foods at bargain rates. 
23. Order from the Kids Menu – Most restaurants have an age limit for ordering from the kids menu, but once in awhile, you’ll find a place that will serve a kids meal to anyone.  If you’re not hungry enough for a full-sized meal and there is an option you like, these can be a great deal including a drink and sometimes even dessert (or a prize).

Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse Discount Certificates

Through Friday, you can buy a $20 certificate to Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi in Lehi for only $10 from Screamin’ Daily Deals.  Expires Oct. 21.  Sign up here.  While you’re there, you can also still get the $8 Tomasso’s certificate for $4, too.

Pizza Pirate Island up to 52% Off

DealDragon has Pizza Pirate Island gift certificates available.  You can buy a $25 certificate for $13 or a 2-pack of $25 certificates ($50 total, but you can only use one at a time) for $24.  Valid only at Orem location.  These expires April 30, 2012. 

Eat In Recipe: Sesame-Orange Shrimp

Shrimp is a favorite at our house…and this recipe is a quick and easy way to serve it up.  It comes from one of my favorite websites for healthy recipes that are both nutritious and easy – www.EatingWell.com.  The sauce is a little thin, which you can remedy by adding a cornstarch paste/slurry if you’d like it a little thicker (stir together equal parts cornstarch & water, in this instance, try 1 tablespoon each).  You can serve these shrimp over your favorite rice or noodles or just eat them by themselves (great as an appetizer).  If you like a good amount of sauce, double the sauce portion of the recipe because it doesn’t have a lot of sauce to serve over rice/noodles.  After you’ve tried these, it may be difficult to resist the temptation of popping a few extras in your mouth before or after dinner…they are so good!

Sesame-Orange Shrimp from Eating Well
3 T. sesame seeds (black, white, or mix)
2 large egg whites
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. peeled (we remove the tails, too) & deveined raw shrimp (21-25 per pound…you can some a bit smaller/larger)
2 T. canola oil, divided
3/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. dry sherry (can substitute apple cider)
2 T. reduce sodium soy sauce (can also use regular)
1 tsp. sugar
1 scallion, thinly sliced

1. Whisk sesame seeds, egg whites, cornstarch, salt, & pepper in a large bowl.  Add shrimp & toss to coat.
2. Heat 1 T. of oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add half the shrimp (individually place them in the pan…do not dump the shrimp & batter together into the pan…it will make a big shrimp pancake!) & cook until golden, 1-2 minutes per side.  Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain.  Repeat with remaining 1 T. oil and the rest of shrimp.  Drain.
3. Add orange juice, sherry, soy sauce, & sugar to pan.  Bring to a boil & cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced by half, 4-6 minutes.  (If it is not thick enough for you, add cornstarch paste/slurry, stir, & let it boil a little more to thicken.) 
4. Return shrimp to pan & stir to coat.  Remove from heat, top with scallion, & serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Variations:  There are a lot of changes you can make to this recipe if you want to experiment.  Substitute scallops for the shrimp (or mix them together).  Add in a little orange zest, a 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, or an 1/8 tsp. of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp. of sesame oil over the top with the scallions at the end.  Sauté some mushrooms, snow peas, or green beans to add in.  Have fun with it!

Average Fork Rating:  3.4
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  4
Amazing Diner:  4
Sweet Diner:  2
Little Diner:  3

Dining Deals: Trolley Wing Co., Tomasso’s, & More

Four gift certificate deals for you today:

• Tomasso’s (Orem) – $8 certificate for $4 from Screamin’ Daily Deals today only  Expires Oct. 19.  Tomasso’s offers Italian ice and gelato.  Join Screamin’ Daily Deals here.
• Trolley Wing Co. (Trolley Square) – $20 certificate for $10 from The Daily Deal today only.  Expires Jan. 20.  Trolley Wing Co. has over 30 flavors of chicken wings! 
• Ichiban Sushi (Salt Lake) – $20 certificate for $9.80 from Kostizi with code CLR22 today only.  Expires Nov. 30. 
• Fratelli Ristorante (Sandy) – $50 certificate for $21 from Kostizi with code CLR21 today only. 

Dreyer’s Shakes Coupon

We reviewed Dreyer’s Slow Churned Shakes exactly a month ago.  If you haven’t tried them yet, now is a great time because there is a Buy 2 Get 1 Free coupon on Facebook.  These are $1.50 at Wal-Mart, making them $1.00 each after coupon.  They are also on sale at Smith’s for $1.25 each, making them $0.83 each after coupon! 

Thanks Coupons4Utah!

Wienerschnitzel BOGO Pretzel Bun Chili Dog

Photo by cytosine.

Wienerschnitzel is offering a Facebook coupon for buy one Pretzel Bun Chili Dog, get one free.  Expires July 24.  Go to Facebook to get it.

Domino’s $7.99 Carry-Out Pizza

Photo by Steve Tolcher.

For a limited time, Domino’s is offering 3-topping pizzas for $7.99 Monday through Wednesday– carryout only.  Should be available at most locations.  Ask for the “Early Week Pick-Me-Up Deal” or order online.

