AMBIANCE
VOL. 4 NO. 9 • SEPTEMBER 2018 • AMBIANCE
FREE COPY
VOL. 4 NO. 9 • SEPTEMBER 2018
MOAB: DESERT DINING, BREWS AND VIEWS P. 58
MOODALTERING LOCAL RESTAURANTS P. 22
BUILDINGS THAT LIVE AGAIN AS EATERIES P. 14
UTAH RESTAURANT
Devour Utah • september 2018 ASSOCIATION P. 178
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contents
The Ambiance Issue
10 Shiny Pennies
64 Things We Love
BY ELENI SALTAS
BY LEVI ROGERS
Energetic signature dishes
14 Second Life
Pallet Bistro’s moody interior
66 Plate It
New eateries in old haunts
Sapa Sushi Bar and Asian Grill
22 A Feast for the Senses
68 Devour This Recipe
“NEIGHBOUR DAVE” RICCIO
Restaurants that spark awe BY THE DEVOUR STAFF
56 The Spread Campfire Lounge BY DIANE HARTFORD
58 Stealing the Scene
Moab dining with a red-rock view BY MERRY HARRISON
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BY JERRE WROBLE
Hell’s Backbone Grill’s piñon-sage stuffed summer squash
BY JEN CASTLE & BLAKE SPALDING
70 Drinking by Design Imbibing at elegant city bars BY DARBY DOYLE
82 Last Bite
The right music for the meal BY MICHAEL FELDMAN
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Devour Utah • september 2018 5
CONTRIBUTORS STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS EDITORIAL Editor Copy Editor Proofreader Contributors
JERRE WROBLE SARAH ARNOFF LANCE GUDMUNDSEN SARAH ARNOFF, CAROLYN CAMPBELL, JEN CASTLE, AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, MICHAEL FELDMAN, BRIAN FRYER, MERRY HARRISON, DIANE HARTFORD, HEATHER L. KING, HEATHER MAY, VALERIE PHILLIPS, DAVE RICCIO, LEVI ROGERS, ELENI SALTAS, BLAKE SPALDING
Eleni Saltas grew up in Salt Lake City’s vibrant Greek community where she learned Panhellenic dancing, cooking and creating delicious Mediterranean recipes. Learn more at EleniSaltas.com.
Photographers SARAH ARNOFF, NIKI CHAN, JOSH SCHEUERMAN, JOHN TAYLOR
PRODUCTION
Art Director DEREK CARLISLE Graphic Artists SOFIA CIFUENTES, CHELSEA NEIDER, SEAN HAIR
BUSINESS/OFFICE Accounting Manager PAULA SALTAS Office Administrators DAVID ADAMSON, ANNA KASER Technical Director BRYAN MANNOS
“Neighbour Dave” Riccio is a self-taught chef who recently left a 20-year stevedoring career to pursue his passion in food. In addition to creating and marketing a seasoning blend, he will soon be publishing a cookbook with recipes from his Instagram account.
MARKETING Director of Events and Marketing SAMANTHA SMITH
CIRCULATION Circulation Manager ERIC GRANATO
SALES Vice President, New Business Magazine Advertising Director Newsprint Advertising Director Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives
SAM URIE JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER ANNE BAILEY, ALEX MARKHAM, MIEKA SAWATZKI, JEREMIAH SMITH
Heather May is a long-time Salt Lake City-based reporter who covers food, travel and health for various publications. She has won numerous awards and helped create Devour magazine.
Cover illustration by Grandfailure Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies of Devour are available for $4.95 at the Devour offices located at 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • DevourUtah.com Email Editor@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com
Copperfield Publishing
Copyright 2018. All rights reserved
@DevourUtah
6 Devour Utah • september 2018
@DevourUtah
@DevourUtah
Carolyn Campbell has written for Copperfield Media since the 1980s, where she’s published numerous cover stories for City Weekly, several of which earned Society of Professional Journalists awards. She is the author of three nationally published books and 800 magazine articles.
Devour Utah • september 2018 7
From the Editor
Gum Gummer A plea to urban gum chewers~ Think before you drop that innocent gob on a city sidewalk. Not only because someone might step on your sticky wad but also because our sidewalks are becoming marred by gum. Your discarded Dentyne Ice quickly dissolves into a permanent black stain on the pavement. It’s especially noticeable outside eateries and bars where people drop their wads, so to speak, before entering to meet up with friends and family. The only way to remove the stains, I learned—from none other than Gastronomy’s über-fastidious CEO, Tom Guinney—is by taking a pressure washer to them. My lesson is the gumming down of SLC took place a few years back, when Main Street had many vacancies, prior to the opening of City Creek Center. Guinney was concerned that downtown businesses were not doing enough to keep their sidewalks clear of debris, cigarette butts and gum. As I was formerly editor of City Weekly (a sister publication of Devour), Guinney asked if we would do our part by keeping our street racks shiny and clean. All good suggestions, I told him, but just how dirty could our sidewalks and streets be? To my way of thinking, Salt Lake City was known for its “clean.” That prompted Guinney to dash over to our offices and lead me on a personal tour of Main Street, pointing out the sad state of our sidewalks, trash in the gutters and leaves piling up in entryways. He directed my gaze to the dirt-splashed flower pots, which were littered with wrappers and butts, the grimy garbage cans and, of course, the black-spotted sidewalks. I can’t un-see the gum stains anymore. Thanks, Tom. “But isn’t it the job of the city to clean the sidewalks?” I asked. He said he’d already made the rounds at the mayor’s office to little effect. Undeterred, Guinney sent his dishwashers at Market Street Grill outside during lulls to power wash not only the restaurant’s sidewalks but the entire block. If you want to see sidewalks relatively free of the dried-gum plague, take a stroll along Market Street downtown. It does add something. A restaurant’s “curb appeal” is the beginning and end of many a great meal and is one of multiple factors that create ambiance, which is, of course, the theme of this issue. To those restaurant owners and managers who have spared no expense or effort to make the dining experience transformative by “setting the stage,” we salute you. As this issue proves, Utah is not lacking in places that know something about atmosphere. So, get out and lose yourself in one of the establishments in these pages. But just be careful with the gum! Maybe go with Tic Tacs? ❖ —Jerre Wroble Correction: In the Devour article “To Market We Shall Go” (July 2018), we quoted Carson Chambers, Urban Food Connections of Utah market manager, referring to her as “he” and “him.” We sincerely apologize for our editing error. Also, the partners involved with the Downtown Alliance/Urban Food Connections of Utah program “Summer in a Jar” should have been shown as Slow Food Utah and Harmons. The Tuesday night Downtown Farmers Market takes place from August to September (not through October).
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The Ambiance Issue
SHINY PENNIES New eateries bring fresh flavors to town BY ELENI SALTAS
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Pollo Rebosado en Salsa de Cacahuate JORGE FIERRO
his issue is all about ambiance —the environment or setting that’s part of the dining experience. When a new restaurant opens, it brings not only exciting dishes but also an energized atmosphere filled with the hopes and dreams of the owner and chef. Whether it’s the colorful interior of a restaurant known for inspired Mexican cuisine, a modern café that’s home to lipsmacking fried chicken, the cool lines and sophisticated martinis of a mall bistro, or a playful creperie serving a taste of Paris, there’s plenty to experience in the local up-and-coming food scene. What follows are four signature dishes offered by new eateries that launched or rebranded in 2018. Now’s the time to sink your teeth into these new beginnings.
Pollo Rebosado en Salsa de Cacahuate $16
ENRIQUE LIMÓN
Fried Chicken Sandwich Fried Chicken Sandwich $10.50
As Frida Bistro, this artsy eclectic eatery earned props for taking Mexican cuisine to a new level. Still owned by founder Jorge Fierro, the restaurant’s rebranding in May 2018 to Rico Cocina y Tequila Bar ushers in a more casual (and wallet-friendly) dining experience. Many of Frida’s favorites remain on the menu, but diners can now savor unique items such as pork-belly burritos and mole tamales along with a wide selection of tequilas and other spirits. One signature dish sure to please is the pollo rebosado en salsa de cacahuate—a lightly breaded chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese and a poblano pepper. The chicken is pan fried, sliced in half to expose the stuffing and beautifully plated over a bold and spicy peanut-and-guajillo pepper sauce. Rice, black beans and an arugula salad provide the final touches.
Stroll down Regent Street around 11 a.m. or 5 p.m., and you’ll see hungry hordes lining up at Pretty Bird, a Nashville-style hot chicken eatery opened in February by Utah’s very own Iron Chef, Viet Pham. With limited seating, it’s more of a take-out place, but patrons don’t care! They can hardly wait for the crunch as they chomp down on a deep-fried boneless chicken thigh served at spice levels ranging from mild to the daring “hot behind.” After you’ve placed your order and sealed your spicy fate, your jumbosized chicken quickly arrives on a buttered bun topped with slaw, pickles and a creamy Pretty Bird sauce. Ordering a combo ($15) gives you a side (crinkle-cut fries, for the win) and a soda.
