Good Food, not Fast Food, at the Patio Drive-In.

Patio Drive-In

95 N Grayson Pkwy. (Route 191)

Blanding, Utah, 84511

Phone: (435) 678-2177

Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday, 10:30am – 9pm; Closed Sunday






In the late 1950s, an A&W opened up in Blanding, Utah; with a secondary franchise in Monticello.  While the Monticello location went bust after only two years due to lack of business; the Blanding location was holding strong.  Not wanting to be reigned over by A&W overlords, the owner left the franchise in the mid-1960s and the Patio Drive-In was born.  Since then, as told by Steve Bronson at the Blanding Visitors Center, “The list of people who didn’t own it at one time is far shorter than those who did.”

Patio Drive-In is an example of the 1950s drive-in diner; not as large as “Al’s” on Happy Days, but just as busy with both happy customers and employees.  The current owners, Lana and Ricky Arthur, have owned the restaurant since 2009; they have developed a strict vision statement, “WE ARE NOT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. We are a food establishment reminiscent of a bygone era where the quality of the food meant more to America than how fast it could be served.”  Anyone visiting the Patio can see, and experience, the truth of this statement; people talking, laughing and eating without worrying about the time; no one is rushed out.  Warmer weather can find visitors and locals alike sitting under covered umbrellas at the tables outside, or even sitting on the grassy lawn. 

 

Where's Waldo and Carmen Sandiego; probably at Patio Drive-In.

Order Area

Menu and Server, Heidi

 At Patio, the food is made to order; there are no heat lamp units, the one microwave is for employee personal use only; the food is freshly prepped and freshly cooked…period!  To make the quarter, or half, pound burgers (dependent on type ordered), the meat is partially cooked on the grill, then take a bath in house made au jus before going back onto the grill.  Did you ever wonder why they tasted so beefy and juicy? Now you know the secret, and here’s one more; the grilled chicken soaks in Sierra Mist soda, and another ingredient I swore not to reveal, before hitting the grill.  Do you love melt in the mouth onion rings?  Thinly sliced, separated and soaked in a buttermilk bath; hand dredged through a seasoned flour mixture; then deep fried to a golden brown.  Excuse me while I wipe the drool off the side of my chin.

Cheddar Melt

Chicken Ham and Swiss

Chicken Philly

Lil Buff Burger - 1/4 pound real Buffalo meat

Buttermilk soaked, hand dredged Onion Rings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orders can be called in for pick up, or use the drive-thru window, but be prepared to turn off the engine and wait.  Freshly cooked means freshly cooked; this ain’t no McDonald’s and everyone is so happy for that!  Welcoming atmosphere, friendly owners and staff, fresh made to order food; there is no way I could not put a positive perspective on Patio Drive-In.  Visit them, if you have not already, and I bet you will feel the same as I do.

 

Mary Cokenour

Ramen Noodles Can Make a Meal.

Ramen noodles are more than just a soup; they are versatile enough to help create a hearty meal for the family.  This is especially true when it's a spur of the moment meal, or you're just entirely clueless as to what to cook that day.  Rummaging around the pantry and refrigerator completes two tasks; you find items to make a meal with, and you find items that should have been tossed ages ago.

In this recipe, I had two portions of seared chicken breasts already staring at me from the fridge.  I knew vegetables had to be included in the meal, so thank the gods that I always keep a stash of frozen veggies...sugar snap peas and baby carrots were my pick this time.  We have a storage draw full of Ramen Noodles - beef, shrimp, chicken, roasted chicken, vegetable; if I only use the noodles, the seasoning packets are saved for other uses.  For an Asian twist, soy sauce does the job well; light soy sauce is lower in sodium too.

5 Ingredient Ramen Noodle Fix

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package frozen baby carrots

2 (3 oz.) packages chicken flavored Ramen Noodles
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
1 (8 oz.) package frozen sugar snap peas, defrosted
3 Tbsp. soy sauce

Preparation:

Place carrots in microwave safe container with 2 tablespoons water; cover and heat for 4 minutes.  Prepare Ramen Noodles per package directions, saving seasoning packets for later use; drain noodles. 

