The Graduate's Grind: Brigham Young University- Idaho

RESTAURANTS AROUND REXBURG


The Pita Pit
Reviewed by Matt Montoya

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The Pita Pit is one of Rexburg’s healthy fast food locations.  Located on 56 College Avenue, the Pita Pit is close to campus and offers pitas at affordable prices for college students. The environment of the Pita Pit is friendly and unrushed, making it an ideal location for dates or group excursions.  The employees are friendly and timely in making the pitas.  Much like a Greek version of Subway, the Pita Pit offers 14 meat-filled pitas, such as the Turkey Pita, the Gyro, the Chicken Cesar Pita, the Philly Steak Pita, the Roast Beef Pita, and the B.L.T.  My personal favorite is the Gyro, because of the delicious sauce that they put on it, and because it is made with lamb and beef. There are seven vegetarian pitas for those who prefer their pitas without meat, such as the Garden Pita, the Hummus Pita, and the Feta Pita.  There are even six different breakfast pitas, which are served all day long.  The breakfast pitas are filled with breakfast foods such as scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns.  For weight watchers, five of the pitas are less than 500 calories.  Customers are given their choice between nineteen vegetables, four kinds of cheese, and nineteen sauces to put on their pitas, and they have the option of getting chips, a drink, and cookies to go with their meal. Pitas are $4.50 by themselves and range from $5.50 to $6.10 with chips and a drink.   In addition, The Pita Pit has a menu for children.  If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to the typical burger-and-fries joint, try the Pita Pit.  You won’t be disappointed.
 
To view the menu for the Pita Pit, visit http://www.pitapitusa.com/.


 Craigo's Pizza
Reviewed by Holly Stringham

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If it’s a mouth-watering sensation you seek, then Craigo’s Pizza should be on the top of your list for delicious Rexburg Cuisine. Located on 240 N. 2 E., this restaurant offers great food at reasonable prices. Great pasta dishes, salads, and pizza bombs are a few of the items among the array of delicious choices on the menu. All entrées are under $10.00.

Not only are there great lunch and dinner items, but desserts are a must-have when you visit Craigo’s. The Cookie Monster is a divine creation: a thick cookie crust topped with French vanilla ice-cream, whipped cream, and chocolate and caramel sauce. Priced at only $7.99, this delectable dessert easily feeds four hungry roommates in need of a sugar fix. You can also order the Cookie Monster to go. You are given the choice of receiving it ready-to-eat, or packaged individually for later use, where you can easily store the ice-cream and sauces in the freezer until you are ready to eat.


If you’re not already sold on Craigo’s cuisine, then consider the college-friendly all-you-can-eat salad, pasta, and pizza bar, where you can sample many kinds of pasta and sauces, as well as various pizzas, such as Canadian bacon, chicken and ranch, BBQ chicken, and veggie delight. Be sure to leave room for the dessert pizzas, which include apple drizzle, cherry crumble, Oreo, and chocolate. You’re sure to find a new Craigo’s creation every time you delve into the buffet. Priced at only $5.99 during lunch hours, this is an opportunity your taste buds won’t regret.

Not only is the food fantastic, but the service and atmosphere are ideal. It’s a great place to meet your friends for lunch, where you’re free to stay as long as you like. Big booths are great for large groups of friends looking for an excuse to catch up on college drama. You may also want to venture to their Idaho Falls location, located at 3160 E 17th St. Ammon, Idaho. This location is slightly bigger, but offers the same great tastes.

Stop by Craigo’s: It’s the one location for great food on a college budget, where the only problem is knowing when to stop!


When You're Down to Your Last Peso: Gringo's Mexican Restaurant
Reviewed by Adriane Wieben

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For all you gringos and non-gringos out there, finding quality Mexican food in Rexburg can be a challenge, especially for a freshman on a budget.  If this is your problem, then Gringo’s Mexican Restaurant is the solution.  Located conveniently at 43 S. Center Street, only two short blocks from campus, it is a great place for a quick lunch between classes, or a fun date-night dinner.  The average meal costs between $7.00 and $9.00, which means dinner-for-two for under $20!  Perhaps this is why it is known as “The Most Wanted Restaurant in Town!”