Rico Cocina y Tequila Bar 545 W. 700 South, SLC 801-983-6692 RicoCocinaYTequilaBar.com
Pretty Bird 146 Regent St., SLC PrettyBirdChicken.com Devour Utah • september 2018 11
801-713-9423 5692 South 900 East Murray, UT 84121
www.japanesegrill.com
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@yoshiensogrill
The Ambiance Issue
Razitini and Fries ($7.99)
Twigs Bistro & Martini Bar opened in June at the south entrance of Fashion Place Mall, providing the liquid courage or comfort food needed for an arduous day of mall shopping. This Spokane-based bistro offers a wide range of American bites—from roasted Brussels sprouts and flatbreads to pork osso bucco and salted caramel cheesecake. To fuel your shopping excursion, find a comfy chair on the patio and order their signature Razitini—made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Bols black raspberry liqueur—and pair it with a pound of Twigs’ zesty fries seasoned with cayenne, rice vinegar and basil. Walk it off in the mall!
Champs-Élysées ($8)
Twigs Station Park 155 N. East Promontory, Farmington 801-447-8944 TwigsBistro.com
Bravo pour les crêpes! As of March 2018, food-truck operators Maxime Ambeza and Raysha Carrasco found a crêperie to call home, a charming and colorful restaurant in Sugar House filled with artistic touches of Paris. Even the menu is playful, featuring savory crêpes (made with Maxime’s grandmother’s recipe) such as L’Arc de Triomphe (chicken, mozzarella, guacamole, peppers, tomato and basil) and sweet treats such as the Monsieur (Brie, apricot confiture, powdered sugar and whipped cream). For a sweeter crêpe, try the Champs-Élysées, stuffed with fresh strawberries and bananas, drizzled with Nutella and nested next to a dollop of French-style whipped cream. ❖
DEREK CARLISLE
Twigs Bistro & Martini Bar Fashion Place Mall 6223 S. State, Murray 385-388-0326
Razitini and Fries
ChampsÉlysées
DEREK CARLISLE
Á La Maison Monsieur Crêpes 1617 S. 900 East, SLC 801-259-5843 MonsieurCrepesUT.com
Devour Utah • september 2018 13
The Ambiance Issue
SECOND Restaurants that saved old buildings from the wrecking ball By “Neighbour Dave” Riccio
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R
estaurants follow trends. Whether it’s an unusual ingredient or a new eye-catching technique, there’s something new to embrace. My favorite trend is about renovation—when a restaurant revitalizes a run-down building that had a different purpose in days gone by. Salt Lake City has many old buildings crying out to be brought back to life. There are different ways to accomplish this, like putting in a specialty boutique or bookstore. However, what better way to enrich our community than to locate a restaurant in a historic building? People will again use a building that was left behind, untended and unappreciated, and gather there to eat and celebrate. It’s a great trend I hope to see more of. Come along and explore four renewed spaced that are now thriving restaurants.
Rose Establishment’s industrial design is warmed by antique wood and greenery.
DEREK CARLISLE
235 S. 400 West, SLC 801-208-5569 TheRoseEstb.com
DEREK CARLISLE
In 2009, Erica O’Brien sat with her father on the porch of the old Cudahy meat-packing facility, watching bicyclists pedal by. For two years, she’d been looking for the perfect spot to create her first restaurant, and she told her dad that this building, an old warehouse across from The Gateway, was definitely the place. Cudahy built its meat-packing plant in 1918 to process beef after it arrived by rail that ran directly past their loading dock. The building also had a few offices and a small storefront where locals could buy meat. Subsequently, the building became home to the Challenge Butter & Creamery. Then, it sat idle and vacant until O’Brien partnered with her father to transform it into what it is now: The Rose Establishment. She had a vision and he had years of experience renovating buildings. They agreed that if they were going undertake a major project, they should do as much of the work as possible themselves. They used copper piping throughout—you won’t find any PVC at all. The industrial design and tile floors and walls are complemented by a warm, inviting decor that includes a flower-trimmed patio in the summer, antique wood, and green plants throughout the interior. Today, The Rose Establishment focuses on high quality, organic and local food, served up in a stunning setting in the heart of Salt Lake City. Stay tuned for O’Brien’s next renovation called Ta Contento (meaning “I am contented”) coming soon to the old Vertical Diner on West Temple.
Most of the work was done by Rose Establishment owner Erica O’Brien and her father.
DEREK CARLISLE
The Rose Establishment
DEREK CARLISLE
The Rose Establishment inhabits a warehouse that once housed a meat-packing plant and then a creamery.
Devour Utah • september 2018 15
The Ambiance Issue
Martine Café Before it housed this eatery, this space was home to the Saltair Railroad Co., the Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Village Brownstone Clothier, an investment firm and, believe it or not, a head shop called the White Rabbit. It was also the original Red Apple lunch spot. The three-story Brownstone Building was built as the Utah Commercial & Savings Bank in 1890. Richard K.A. Kletting designed the brownstone, which is considered a rare example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Utah. Modeled after New York City’s brownstones, it’s actually built with red sandstone quarried locally from Red Butte Canyon. The building, also built with brick and oak, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. When Bill Campbell (the building’s current owner) came onto the scene in the late ’90s, he decided to invest in the building, which was in such disrepair, it wasn’t even safe to enter. After making upgrades, he signed a preservation easement with the Utah Heritage Foundation to keep the building in its current condition or better. Martine Café set up shop in the brownstone in 1999, with co-owners Scott Hale and Tom Grant at the helm. While they’ve been around awhile, Martine’s cuisine never seems out of date. Martine led with the small plates concept, and they continue to offer a robust menu of tapas as well as entrées. They also have devised a more thrifty prix fixe menu for theater-goers. While you’re there enjoying the locally sourced organic dishes, take in the many historic touches: The chairs were brought in from the old Peery Hotel, and the flooring is the original Italian linoleum. Look up and you’ll see 15-foot-high ceilings in the two main dining rooms. Behind the bar is a beautiful metal-and-wood staircase still in use after 128 years. The mezzanine overlooks the restaurant and is lit by a skylight. The space also boasts two original bank-vault doors, one of which contains Martine’s atmosphere-controlled wine cellar. (I’ll leave it to you to discover what’s within Vault No. 2.) After two major downtown construction projects limited access to their restaurant, Hale and Grant used the slowdown in 2014 to update Martine. They removed sheetrock to expose historic red brick and refinished the entry. They also reupholstered the booths, installed new floor tiles and expanded the kitchen. For those who love historic buildings, the brownstone is a heavy hitter, one that will be around for the ages. Martine is here now, a place to meet and mingle in the city’s vibrant downtown.
22 E. 100 South, SLC 801-363-9328 MartineCafe.com 16 Devour Utah • september 2018
Martine is located in Salt Lake’s historic Brownstone Building on 100 South
SECOND
DEREK CARLISLE
Martine’s modern makeover
NOW OPEN Noon - 2am Daily NEW FOOD MENU AVAILABLE LIVE MUSIC WEEKLY
DEREK CARLISLE
1215 east Wilmington Avenue, Suite 120 | ruinslc.com
DEREK CARLISLE
Touches of the past remain.
Devour Utah • september 2018 17
The Ambiance Issue
Current Fish & Oyster
Constructed in 1923, this beautiful building housed the Baker Ford dealership for several decades. After that, it became Salt Lake Antiques. According to Joel LaSalle (co-owner of Current and design leader for the LaSalle Restaurant Group), the building was ideal for Current because of its proximity to the city’s business district as well as to nearby neighborhoods. The bones of the structure reminded him of the seaside warehouse buildings in places like San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Boston. The big barrel roofs, original windows, metal and wood give the space a dramatic, open feel. The large exterior windows bring in natural light, and the high arching ceilings and metal turnbuckle spines throughout add to the incredible energy of this space. Building renovations had already been underway for a few years prior to LaSalle Group’s purchase in late 2014. They immediately began to shape the restaurant space we know today, which opened in March 2015. The eatery boasts a simple and understated design, intended to let the history, the character and the outstanding seafood cuisine shine.
The barrel roofs, original windows, metal and wood give Current Fish & Oyster a dramatic, open feel.
279 E. 300 South, SLC 801-326-3474 CurrentFishAndOyster.com
DEREK CARLISLE
DEREK CARLISLE
Current Fish and Oyster’s building was originally an auto dealership.
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JOHN TAYLOR
SECOND
DEREK CARLISLE
Modern lighting gives a vintage touch.
Hours: 7am to 10pm • peacetreecafe.com 435-259-0101 • 20 South Main Street • Moab, Utah 435-587-5063 • 516 North Main Street • Monticello, Utah
TASTE THE COMFORT
501 E. 900 S. SLC | (385) 202-7167 | www.traditionslc.com Devour Utah • september 2018 19
The Ambiance Issue
Tradition You might remember a run-down eyesore of a building on 900 South, just north of Liberty Park. It sat idle for 32 years without any activity within its walls. For a short time, it housed a business that rented out bicycles and roller-skates to park-goers. Built in 1932, it originally was a gas station. Enter the two modern-day owners, Salt Lake City locals Ashton Aragon and Max Shrives. They decided it was just the spot for their first venture together, now known as the restaurant Tradition. When renovations started in December 2016, the floors were dirt and at least a foot lower than they currently are. Aragon and Shrives (who is also the head chef) loved the look of the old brick walls, so what you see today are the 86-year-old original service station walls. In April 2017, they opened for business. Patrons at Tradition come for the made-from-scratch cuisine and cocktails, and they might find it hard to envision that they’re sitting in the bays where the automobiles were serviced in days gone by. If they didn’t know the building’s history beforehand, they’d never guess it from the renovation. At the front of Tradition is a 21-and-over area. This is the structure’s oldest section (it’s registered with the Utah State Historical Society), and it’s a pleasure to sit here enjoying an adult beverage or two.
