Paradise Bakery & Cafe

It might seem like a risky proposition to use the word paradise to describe your establishment, but Paradise Bakery & Cafe in American Fork finds itself on solid ground. Paradise boasts great soups (we recommend The Roasted Tomato and the Sonoma Chicken Stew), fresh sandwiches (the Chicken Artichoke Panini and the Chicken Walnut Salad were divine), salads, desserts and breakfast options (quiche pie anyone?). Paradise is also great for kids, with a tailored menu offering macaroni and cheese, as well as sandwiches. You may not want to live in Paradise all the time, but it’s sure a great place to get stranded.

— 562 W. Main St., American Fork, (801) 216-8484, www.paradisebakery.com

La Fountain Mexican Restaurant

Whether you call it La Fountain (as does the sign outside) or La Fuente (as does the menu and website address), there’s no debating that this is a Mexican restaurant with a bevy of house specialties, appetizers and combos that one would expect to encounter in a south-of-the-border dining experience. Our hands-down favorite — and we didn’t put our hands down until we were finished with it — was the chicken and steak fajitas. The whole thing was made even more delicious by adding a side of tasty guacamole. We also sampled the chicken enchiladas and chimichanga, which delivered standard Mexican goodness. A nice place for a Mexican meal, no matter what you call it.

— 101 N. 1200 East Suite #A-6, (801) 766-2619, lafuentemex.com