Emanuel’s Fresh Grill adds spice to valley’s Mex mix
The steak burrito at Emanuel's Fresh Grill in Provo Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
The enchiladas verde plate at Emanuel's Fresh Grill in Provo Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
The chimichanga plate at Emanuel's Fresh Grill in Provo Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
The chicken fajita salad at Emanuel's Fresh Grill in Provo Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. MARK JOHNSTON/Daily Herald
My wife is friends with Utah Valley singer, songwriter and storyteller Sam Payne, or at least she is on Facebook. The only time they really hang out is when we go to see one of his always excellent live shows. You know how it is. I mention the connection not just to brag about our awesome taste in folk rock, but because Sam is directly responsible for our discovering Emanuel’s Fresh Grill in Provo.
On the day after Christmas, at 7:12 p.m., Sam issued the following Facebook status update: “When one lives too far from Lone Star to drive there on a snowy night, there’s no place like Emanuel’s in Provo for tacos!” My first thought was that he must be referring to either Lone Star Steakhouse or Lone Star from “Spaceballs,” either of which would seem to be a peculiar destination for tacos. (Turns out he probably meant Lone Star Taqueria in Salt Lake City. Thanks, Google!)
My second thought, however, was, “There’s a place for great tacos in Provo that I don’t already recognize by name? Awesome!” We discovered that Emanuel’s would be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, so we quickly deployed the Rapid Response Dining Review Task Force and braved freezing temperatures and snowy roads to make an early evening visit.
Emanuel’s occupies what I believe is a historic fast food location on 900 East in Provo, formerly the site of a locally popular and architecturally distinctive McDonald’s. Emanuel’s is no McMexican restaurant, however, with excellent fresh salads, chimis and enchiladas. Oh, and — as informally advertised on Facebook — the tacos are really good, too.
We made the most of our review budget by opting for a series of combination plates, all of which proved very reasonably priced for the amount of food provided. Emanuel’s is an order-at-the-counter place, so they don’t have complimentary chips and salsa, but we got enough chips and sharp, creamy salsa (almost certainly a house blend) for just $1.99 to keep two adults and two children more than contented while we waited for our food.
As an adult, I’ve moved on from a lot of the chicken- and beef-based dishes that my younger self used to enjoy because a lot of restaurants don’t do much to season their meats. So I’m pleased to report that Emanuel’s has discovered a highly suitable balance between overwhelming and unimproved. The Beef Chimichanga was a favorite both for the tender shredded meat and the thick tortilla, nicely crisped and flaky.
And while the Chicken Fajita Salad, with black beans, white rice, avocado slices, crisp greens, and a creamy cilantro dressing is easily large enough to satisfy two diners, I ate most of it myself, because the grilled chicken breast was just that good.
We also enjoyed the savory Enchiladas Verdes and a tasty shredded beef sope with pico de gallo and creamy dressing. Last, but certainly not least, we tried a taco plate with hard-shelled chicken tacos, and even though I haven’t yet eaten at Lone Star — the steakhouse, movie character, or taqueria — I agree with Sam Payne that Emanuel’s knows tacos.
Social media Luddite that I am, I don’t have a Facebook page or Twitter feed to spread the news. Maybe I’ll go have another Chicken Fajita Salad at Emanuel’s Fresh Grill and see whether I can think of some other way to get the word out.
Where: 520 N. 900 East, Provo
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Cost: Most entrees $5 to $10
Info: (801) 960-9343, www.facebook.com/pages/Emanuels-Fresh-Grill/453005888053197