Given new life: Tradition remains a “service” station, only now it serves made-fromscratch cuisine.
501 E. 900 South, SLC 385-202-7167 TraditionSLC.com
The building housing Tradition was once a gas station near Liberty Park.
JOHN TAYLOR
In between times: when the building sat vacant for decades.
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SECOND
NOW SERVING SUNDAY BRUNCH 10:00AM - 2:00PM CRAB CAKE BENEDICT WITH CHIPOTLE HOLLANDAISE
$6 COCKTAILS!
JOHN TAYLOR
(801) 466-9827 HARBORSLC.COM 2302 E PARLEY’S WAY SLC, UT
Join us on our patio
JOHN TAYLOR
Tradition head chef Max Shrives, left, and business manager Ashton Aragon.
All of these fantastic restaurants deserve our appreciation and patronage. Now that you know how they came to be, perhaps you’ll be able to appreciate them that much more. Enjoy the great food and atmosphere in these renovated and repurposed buildings.
COTTONWOOD 6405 South 3000 East 801-944-8746
DOWNTOWN 680 South 900 East 801-533-8746
PARK CITY 6585 Northth Landmark Dr. 385-649-9654 Devour Utah • september 2018 21
The Ambiance Issue
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES
Log Haven’s wood tones create a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
Eateries that make you forget you’re in Utah (or celebrate that you are) BY THE DEVOUR STAFF
22 Devour Utah • september 2018
NIKI CHAN
I
t’s not easy to succeed in the restaurant business. Those who do have got a few things figured out. Yes, serving good food is essential and so is offering great service. But another factor often downplayed or overlooked by owners is ambiance. The right atmosphere appeals to a patron’s senses. The sights, sounds, smells and even the tactile feel of napkins, glasses and china often determine if a diner will return. From color schemes, seating arrangements, lighting, signs and décor to the right kind of music and “ambient” sounds, aromas wafting from the kitchen, the comfort level of the table chairs, cleanliness—all contribute to the overall impression of an eating establishment. Utah restaurateurs have proven time and again they can be masters of ambiance. There are now far more eateries that knock your socks off than we could include in one issue. So, for this issue, we’re saluting a small number that excel in setting the mood. In one of our magazine meetings, we called these places “cathedrals of dining” as there is almost a sense of reverence felt upon entering. If your favorite place isn’t mentioned, please give them a shout-out in our social media and let us know what they are doing right.
Filet mignon plated on Log Haven’s customized dinnerware.
LOG HAVEN
NIKI CHAN
Canyon Escape
NIKI CHAN
Co-owner/chef Dave Jones infuses his ever-evolving menu with herbs grown on Log Haven property.
Nature. Nurture. Nourish. Those are the trio of intentions behind Log Haven, the fine-dining destination housed in a log mansion in Millcreek Canyon. They’re expressed in small to grand gestures—wood-burning fireplaces, needlepoint interpretations of the creek in wintertime, views of the Wasatch National Forest from the windows and patio, weddings at the base of a waterfall near a cobblestone creek lined with summertime wildflowers. When she bought what was once a steel baron’s summer hideaway and later a restaurant slated to be torn down, owner Margo Provost sought to create a natural oasis that would reenergize guests—the same kind of experience found while vacationing from a fast-paced corporate job. Log Haven’s walkway is lined with aspens and pines and shade-loving foliage. The walls are log-paneled and the rooms are lit with sparkling garlands. The servers pamper. The restored pond across the road beckons. Nourishment comes in the form of excellent food prepared under the supervision of co-owner and chef Dave Jones. The ever-evolving menu emphasizes flavor—including herbs from his onproperty garden—instead of fat. Think Alpine Nachos with house chips and forest mushrooms or elk striploin served with polenta and candied walnuts. Log Haven’s credo is also found in coowner Faith Scheffler’s commitment to creating the perfect event in its many natural spaces—like a former marsh turned into a hillside amphitheater. And in coowner Ian Campbell’s attention to the wine list, meeting with vintners to create Log Haven’s own blends. “We can get so hooked to our technology, we lose touch with humanity and lose touch with nature,” Provost says. “The property gets to do its magic on the people who come here.” (Heather May) 6451 E. Millcreek Canyon Road, SLC 801-272-8255 Log-Haven.com Devour Utah • september 2018 23
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DINNER WHAT’S FOR
Sign up online today and let us take care of dinner.
www.wasatchfresh.com info@wasatchfresh.com 1337 S. Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115
24 Devour Utah • september 2018
385•528•2413
The Ambiance Issue
HSL executive chef Briar Handly: His innovative cooking style is reflected in the decor.
HSL
JOHN TAYLOR
50 Shades of Green
CITYHOME COLLECTIVE
HSL’s verdant interior.
JOHN TAYLOR
HSL’s crave-worthy General Tso’s-style cauliflower.
It’s simple yet sophisticated, layered with texture and luxury, but it’s also playful. That describes the food at HSL, and its atmosphere, too. Which makes sense since the menu at this downtown Salt Lake City spot, which emphasizes vegetables and combines flavors and textures in novel ways, was the inspiration for the interior design. “I wanted it to represent the way [chef] Briar [Handly] cooks,” says Melissa Gray, HSL’s creative director and Handly’s wife. She designed the space with Cody Derrick of CityHomeCollective. Handly incorporates “some of the same ingredients in a dish but prepared different ways,” Gray says. For example: carrots—roasted, pickled and glazed. Thus the palette is monochromatic green, but in different shades. Sage floods the walls while hues of green color the light fixtures, stemware, pillows and fabrics for the leather banquettes, velvet dining chairs and a couch in the lounge. Tile lines the bottom of the bar in diamond patterns. Marble and wood finishes add variety. The green leaves of dozens of plants on ledges, in corners and on the wall evoke a lush, tropical getaway. So does the unexpected wallpaper that covers the back wall. Layers of palm leaves interrupted by pops of pink flowers beckon diners to celebrate at the banquettes lit by brass lotus pendants. Its brightness mirrors Handly’s finishing touches on his dishes—olive oil, lemon zest and fleur de sel. But anywhere is a perfect spot to eat the restaurant’s beloved fried chicken, General Tso-style cauliflower or Alaskan halibut served with hummus made of, well, carrots. “We want people to come in and relax and feel that feeling of ‘let us take care of you,’” Gray says. (Heather May) 418 E. 200 South, SLC 801-539-9999 HSLRestaurant.com Devour Utah • september 2018 25
The Ambiance Issue
9565 S. Wasatch Blvd., Sandy 801-942-1751 LaCaille.com
26 Devour Utah • september 2018
ANGELA HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY
La Caille offers an escape into pastoral French countryside just 20 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. Entering beautiful European wroughtiron gates and driving down a cobblestone brick road surrounded by trees and green foliage, you can hear the sounds of water and possibly catch glimpses of peacocks, ducks and rabbits as you enter the picturesque 23-acre getaway. La Caille’s unique ambiance is enhanced by sweeping sylvan views, sculptured gardens, restful ponds and streams, verdant vineyards and peaceful walking paths, all bordering a turreted French-country chateau filled with European elegance. La Caille’s decor was inspired by original owner Lester Johnson’s love for all things European. The fireplaces are replicas of ones in French chateaus, and the handpainted glass ceilings are repurposed windows from an old bakery in France. Many aspects of the outdoor garden ambiance are incorporated as ingredients in the menu items. Herbs and micro greens for salads and vegetables such as yellow squash, tomatoes, heirloom carrots and beets are grown in La Caille’s own greenhouse and gardens, restaurant general manager Layne Dansie explains. He brings eggs from his family’s farm to enhance many dishes. La Caille’s vineyard is expected to produce 2,000 bottles of seyval blanc wine this year. Lamb for the signature rack of lamb is purchased locally from Morgan Valley and provides “a phenomenal entrée that is prepared as herb-crusted lamb with wild mushrooms,” Dansie says. The French onion soup has been on the menu since La Caille’s opening. It’s capped with layers of French cheeses and accompanied by a toasted baguette with garlic spread. Pan-seared scallops are topped with lobster tail and caviar, and served over a bed of pauve potatoes. Bananas foster, with flaming caramel-rum sauce and vanilla ice cream, is a traditional dessert favorite. Items are available a la carte, which includes first and second courses, entrées and desserts. (Carolyn Campbell)
Grapes for Chateau La Caille Enchante Seyval Blanc are grown on the restaurant’s vineyards.
ANGELA HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY
Vineyards and Peacocks
La Caille looks and feels like a rural French chateau. .
La Caille’s 23-acre garden setting is home to a variety of birds.
