You don’t have to travel to the Four Corners area to experience some of the best food the Navajo Nation has to offer. Just take a quick trip to downtown Provo to the Black Sheep Cafe, which offers a wide variety of authentic Navajo food. It also offers food from other traditions—such as burgers or enchiladas—with a Navajo twist.
Owned and operated by Bleu Adams, the Black Sheep Cafe combines her love of cooking with her own heritage. Adams is of Navajo, Hidatsa and Mandan decent. When she was 12, her family moved from Provo to the Navajo Nation. It was there she learned how to make the different dishes at the Black Sheep Cafe, including the signature Black Sheep Navajo taco.
For those who have never had a Navajo taco, the Black Sheep offers one of the best. It consists of Black Sheep pinto beans with queso menonita, lettuce, tomato, onion and ranchero salsa, all piled on top of traditional Navajo frybread. This dish carries with it centuries of Navajo tradition and history. It was one of the first things Adams learned to make, since it is a staple on the “rez.” Not only is the food delicious, the presentation is always polished.
For something a bit lighter, the squash soup is an excellent option. A creamy blend of vegetables and herbs, it’s served with a choice of flatbread or frybread. Again, presentation is always a priority at the cafe, with the chef swirling a design into the soup before it is served.
For dessert, orange-habanero creme brulee is offered for those who love to mix sweet and spicy. And if you want just sweet, you can get a piece of frybread hot from the kitchen with a side of honey-butter that melts right before you pop the bread into your mouth.
BLACK SHEEP CAFE
19 N. University Ave., Provo
801-607-2485
ProvoBlackSheep.com