My wife and I took a trip out to Salt Lake City last month for a wedding. We decided to take a week off and engage in a little bit of tourism. Three weeks ago, I wrote about this trip in my article about the Zip Lines at Sundance. We also took visited nearby Provo, where we found a restaurant that specialized in Native American cuisine. I would describe Black Sheep Cafe as Native American with a modern twist.
My wife and I had no problem locating the restaurant. It was right on the main drag near the center of Provo. Parking looks like it may be at a premium downtown, but we visited during lunch time on the weekend. Parking wasn't bad at all. We were able to locate a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. Black Sheep Cafe is located at 19 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601.
The restaurant was not too busy when we arrived. We were quickly seated at a table next to the window, so we could people-watch while we ate (or have people scoping our meals, as the case may be). The lunch menu was a bit expensive as far as lunch menus go. We did not want to eat heavy, but we wanted to try a couple of dishes. So we ordered the posole soup and a Navajo taco. As we waited for our food, we took in the various artwork on the walls and the centerpiece of the restaurant, which is a large blown glass chandelier. I asked the server if the chandelier was made by Don Chihuly as it resembled his work. He informed me that Provo has their own famous glass blower, Tom Holdman. While less known that Chihuly, I am certain the chandelier did not come cheap. It was a great conversation starter.
Our meal came out shortly thereafter. As you can see in the photo, the taco comes on fry bread, which is a native american staple. The soup was also served with a large piece of the bread. The soup was awesome. It had great flavor. I could have done without the taco. It was okay. But nothing special. I wish I had picked something else from the menu. The wedge salad looked like a tempting option. But it's a wedge salad...I wanted to try something culturally related to the theme of the restaurant.
The soup and taco set us back a whopping $25 dollars before tax and tip. That's expensive for a modest lunch. And that is without drinks. For the price, this meal was not worth it. For the experience, I would do it over again. Once. For the cultural experience if nothing more.
The restaurant is located in a building and is connected to some other businesses through a back hallway. Restrooms are not located in the actual restaurant. There are a couple options inside the larger building if you need to visit those facilities. The hallways in the building, like the restaurant itself, are covered in artwork from local artists. There are some interesting works of art to peruse when you visit. The atmosphere was nice. Based on atmosphere, quality and pricing, this is a one time only experience. I probably would not go back if I were to be in Provo. But I did enjoy the experience and had a pleasant conversation with our server.