Dining Deals for Today

Just walked in the door from a day of traveling & found these delicious dining deals:

• Buca di Beppo – Print a coupon for $10 off any purchase of $20 or more (dine in or take out).  Expires July 27.  Thanks Coupons4Utah!
• E Café (Orem) – Get a $10 certificate for $5 at Screamin’ Daily Deals today only.  Expires Oct. 19. 
• Chuck E. Cheese’s (Orem location only) – Pay $20 for a large one-topping pizza, four large drinks, & 120 tokens ($45 value) from Groupon.  Available through Wednesday.  Expires Dec. 31.  Join Groupon here.
• India House (Sandy) – Pay $23 for dinner for 2 (includes an order of Tandoori flatbread, two entrees, and two drinks – a $46.55 value) from Groupon.  Available through Wednesday.  Expires Nov. 30.  Join Groupon here.

Crazy List of Dining Deals

This is a crazy long list of dining deals!  Enjoy!

• Chili’s – Kids eat free today and tomorrow (July 18-19).  Print this coupon for the 18th and this one for the 19th.  Two kids eat free with each paying adult.
• Carl’s Jr. – Several great printable coupons are available on their site.  Check them out here.  Don’t forget to check out the Wheel of Awesomeness on their Facebook page to win more coupons!  Thanks Coupons4Utah!
• YoWay Yogurt (2100 S. Salt Lake) – Get a $10 certificate for $5 at The Daily Deal today only.  Expires Oct. 4.  Don’t have an account yet?  Sign up here.
• Blackjack Pizza (Provo) – Pay $8 for one large cheese pizza, one cinnabread, and one order of breadsticks (worth $15).  Get it at DealsthatMatter here.  Expires Oct. 21.  Available through Wednesday.  Sign up for a new account and get a $5 credit, making this deal $3!
• Yo Mamma’s BBQ (West Jordan) – Get a $26 dinner for 2 for only $13 at DealsThatMatter.  Available through Tuesday.  Expires Oct. 20.  Sign up for a new account and get a $5 credit.
• Coney’s Custard (American Fork & Orem) – Get $15-worth of certificates (two that are $7.50 each) for only $7.50 at DealDragon here.  May only use one at a time.  Expires one year from purchase date.

Eat Out Review: Dairy Keen

 

If you’ve driven down Main Street in Heber City, Utah, you’ve probably seen Dairy Keen even if you haven’t actually stopped.  The building is reminiscent of a train stop and has an overall train theme…they even renamed their restaurant “Home of the Train – Dairy Keen” when they rebuilt the place in the last 1990’s, but I think everyone still called it “Dairy Keen.”  Interesting name…and there’s a story to it.  When it was originally opened, the owners were trying to save money and had owned a Dairy Queen previously, so they just changed the QU to a K! 

Dairy Keen is a local fast food joint known for its ice cream and hamburgers, so on a recent drive through Heber, we stopped for a little of both.  The place was crowded and crazy when we arrived, but it was because we had arrived at the same time as two large groups.  Soon it settled down to a reasonable crowd. 

After ordering, we were excited to try their new drink machines.  They have two Coke Freestyle machines that allow you to mix and match drink flavors with syrups for over 100 flavor combinations with everything from regular Coca-Cola to Peach Fanta, Coke with Raspberry or Barq’s Vanilla.  It’s fun just to look at all the options and even more fun to sample them!  Coke has been testing these machines all over the country since 2009, but more and more are popping up and I hope they’re here to stay!

After playing around with the drink machines, the little diners kept occupied with all the fun things they have around the dining area.  They have both a lego table and a train table in addition to a coin-operated “Harry Potter” train.  We popped a quarter in to see what it did, but it was a bit disappointing…it just goes back and forth inside the cabinet.  The main star of the place is the train that goes around a track right next to the ceiling.  There are mini murals along the track and it is quite fun to watch.

Dairy Keen has incorporated a buzzer system for orders (similar to what many sit-down restaurants use when you have to wait for a table).  When you order, you are given a buzzer that goes off when your order is ready and you pick it up at the counter.  Better than calling out names, in my opinion.

We got our food and stopped by the condiment station for their delicious fry sauce – yum!  Mr. Diner ordered their signature Train Burger…a quarter pounder with ham, melted swiss and American cheese, in addition to their special sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.  Even though it’s only a quarter pounder, it’s a big burger!  The flavors melded together well and it was dee-licious!  I wanted to save room for ice cream, so I ordered the Jr. Cheeseburger with onion rings.  The Jr. Cheeseburger was a smaller hamburger with cheese, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, and pickles.  I added tomato, but you can add almost anything to any hamburger for no charge.  My sandwich was disappointing…it was room temperature, which makes it hard to comment on whether it would have been good hot because a cold hamburger is just a big turnoff!  The onion rings, on the other hand, were very good!  They were breaded (I know some like only breaded or battered…I like both!) and crispy.  The little diners had corn dogs and I snatched some of their fries, which were good, but I preferred the onion rings!  After all that, there wasn’t much room for ice cream, but several of us topped it off by getting a baby swirl cone, which is just the right amount to top off a meal.  Just a little bit of ice cream for less than 50 cents a cone.  It is teeny, so if you want a real ice cream cone, go for a bigger one (they have three other sizes).  It was good ice cream…very creamy. 

Next time, I think Mr. Diner and I will split a Train Burger with an order of onion rings and share a shake.  But we’ll both have to get our own fountain drink just to play with the machine again!  For those who don’t like burgers, they also have chicken options, cold and grilled sandwiches, salads, and a few other items.  Outdoor dining is available including a fun little train of dining tables.  There is also a drive-though for those wanting to get something without going in. 

Entrée Price:  $
Average Fork Rating:  3.8
Mr. Diner:  4
Mrs. Diner:  3
Amazing Diner:  4
Sweet Diner:  4
Little Diner:  4