Heart and Sol 

• Alex Springer

In the Jungian school of thought, the idea of synchronicity—the hidden significance of seemingly insignificant coincidences—draws a lot of water. While I don't consider myself much of a subscriber to destiny manipulation, I do try to pick up the strands of fate that seem to connect the synchronicities that cross my path, especially when food is involved.

I only bring this up because it was synchronicity that led me to American Fork's Sol Agave (749 W. 100 North, Ste. CRA8, 801-692-1758, solagave.com). A few weeks ago, I was reading up on the highlights of this year's Sugar High Dessert Festival while watching a particularly tone-deaf episode of The Great British Baking Show; yes, I read about desserts while watching TV shows about desserts. Anyway, as I read that Sol Agave won the Fan Favorite award at this year's festival, while cringing at the episode's casual ignorance toward Mexican culture, I knew that a sophisticated spin on traditional Mexican food was in my near future.

I suppose it was the realization that we're lucky to have such a close connection with Mexican food and culture here in the United States that really prompted this visit. I love our variety of Mexican restaurants, and I also love that Sol Agave's concept is built around introducing mainstream diners to the history and complexity that exist within Mexican cooking. Strolling down the menu feels like a trip through a familiar neighborhood—until you start seeing things like slow-roasted Kurobuta pork belly bites and chorizo mashed potatoes, that is.

Obviously I was here to try some of that now-famous butter cake ($15) that won over the hearts of the Sugar High attendees, but I know better than to eat dessert first. The Chef's Specials section of the menu is filled with great options, but I ended up going with Our Famous Carnitas ($24) to complement the butter cake's heavy rep. These carnitas were made famous when Sol Agave's first location in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. burst onto the scene, and it's easy to see why. This is primo braised pork that simply falls apart with the slightest touch of your fork. The dish is also decked out with rice, refried black beans, guacamole, sour cream, a lovely salsa cruda, served with some homemade corn tortillas.

I'm always a sucker for the build-your-own taco model, but I did sneak a taste of these carnitas before they headed into my taco, and just wow. Completely tender, juicy and packing just a hint of acidity, it's an absolutely heavenly bite for fans of carnitas, or really any type of slow-braised protein. Even when you shred it up and add it to a hefty taco, that lovely flavor remains in center stage. An honorable mention must go to that salsa cruda, a beautiful creation of green chilis, onion and a sharp kick of jalapeño that tasted fresh out of the garden.

Sol Agave also has an insane cocktail and spirits menu with heavy emphasis on tequila. The sticky sweetness of a margarita seemed like a good call to contrast with the acidic, salsa-drenched wallop of my carnitas, so I ordered a flight of four ($24). They arrive on a custom wood serving dish, and they are gorgeous. I was a little crestfallen to see that the virginal quartet only came with one shot of tequila that you had to divide into each glass, but this is the heart of American Fork, after all. It was pretty easy to get over the disappointment—even with just a tad of tequila, the margaritas were sharp, sugary and refreshing.

I'm a big believer in the idea that if you want to finish a meal off with dessert, you must let your stomach know of your plans before you enter the restaurant. This is how I was able to secure room enough for Sol Agave's butter cake after eating a heap of carnitas. It's a beautiful dish—golden yellow cake topped with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream and dusted with cinnamon. The cake is warm on delivery, which causes the ice cream to melt and soak into the sponge and create a tres leches vibe.

The flavor of the cake itself dips its toes into butterscotch territory but pulls back before things get too intense. The sides of the round cake are encrusted with a thick-grained sugar that adds a welcome crunch to the gooey dessert. All in all, this is a spectacular way to end a meal, and I recommend saving room for butter cake during every visit.

All things considered, Sol Agave has plenty of reasons to make a trip down to American Fork—it's right by a movie theater, so there's date night solved. Its menu succeeds in showing how solid culinary technique can take inspiration from traditional Mexican food to put something vibrant and delicious on your plate.