In a large skillet, on medium heat, add carrots, drained noodles, contents of seasoning packets, snap peas and soy sauce; mix thoroughly.  Let cook for 5 minutes, mix to keep items from sticking; cook additional 5 minutes.

Makes six servings.

 

Mary Cokenour

Went Back to the Branding Iron and Loved It.

Susie's Branding Iron

2971 South Highway 191 (across from Shell Station)
Moab, Utah, 84535

Phone: (435) 259-6275

Website: http://www.susiesbrandingiron.com/

Hours of Operation: Monday - Sunday, 11am to 10pm

On July 22, 1989, Karl Tangren opened up The Branding Iron; a place where locals could get good food, and play music.  Now we had visited this place about four years ago, and truthfully, we weren't that impressed.  It was only open for dinner and it didn't seem worth the travel, so wrote it off as a to-go place.  After being closed for a little while, and undergoing major renovation, it reopened on September 3, 2012 with new management of sorts, Karl's daughter, Susie Taylor.  The name was slightly changed to Susie's Branding Iron, now open for lunch and dinner.  We kept remembering our first experience there, so didn't rush to try it out; that was a major loss on our parts.

We finally went there on a Saturday night and it was an amazing experience.  After being warmly greeted and seated, our waitress, Melena, took our drink orders.  Melena is a doll, very efficient, attentive and makes sure you are enjoying your meal.  More and more diners kept coming in, some greeted by name; talking and laughter filled the air.  The restaurant is more open now, southwestern/cowboy décor; there is a bar that opens at 4pm every day, and a beautiful patio area.

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights is the Prime Rib special; 16 ounce slab (about 1 to 1 and 1/2 inches thick) of the most delicious beef we've tasted.  This Prime Rib was tender, juicy, perfectly cooked, and I swear it did melt in the mouth...chewing was optional.  It came with choice of potato (mashed potatoes are two scoops and homemade!), gravy and Navajo Fry Bread.  It also came with a generous side salad; the salad dressings, as well as the gravies, are house made; no bottled stuff.


I decided to try out the Country Fried Steak; a meal that no restaurant should mess up, and Susie's does a most excellent job.  The breading on the steak is one I've not tasted before, lightly seasoned, yet hearty; crispy, yet combines with the meat to create a wonderful mouth feel.  I too had the mashed potatoes, and corn for my vegetable; the gravy was peppery, but didn't take flavor away from the meat or potatoes.  Honey is a basic condiment on the table, so we saved our fry bread for dessert...it was a perfect finish to a perfect meal.

The atmosphere and staff are both welcoming and friendly; the food is top notch; whether for lunch or dinner, you must try out Susie's Branding Iron when in the Moab area...and they do take out service too.

Mary Cokenour

Fill Yourself Up at Wild Coffee.

 

 

Wild Coffee

434 US-491 (next to Frosty Liquors)

Dove Creek, Colorado, 81324

Phone: (970) 677-3000

Hours: Mon thru Fri, 6am-2pm; closed Sat and Sun

 

 

 

 

 

For nine years, Greg and Francie Wild have provided Dove Creek residents, and visitors, with outstanding coffees, breakfasts, lunches, breads, yogurt and cakes.   Their current location, next to Frosty’s Liquors, is the third incarnation of Wild Coffee; the third time being the true charm for this charming couple.  While there is seating outside, the interior is cozy with the walls lined with paintings or photographs from local artists.  The bread, yogurt, croissants and cakes are made daily; orders are cooked up fresh and quickly; nothing sits under a heat lamp.

 

 

 Breakfast choices are Burrito or Bowl; Sandwiches made with Croissant, Bagel or English Muffin (meat choice is ham or sausage); French Toast (sticks or sandwich), Waffle Wedges, Yogurt, even a Veggie Burrito.  My personal favorite for breakfast is the croissant sandwich; again, the croissants are baked fresh daily, soft, flaky and deliciously buttery.  Two fried eggs and a thick slice of ham (none of that thin cold cut nonsense) tucked inside a large croissant; so yummy!  My will power was surely tested, as I really wanted to eat another one.  Drink choices include coffee (hot and cold varieties), teas, smoothies, even blackberry lemonade.  A piping hot 16 ounce cup of fresh brewed coffee plus hearty sandwich; what a way to begin the day!  

