Black Sheep Cafe in Provo definitely stands out from the herd
The Navajo Taco Trio and a glass of cactus pear lemonade from Black Sheep Cafe in Provo. Photographed on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
The Bleu Fire Shrimp from Black Sheep Cafe in Provo. Photographed on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
The Amano Dos Rios Molten Chocolate Cake from Black Sheep Cafe in Provo features chocolate from Art Pollard in Orem. Photographed on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
Customers review the menu at Black Sheep Cafe in Provo on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
If the Black Sheep Cafe in downtown Provo were about to burn to the ground and I could only save one entree, then I’d probably experience an agonizing and fiery death, because who could possibly make a decision like that? The Black Sheep has only been open since January, and yet I feel like it’s been waiting for me all my life.
The biggest question on our minds after dining at the Black Sheep on a recent Saturday afternoon was how soon we could dine there again. We didn’t get to try everything on the menu, after all, and if the ancient Mayans were right, then there’s not much time left to correct that oversight.
There’s both a new restaurant feel and a lived-in ambience at the Black Sheep — the inside space has been recently remodeled, but in the low-key way of an old house that’s been modernized without losing its homey charm. For those who have an interest in Native American art, there’s also a tiny artist’s workspace tucked in beside the entry and various arts items for sale.
Black Sheep Cafe specializes in “contemporary Southwestern Native American cuisine,” and the menu is built around a centerpiece selection of Navajo tacos. The Navajo tacos are exceptional, but if our experience is anything to judge by, then you won’t go wrong by branching out and trying a little bit of everything. Even the items on the children’s menus are serious fare, and seriously good. Our 7-year-old ordered the blue corn tortilla-wrapped taquitos, and they showed up looking so tasty that everyone tried them.
We chose the Black Sheep Salad from the selection of salads, and savored its excellent mix of crisp greens with candied walnuts, red onion, dried fruits and house dressing (a cactus pear vinaigrette). The Green Chile Stew was another starter that would be more than sufficient as its own reason for a visit: The mixture of tender pork and perfectly cooked vegetables got just the right kick from the accompanying blend of fire-roasted chiles.
For the main event, we settled on the Goat Burger and the Green Chile Pork Navajo Taco. The burger, like the other burger and sandwich selections on the menu, was served with nanniskadii — a thick, savory flatbread sort of like a slightly overstuffed tortilla — instead of a bun, and if I could get nanniskadii at the grocery store, I might never eat a burger on a bun again.
I might never eat a burger again, actually, unless it’s at Black Sheep Cafe, because the hand-formed, exquisitely seasoned ground beef patties are just that good. Our server told us the Goat Burger (named for its goat cheese; the other fixings are Portobello mushroom slices, roasted garlic, red bell pepper and lettuce) is the most popular item on the menu, and we could certainly understand why.
On the other hand, the other two burgers available sounded so mouth-watering that I almost can’t imagine not enjoying them equally. The burgers come with your choice of sweet potato fries (which are fantastic), spiced and salted fries, or Southwestern street corn (both of which we wish we could have tried).
The Green Chile Pork Navajo Taco was also superb, with thick, warm frybread, fresh diced tomatoes and slow-cooked pork served in a flavorful green chile sauce and garnished with queso menonita (a soft white Mexican cheese) and cilantro. We ordered from the lunch menu — which offers slightly smaller portions at reduced prices — so we didn’t get a shot at the dinner-only Navajo Taco Trio plate, which lets you try all three varieties on the menu. Curses!
We also didn’t get to try the Cactus Pear Lemonade, which was out of stock, or the Amano Molten Chocolate Cake, which was just beyond the grasp of our review budget. As far as I’m concerned, that’s just two reasons among many that we’ll be back at the Black Sheep long before anyone finds out whether the ancient Mayans were as serious as cancer, or just goofing off.
Where: 19 N. University Ave., Provo
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Prices: $4-$13 (lunch menu), $6-$15 (dinner menu)
Info: (801) 607-2485, www.facebook.com/blacksheepcafe