ANGELA HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY
LA CAILLE
Devour Utah • september 2018 27
The Ambiance Issue
Since 1969, Richard Halliday has transported the ambiance of old England to Utah in the form of The Five Alls Restaurant. Diners grasp a metal ring to open the heavy wooden front door and enter the wood-paneled restaurant featuring subdued lighting and a warm, comforting atmosphere. “In these days, when everyone is rushing around, people can come here, slow down and enjoy a five-course dinner,” says Halliday’s daughter, Anne Lentz, current co-owner and manager. Cast-iron lighting, period chairs and pewter dishes further reflect the old English theme. For a single entrée price, diners enjoy fivecourse meals beginning with poppyseed and onion breadsticks, accompanied by clam dip and a refreshing appetizer drink made from bananas, pineapple and Sprite. All breads and the signature sour cream cheesecake are baked fresh daily in their in-house bakery. All sauces, including the béarnaise sauce topping the signature Filet Oscar and Halibut Oscar are also housemade. “We start with the basic ingredients and home make everything. We don’t even have a microwave,” Lentz says. Housemade hollandaise sauce adorns the signature chicken Kiev, which is seared in a deep-fryer and then baked to maintain moistness. The Filet Roquefort is filet mignon topped with bacon strips, sautéed mushrooms and burgundy sauce, accompanied by a toasted English muffin with melted blue cheese crumbles. Halliday’s idea “was to serve the freshest, finest meals he could—we have customers that come in every week,” night manager Paul Latteier says. “They will tell you this restaurant is the biggest hidden secret in the valley.” The establishment’s unusual name harks back to the old English tradition of hanging cast-iron signs to depict the nature of a business—such as a pig for a butcher shop. The five lighted stained-glass pictures in the restaurant depict the king that rules all, the parson that prays for all, the soldier that fights for all, the lawyer that pleads for all and the taxpayer that pays for all—hence, the Five Alls. (Carolyn Campbell) 1458 S. Foothill Drive, SLC 801-582-1400 FiveAlls.com 28 Devour Utah • september 2018
JOHN TAYLOR
English Accents
Anne Lentz, coowner and manager of The Five Alls.
Pewter goblets set the mood for a plate of filet mignon at The Five Alls.
JOHN TAYLOR
THE FIVE ALLS
Devour Utah • september 2018 29
! , E D N D TA P T A OR TIC ON P I M E S EWS M R DO L B CA O L
Pizza with passion!
NOW OPEN AT THE GATEWAY WWW.MIDICI.COM
30 Devour Utah • september 2018
The Ambiance Issue
TUSCANY
Tuscany’s roasted chicken served on custom dinnerware.
ELENI SALTAS
Fairytale Hunting Lodge
Tuscany’s vineyard-inspired interior.
Surrounded by towering evergreen and cottonwood trees, colorful flowers and lush greenery, Tuscany’s ambiance feels like a fairytale hunting lodge in the middle of a forest. From the warm, welcoming front entrance, grand Thomas Holdman chandelier and custom iron work, to the six dining rooms decorated with original murals, and vineyard-inspired decor, Tuscany offers patrons a restorative getaway. The three patios serve as an outdoor oasis for diners and a picturesque backdrop for weddings. “The patios are definitely among the best patios is Salt Lake City,” General Manager Shawn Boyle says. Tuscany has a long, rich history of serving mouthwatering meals. Rudolph Knudsen established the restaurant as Knudsen’s Grove in 1912. When it became memorable Scottish restaurant The Heather, owner Frank Eatchel expanded to a second floor and grew the former inn to a dining destination. Eventually, NBA All Star Mark Eaton and restaurateur Aaron Ferer purchased the site and spent 18 months transforming it into the cozy and elegant space known as Tuscany. Today, diners can pick up one of the unique backlit menus to choose from signature dishes such as the double-cut pork chops in a maple molasses brine—a Tuscany feature since its creation. There’s also the pasta alla puttanesca, featuring all of Tuscany’s fresh seafood—muscles, clams and shrimp— tossed in a spicy tomato sauce and accompanied by housemade spaghetti noodles. The banana cream pie with a housemade tart shell, delicious pastry cream, whipped cream and bruléed bananas has been a signature dessert choice for many years. (Carolyn Campbell)
JOHN TAYLOR
2832 E. 6200 South, SLC 801-277-9919 TuscanySLC.com
Devour Utah • september 2018 31
Jewelry for autumn... and every season
Custom design, in house work, jewelry repair, high quality diamonds, engagement rings. 801-583-2700 | 1346 S. 2100 E. SLC, UT www.redfordjewelers.com
32 Devour Utah • september 2018
The Ambiance Issue
Much of Copper Kitchen’s decor was reclaimed.
COPPER KITCHEN
COURTESY COPPER KITCHEN
Old World Meets New
Copper Kitchen’s inviting patio in Holladay.
COURTESY COPPER KITCHEN
COURTESY COPPER KITCHEN
Copper Kitchen’s pork chop and grits.
In 2010, when chef Ryan Lowder opened the Copper Onion on 300 South in downtown Salt Lake City, he not only invigorated the city’s dining scene with his locally sourced, updated traditional American menu, but breathed new life into a space that had hosted a revolving door of other operations. Created by local interior designer Rachel Hodson, the relatively low-key, comfortable décor was intended to reflect the kitchen’s modern takes on traditional foods. So, in 2014, when Lowder set his sights on expanding his family of restaurants (known as The Daily Green) with Copper Kitchen in the heart of Holladay, he again called on Hodson to create something unique—but familiar. “The restaurants are related to each other in that they are a blending of old and new—Old World traditions but new techniques in the kitchen. The food can be traditional or borrowed from other cultures but presented in a modern way and we want the décor to reflect that,”Hodson says. Hodson’s design elements from the 1880s, 1930s and 1970s reflect key periods in the development of Salt Lake City and Holladay. “What is unique about Copper Kitchen is so much of the décor is recycled material,” Hodson says. “The marble is from the renovation of the Boston Building in Salt Lake. The bullseye glass was made in the 1930s and had been in a warehouse in Philadelphia, and we had frames built for it. To me, it feels like the glass partitions you found in homes in the 1930s and again in the 1970s. But, overall, we wanted the space to feel open and welcoming.” She notes all the restaurant operations—from the kitchen to the service areas—are exposed to create “a strong dynamic” between the customers, servers and cooks. The Aspen wall is finished with Venetian plaster and is adorned with photos Hodson took of Aspen trees in the fall. “The first time I went to the site of the restaurant was in the fall, and the colors of the trees and the sky around Holladay was something I knew I wanted to incorporate in the space,” she says. Hodson says some elements have changed since opening—the removal of the despised Zion curtain among the most significant. Design components, she says, will continue to be updated as Copper Kitchen evolves into a community gathering place. “Places take on a life of their own. Holladay is a little more relaxed,” she says. “There is a spaciousness and elements in the restaurant I think appeal to the people that choose to live in that area.” (Brian Fryer) 4640 S. 2300 East, No. 102, Holladay 385-237-3159 CopperKitchenSLC.com
Devour Utah • september 2018 33
Mind, Body & Soulstice...
where beauty & wellness intertwine Jordan Landing 7138 Plaza Center Drive West Jordan, Ut 84084
Fort Union 6981 S. Park Centre Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84121
801-255-3655 | www.SoulsticeDaySpa.com
N F O O D H E AV E N A M R E G Delicatessen & Restaura German
20 W. 200 S. • (801) 355-3891 • Catering available Open Mon-Wed: 9am-6pm Thu-Sat: 9am-9pm
34 Devour Utah • september 2018
nt
The Ambiance Issue
Shady outdoor seating at Ruth’s Diner makes for a relaxing repast.
RUTH’S DINER
NIKI CHAN
Historic Kitsch
NIKI CHAN
Mimosa on the patio at Ruth’s Diner.
Brunch central: red trout & eggs, bloody mary and Ruth’s famous Mile High biscuits.
Few restaurants around Salt Lake City can claim the beloved, iconic status Ruth’s Diner at the mouth of Emigration Canyon has. Since 1949, when Ruth Evans—the famously chain smoking, Chihuahua-loving, curmudgeonly owner—moved a decommissioned trolley car to the canyon location, the diner and its authentically kitschy atmosphere has welcomed everyone from the city’s elite to rowdy fraternity boys (In the ’50s and ’60s, the younger crowd enjoyed Ruth’s “relaxed” attitude toward checking IDs). With such a storied history, owners Tracy and Erik Nelson, who purchased the restaurant in 2001, knew they had to proceed with caution when they decided to undertake a renovation in 2009. The design firm 3D Hospitality that guided the remodel is no longer in business, but Patrick McIver, who has worked at the restaurant since 2002 and is now the general manager, was there for the planning and work. “The Nelsons spent a little over a $1 million on the remodel. It was really driven by the need to expand the kitchen, which was doubled in size,” he says. “In the dining room, we added some upholstered booths and new chairs and tables to replace the original Formica tables.” Keeping Ruth’s original and now-antique jukebox was a given, but the designers sorted through other memorabilia that were longtime features. “We found that some of the framed pictures on the walls were actually pages from magazines Ruth had cut out, so some of those went,” McIver says. “We replaced them with pictures of Ruth and historic pictures of the diner.” The wall covering on a section of the trolley car was removed to expose the metal and rivets, and new pavers were added to the patio. The phone booth was retained and McIver says a vintage phone was installed not long ago. Unfazed by the changes, new and wellseasoned customers continue to line up for the diner’s food and atmosphere, which has retained the unique charm and character of its namesake owner. (Brian Fryer)
NIKI CHAN
4160 Emigration Canyon Road, SLC 801-582-5807 RuthsDiner.com
Devour Utah • september 2018 35
The Ambiance Issue
327 W. 200 South, SLC 801-487-0699 FincaSLC.com
36 Devour Utah • september 2018
NIKI CHAN
When Finca moved from Sugar House to downtown Salt Lake City, it’s unlikely many diners expected the popular restaurant’s transformation into a one-of-a-kind destination for food, beverage and design. Finca owner Scott Evans attributes the drastically different look to the current location’s original design—and the talents of Cody Derrick and his team at CityHomeCollective. “When we moved into the new space, we thought many elements were perfect for our vision of combining Old World Spanish charm with modern design touches,” Evans says. “We kept original wood posts and wood panel walls throughout the space, the gorgeous multi-paned panel patio doors, and the intimate private dining rooms.” With such a large space, the team also worked to carve out more intimate areas with lush velvet curtains and custom metal and glass ceiling panels created by Clint Knecht of Blackridge Metal. Derrick’s choice of floral wallpaper and wood herringbone floors, as well as the chandelier over the vintage teal tufted chairs, have become “a big part of what people visualize when they think of Finca,” Evans says. The new location also came with the ability to incorporate more seasonal produce and local items—right down to the cocktail menu. “We expanded the food and beverage menu significantly, and we think that pairs with the Old World, glam, sophisticated space,” Evans says. Yet many diners’ favorites are still available such as the croquettes, octopus, patatas bravas and house sangria and Spanish wines. In the coming months, look for a completely separate bar—Bar George—to replace the current Finca bar due to the new changes to Utah’s liquor licenses. “Bar George will be a classic bar and gastropub, with a curated selection of wine, cider, craft beer and cocktails, plus from-scratch updated pub fare,” Evans says. (Heather L. King)
Floral wallpaper and herringbone flooring.