 

 

Wild Coffee’s lunch specialty is the Panini; meats, cheeses, vegetables and condiments layered between four, not two, but four slices of homemade bread; perfectly browned and served with two little cookies for dessert.  Depending on your appetite, you might just have a Panini for snack later on.  Names of the sandwiches all relate to areas in and around Dove Creek; you can also order a “Choose Your Own” (cold or Panini style) to create your own grand concoction.  Orders can be made to eat in or take out, in case you need a packed lunch for your hiking, climbing or ATVing adventure.  By the way, if you’re addicted to lemon bars, like myself, Francie makes ones to simply die for…sweet, tart and so lemony.  They are an extremely popular item at Wild Coffee. 

 

Pines Panini

Pumps Panini

 

 

Greg and Francie will do catering for any special event; breakfast or lunch orders can also be called in and ready for pickup, often a choice for many staff members at San Juan Hospital.  The atmosphere is relaxing; owners are the friendliest of folks; food is simple and delicious.  When you dine in at, or take out from, Wild Coffee, you have hit the trifecta!

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

When Fish is too Thin to Stuff.

One of the most popular recipes on this food blog is my copycat recipe of Salmon Stuffed with Crabmeat; well, it's using imitation crabmeat, but the main product is found in most warehouse markets such as BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club.  As I've often written before, my husband and I enjoy eating seafood, so when I was able to find fresh halibut and lump crabmeat at Smith's Market in Price, Utah; I took advantage.  Actually, Smith's has a large selection of fresh seafood, so we filled up a small cooler with halibut, cod, catfish, crabmeat and salmon.  I keep emailing the corporate offices and ask them to open up a store in Monticello, Utah; but nothing so far and this area certainly needs a bigger supermarket with more to offer.

Anyway, I was going to try and stuff the halibut with a crabmeat stuffing, but the pieces of fish were just too thin.  I didn't give up the idea though, just altered it a bit with delicious results.

Crab Topped Halibut

 Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 and ½ cups lump crab meat
½ cup diced mushrooms
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried dill
¼ tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ cup mayonnaise
5-6 (4 oz.) portions skinless, boneless halibut (or firm white fish, like cod or scrod)

 

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F; brush bottom and sides of 2 quart baking dish with olive oil.

 

 

 

 

In a medium bowl, mix together crab meat, mushrooms, bread crumbs, herbs, spices and mayonnaise gently to not break up the crab meat.

 

 

 

 

 

Lay fish (skin side up) in baking dish; spread mixture from bowl over fish, covering all portions and extending out to sides of baking dish.

 

 

 

Bake for 15-20 minutes; until fish is flaky.  Use spatula to “cut” topping around each portion before putting onto a plate.

Makes 5-6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Kind of a Copy Cat Pork Recipe.

One of my coworkers decided to give me a sample of a crock pot pork stew his wife had made.  It was pretty good and I asked for the recipe, so I could give it a try; didn't get it though.  Anyway, I was trying to decide what to make for dinner one day and boneless pork loin chops were in the freezer.  Now the question was, how to prepare them?  I remembered the stew, so figured I'd attempt to recreate it by thinking about the ingredients I'd seen and tasted.  While my coworker's wife had used a pork roast, I was using the pork chops instead.

I thought it came out pretty well, but my husband was going to be the real taste tester as he is not a real fan of pork.  He loved it!  So here's my sort of copy cat version of the stew; working off memory instead of a real recipe.

Pork Chop Stew

Ingredients:

6 (2 lbs.) boneless pork loin chops

5 small potatoes, peeled, cubed and parboiled
1 medium onion, chopped
½ tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 cups red kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
5 plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups beef broth

Preparation:

Spray a 4 quart crock pot dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Begin placing layers of ingredients inside:  pork chops; potatoes and onion mixed together; sprinkle spices evenly; kidney beans; tomatoes.

 

 

In a small bowl, whisk flour into the beef broth to create a slurry; pour over all ingredients in the crock pot dish.  Cover, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours; potatoes, beans and pork should be fork tender.

Makes six servings.

Mary Cokenour