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A carnitas taco, left, and an al pastor taco, right, at Blue Pablano in Provo on Monday, May 13, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald

Spenser Heaps

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French toast with powdered sugar, and eggs, bacon, and orange juice, is one the most popular breakfast orders at Cafe 300 in Provo, shown on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. SARAH WEISER/Daily Herald

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Cafe 300

If it wasn’t for a referral by a co-worker, we might have missed out on Cafe 300. One thing you notice right away upon entering the cozy restaurant, located on 300 South in Provo, is that you are probably in for a unique dining experience. Missing was the hustle and bustle of a typical restaurant — and it was replaced with a casual down-home vibe. The restaurant comes by that feeling honestly, as we learned, as it is a completely family-run business. The dinner menu is pretty straightforward, with three main entrees, seven different sandwiches, seven burger options and four salad choices. We enjoyed the Tri-Tip Roast, the Club Sandwich and Bacon Cheeseburger. The onion rings, Ranch Beans and clam chowder were also great. Cafe 300 also offers breakfast and lunch menus and extremely friendly service.

— 279 E. 300 South, Provo, (801) 691-0218, www.cafeon300.com

Blue Pablano

Blue Pablano on Center Street in Provo is a sister restaurant to nearby Black Sheep Cafe — it’s essentially Black Sheep reborn as a taqueria, which is simply a fantastic idea. The tacos might seem a little pricey — the cheapest is $3.25 — but would you rather have 50-cent tacos with a side of self-loathing at Del Taco, or eat a little less and taste a whole lot more? There are four varieties of tacos — chicken, carnitas, al pastor and steak — and you can get the same four fillings in burritos. Don’t worry if you have trouble deciding. The food is so good that the only wrong choice would be to not drop in for a visit.

— 434 W. Center St., Provo, (801) 607-5951