NIKI CHAN
Chic Spanish Charm
Finca’s grilled bread.
Finca’s Old World “glam” extends to its cocktail menu, which features seasonal drinks like La Hierba Verde.
AUSTEN DIAMOND
FINCA
Summer Special 5 Course Seasonal Tasting Menu $49 Wine Pairings Available $30
Globally Inspired Main Street Dining Available for Private Events www.tupeloparkcity.com
Restaurant | bar
TupeloParkCity.com ||| 435.615.7700 ||| 508 Main St. - Park City
Devour Utah • september 2018 37
The Ambiance Issue
GLITRETIND RESTAURANT
The Glitretind Patio
Stein Eriksen Lodge’s ski chateau lobby
DEREK CARLISLE
Troll Hallen Lounge
DEREK CARLISLE
With an expansion wrapping up at Stein Eriksen Lodge, the Forbes fourstar Glitretind Restaurant recently underwent an interior remodel and gained a significantly expanded outdoor deck. Overseen by Zane Holmquist, vice president of food & beverage operations and corporate chef, the team wanted to maintain the historical feel and classic mountain luxury that’s always been the defining element of Stein Eriksen, while adding in modern and contemporary touches. “We had a guest from Norway who said they felt like they were at home, and that’s exactly the feel we were looking for,” Holmquist says. Custom carpet was ordered from England and the new game room has a Scandinavian flair, but there’s plenty of local and regional elements, as well. The rock was quarried from Browns Canyon in Summit County, and the chairs and chandeliers were all crafted by local artists. “I like those relationships with vendors and craftsmen that are small, familyowned,” Holmquist continues. “They are so passionate about what they do.” There’s a similar influence on the food Holmquist and his team serve during breakfast, dinner and Sunday brunch with as much in-house, made-from-scratch fare as possible. Local ingredients are sourced from every manner of vendor, and a vast wine cellar houses 1,200 selections from around the world. While the menu changes each season, there’s always a dish featuring Utah lamb and the Stein burger. “It isn’t one big thing that makes Stein special,” Holmquist says. “It’s the excellence in service, warmth of the room and depth of the wine list working in harmony to create a sense of luxury and comfort. All the elements come together to make it amazing.” (Heather L. King)
DEREK CARLISLE
Mountain Luxury
Glitretind’s ever-popular Stein Burger
DEREK CARLISLE
7700 Stein Way, Park City 435-645-6455 SteinLodge.com/glitretind
38 Devour Utah • september 2018
NOW OPEN AT FASHION PLACE MALL
FANCY TACOS & FINE TEQUILAS
COMING SOON IN LEHI! 1615 S. FOOTHILL DRIVE | 385-259-0712 4670 HOLLADAY VILLAGE PLAZA (2300 EAST) | 801-676-9706 149 EAST 200 SOUTH | 385-259-0940
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK I T A Q U E R I A 2 7 . C O M
HARVEST BASH THE GARTEN @MTN WST 417 North 400 West, Salt Lake City
September 15, 11am - 10pm Admission $10 - $35 Local Band | Local Brews | Local Foods
Help make local fresh food accessible to all! Tickets and Info at www.thegreenurbanlunchbox.com Devour Utah • september 2018 39
The Ambiance Issue
Farm Grown With a Twist
Just like the buttermilk biscuits and honey butter that Tupelo has become known for on Main Street in Park City, the design of the restaurant is comforting and inviting—yet surprising. “We wanted a design that reflected our food philosophy: farm-grown, specially curated, with a modern twist,” Tupelo partner Maggie Alvarez explains. “We filled it with lots of warm mustards, rich leathers and earthy colors. We wanted to keep a bit of edge, so we contrasted that with cool gunmetal grays and bare bulbs cased in glass.” With the help of Kate Norris of Kate Norris Design, Alvarez and her husband and chef Matt Harris built a cohesive expression of their vision with “lots of surprising contrasts in colors and textures—just like the food,” Alvarez says. “We often play with traditional dishes or ingredients, but always add a unique perspective or ingredient like the braised rabbit and dumplings, which takes a classic Southern dish and elevates it with an unusual protein.” And that unusual mix of classic with unexpected elements is on display elsewhere in the restaurant, too. “One of the major design elements of Silver [the previous restaurant in the space] was a large wall of blue velvet squares,” Alvarez recalls. “We originally intended to remove the entire wall, but when we removed the upholstered squares, we took a step back and realized we really loved the steel framework that was left. From there, we added our own personal touch by installing live edge black walnut and a spectacular chandelier. It was a completely unexpected design element that is now my favorite.” (Heather L. King)
Tupelo’s warm, earthy colors are a nod to their “farm-grown” ethos.
NIKI CHAN
TUPELO
Tupelo’s chandelier and live edge black walnut on a steel framework create a stunning effect.
NIKI CHAN
508 Main, Park City 435-615-7700 TupeloParkCity.com
40 Devour Utah • september 2018
We will be closed 7.15-8.1
801.355.2294 | 216 East 500 South, SLC
Devour Utah • september 2018 41
The Ambiance Issue
136 Heber Ave., Park City 435-602-1155 HandleParkCity.com
42 Devour Utah • september 2018
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
At Handle in Park City, it’s a family affair. Husband-and-wife team Briar Handly and Melissa Gray went about building Handle based on Handly’s style of cooking and a beautiful moody marsh in Savannah, Ga. As the designer, Gray explains, “Much like Briar’s cuisine, I knew the design had to be very thoughtful, yet playful, with unexpected elements. The design had to complement and stand up to his unique talent of layering unexpected flavors and textures. The botanical wallpaper, artist-made host stand, geometric tile, handmade tables built by Ryan Koemans, etc., were all critical to create the cohesion between design and cuisine.” Alongside architect David Grey, the team left the footprint of the previous tenant while opening up the kitchen and adding in unexpected elements such as the wallpaper—which is actually comprised of pages from a book called Cabinet of Natural Curiosities. “My friend Jenny Sevy and I pasted page by page for days,” Gray recalls. “The end product provided just the right amount of bizarre pattern and color.” With a limited budget, Gray says she thought outside the box and got creative. For example, “I purchased standard 12x12 ceramic tile and had them cut to create the geometric pattern I wanted.” In the end, Handle has become a destination restaurant in Park City that features favorites like Handly’s fried chicken, addictive cauliflower dishes and the ever-popular caramel pudding. Look for Handle to undergo a small remodel in late 2018 to further keep up with the latest trends. (Heather L. King)
Geometric touches help “create the cohesion between design and cuisine.”
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
Natural Curiosities
Handle’s botanical wallpaper.
Handle’s prized caramel pudding.
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
HANDLE
Contemporary Japanese Dining LUNCH • DINNER • COCKTAILS
18 MARKET STREET • 801.519.9595
EVERY BITE CONSIDERED At BGR, fresh is more than an adjective--it’s a mindset. From the top of the top bun, to the lettuce, 6oz of proprietary blend of meat, and bottom bun, we don’t take any shortcuts. Our burgers are grilled to order over an open flame, prepared with garden fresh toppings, and served with your preferred temperature: rare, medium, well-done or anything in between.
w w w. b g r t h e b u r g e r j o i n t. c o m 801-487-6301 1202 E Wilmington Ave, Ste 120 Salt Lake UT 84106 Devour Utah • september 2018 43
One of a kind items at a one of a kind store
$10 off your purchase of $30 or more expires 11/23/18 not valid with other offers
Steampunk, antiques, original artwork by John Cottam Lower Level Center Court Trolley Square
44 Devour Utah • september 2018
Downtown Salt Lake City 400 South 200 West Salt Lake City, UT
Smith’s Shopping Center 7117 S. Redwood Road West Jordan, UT
Open Daily from 11:30am to 8:30pm Open Sundays at Noon
The Ambiance Issue
For most of the artwork on display, Riverhorse on Main partners with Gallery MAR .
