Motorcycle in its purest form - a bicycle with a motor duct-taped to it.
Over the weekend I found myself searching for a good restaurant in the Springville area, and my sister suggested Art City Trolley – a place that I had passed by many times before, but never once stopped to eat at. My wife and I walked into the lobby of the vintage diner, and my eyes roved over the old-school decor. Some restaurants try to go “retro” by stringing up over-shellacked pop merchandise from the 50’s all over their walls, but they just wind up looking like posers. With Art City Trolley, however, it felt genuine somehow. (Maybe they HAVE been there for over 50 years. Someone want to verify this?) The walls were decorated with old tin signs, glass bottles, and even a motorcycle or two! One in particular (above) looks like it’s one of the first Harley Davidsons ever built – it’s basically a bicycle with a motor on it.
Ribs and Chicken Platter with Onion Rings
The Food
Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts. The menu boasted several local award-winning items, including chicken wings and ribs. They had also been Zagat rated, which came as a surprise to me. Eventually I settled on a combo platter featuring their “Best in Utah” ribs with original sauce and some chicken. Our server asked what sauce I’d like on the chicken, so I ordered their hottest. However, when it came out I found it to be no spicier than Tabasco sauce. (Yes, I am a heat-snob). Also, I had been envisioning some kind of breaded chicken breast or buffalo wing-like dish, but it came out as just a grilled chicken breast with some sauce on it. I was a little let down by that.
However, the salad, onion rings, and fries were exceptional. The onion rings were nice and thick with a perfectly crisp batter, and the fries were done just right. And how about the main focus of the night? I have a tendency to save the best for last, and this was no exception. But wow, it was worth the wait. The rib sauce was a perfect balance of smoky, sweet, and savory. It was amazing. The ribs themselves weren’t fall-off-the-bone tender, but isn’t there something of a primal satisfaction in gnawing meat straight off a rib-bone? I had a good time, anyway.
Malibu Chicken with french fries
My wife had a Malibu Chicken sandwich with french fries, and we were both blown away by the size of this thing. It was huge! And very tasty.
Points for improvement
For one, I want something to jazz up the chicken that comes with the ribs platter. It just seemed weird to have that little grilled chicken breast next to the impressive stack of ribs and onion rings.
I don’t mind ribs that don’t fall off the bone, but if that’s what you’re going for when you make ribs, low and slow is always the key. I usually cook them covered in the oven with a nice dry rub at the lowest possible temperature for about four hours or so. Then I finish them on the grill and slather them with my own sauce, and they don’t disappoint.
All in all, I was very impressed with Art City Trolley, and I may find myself there again soon.
Pricing: moderate, $8 – 20 per entree
Art City Trolley, 256 N Main St, Springville