The wonders of Wayne County

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 1, 2003 | by Susan Whitney Deseret News staff writer

Best burger: We found that Brink's Burgers Drive Inn in Torrey lives up to its reputation. The burgers are delicious (similar to, but even better than, the Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City). Instead of fries, you might like the battered zucchini slices. That meal, with a drink, comes to less than $7.

In Loa, the best burger is said to be at Maria's.

Best deli lunch: Try to make it to the new grocery store in Loa, where the deli salads come highly recommended. You'll also enjoy the deli in the Chuckwagon store in Torrey, where the tortellini salad features bits of red and yellow peppers and spicy pepperoni. The small-size salad is less than $2. A homemade cookie is 35 cents.

Best traditional Wayne County meal: It's still the one at the Sunglow Cafe, where for $5.75 you get chicken-fried steak with flour gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and a homemade roll. And, of course, you will want to pay $2.25 for a piece of pie.

Cula Ecker no longer owns the place, but the new owners have kept her famous pinto-bean and pickle pies on the menu. They've also got the obligatory fruit pies and chocolate creme. And they've added two new flavors: oatmeal and buttermilk.

We found ourselves compelled to order three pieces of pie for dessert -- buttermilk (which tastes like lemon custard), pinto-bean and pickle.

If you're feeling kind of puny and think you can only manage one piece of pie, go with the pickle. It is as fabulous as ever, tangy and sweet with a flaky crust.

Best-tasting artistic "tower": We ate at Cafe Diablo in Torrey, where a cowboy strums softly on his guitar and the walls are covered in crazy coyote art.

The ribs come standing in a circle (like a tower), encircled by whimsical ribbons of beet and carrot and with a breadstick sticking up from the center like a flagpole. The entire structure is more than a foot high. This would be less impressive were the food not delicious. The meat fairly falls from the ribs. The vegetables are pureed, but they'd melt in your mouth anyway. Also they are flavored unusually -- with mango, for example.

If you order the banana cheesecake for dessert, it will come sitting on a swirl of raspberry, topped with a swirl of caramel, neighbored by nuts and little chocolate shapes (a cactus, a shooting star) and with crispy cookies as well. Count on $30 for dinner, a drink and dessert.

Most extensive kid's menu: The Capitol Reef Cafe and Inn in Torrey. There are eight choices, from fettucine noodles with garlic bread, to grilled chicken to the requisite hot dog. The breakfasts at the Capitol Reef Cafe are yummy. And we have to admit we got a kick out of the way the floors and the booths seem to sag and slant.

Best scenic drive: The locals have their favorites. They are quick to remind us that Highway 12 has been named one of America's most scenic byways. But you also can't afford to miss the scenic drive in Capitol Reef National Park.

Local folks suggested we stay at two bed and breakfasts: SkyRidge in Torrey and Muley Twist Inn in Teasdale. Each has wonderful views and delicious breakfasts. Muley Twist has a wheelchair-accessible room with wheel-in shower. SkyRidge will win you over right away when you check in after a dusty hike and find lip balm waiting in your room and appetizers and a choice of beverages waiting in the common room.