RIVERHORSE ON MAIN
Aspens and Art
JOHN TAYLOR
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
DEREK CARLISLE
JOHN TAYLOR
Co-owner and executive chef Seth Adams
Riverhorse on Main’s trio of wild game
JOHN TAYLOR
A sleek interior helps create a feeling of “energetic fine dining.”
Another powerhouse husbandand-wife couple came together to mold Riverhorse on Main into the nationally recognized restaurant it is today. Riverhorse executive chef and co-owner Seth Adams utilized the talents of his interior designer wife, Casey Adams, the owner of Form Design, when they significantly remodeled in 2010. The result helped update the Park City Main Street restaurant into the perfect palette of food and décor designed around “energetic fine dining.” Seth explains that they wanted to “make it look sleek and modern with the metal and aspens. We were trying to give it a nice balance that was unique to the typical mountain theme.” The restaurant also partners with Gallery MAR to supply most of the artwork hung on the walls, adding pop and interest to the neutral tones of whites and grays. Art is changed out as frequently as needed—whether a piece is sold or a wedding party requests a certain color scheme. It helps keep the environment fresh and interesting for regular guests while retaining the unique feel patrons have fallen in love with. This same philosophy is reflected in the Riverhorse menu, as well. Diners will find staple favorites like the halibut, buffalo short ribs and trio of wild game, but with unexpected takes on presentation or seasonal expressions. In the end, the Adams hope to “enhance the food with the experience and atmosphere while being creative, but not too strange.” (Heather L. King) 540 Main, Park City 435-649-3536 RiverhorseParkCity.com
Devour Utah • september 2018 45
The Ambiance Issue
NO NAME SALOON
Park City’s No Name Saloon
No Name’s “world-famous” Buffalo Burger.
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
The historic building that houses this eclectic bar was built in 1903. Inside, the original barreled rolled brick ceiling remains with steel beams still visible, maintaining a historic feel even though the space was gutted over 18 years ago. There is so much to see inside: old antiques and treasures that owner Jesse Shetler finds in his travels, and barn wood that he purchased from Georgia. The flooring is unique, comprised of wood from a trestle that once spanned the Great Salt Lake. Dozens of antiques hang from the ceiling, from stained glass to toy airplanes. An original city license for a prostitute provides a fun talking point and a 1942 Harley Davidson EA, donated by Caesar Boswell, is a favorite of patrons. According to the staff, new relics pop up almost daily. Cool beer cans, long boards, antique toys and whatever else catches their eye or has an interesting story. One of the most recent additions is the backlit cross that hangs on the wall at the end of the bar in memory of beloved bartender Jose Fernandez, who died in 2016. General Manager Matt “Sully” Sullivan says the décor is Shetler’s vision as he likes to keep things as authentic. In fact, he has three storage units full of “stuff” that he’s collected that will eventually find a home at No Name Saloon. “There is still that core group of locals that hang out here, and Jesse tries to understand the locals’ needs,” Sully says. “Times are changing, and Park City is growing, but he wants to maintain the uniqueness and that small-town feel while still keeping up with the times. It is challenging, but whatever we are doing is working.” Best known for their “world-famous” Buffalo Burger, No Name Saloon has garnered quite the name for itself on the Park City food-and-drink scene. (Aimee L. Cook)
AUSTEN DIAMOND
New Relics Daily
No Name boasts an upstairs mezzanine bar and heated patio.
JOSH SCHEUERMAN
447 Main, Park City 435-649-6667 NoNameSaloon.net
46 Devour Utah • september 2018
Heavenly Breakfast, Lunch & Brunch serving beer, wine & fresh squeezed mimosas
“I’VE PICKED UP A GREAT APPETITE FOR PASTRAMI ON RYE AND A NICE CREAM SODA. IT IS FANTASTIC. SO I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OR I’M GOING TO JUST GET REALLY FAT..” - VINCENT PIAZZA 2005 E. 2700 SOUTH, SLC FELDMANSDELI.COM @ FELDMANSDELI OPEN TUES - SAT TO GO ORDERS: (801) 906-0369
2577 East BengAl Blvd. 801.542.0797 7:30am - 2:30pm 7 days a week
20 1 7
MORE THAN JUST BARBECUE
3176 E. 6200 S. • Cottonwood Heights, UT 2015 801.944.0505 • banditsbbqutah.com Best
of Utah
Devour Utah • september 2018 47
The Ambiance Issue
THE PRAIRIE SCHOONER
Prairie Schooner’s pork chops bring a taste of the Old West.
445 Park Blvd., Ogden 801-392-2712 PrairieSchoonerRestaurant.com 48 Devour Utah • september 2018
AUSTEN DIAMOND
Prairie Schooner’s covered wagons create an intimate atmosphere for dining.
Prairie Schooner’s Trailblazer is a handcut ribeye.
VINCE CORAK
The Praire Schooner in Ogden gives city slickers a taste of the Old West. Covered wagons circle around an “open range” scene—starry sky, campfire, sagebrush, cactus, along with heart-stopping life-sized taxidermy mounts of a bear, wolf and other wild animals. Each party has a private wagon, with rough-cut log seats and redchecked tablecloths. By lantern light, patrons nosh on house specialties such as the 20-ounce Porterhouse steak, aka The Wagonmaster, or The Cowgirl—a bacon-wrapped filet mignon—and other hand-cut USDA Choice steaks. Country tunes such as Waylon Jennings’ “Lukenbach, Texas” play in the background. “There’s something to be said about sitting in a wagon-style booth next to a campfire with a delicious steak,” manager Michelle Llewellyn says. “People come from all over the world and say this is what they imagined Utah would be.” The Wild West ambiance was the brainchild of the restaurant’s original owner and avid hunter, Neal Rasmussen. He opened the Prairie Schooner in 1976 in downtown Ogden; then moved it in 1978 to its present location near the Ogden River. Ownership changed hands a few times after Rasmussen’s death from ALS in 1982, and the current owners are Norm George and Julie Johnson. Lewellyn says there’s no overhead lighting, which would make cleaning and maintenance easier. Nevertheless, “Once a week we dust off all the animals. It’s weird to wipe down sagebrush, but we do it.” (Valerie Phillips)
ENRIQUE LIMÓN
Wagons, Ho!
Modern Cuisine . Wine . Cocktails 237 South 400 West · Salt Lake City 801.935.4431 · www.eatpallet.com Monday-Saturday · Dinner 5:00pm-Close
Coffee Pastries Gelato
4670 S. 2300 E. HOLLADAY MONDAY-FRIDAY 6AM-8PM SATURDAY 6AM-9PM SUNDAY 7AM-6PM www.3cups.coffee | 385.237.3091 Devour Utah • september 2018 49
The Ambiance Issue
For the past 40 years, the Gregory Skedros family has been serving some of the best Chinese food around. Skedros (who turns 90 this year) previously owned the Mountain View Pharmacy in Bountiful right around the corner from the restaurant. Recognizing that pharmacies were making their way into local grocery stores and the fact that Bountiful had no Chinese eateries, Skedros purchased the restaurant building (originally a pizzeria), renovated it, and—with the help of Skedros’ late wife, Jenny, and their children— opened Mandarin in 1978. Now co-owned and operated by daughter, Angel, and her husband, Paul, Mandarin has become an award-winning restaurant and a destination for both locals and visitors. The interiors are fashioned after a restaurant the family frequented in California over the years. A remodel last October replaced the carpeting—most notably the dragon carpeting—and added new wall coverings, tables, booths, chairs and front desk. All the wood was stripped and refinished. The ornate décor on the ceiling was hand milled by a friend and German artist. Skedros, himself, did all the finish work. As he puts it, “You don’t see many restaurants like this anymore. It takes too much time and is very expensive.” The attention to detail is seen in the handcrafted ceilings and railings, the rich red fabrics covering the booths and the light fixtures hanging throughout. Every seat in the restaurant, now at a 200-person capacity, is in eyeshot of some relic, statue or treasure of the Orient, adding an authentic atmosphere to the cuisine that has been perfected over the years. Chinese chefs from both China and San Francisco have done stints in the Mandarin kitchen over the years, perfecting an array of 35 sauces. Skedros continues to make sauces and greets guests nightly. “I have always felt you need to be hands-on in this business,” Skedros says. “I went from serving people who were generally sick to customers who are enjoying the food and are very pleasant and happy. It has been great.” (Aimee L. Cook)
NIKI CHAN
Treasures of the Orient
Mandarin’s attention to detail is apparent inside and out.
COURTESY PHOTO
MANDARIN RESTAURANT
Mandarin’s Mongolian beef
The ornate ceiling décor was handmilled by a friend and German artist while owner, Gregory Skedros, did the finish work.
