Orem’s La Brioche showcases Argentina’s globe-trotting cuisine
Assorted pastries are available at La Brioche Panaderia Argentina, a restaurant in Orem.
The Choripán sandwich at La Brioche Panaderia Argentina.
Milanesa a Caballo, a thin breaded steak with sunny-side up eggs and lemon juice seasoning, at La Brioche Panaderia Argentina.
Assorted pastries are available at La Brioche Panaderia Argentina in Orem. Visit heraldextra.com/ticket to read a review.
If they’re good, always return to the restaurants you’ve reviewed.
That seems like a no-brainer. Good food should be enjoyed time and time again, right? Well, yeah. The reasons for going back, I’ve learned, aren’t always what you’d expect.
I reviewed Maria Bonita Mexican Grill roughly a year ago. It was good. Every time I try to go back, though, they’re closed for one holiday or another. This happened again a few weeks ago — it might have been New Year’s Eve. Bad planning on my part. Still frustrating either way.
As my hopes were once again dashed, I caught another restaurant out of the corner of my eye. The sign read, “La Brioche Panaderia Argentina.” Argentinian restaurants aren’t common around here, to my knowledge.
La Brioche was closed that night, too, so I made a mental note to return. It’s a good thing I did.
The restaurant/bakery serves a variety of meals and pastries. Admittedly, I’m not well-versed (or even just versed) in Argentinian cuisine. I can’t vouch for La Brioche’s authenticity. But hey, I can discuss whether or not it tasted good.
The good news is that yes, the food was awesome. Both the main courses and desserts did not disappoint. Let’s start with the main courses.
Of the non-pastries we ordered, my personal favorite was the Choripán. The popular South American sandwich includes a beef and pork sausage served on a roll and topped with fresh tomato slices, lettuce, mayo and chimichurri sauce. Man, this was good chorizo. Hearty and flavorful with a subtly spicy zip, the Choripán’s sausage could have been a meal in itself. It also made for great next-day leftovers — not always possible with sandwiches.
We also enjoyed the Milanesa a Caballo, a thin breaded steak with a sunny-side up egg on top, seasoned with lemon juice and served with fries. I’m no stranger to eggs atop slabs of meat — looking at you, hamburgers — but the Milanesa a Caballo delivered a unique flavor combo that I hadn’t experienced before. The taste of breaded steak, combined with eggs and lemon juice, is an experience you won’t want to miss.
Have you ever tried ñoquis? The potato dumplings, more commonly known by their Italian spelling “gnocchis,” are served with homemade spaghetti sauce, seasoned beef chunks and Parmesan cheese at La Brioche. I love how Argentinian cuisine pulls from different regions. Italian, French and Latin foods all fall under Argentina’s culinary umbrella. From the ñoquis to the Latin empanadas and French-inspired pastries, we got a taste of Argentina’s unique palate.
La Brioche has a wide assortment of pastries. It’d take a bunch of visits to try them all — and, God and blood sugar willing, I’ll make these visits in time. We tried four different kinds, which covered the sweetness spectrum (chocolate, leche, powdered sugar, cream filling, glazed fruits). They were all wonderful. My previous experience with Latin pastries was that they tend to be rather dry. Not so here. La Brioche’s pastries taste more French than anything. How sweet it was.
LA BRIOCHE PANADERIA ARGENTINA
Where: 845 N. 100 West #104, Orem
Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Prices: Meals $5-$9, pastries $1-$4
Info: (801) 802-7740, labriocheargentina.com, facebook.com/labriochebakery
Dining
