There’s a new restaurant in downtown Springville. Opening in mid-May, Cody’s Gastro Garage sits on Main Street next door to the Springville Civic Center, occupying the location where China Café had spent the last four decades. Very few remnants of the old restaurant remain, with its biker Americana interior and a new sign out front where the red awning once hung. Cody’s Gastro Garage has brought a new life to the building, and mouth-watering, quality food to go with it.
The restaurant is owned by Chris Shurian and managed by his daughter, Amy. The original Gastro Garage was located near Bear Lake, but with an interest in simplifying his life, Shurian is selling that location off and moving his restaurants closer to his home in Mapleton.
It might sound a little crazy for a man looking to simplify things to open a new restaurant, but it seems to be a passion of his. He’s worked to build a place that he and his family enjoy, and the proof is in the personal touches. From the first Harley Davidson motorcycle he ever bought being displayed prominently in the restaurant, to the Hot Rod magazine covers on the walls from the years that he and his son Cody (the restaurant’s namesake) were born. The menu is sprinkled with personal touches too, including little jokes in the descriptions as well as actual food items that were inspired by his children’s favorites.
As one might expect, the menu at Cody’s is packed with gastropub essentials like burgers, tacos, quesadillas, and wings. From my experience, the food is crafted with intention and care, using quality ingredients that come together in dynamic flavor combinations.
Going by personal preference, I started with the Hellcat Jalapeño burger, which is a monstrously tall burger with a 1/3 lb. patty, applewood smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese, and, of course, jalapeños. I’m someone who loves heat and am always drawn to menu items that have some sort of pepper on them. For those who might be a little scared of spice, however, don’t fret: this burger isn’t about melting your tastebuds. Rather than focus on heat, the jalapeños are tamer, offering a satisfying mixture of flavors culminating in what is simply a very delicious burger.
Burgers and many of the other entrees come with your choice of sides. I took the sweet potato fries with mine, which are served with a marshmallow dipping sauce, a play off the classic Thanksgiving side dish. I was also able to try the onion rings, which, as an occasional connoisseur, I found to be wonderful, especially because the onion didn’t slip out of the batter after taking a bite. Anyone who enjoys onion rings knows that this is the true hallmark of quality.
In my time at Cody’s, I was treated to a variety of menu items beyond the burger. The Street Rod tacos were also delicious, with a fresh Mex feel to them, which would be perfect for someone in the mood for lighter fare. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between the beef, chicken, and pork, as each option was delectable. Even when presented with a whole smorgasbord to sample, I did manage to completely finish the beef taco – so take that for what it’s worth.
Next up were wings that are tossed in your choice of sauce with varying degrees of heat. The dixie heat and buffalo sauces are tongue-numbingly hot, which I personally loved, but even the raspberry barbecue and raspberry chipotle sauces still offer a pleasing kick. The raspberry chipotle was probably my favorite of the four, though, combining the right mix of tart and spice that complemented the crispy wings wonderfully.
From the moment I entered the restaurant, I was reminded of the still-missing-in-action Art City Trolley, which had been my favorite restaurant in town before it mysteriously closed for renovations years ago. With that already on my mind, I was thrilled but not too surprised to learn that a few of the menu items were borrowed from Art City Trolley, including the Art City Special salad, which I didn’t try, but was glad to see being offered in town again.
Filled to the brim, there were whole swaths of the menu I couldn’t sample, such as the aforementioned salads, quesadillas, sandwiches, and many of the other entrees. I was, however, able to end my meal with a few bites of the Widow Maker No. 1, an enormous slice of velvety, rich chocolate cake. Graciously, it didn’t live up to its namesake by killing me, but if I had to choose a way to go, it would be high on the list of options.
Cody’s Gastro Garage is located at 160 S. Main St. in Springville. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They also have another location in Nephi, located at 2100 S Main St. The Cody’s Gastro Garage food truck can also be found around town, often at major events.
