Benja Thai & Sushi

I had a roommate, Madoka from Japan, that couldn't pronounce my name. (It's pronounced sue-see). So, I told her it was just like Sushi, but without the 'h.' Let's just say, she never got it...:)

My post comes several days after our excursion to Benja's. Sorry Karyn.

Definitely the best sushi in St. George. I had had one of those days where I needed the dessert first. Remember my philosophy? I went for the mango rice. It is definitely the creamiest, delightful dessert that includes mango, rice, and coconut milk. What's not to like? Whenever I go to Benja's, I always get the same thing: sweet and sour chicken. I love it. It's comfort. However, much to my dismay, our darling server Alex (whom I really do like), brought me this cashew chicken dish with rice. It was sooo not what I wanted. It had cashews (duh), mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and carrots that were stir-fried together with chicken. It wasn't bad; just not what I was in the mood for.

I give the food a 7; only because I got what I didn't order. I understand that Alex was trying to broaden my horizon and give me an adventure--I just didn't want my server to take creative license in changing my order. The tempura roll I ordered was fantastic! A definite 10! Just the right amount of spiciness...I give a 6 to dining atmosphere. We were seated next to a window and we weren't the only guests. There was a pesky little fly that wouldn't leave. Also, can't Benja's take their music off repeat? It sounds like an Asian Enya.

Until next time!

Benja Thai and Sushi. I feel like someone knew that I was coming to St. George, so they set up a restaurant with all of my favorite types of food crammed into one place. If you are an oriental food lover, as I am, Benja’s is the restaurant for you.

Let me begin with the atmosphere… as soon as you walk in, it is clear that it is an oriental restaurant. The pictures of Thailand, decorative wall hangings and water feature all add to the pleasant and ‘Zen-like’ feel.The servers are always very pleasant and helpful. The seating is cozy and comfy…

There are a lot of things I like about Benja’s… They have a VERY extensive sushi menu… I think I’ve tried all of the rolls they have to offer… I like to think of myself as somewhat of a sushi connoisseur… and Benja’s is the best St. George has to offer. I do have favorite 'rolls' here. Try the Bangkok Roll or the Geisha Roll. They are DELICIOUS!!! Or, if you aren’t into ‘spicy’ sushi, (The Geisha Roll isn’t that spicy, I promise!!!) try the Spider Roll, or the Philly Roll. For the full menu, visit their website at www.benjathai.com OR you can download the pdf by going to: benjathai.com/benjasushi.pdf. Trust me; you can’t go wrong with the sushi at Benja’s. They also offer new rolls every week or so, so go check it out.

If Sushi isn’t your ‘bag’, the regular menu features an array of Thai food that is to die for. Here is the actual menu: benjathai.com/dinner.pdf. You WON’T be disappointed by any of the regular menu items. My ‘usual’ (yes, I DO have a usual here) is the Pad Thai.

There are 3 things I like about Benja’s food that I have to tell you.

First, the food is consistently good. You won’t catch them ‘on bad day.’ They simply don’t have them. The food is ALWAYS good.

Secondly, you can order any of the items on the regular menu with whatever meat you prefer. I lean towards chicken, but they also offer beef, pork, and crispy or soft tofu. Their crispy tofu is delightful, and the pork is also wonderful. Like I said… they’re always good… :)

Lastly they offer a ‘hotness’ level for all of their dishes. You like it mild, they make it mild. If you would prefer it to burn your face off, they do that too. (It won’t LITERALLY burn your face off… you know what I mean…) I like this feature of the ordering process, because I LOVE that burning sensation of a spicy Pad Thai. As I always say… ‘It hurts so good!!!’ lol… ;)

All in all, I highly recommend Benja Thai Sushi. The food gets a 10; service a solid 8.5, prices a 6… (They are a little pricy) and atmosphere is a 9. :) For good Sushi and Thai food, Benja’s is the clear choice!

The Players Sports Grill

One of the newest joints in town, Players Sports Grill, is definitely one of the hot spots. With scores of flat screen tv's playing your favorite sport, and the industrial lighting of make of the restaurant, the atmosphere of Players is one of fun. Take some time to go over the menu--it's 6 pages (front and back)! Our server Adam, was one for great advice on food! The lettuce wraps with the spicy chicken were fantastic! Going in I knew that I wanted a hamburger. It's my standard choice. Depending on the hamburger will determine how I enjoy the restaurant and if I return. I just wanted a plain cheeseburgr, but there's nothing plain at Players. I opted for the Burger of Champions--8 oz. of prime beef topped with a fried egg, tomatoes, cheese, and onions. I was a little skeptical about the fried egg; it just seemed unnatural. However, much to my delight, it was awesome! And the fries had just enough seasoning. :) My only regret was that I was too full to try one of their desserts! For those of you who know me, I usually eat dessert first then the rest of my meal. It's my philosphy that you can always take your meal home in a take out container, but you can never take your ice cream. It will melt! As I contemplated Players, it seemed like a place you could go to just unwind after work. If I were a drinker, this would be my place to come relax (there's at least two pages of drinks to choose from--from Grey Goose Martinis, to all sorts of vodka and mojitos, to beers and wines) and throw one back. On atmosphere I rate Players at a 8 (only because golf was playing on every single tv), a 10 for service (even two of the managers came out and asked how we were doing), and a 10 for food. Forget Iggy's, Player's here I come! Scroll down to see pictures of our adventure. Thanks Karyn! -Susi

Today for lunch, we ventured out to the Players Sports Grill. Players is a brand-new Sports Grill that has opened up in St. George. Susi and I ended up having to go to take a few pictures for work, so we decided to stay and check it out.


