Opportunity Reopens Doors to The Over Bite - A Restaurant Review.

The Over Bite

133 E Center Street, Monticello, UT, 84535

(435) 485-0550

Hours of Operation: Friday-Tuesday 7am-2pm; Closed Wednesday,Thursday and Sunday.

 

 

 

Due to demands of full-time jobs, away from The Over Bite, the former owners needed to say goodbye to their dream child.  Fortunately, this provided an opportunity to Shylowe and Patrick Chadd, since they were seeking a new financial venture.  So, when opportunity came a-knocking, they opened their doors, and The Over Bite did too.  July 16, 2025 was reopening day, and the community has been singing their praises.

Shylowe, from Blanding, was no stranger to the restaurant industry, having experience in both waitressing/customer service, and management.  She received an LLC for her personal business venture, Wholesome Cravings, since baking is a passion.  Her expertise is in sourdough, and her bread, which is tender and delicious, is a best seller.  She also includes sourdough in the creation of cookies and cinnamon rolls which sell out of the display case quickly.  In essence, Shylowe is the “Queen of Sourdough”, and once you taste her baked goods, you will agree to that title.

Sourdough Bread, Cookies, Cinnamon Roll.

 

 

Not to be ignored is her supportive husband, Patrick, from Salt Lake City, and he is no slouch. While in Tooele County, he began “Patrick's Picture Perfect Painting LLC” which has become very popular for interior, and exterior painting, cabinetry refinishing, and drywall.  Good news for San Juan County, as plans are in the works for expanding this business here.  He understands the need for tradespeople, and hopes this will influence others to come into the area.

Back to The Over Bite, baking is done on premises as is the slicing of the meats and cheeses for their signature breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and salads.  While Sysco is a major supplier of food services, shopping locally, at Blue Mountain Foods, provides needed ingredients as well.  Shylowe and Patrick are lucky to have two hardworking staff members, Evan and Kennedy, and the steady stream of customers keeps them busy!

 

The menu contains some old favorites, but several newer items are becoming best sellers, like, the Gooseneck Grinder and Red Rock Gobbler.  The menu has also been streamlined, so decision making is quicker and easier.  My hubby, Roy, basically scarfed down the Hole in the Rock Hero; it was just too good to stop eating and take a breath.  Choosing toasted wheat bread, it contains: roast beef, pepperjack cheese, tomatoes, sprouts, red onion, mayonnaise, roasted red peppers and creamy horseradish sauce.  The creamy horseradish sauce is housemade by Shylowe, and truly umphs up the overall taste of this sandwich.

 

 

 

I ordered my favorite, the club, the Comb Ridge Club, with toasted wheat bread (white is another option), ham, turkey, bacon, Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.  All sandwiches come with kettle style chips and a pickle spear. Since I was busy interviewing the Chadds, I could only devour have my sandwich, but that left me the other half to snack on later.  It was worth it at lunch time, and very well worth the wait at snack time.

 

The Chadds understand that sitting on their current laurels will not keep their business sustainable.  Food items we will be seeing in the future are housemade soups served in sourdough bread bowls, green chili as a soup and as a condiment, along with other hot items that will be perfect when the temperatures turn colder.  For the holidays, handmade candies will be for sale; and personalized gift baskets are an option for any occasion.  Also, do not be surprised to see the baking display case explode with new tempting sweets and treats.

Goals, focusing on the community, will be karoke and game nights, plus other activities, so our youth have someplace to hang out after school lets out.  Of course, the restaurant is available for catered events, meetings, club activities, or get-togethers.  There is great appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our first responders, so law enforcement, fire and rescue, and EMS are very welcome to stop in for a free cup of coffee, or cold beverage.

So, whether you are hankering for a breakfast or lunch sandwich, salad, or thirsty for a coffee beverage, smoothie, or any other of the cold drinks available, The Over Bite will satisfy.  Not hungry or thirsty, stop by anyway, say hello, wish the Chadds all the luck in the world, and support the success of The Over Bite!

Mary Cokenour

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice.

 “Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.”

 ~ Charles M. Schulz, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown ~

Autumn signifies the time when the earth will begin its last hurrah, before descending into a deep winter’s sleep.  Any fruits, vegetables, nuts or other types of edible plants must be picked quickly before they wither, die and become fertilizer for the ground.  However, there is one plant that defies autumn’s wish to rest, and that is squash.  The majority of squash varieties are ready for harvest from late summer to mid-winter, so long as frost and snow do not destroy newly blooming flowers.  The “ber” months particularly embrace a most popular squash, the pumpkin which can be eaten as a soup, used to make a multitude of desserts, added to a number of main dish recipes, and do not forget snacking on the roasted seeds.

Why do we love pumpkins so much?  First has to do with the sense of sight.  The orange coloring reminds us of the full brightness of the summer sun. The sun’s fullness will diminish as winter sets in, darkening our skies for a longer period of time.  Second comes the sense of taste, as the meat of the pumpkin may be slightly sweet, but creamy in texture.  Adding ingredients to it creates dishes that are full of comfort; just what we are seeking as the temperatures drop.  While we can don coats and sweaters, or wrap ourselves in blankets, it is our body’s insides that need soothing warmth as well.  Third, and we really do not tend to think about this, but pumpkin is rich in fiber to feel full, support digestion and regularity, and is low in sugar.

This brings me to “pumpkin spice”.  What exactly is it, and why is it craved by many, especially during the “ber” months?  Depending on whose family recipe you are following, or which brand you are buying at the store, pumpkin spice can be a combination of three to five spices.  The main three are cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; allspice is the popular fourth, ginger is fifth, and if you want to be truly adventurous, try using cardamom.  Depending on which folklore you are researching, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves are traditionally used to repel evil, and placed in amulets.  The current joke on Facebook is, “In folklore, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves repel the evil and the foul. Remember that when you hear people complaining about pumpkin spice and they hate it.”   This is a joke based upon actual folklore, so…

Now I have written about pumpkin cheesecake, bread, muffins, pies and a variety of pumpkin infused cookie recipes, including biscotti; what have I missed?  Pancakes!  Light, fluffy pancakes infused with the creaminess of pumpkin, and the spices that scream, “Tis the season for colorful leaves, bonfires, warm apple cider and pumpkin spice!”

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

 Ingredients:

 2 cups all-purpose flour (add 3 Tbsp. for high altitude)

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. ground allspice

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar (equal amount of Splenda or Truvia Baking Blend works too)

1 and ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree (Not pumpkin pie filling)

2 eggs, large

4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

1 and ½ cup milk (2%)

Preparation:

Preheat griddle or large non-stick skillet to medium heat.

Into a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.  Into a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and milk.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The batter might still a little lumpy, do not over mix, or pancakes will not rise well; set batter aside for 5 minutes.

If not using a non-stick griddle, coat with butter; use a 1/4 measuring cup to spoon batter on to griddle or skillet, and spread out to 4-inch circle.  If you like larger pancakes, use 1/3 cup for 6-inch circles.  Cook each pancake for approximately 3-4 minutes per side.  After removing pancakes, if butter had been added and residue looks dark, wipe away before beginning next batch of pancakes.

     

 For added texture or taste, add ¼ cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans, or chocolate chips.

Hot maple syrup is our favorite, but whipped cream or powdered sugar is a nice touch too.

Mary Cokenour