Shake Shack Built on Frozen Royalty.

Shake Shack

364 North Main Street (Route 191)
Monticello, Utah, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-2966

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/frosteezshakeshack

Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Saturday; 12pm to 9pm

I first reviewed Shake Shack in August 2011, and I've got good news and good news.  First, the good news is that Shake Shack is still open every year during the warmer months.  Second, the good news is that the service, food, ice cream products and 1950s atmosphere is still going strong.

After the sale of the “Bailey and Wood Market”, Ralph Arthur Bailey needed a new venture. In 1954, the Dairy Queen Company was offering franchises throughout the United States. With his experience with freezers and food sales, Ralph decided bringing ice cream to Monticello would be a great idea, and he was correct. Monticello’s Dairy Queen (original address 612 North Main Street) opened that year; a simple walk up to the window store that offered up soft serve cones or in cups, and other frozen treats.

In 1972, Ralph passed on; the store was purchased by Jan and Grayson Redd; 1975 the interior dining room was added to the building. Their relationship with Dairy Queen ended in 1987; Shake Shack was born, but here’s a nifty piece of history for you…they are still using the original ice cream maker from 1954! The ice cream and dining menus built up over the years, and it was in 2007 that the Redds decided it was time to go on a diet. The parents of Teresa Brooks purchased the Shack, but quickly sold it off to their daughter and she is still running it today…thank you Teresa!


The Shake Shack is reminiscent of those 50s style diners where you can still get a burger, fries, with a drink or shake, and not leave your wallet empty. It's the type of place where you can sit down with friends and/or family, enjoy a good meal or just dessert; not feel rushed out or unwelcome. The menu is not huge in variety which is fine as it gives Teresa, and her friendly staff, the benefit of getting orders done up quickly and correctly. Another important point, the beef for burgers, potatoes for fries, and ice cream ingredients are locally sourced through Blue Mountain Meats.

Enough history, let’s get to the good stuff; the food and desserts! All food is cooked to order, not premade and sitting under a heat lamp; burgers are juicy half pounders with a variety of toppings offered, even an old fashioned patty melt. Chicken sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, French or curly fries, and the yummiest onion rings. 

Mushroom Melt, Patty Melt, Onion Rings, French Fries

Inside the Patty Melt
 

So, you already know that the soft serve is still made with the original Dairy Queen machine from 1954. But did you know that the shakes are thick, hand mixed and…wait for it…above the rim!?! Dairy Queen’s Blizzards may have started the trend, but Shake Shack has perfected it with real pieces of fruit, and cake, yes, cake! Take, for example, the raspberry cheesecake shake; real chopped up raspberries and cheesecake pieces…cheesecake!!! Not in the mood for a shake, how about a whopping banana split, sundae, float or freezer? Soft serve or hard served, the ice cream is awesomely great in a cone or dish. You so want to try out the newest item on the menu, homemade waffle cones; crunchy goodness! Teresa loves to play inventor and come up with winning combinations for our taste buds.

Real Cheesecake pieces folded into the shake.

Built on ice cream royalty, Dairy Queen; Shake Shack is proving to locals and visitors alike that a brand name can be outdone when you love and enjoy what you do.

Mary Cokenour

PJs Restaurant; Small Menu, Big Food

PJs Restaurant

216 East Center Street
Monticello, Utah, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-2335

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pjsofmonticello


Located on Center Street aka Route 491, the colorful building housing PJs is up for sale, but still open for business.  The interior is divided up into two sections; the restaurant and the pool hall which also has tables for dining.

Lets get to my favorite part, the menu and ordering; the menu is on a board next to the kitchen counter where you place your order.  Whether it is take out or dine in, the food will be brought out to you with a smile.  The menu itself is small in comparison to most places that also serve burgers and fries; but this is great food done up right, not fast food sitting under a heat lamp.

After ordering a cheeseburger which comes with fries, I asked about the Buffalo Wings.  I love Buffalo Wings, but only if they're deep fried, then sauced.  Many places bake the wings; and I abhor mushy, gummy skin on my wings!  For all you lovers of authentic Buffalo wings, I have found nirvana for you...PJs does them right, deep fried and sauced!!!


