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South Jordan • Take an unseen location, mix in a seemingly random menu of pizza, hot dogs and deli sides and then introduce the "pop-wich" to Utah and you've just described South Jordan's Pop On Over Café.

Opened in the fall of 2011, this self-proclaimed New York deli devotes much of the menu to breakfast and lunch pop-wiches ($6.75), ranging from a Hatch green chile, egg and cheese version ($4.89) to a spicy pastrami and Swiss with all the fixings.

A pop-wich takes traditional sandwich meats and fillings and replaces the bread with an airy, hollow roll made with egg batter — otherwise known as a popover. The popovers here are chewy instead of the light crispiness I was expecting. This could be partly due to the fact that they sit in a deli case for some time before being served.

Each pop-wich comes with a pickle spear and choice of a side. Options range from a standout broccoli salad, with big chunks of fresh broccoli, peanuts and red onions plus shreds of cheddar cheese, to a vile potato salad that contained undercooked potatoes and a horribly sour vinegar/mustard/mayo sauce that rendered it inedible.

In a theme-driven restaurant such as Pop On Over, it's critical that the highlighted item be executed perfectly. That's not the case here, and there's few other perfectly executed items on the disjointed menu.

Pasta dishes advertised as specialties weren't: Both the clams casino ($6.99) and clams oreganata ($6.99) were unavailable. A huge portion of lasagna ($6.99), served with a side salad and popover, lacked much in the way of taste. After a generous seasoning with salt and pepper at the table, it was at least filling. The macaroni and cheese ($6.99) was overcooked pasta coated in what suspiciously resembled liquid Velveeta cheese sauce, was topped with shredded cheddar cheese and crushed crackers, and accompanied by a popover.

The hand-thrown pizza ($2.50, by the slice; $7.25, 12-inch; $10.99, 18-inch) featured a nice, crispy crust, which was then covered up with lots of processed and canned toppings such as limp, lukewarm mushrooms.

Perhaps the best thing on the menu is the famous New York Sabrett hot dog with a choice of sauerkraut, onions, peppers or pickles for $3.50. It's the sort of plump and juicy hot dog that no baseball game is complete without.

Deviled eggs are a big deal at Pop On Over Café. They even offer the Devil's Challenge for $19.99, where successful eaters will devour a dozen deviled eggs at increasing spice levels (up to "stupid hot") in 30 minutes to earn their picture on the wall and a T-shirt. Not being much of a heat-seeker myself, I tried the regular deviled egg ($1.99) and found it to be creamy but a bit rubbery.

While the food presents its own challenges, Pop On Over Café is operating in perhaps one of the worst locations I've come across. Situated in the back of a half-empty strip mall that faces perpendicular to South Jordan Parkway, there's little exposure for foot or drive-by traffic.

On my last visit, several patio tables were set out on a nice afternoon. Unfortunately, the view is of the back of some buildings and a parking lot as you sit on woodchips in a dirt field.

The owners have personalized the décor with record album jackets and signed photos from entertainers lining the walls, and diners can play one of the many vinyl records on the turntable at the back. Pop On Over Café reminds me of the kind of place that would have been cool to hang out in during college. If they were downtown and catered to the late-night bar crowd, or near the university with lots of hungry college students, the environment could really work for them — although the food would still need improvement.

While the pop-wich theme might have sounded like a great idea to bring to South Jordan, it's difficult to attract a following like that of Popover Café in New York City when most people don't even know what a popover is to begin with and can't find the restaurant anyway. Add to that a random smattering of average-at-best menu choices and the really inconvenient hours (doesn't open until 9 a.m. for breakfast, and closes at 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday) and a cohesive dining option doesn't yet present itself here.

Salt Lake Tribune restaurant reviewer Heather L. King blogs at http://www.examiner.com/lunch-in-salt-lake-city/heather-king. Send comments about this review to food@sltrib.com or post a response at facebook.com/tribremix. —

H

Pop On Over Café

Food • H

Mood • Hhj

Service • H

Noise • bb

A deli-inspired menu of sandwiches made with popovers (pop-wiches), pizza, hot dogs and sides is off the beaten path in South Jordan, and the specialty items don't inspire.

Location • 1098 W. South Jordan Parkway, Suite 110, South Jordan; 801-253-0272

Online • http://www.poponovercafe.com

Hours • Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Children's menu • No

Prices • $

Liquor • No

Reservations • No

Takeout • Yes

Wheelchair access • Yes

Outdoor dining • Yes

On-site parking • Yes

Credit cards • Visa, MasterCard, Discover