Words of wisdom: Wander in for dessert after conference
Feasting upon the words of Latter-day Saint church leaders during the priesthood session of general conference can make a fellow, well, hungry. For many fathers and sons, brothers and bros, going out for treats after priesthood session is a time-honored tradition. Here, then, are a few Utah County locations that just might hit the spot following the Saturday evening session of the 183rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of course, they’d also be good for any occasion.
Smart Cookie Company
Feed your belly and your mind at this delightful dessert shop, which offers a dozen or so different kinds of gourmet cookies and ice cream flavors. (For best results, combine the two into a custom-made ice cream sandwich.) Frosted sugar cookie offerings include red velvet, mint chocolate fudge and cinnamon, while the classic gourmet cookies include peanut butter, oatmeal chocolate coconut and snickerdoodle. The menu rotates, so the best way to find out what Smart Cookie will be serving on Saturday is to check it out in person.
— 743 W. 100 North, American Fork, (801) 492-1711, additional Midvale location, www.smartcookiecompany.com
Iceberg Drive Inn
Shake it up, baby, at this legendary burger joint. The milkshakes here are so big they have to be served with an overflow cup and come in flavors like coconut, rootbeer, butterscotch and cheesecake. There are even specialty nut shakes, such as caramel pecan, rocky road and praline caramel. For extra hungry men, Iceberg also serves classic American fare such as burgers, fries, hot dogs and onion rings.
— 180 N. State St., Orem, (801) 802-7430, and other Utah locations, www.icebergdriveinn.com
CLOSED: Orange Leaf
If you’ve got a big group to accommodate, the Orange Leaf frozen yogurt chain offers an astounding number of options, sure to please even the pickiest palate. Customers pay by the ounce and can choose from a rotating menu of yogurt flavors, featuring everything from pomegranate to watermelon to wedding cake. From there, you can top it off all healthy-like with mangos and bananas, or go for a more decadent dish with gummy bears, brownies and bits of Butterfinger.
— 5435 W. 11000 North, Highland, (801) 855-0580, and other Utah locations, orangeleafyogurt.com
Kneaders Bakery & Café
Chances are, if your wife and daughters didn’t go to Café Rio, they went to Kneaders during priesthood session. Chase them down and enjoy one of the café’s famous pastries. On a Saturday night, it’s very likely the raspberry bread pudding will be sold out at any given location. If not, we recommend ordering as many servings as are left. Kneaders also makes very good mint brownies, sugar cookies and lemon bars, as well as a number of delicious pies and cakes (available by the slice). If you are looking for something more substantial, Kneaders offers salads, soups, sandwiches and smoothies in addition to its baked goods.
— 1484 N. Redwood Road, Saratoga Springs, (801) 407-8363, and other Utah locations, www.kneadersbakery.com
J Dawgs
This treat is more savory than sweet, but J Dawgs is the ideal location if you’re looking to have some serious male bonding. At the restaurant, order a Polish or beef hot dog, than dress it up with condiments such as banana peppers, jalapeños or sauerkraut. You can also add some of the restaurant’s “special sauce,” a sweet and tangy topping that makes the fare at J Dawgs highly addictive. Add some chips and wash it down with a soda served over pebble ice, and you’ve got the makings of the day’s perfect fourth meal.
— 858 N. 700 East, Provo, (801) 373-3294, and other Utah County locations, www.jdawgs.com