Update: I went back on January 24, 2015 and got the Buffalo Wings with fries.  You have a choice of two sauces: hot or sweet and spicy; I chose sweet and spicy.  By themselves, these wings are uplifting; dip them into the ranch dressing that comes with the meal and you won't want your feet to touch the ground again.










Anyway, the cheeseburger is massive; 4 and 1/2 inches in diameter making it stick outside the 4 and 1/4 inch bun, and its 1/4 inch thick; lettuce, pickles, onion, ketchup and mustard are the toppings.  The French fries were so loaded up (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside), they were spilling off my plate; and yes!  they come with Utah's favorite, fry sauce.







Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; if you need a meal to take on a hike or picnic, PJs can box it up for you, no problem.

Thankfully, PJs has stayed open while it has been for sale; just hoping that whoever eventually buys it will keep the concept of good food done right, not nasty fast food...and don't do away with those authentic buffalo wings!

Mary Cokenour

French Cuisine is a fail at home.

I have only eaten French food a few times and I have to admit I am not a big fan. Can I explain why? Not really, perhaps it was the atmosphere of the restaurants and the pretentious attitudes of the staff that turned me off to it. Perhaps it was the dishes I tried, drenched in sauce and too sweet; not being an expert in French cooking, maybe they weren't cooked correctly in the first place? I don't know.

I am a comfort cook, so more than likely the dishes I had were just too on the frou-frou end of the French cooking spectrum. Now I had heard of French peasant cuisine, so did a little reading about that. That seemed geared more towards my liking for comfort style food, so I came up with a recipe called Rustic Chicken. Earthy flavors with a mild sweetness coming from tomatoes and a just as mild tang from Dijon mustard.

I happen to like the result, but Roy, my hubby, doesn't agree with me. His assessment was, "it tastes too foreign". Now this was confusing to me considering I cook Italian, Slavic, Mexican and Asian cuisines for him. So I pushed for a more specific critique and got, "I don't know, it tastes odd and I just don't like it". Not much to work with there, so I will just say that Roy and I do not like French cuisine, plain and simple.

But here is my recipe, you might like it, you may not, let your palate decide for you.

Rustic Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup shredded smoked ham or thin sliced beef kielbasa
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) artichoke hearts, quartered
1 can (8 oz) whole mushrooms
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¼ cup dry red wine
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup long grain rice.

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except rice, in a 4 qt slow cooker, set on low. Cover and cook for 6 hours; add the rice, mix, cover and let cook for an additional 30-40 minutes; until rice is tender.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Burgers and Slickrock; now that's a combo meal.

Milt's Stop and Eat

356 Millcreek Drive
Moab, UT, 84535

(435) 259-7424

Website: http://www.miltsstopandeat.com/

Established in 1954, Milt's is the place to go for great fast food. Now when I say fast I'm not talking about what is served at the typical fast food places like McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's. I'm talking about really good food that is made to order, so yeah, you might have to wait a good 15-20 minutes for your order. It's worth it though, unless you enjoy reheated burgers from a microwave, or that's been sitting under a heat lamp. If that's your type of meal, then Milt's is not the place for you.

Milt's is not a big place; there are a few seats available inside, but most orders are placed at the window near the back of the place. Once your order is placed and paid for, you wait; there are some tables and benches underneath the trees, but they'll be packed with diners. Most folks take their food and go elsewhere; like the park or one of the many trails.

We indulged in "Milt's Melt", two beef patties with onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese all grilled together between two slices of rye bread. A side of fries with fry sauce (a must to have when visiting Utah), and vanilla milk shakes. Delicious awesomeness!!!

Milt's can satisfy anyone's indulgence; and if visiting Moab, you have to make this place a must visit.

Which comes to the Slickrock part of this post's title; Sand Flats (435) 259-2444; this recreational area is beautiful, and a must see. There are biking and ATV trails, camp sites, and many places for hiking and climbing. From Milt's, just go down to Center Street, hook a right and just keep going till you arrive at the entry booth. A pass for the day is only $5.00; and it's a great place to have a picnic lunch with your food from Milt's.