COURTESY PHOTO
348 E. 900 North, Bountiful 801-298-2406 MandarinUtah.com
50 Devour Utah • september 2018
authentic Mexican Food
celebrating 20 years
20 1 7
165 S. West Temple • SLC
801-533-8900
Below Benihana and across from the Salt Palace VALIDATED PARKING
Devour Utah • september 2018 51
The Ambiance Issue
Provo has long been overlooked by the foodie communities farther north, but is steadily transforming into a culinary destination worth the 50-minute drive from SLC. Black Sheep Cafe is just one of the acclaimed restaurants shaping the Utah County dining scene as a staple on University Avenue. Originally started by siblings Bleu Adams and chef Mark Mason, the restaurant’s goal is to create a fusion between the founders’ Diné (Navajo) heritage and Southwestern influences. The eatery was bought by restaurateur and owner of Greenlight Hospitality Kevin Santiago at the beginning of 2018, but chef Mason is still on staff, helping create and tweak new recipes to maintain Black Sheep’s ideals. Both the food and design at Black Sheep blend traditional Diné influences with a contemporary feeling, as seen in the large modern paintings by Phoenix-based Diné artist Jeff Slim and the Chihuly-inspired glass chandelier by Lehi glassblower Tom Holdman. “We’re trying to go with a simple and authentic ambiance,” Head Server Shelby Deason says. “It’s more about the experience of the food. That’s why you don’t see a lot of overdone art.” Signature dishes such as the awardwinning hog jowl tacos are a perfect example of what Black Sheep is trying to accomplish. Representative of the space itself, they are served simple yet sleek, plated on a long white dish alongside cilantro-lime rice and pinto beans. The very popular cactus pear margarita is another balanced example, showcasing Black Sheep’s house blend juice paired with Milagro Silver tequila and lime salt. And though the space has transformed since it first opened several years ago, there are no plans to change the good things going on at Black Sheep, according to Deason. “The new owners aren’t coming in and trying to change it,” she says. “They realize the beauty of it.” (Sarah Arnoff) 19 N. University Ave., Provo 801-607-2485 BlackSheepCafe.com 52 Devour Utah • september 2018
SARAH ARNOFF
Southwestern Heritage
In both cuisine and design, Black Sheep Cafe blends traditional and contemporary Navajo influences.
Black Sheep Cafe’s hog jowl tacos.
SARAH ARNOFF
BLACK SHEEP CAFÉ
Celebrating a great first year
801.251.0967 33 e. 11400 s. sandy, 84070
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The Ambiance Issue
Campfire Lounge: camping in the city
the
Spread Campfire Lounge
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epurposed vintage Coleman lanterns serve as patio lights welcoming guests to the Campfire Lounge’s front door. The patio is spacious with seating at tables, in chairs by the fire pits or you can lean on one of the bars. Campfire Lounge is also dog-friendly, should you want to spend some quality patio time with your pup. Inside, you’ll find barstool seating, a
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PHOTOS & STORY BY DIANE HARTFORD
pool table and pinball machines. The paneled walls and ceiling create a cozy fishing lodge vibe. Owners Seth Radford and Haylen LaTorre got the concept for the lounge while sitting around the fire one night on camping trip in the mountains. LaTorre said, “Is there anything better than campfire lounging?” The bar serves local, domestic and
imported beers and ciders, wine by the glass and a broad selection of liquors and “camp-out” themed cocktails. The food menu includes camping favorites, such as the Hobo Dinner, served in aluminum foil, that includes protein options for carnivores and vegetarians alike. Bar staples like chicken wings, fries, tater tots and Spam fries are also available. More substantial
Tot-chos are a hit at any campout
Campfire’s savory bloody mary
Campfire’s cozy interior
offerings include salads, sandwiches and burgers while Tot-chos (nachos made with tater tots instead of chips) and the mac ’n’ cheese bites could round out any order. If day-drinking on the weekend is more your thing, Campfire Lounge can hook you up with $3 mimosas, Manmosas (pale ale with a shot of OJ) or bloody marys. Or, try a s’mores-tini, served with a chocolate-andgraham-cracker crusted rim and toasted
marshmallow. Everything on the menu is available at brunch with the addition of a few brunch-only specials. Try the chicken and waffles, breakfast biscuit or the Big Bubba (biscuits, fried chicken, eggs and cheese all smothered in country gravy). ❖ 837 E. 2100 South, SLC 801-467-3325 CampfireLounge.com Devour Utah • september 2018 57
The Ambiance Issue
Moab: Come for the views, stay for the sustenance BY MERRY LYCETT HARRISON
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oab, the state’s adventure capital in Southern Utah, normally has about 5,000 residents. But that number explodes to 20,000 visitors on any given weekend during the tourist high season. Only in Moab can you experience two national parks (Arches and Canyonlands) from one convenient location. It’s a magnet for mountain bikers who tackle an extensive network of trails, including the Slickrock Trail, and for off-roaders arriving for the annual Moab Jeep Safari. Moab is also a launch pad for canyoneering, hiking, river rafting and motorcycling. With some of the country’s most unique scenery in its backyard, Moab is ready to handle the crowds and serve up cuisine that satisfies any adventure-loving palate. Here are four eateries to sample that showcase the diverse options available in this little town that could.
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La Sal House’s energizing decor
COURTEESY PHOTO
STEALING THE SCENE
LA SAL HOUSE
A refreshing watermelon fresca hits the spot after a hike
COURTEESY PHOTO
Historic building, modern fare
COURTEESY PHOTO
The upscale cuisine of La Sal House comes with casual comfort
The La Sal House is a new eatery in a historic adobe building sitting prominently on a busy street corner. Owners Wes and Pennellope Shannon have applied their decade of experience at the Love Muffin Café across the street to treat customers just as they would guests in their own home. The uncluttered, dark wood tables and chairs placed before upholstered benches give it a contemporary feel, as do the handsome walnut bar and terra cotta sconces on white walls. The couple spent time in New York City to study the latest dining trends, which they’ve brought to Moab. The First Plates section of the menu features Middle Eastern flavors like warm naan with za’atar. The macha chicken wings are served with rich macha sauce (which originated in Veracruz), peanuts, sesame and Gold Creek blue cheese from Kamas. The Sorrel Caesar salad with romaine, Gold Creek parmesan and baharat persaillade has croutons with Arabic baharat spices, which are combined with parsley and salt and added to gluten-free bread to create the persaillade. Wes says working with local farmers is the most time-consuming part of his job but is committed to using all the produce that arrives at the back door. It’s no problem changing the menu to accommodate their offerings. The Colorado lamb and the Benton’s Burger topped with “Benton’s bacon, onion jam, bourbon pickled jalapenos and ’merican cheese, lettuce and mayo” are the most popular main courses. Prices range from $15 for the veggie Patty to $32 for the Western buffalo ribeye. Cocktails are classics such as the Last Word, made with Beehive Gin, and 8th Ward, a play on words on the Ward 8 cocktail made with High West Double Rye. The owners prefer to offer a selection of fresh-juice cocktails such as watermelon fresca made with Espolon Blanco tequila, St. Germain, lime, watermelon and cucumber. The emphasis at La Sal House is on friendly, unrushed and informative service. The helpful, local staff is ready to provide details and direct visitors to better experience Moab. 11 E. 100 North, Moab 435-259-5725 LaSalHouse.com Devour Devour Utah Utah •• september september 2018 2018 59
Life isn’t perfect... but your nails could be
801.828.6776 1311 S. 900 E. SLC, UT. www.topcoatslc.com
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The Ambiance Issue
MOAB BREWERY
Moab Brewery is a bustling affair
TYLER HIESS
High-flying, fast and fun
TYLER HIESS
Moab Brewery’s mixed sausage grill and Brew Pub nachos
Moab’s only microbrewery, with 29 brews
Since 1996, the ever-popular Moab Brewery has been proud to be Moab’s only microbrewery. Since then, they’ve produced 29 ales, stouts, hefeweizens, lagers and steamers both on tap and in cans and bottles. Their brew names like Dead Horse Amber Ale, Black Raven Oatmeal Stout and Moab Especial reflect local ties. The massive pub can seat more than 300, serving up the kind of hearty lunch and dinners that riding, running, climbing, biking and hiking enthusiasts need to fuel their next outings. The décor has a bustling Moab vibe, suggesting high-flying, fast and fun activities. Kayaks, bikes, full-size river rafts, hang gliders and a whacky skydiver dangle from the ceiling. A funky chandelier—half a beer keg with a seven-point elk antler loosely wired to the top—illuminates the bar’s pool table. A new distillery was added to produce new Class 5 Vodka—named after the most challenging river rapids—and Spot On Gin, made from naturally filtered water from the nearby La Sal Mountains. Moab Brewery has its own in-house package agency for those wishing to purchase a bottle. On the menu, starters include the popular Brew Pub nachos with optional add-ons of spicy chicken or pork verde. For main courses, choose from pastas, sandwiches, salads, wraps, gyros, burritos and half-pound burgers. The Brewhouse Burger—topped with jack cheese, green chiles, bacon and chipotle-ranch dressing—is a favorite. Operations manager and co-founder John Borkowski has been there since the beginning. He and business partner Dave Sabey made use of Borkowski’s years of know-how from his microbrewery in McCall, Idaho, and restaurant experience in Park City at a time when there were only 300 microbreweries in the nation. The décor, he says, just evolved over time as patrons and local business owners contributed to the recreation totems that represent Moab’s reputation as a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Good relations with the Moab community have allowed him to maintain a solid core staff, plus the restaurant stays open year-round to serve locals.
TYLER HIESS
686 S. Main, Moab 435-259-6333 TheMoabBrewery.com
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PEACE TREE JUICE CAFE
20 S. Main, Moab 435-259-0101 PeaceTreeCafe.com 62 Devour Utah • september 2018
Peace Tree Juice Cafe “feels laid back because we are,” owner Karen Whipple says.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Sage Garden, made with gin, sage, orange juice and honey.