Let me begin with the outside of the building… its typical Southern Utah landscaping… gravel, pointy bushes, and large rocks. Then, as you walk towards the front of the building… LO AND BEHOLD, it’s a revolving door! :) I can’t say enough how much I LOVE revolving doors… Oh to be young again! Lol… Anyway… As soon as you walk in (through the awesome revolving door…) the restaurant is VERY clean and well decorated. I really liked the wood floors, and there is a wood inlay of their logo which is way cool too…





We were seated promptly by our server Adam, and he got us drinks right away. We ordered the lettuce wraps for an appetizer… they were good. I’ve had better, I’m not gonna lie, but they were tasty. I ordered the Custom Calzone with Pepperoni, (REAL) Canadian Bacon, Italian Sausage, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Olives. Susi ordered the Champion Burger. The Calzone was DELICIOUS! The crust was freshly made, and did I mention that the Canadian Bacon was REAL Canadian Bacon??? To say the least, it was definitely well worth the $7.85 I paid for it. Susi’s burger looked really good too, and the fry I stole from her was perfectly seasoned. Adam was very nice and recommended both of our meals and the appetizer.

Everyone was extremely nice to us, keeping our drinks full, and just overall making sure we were enjoying the experience. By and large, I would say that this was a GREAT experience. We will definitely be revisiting this one! Food gets a 9 for taste, presentation, and diversity in the menu, Service gets a 10 (Thanks Adam!), and Atmosphere gets a solid 8.5. For a good meal, a cold drink, and sports, I’d say Player’s is the way to go!

-Karyn

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FORE!!

Fairway Grill is the whole reason why this blog was started. I absolutely love the Fairway Grill! It's one of the staples in St. George cuisine. Well, I don't know if you can call it cuisine, but it's good home cookin'. I usually flip flop between a few of the entrees. They have a great hamburger with those awesome steak fries; or try the Navajo taco--loaded with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, and sour cream all on a delicious scone (it comes close to the real thing). But on this particular night, I was craving some pork chops. Hence, the whole reason for going to Fairway. Karyn and I walked in to the golf atmosphere restaurant. With golf paraphernalia on the walls, 50s and 60s music playing in the background, an awesome golf and tee water feature, this is the place to come for an Arnold Palmer after a long day on the course! But I digress...upon placing my order (I didn't even open my menu, that's how much I love this place!) I told our server that I wanted the pork chops. Besides my mom's pork chops, this is the only restaurant I've found that makes them just the way I like them, nice and juicy, with mashed potatoes and country gravy on the side! But to my consternation, dismay, and distraught, they no longer serve pork chops! Well, they do, but they're now a special. WHAT?!! That meant that I had to pick something else? Our server, Nicolas, whom I've known for years, gave me more time to decide. All I wanted was pork chops! Seeing my obvious displeasure, he asked the cooks if they could go and look in the walk in for some pork chops. And lo and behold, yes, you've guessed it, there were some! So, the cooks being awesome, cooked me up some pork chops with mashed potatoes and country gravy! I died and went to heaven! Because of what Nicolas and the cooks did, Fairway Grill has my continuous love and support! I've always loved that place (I went there for my birthday lunch), but I love it even more now! On a scale of 1-10--10 being the highest--I give it a 10+ for service, a 10+ for food, and an 8 for atmosphere. If you're in the mood for pork chops, or a nice meal in a nice restaurant, go to Fairway Grill.
-Susi

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The Fairway Grill... Yes, it is true that this restaurant is what inspired us to start this blog. I have to admit that the food there is alright. To tell you the truth, a lot of the time it's under seasoned and generic. BUT Susi loves to eat there, so we go. I don't really have a 'usual' order... well, there or anywhere. I've tried the Alfredo, the Navajo Taco, The Caddy, The Burger, The Arnold Palmer (Turkey Dinner) The Chicken Picata, and the steak... I'd say they all average a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10. The food is good on most days and since I've visited there more than once, I obviously like it enough to pay for it again and again. ;) I'd say the star on this menu is the Buffalo wings. They are DELICIOUS... and a close second would be the scones-- Powdered Sugar and Honey Butter on a perfect piece of 'Indian fry-bread' or as we call them: scones. The ambiance is a sort of golf, southern Utah, and aquarium hodge-podge. The service is (and always is) wonderful. We always get top of the line service when we go to the Fairway. The prices are fair as well... SO, overall... Fairway gets a 7 for food, a 5 for atmosphere, and a 9 for service. :) Decent food, and great service is what to expect at the Fairway.

-Karyn

Food Critic Wannabe's

Ambrosia. Chow. Grub. Whatever word you use, it's still food. According to dictionary.com, it's "any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc." According to Susi, food can be anything an organism partakes of that is beneficial or good for the body, provides nourishment and satisfaction. And boy, do I like to partake! I often joke with family and friends that I am a "hamburger conniesseur." I love them! I can go to the fanciest restaurant and still order a hamburger! My friend Karyn and I have started this blog after a delightful dining experience. I've always wanted to be a food critic and only in the wonderful world of the world wide web, can I be! Each restaurant visited, Karyn and I will share our own critique about the service, atmosphere, and of course, food. Enjoy!

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Hi, my name is Karyn, and I'm addicted to food. Not just any food... I love EVERY type of food... Hawaiian, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Brazilian, American, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino... you name it, I'll eat it... or at least try it. :) A lot of people look at me and just see a Polynesian girl with an affinity for Oriental foods... but in actuality, I like to describe myself as an explorer of the culinary arts. I've (also) always wanted to be a food critic... to be paid for eating awesome food! :) So, as Susi and I pave the culinary roads for you, we invite you to join us in the ups and downs of eating in St. George, UT and wherever else we go.