 The motif of the restaurant is authentic Mexican design, with tile floors, wooden tables, and Mexican music playing in the background.  They even have a stone fireplace for those cold, Rexburg nights!  In addition to a bona fide Mexican atmosphere, Gringo’s has wonderful service.  The friendly hostess greets you as soon as you enter the door, and takes you quickly to your seat, where you will find yet another aspect that makes Gringo’s the perfect place for a new college student: the booth and table size.  The average table seats six, with the average booth seating between six and eight diners quite comfortably.  This makes it the perfect restaurant for a roommate night out, or a large group date.  However, there are a few smaller, more intimate booths built just for you and that special someone. 

Once you are seated, you again experience fantastic service.  The server promptly appears, bringing complimentary chips and salsa (both of which are made fresh each day in the Gringo’s kitchen) to munch on while you peruse the menu.  With meal options ranging from a “Fiesta Dip Plate,” an entrée piled with refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, onions, pimentos, and homemade flour tortilla chips, to a sizzling, grilled “Fajita” in your choice of chicken, steak, shrimp, or a combination of all three, you’ll find something for every appetite.  Once you are able to decide between the dozens of tempting options, it isn’t long before your food is there in front of you, piping hot, and covered in savory sauces and melted cheese.  The fast service means you can drop in for a quick meal between classes, or take a date on the weekend and still make it to a movie at the theater, located conveniently across the street.  The portion sizes are also perfect for the starving college student, usually providing enough food to take home what is left-over...that is if you can resist the tantalizing flavor and stop yourself before the plate is clean. 

Another fast, tasty option is take-out, which Gringo’s is happy to provide.  Simply call ahead (208-356-9400) or come in and wait for your order in the comfortable waiting area.  The choice is yours! For a college student concerned with spending time with friends, receiving quick, friendly service, and getting the most for their pesos, Gringo’s Mexican Restaurant is definitely the place to eat!




Original Thai: Not Original, But the Food’s Good
Reviewed by Michael Scovill

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It may not be one of the swankiest places in Rexburg, but Original Thai located on Main Street still has a lot going for it.  Its atmosphere is adequate, the service is common, and the prices are often a bit more than any student’s wallet wants to give up, but the food takes this restaurant to a new level of yumminess. 

The first thing you notice as you walk through the front or the sometimes convenient back door is the screaming yellow walls.  They are very bright and in-your-face, which detracts from any attempt made to make the place feel cozy.  The temperature is a bit chilly inside, but hey – it’s Rexburg, cold is our constant companion.  The restaurant is pretty quiet as you sit at the combination copper and wooden tables.  The light music offers a little background noise as you sit and discuss the various posters of Thailand scattered throughout the area, which hopefully draw your attention away from the water damaged ceiling and the chipping yellow paint.

The service at Original Thai is sufficient though the employees speak very little English, but enough to help you choose something from the menu.  I didn’t feel ignored or crowded by our server and my water glass was refilled promptly.

The prices are a bit steep, especially for being just a few blocks from a college campus.  Entrées range from $9.95 to up past $14.95, and that’s before you add or substitute anything.  Appetizers were a little less, and desserts a little less than the appetizers.  After all was said and done 2 people ate for approximately $26 including tip, which isn’t terribly expensive, but it will probably keep students from going there frequently. 

The food is really where this restaurant excels.  My wife ordered Thai stir fry with chicken and she was gracious enough to share a few bites with me.  The Jasmine rice was cooked perfectly and the mixture of egg, chicken, carrots, and what was most likely green beans, were as delicious as fried rice can get.  I ordered the Penang curry, which is the best curry I’ve ever let slip past my lips and teeth.  It is coconut-based with just enough of a mild yet spicy kick to set your taste buds dancing.  It came with steamed rice on the side and a plethora of vegetables and chicken in the curry sauce (also available with pork or beef).  It’s the kind of food that just glides easily down the throa,t and with each bite it just gets better and better. 

While the décor is typical of Asian restaurants in America and the prices may limit your visits to special occasions, Original Thai can give you a food experience you won’t soon forget.  It may not be “original” but it is authentically delicious.

Hours: Mon – Sat 11-9, closed Sunday.
Phone: (208) 359-9660