CLOSED: Las Glorias hews to familiar Mexican theme in Orem
The Chimichanga Plate at Las Glorias in Provo Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2012. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
Enchiladas La Gloria at Las Glorias in Provo Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2012. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that La Puente Mexican Restaurant in Orem is no more. The good news, especially for those who enjoyed the menu and atmosphere at La Puente, is that Las Glorias Mexican Restaurant is now open in the same location. The decor is suspiciously familiar and, frankly, so is the menu.
On the other hand, you know how the old saying goes: A carne asada burrito by any other name would still tempt me to visit a second time.
We stopped in at Las Glorias on a Thursday night with three small children and were seated immediately. The pre-meal dispensation of free chips and salsa that used to be the norm at Mexican restaurants is a rapidly vanishing phenomenon, so it was nice to have plenty of chips and salsa for the group to share (quickly and politely replenished when we ran out) while we waited for our order.
Since apparently eating chips and salsa — and lots of them — is our thing at Mexican restaurants, we began with a half-order of the Nachos Fiesta from the appetizers menu. Even a half-order was almost more than two adults could finish (with sporadic assistance from our 8-year-old). With beef, beans, cheese, jalapeños, sour cream and guacamole on a bed of crisp tortilla chips, the nachos are practically a meal unto themselves, and if you upsize to the Nachos a la Gloria, then you get chorizo instead of beef, along with the addition to the basic blueprint of chili verde, pico de gallo and olives.
The Burritos New Mexico is a scrumptious selection from the host of burrito options, with your choice of grilled chicken or my old friend carne asada, along with two cheeses, pico, jalapeños, avocado slices and sour cream. The lettuce and tomatoes are served as a garnish since the Burritos New Mexico is lightly fried, which makes its flour tortilla exterior flaky and crisp.
To get a taste of several menu items for one low price, we tried the No. 1 combination platter, which comes with — are you sitting down? — a cheese enchilada, a tostada, a taco, a burrito, chili verde, rice, beans and a flour tortilla. The combination platter is a reliable option for indecisive diners at Mexican restaurants, except that with as many eye-filling options as you get from the No. 1 at Las Glorias, you may not be able to make up your mind where to stick your fork first.
We also enjoyed the chicken chimichanga, and washed it all down with a few tall glasses of sweet, cold horchata. The staff seemed small on the night that we showed up, but we enjoyed polite, attentive service throughout our visit and waited no longer than usual to receive our freshly made entrees.
La Puente may have crossed over to the secret restaurant burial ground, but Las Glorias seems poised to proudly carry on its legacy. (As well as its decor. And possibly its menu. You know what they say … )
Las Glorias
Where: 1065 S. 750 East, Orem
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Prices: Entrees: $5.64 to $39.50; sides, appetizers and brunch also available
Info: (801) 437-9595, www.lasgloriasutah.com