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I like Idaho Falls, its very quaint but at the same time doesnt have the disconnected other-worldly feeling of some smaller american cities and towns. One feature of small town america I miss since living in a more gentrified urban setting is resturants founded on food first and branding later. Walking through the streets of Salt Lake leave me wanting, there's high quality food here for sure, but to get the good stuff you kind of have to go out of your way to find it. Baek Ri Hyang is an obvious example, Mahiders, Red Iguana, Charlie Chow's Dragon Grill, etc. One rule I have gotten from trying to find the good places has been in relation to branding. Often the best resturants founded by immigrant families have branding with a unique je ne sais quois.

Usually gives a vibe that the owners dont care about franchising, and the advertisment is just "We have good food" think Crown Burger or Greek Soulvaki for examples of immigrant founded resturants that managed to expand despite branding that isnt just an iPhone app icon set to appeal to the lowest common denominator (Im after your ass, taco bell design team) The name "Yummy House" gave me this vibe as soon as I passed it between a wedding event and my hotel. I was working on my midterm that night so I needed something i could just easily eat while writing, so I ventured on in. The whole vibe reminded me of the one american-chinese resturant we had in Palmer Alaska "Peking Garden". Framed silk embroidery on the walls neatly lined across the dining area. A Budda, covered in loose change (I never got a picture of this yuyu). The carpet reminded me of a million 8 segement display 8s in an endless pattern and the resturant was busy than I had seen most other businesses that day. The lady that greeted me had good taste in eyeglasses, a nice narrow rectangular shape that I rarely see even with my current day job.

Taking in the scenery around me was comforting in a way I cant quite describe. The light music, the happy patrons, the beautiful art on the walls. I was wrapped in a strange warmth on a cold and rather stressful friday evening. Maybe it was a the saturated reds of the carpet in sections that trailed off to more toned down hues futher down the line, or the smells of sauces, oils, and vegetables that invaded the air. I just had not really felt this comfortable in public in a long time.

Anyways, I ordered one of their dinner meals and drove back to my hotel for this succulent meal. Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Shrimp. Kung Pao always seems to have differing vegtables whenever I get it. and this one might be one of my favorites. Baby Corn and Celery (huge win for the fiber-heads) and it was delightful. The sauce just the right amount of that punchy spice I expect and man, you can never ever ever ever go wrong with baby corn. They served the sauce for the S&S Chicken seperately!!! This was awesome, I actually rarely get dishes like this, and tend towards Kung Pao or General Tsao's when I am opting for American-Chinese food. Common dishes aside, I have no idea if its normal for this type of entree to be served like this, but I really appreciated it not being soggy and being able to dip the chicken pieces in the sauce (which was also fantastic, by the way).

As I finished my meal, rounding it out with some perfectly cooked shrimp I had started shifting focus on my midterm, due the next night. But for a moment I thought about why I like Idaho Falls so much. Earlier that day I had gone to the other side of town to pick something else up and saw the local cinema, it looked like it was straight out of the mid to late 20th century, with all the colors I would expect from a now old-fashioned movie house. I saw the neighborhoods and the obvious election war going on between streets with houses all the way down for one candidate and the next all for the other, judging by the lawn signs, at least. The bridges, the walkability, the river, the older buildings. This was true character for a town.

I still love Salt Lake, its a beautiful city, but I do still miss the largely homegrown, disconnected feel of less planned out cities. The different buildings from a myriad of eras, all held up by the owners just doing what they need to get by in the world. Slow driving, slower walking. People from outside america dont really "get" why so many americans have an odd admiration for middle america like this. It's flawed, maybe even falling apart. The neon or incandescent signs glow less bright over time, but it's still bright and beautiful. I can't help but mourn that so many want america to be more isolating, less diverse. It isnt greatness and it certainly isnt beauty when everything is the same. Would I be writing this post if I felt like Idaho Falls simply resembled Havre, Ephraim, or Palmer. Is Spring City truly only different because it still has an old Squirt ad mural? Is america not deserving of it's color pallete? Would I write this if Yummy House was instead a "Pan-Asian Bistro" called something like "Morning Calm Korean-Chinese-Italian-Fusion Bisto and Cafe"? Do we really want the character of America to be its pride and arrogance; or instead its humble beauty?

I'm just glad when I am reminded that I live in a world with a soul, I guess.