Eat Like a Local: Exploring Cache Valley's Unique Dining Scene

EMILY BUCKLEY editor in chief

There’s no shortage of places to grab a bite to eat in Cache Valley, and while we are just as excited as the next person to indulge in an In N’ Out Animal Style Double-Double without heading south on I-15, the real mark of a Cache Valley foodie is becoming familiar with the best-of-the-best specialty foods created right here Cache Valley.

When our family travels we make a point of searching out locally-owned restaurants and asking what the “must-try” items on the menu are. It’s a great way to get a true taste of the local culture in any town or city, but sometimes right at home it is easy to overlook unique dining experiences because you’re in a rut or rush, or maybe just don’t know what to order.

We’re kicking off this “eat-like-a-local” series with a roundup of unique, locally-owned fooderies. We’ve done some of the legwork for you — finding out the “chef’s favorite” at each eatery and giving you some of the behind-the-scenes details about why you should give them a try.

If you have a favorite local eatery you think we should try and feature, email info@cachevalleyfamilymagazine.com. continued on next page ...

SOURDOUGH MARK CACHE VALLEY BBQ HIMALAYAN FLAVOR

BLUEBIRD CANDY THE COCOA CAMPER

ICEHOUSE

Thanks for choosing FIREHOUSE PIZZERIA as the BEST OF CACHE VALLEY — eight years in a row!

BACK PORCH PIZZA BY SOURDOUGH MARK Neapolitan-style pizza | @sourdough_mark Owner Mark Huntsman has been making sourdough bread for friends and family for about four years. Two years ago, he started cooking and selling unique Neapolitan-style pizza from his back porch, using Instagram to market his sale days. Using only three ingredients for his dough and two in his sauce, Mark keeps his pizzas simple. He grows many of the spices and toppings he uses in his own garden and cooks the pizzas in 3-minutes flat in a locally made Blackstone pizza oven. If you’re lucky you may find Mark’s mobile pizza cart, which he fondly calls Anchovy, at a local event, but for the best chance of snagging one of his trademark pies follow him on Instagram @sourdough_mark and turn your notifications on for announcements of pop-up order days.

Must try: Simple margherita (featuring Mark’s unique basil oil), pickle pizza, and the Maureen (chicken, white sauce, arugula, and balsamic).

BLUEBIRD CANDY COMPANY Hand-dipped chocolates | 75 West Center Street, Logan Bluebird Candy is a century-old Cache Valley icon that local restaurateur Justin Hamilton, and his wife, Jocelyn, purchased in 2016. When the Hamiltons took over the business they were committed to preserving its heritage while freshening up the business, and if you walk into the doors of their chocolate factory on Center Street, you’ll see that they’ve done exactly that. From the small step for young customers to stand on and view the candy makers dipping hundreds of chocolates each day and the glass candy display cases, to the gold-stamped blue candy boxes and bluebird wallpaper, charming is the perfect word to describe Bluebird Candy. They still make every chocolate by hand, using the same recipes the company’s original candy makers did in 1914. In addition to chocolates, Bluebird Candy now sells Aggie Ice Cream and baked goods made inhouse, from scratch, daily.

Must try: O’Aggie Bar (an original), macaroons (rotating flavors, offered on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday each week), and the Bluebird Brownie (a dense chocolate brownie with cream cheese, marshmallow, and chocolate buttercream frosting).

CACHE VALLEY BARBECUE Authentic barbeque in the heart of Cache Valley | @cachevalleybbq Cache Valley Barbecue is a passion project for owner Josh Cottrell who grew up trying and cooking authentic barbecue with his dad. In 2019 he became “official” and has spent countless hours researching the best barbecue techniques and flavors in the United States, including an 8-day barbecue tour and research trip last spring. A big cook day takes about 30 hours to prepare for, so when you see the Cache Valley Barbecue stand set up for a weekend pop-up or at an Aggie football game, you’ll know the good stuff has been a long time coming. Josh says he has taken the best of Texas-, St. Louis-, Carolina-, and Memphisstyles of barbecue to create his mouth-watering menu.

Must try: Burnt ends, brisket, and Josh’s original barbecue and mustard sauces.

THE COCOA CAMPER Cocoa and cronuts | @thecocoacamper

Recent Utah State University graduate Nathan Larsen purchased The Cocoa Camper from another Aggie alum this summer. Nathan sells frozen cocoa from the window of the small, transformed camp trailer in the summer and hot cocoa in the fall and winter. He also offers made-to-order churros and amazing cronuts, unique pastries that resemble a donut but are made from croissant-like dough. Add your favorite topping to frozen or hot cocoa and the fried treats to make them your own.

Must try: Cookies and Cream Frozen Cocoa with cookie crumble on top, cronuts with cookie butter, and churros with caramel sauce.

HIMALAYAN FLAVOR Indian and Nepalese cuisine | 132 N. Main Street, Logan

Owner Roshan Kumar, a native of Nepal, came to the United States as a student in 2011. After driving to Salt Lake City regularly to find authentic Indian and Nepalese food, he decided to open his own restaurant and market in Pocatello, Idaho. Three months ago he opened his second restaurant in Logan, which is managed by his brother Sanjay Sah. The goal at Himalayan Flavor is to offer authentic food, with hand-made spices, made fresh daily.

Must try: Lamb Korma, Chicken 65, and Garlic Naan.

ICEHOUSE FROZEN CUSTARD Frozen custard and treats | 682 South Main Street, Logan

Brothers Greg and Neal Chambers started their pizza business, Firehouse Pizzeria, in Logan in 2001. They’ve been regularly recognized as a favorite for their stone-fired pizzas for the last 20 years. Two years ago, the Chambers family opened Icehouse Frozen Custard next door to Firehouse, after more than a decade of preparation. They learned their custard-making techniques from an expert in Las

Vegas before developing unique flavor combinations to offer a truly outstanding and delicious product that Greg says is different from anything else served in Cache Valley. Custard differs from ice cream as it is made in a machine that does not allow as much air into the product as ice cream, and includes egg yolk, to make it creamier — you have to try it to truly know the difference. Icehouse Concretes include any choice of custard flavors mixed with toppings like Alvey’s chocolate and Firehouse FH’Zzookies.

Must try: The Patriot (vanilla custard with strawberries, blueberries, and cheesecake), Mama Llama (chocolate or vanilla custard with caramel and brownie chunks), Froozzookie (a cookie sandwich with custard in the middle), and Custard Floats made with specialty soda.