The good vibes of Doug’s Burger.
PHIL OWENS
Conveniently located in the middle of downtown Moab, the café’s patio misters beckon on a hot day. The cool, 800-square-foot restaurant’s adobe walls are painted yellow-amber and plum, giving it a Southwest feel. Track lighting is aimed at a painting of a flamboyant, colorful rooster and sunflowers. Natural light streams through the panes of several windows and doors. Karen and Doug Whipple are the sole owners of Peach Tree. They live in MonticelloandopenedanotherPTJCthere 12 years ago. All the made-to-order recipes on the extensive menu are Karen’s. She claims that the natural inconsistencies of ordering from local farmers has proven too much of a challenge, so she gets deliveries from wholesaler Sisco, whose truck rolls through almost every day. With the capacity for 120, the customers are mostly tourists, and she says staffing is never a problem because she can hire the same reliable group of migrant workers on work visas every year. The takeout counter is clean and tidy with a floor-to-ceiling blackboard that lists the quality coffees, teas, smoothies, juices and shakes PTJC has been known for 20 years. The pesto chicken sandwich and apple, walnut, goat cheese and cranberry salad are favorites. With a liquor license, they also offer full wine and spirits selection. The Sage Garden cocktail—made with gin, fresh garden sage, orange juice and honey—is popular. The Peace Tree Juice Café has a laidback, yet professional, ’70s atmosphere. Music like The Moody Blues plays on the not-too-loud sound system, and sayings on the wall like “Believe” and “Laugh often, love lots” are reminiscent of a bygone era. “It feels laid back because we are,” Karen says. “That’s how we like it.”
PHIL OWENS
Laid-back atmosphere
The Ambiance Issue
The River Grill at Sorrel River Ranch serves farm-to-table cuisine overlooking the Colorado River.
RIVER GRILL RESTAURANT
MERRY HARRISON
Posh riverside dining
MERRY HARRISON
The on-site garden grows just inside the resort’s entrance, providing farm-harvested ingredients.
MERRY HARRISON
Enjoy a relaxing cocktail at the Sorrell River Ranch Epic bar.
Take an excursion up the scenic Colorado River Road to the River Grill for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. It’s located in the historic picture-perfect Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, where stunning landscape of sandstone towers next to a verdant, working ranch provide just the right elements for high-end destination dining (and lodging). The kitchen garden grows just inside the main entrance and calls attention to the farm-to-table dining experience that awaits. Garden manager Shelley Katz points out lettuces, herbs, red and purple potatoes, eggplant, beets, watermelon and more in the lush garden. Food and beverage director Casey Bulkley speaks enthusiastically about the many farmers, ranchers and local vendors who supply River Grill with veggies, cheeses, meats, honey, fruits, wines, spirits and even the bitters used for cocktails. He explains that, just as with wine, foods grown in a particular region have a pleasing synergy of flavors. Careful deliberation went into the decision whether to put shrimp on the menu, but because it’s poached in local wine it was acceptable. The special Garden Dinner features in-season foods that are served al fresco, family style, at one big table every two weeks in the summer. Always discovering new ways to prepare quality ingredients, the restaurant acquired rabbits, which chef Josiah Gordon dressed with skills learned in his youth on his family’s Kentucky farm. Some diners were a bit hesitant until French guests began gushing over the dish. The whole table soon partook, and conversation and laughter filled the crisp, night air. Open 11 months of the year, the core staff is local and reliable (90 percent of the employees live on the premises). Resort guests are mostly individuals and families, but large groups can easily be accommodated (the restaurant and riverside patio seat 175). Andy Damman, resort manager, listed numerous ranch activities and off-site tours and adventures that can be arranged for guests, which include guides, if needed, and transportation right from the ranch. Visitors come for the great food, Wild West activities and all the peace and quiet the ranch has to offer. Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa Mile 17, Highway 128, Moab 435-259-4642 SorrelRiver.com Devour Devour Utah Utah •• september september 2018 2018 63
Things We Love
1. Light bulbs through Retrospect Water & Light
DEREK CARLISLE
3. Broadleaf Game New Zealand venison elk
THINGS WE LOVE
at Pallet Bistro
By Levi Rogers
237 S. 400 West 801-935-4431 EatPallet.com
1. ATMOSPHERE
Pallet’s atmosphere is the first thing you notice upon enterting, thanks to the unique design aesthetic of Cody Derrick and CityHomeCollective. Dark and moody, its brass, wood and glass feel warm and comforting—it’s like nothing else. Designer Nash Martinez customized the light fixtures but Pallet buys all of its bulbs from Buzz at Retrospect Water & Light (68 E. 700 South, SLC, 801-517-3876, RetrospectWaterAndLight. com), a small local shop that “has it all!” according to Esther Imotep, owner and operator of Pallet since 2015.
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2. ARTWORK
CITYHOME COLLECTIVE
DEREK CARLISLE
2. Courtney Miles Derrick oil paintings
The artwork of Pallet is one of a kind compared to other SLC restaurants. Perhaps it’s because the paintings that adorn the walls were commissioned solely for the restaurant by the original owners and CityHomeCollective designers in 2012. The impressionistic 19th-century oil paintings of artist Courtney Miles Derrick (CourtneyDerrick.com)—who happens to be the sister-in-law of CityHome’s CEO Cody Derrick—set the tone for the entire restaurant. Whether it’s a portrait of Porter Rockwell, a quiet and serene Western landscape or a vase of flowers, Courtney’s art transports patrons when they enter Pallet, making them feel they’ve just entered an upscale Western saloon or perhaps a museum.
3. WILD GAME
In the early days of Pallet, getting the food and beverage offerings to match the design of the restaurant was a challenge. “Because it’s such a beautifully decorated space, it sets the bar high for everything else,” owner Imotep says. “We wanted [Pallet] to be a staple of the city. Now, we’re firing on all cylinders of food, beverage and space. Everything is elevated equally now.” Perhaps it’s because their emphasis on game meats—such as duck, bison, elk, quail and pheasant—aligns the menu with the bistro’s aesthetic. Diners might be surprised that Pallet’s bison comes from Fort Lupton, Colo,. and its New Zealand venison elk comes from Broadleaf Game, because of their desire to feature high-end products, executive chef Buzz Willey says.
CITYHOME COLLECTIVE
CITYHOME COLLECTIVE
CITYHOME COLLECTIVE
4. Longchamp Cristal D’Arques goblets
4. GLASSWARE
Pallet’s novel cutlery and glassware is another element of the restaurant’s aesthetic. Their Mezzy Star cocktail, for example, is served in an elegant multifaceted goblet from the Longchamp Cristal D’Arques glassware collection (can be purchased at Macy’s). For highballs and Collins glasses, they use an exquisite finishing touch: gold-plated Collins Spoon Straws from the Cocktail Kingdom (CocktailKingdom.com). Imotep feels strongly that it’s the front-of-house staff that helps make the restaurant, including the many familiar faces of servers, bartenders and hosts, such as Ashley Hamilton, who’ve been with Pallet since inception. ❖
4. Cocktail Kingdom gold-plated Colllins spoon straws
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The Ambiance Issue
Mariachi Roll
Plate it
Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill
F
ew places downtown can so thoroughly transport diners across time and space as Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill. Its Asian fusion sushi, spice-laden pho and hip cocktails provide ample reason to enter its tall wooden doors. But what keeps you coming back are the terracotta roof, brick walls, carved wooden panels, Asian art, metallic water lilies and rows of Chihulyinspired hanging red glass lights. Add to that an expansive courtyard filled with plants, sculptures and three wooden tea houses, each 100-plus years old and imported from the mountains of Vietnam, and you can’t help but be bowled over. 66 Devour Utah • september 2018
BY JERRE WROBLE PHOTOS BY SARAH ARNOFF
“It took a year for us to get clearances to bring the tea houses to Utah,” says Hoang Nguyen, a managing partner for Sapa properties, a growing list that includes not only the flagship Sapa, but also Sapa Lounge (a resurrection and total transformation of the former Burt’s Tiki Lounge on State), Bucket O’ Crawfish and Fat Fish in West Valley City, Lua-O in Fashion Place Mall, Purgatory Bar downtown and even an ownership share in Fillings and Emulsions. Also, a new Fat Fish just opened in Bountiful. The wood for the tea houses had to be treated and inspected to ensure nothing untoward hitched a ride to the States, Nguyen said. The hand-carved wooden
pieces were labeled, taken apart, shipped and reassembled (tongue-in-groove style, sans nails) by Nguyen’s siblings. The tight-knit family works cohesively. Nguyen’s mother moved her seven children to Utah in 1992 and opened one of the first pho shops on State Street. Oldest sister, Mai Nguyen, worked in her mom’s restaurant and then began opening her own eateries and developing her entrepreneurial skills. Mai’s “keen sense of design,” as sister Hoang puts it, allows each property to keep evolving. “When things get stagnant, she adapts new ideas into what we have, she morphs into new directions to keep things fun and interesting,” she says.
Sushi chef Steve Nguyen composes the Mariachi roll
Burt’s Tiki Lounge is reborn as Sapa Lounge (an extension of Sapa Sushi Bar)
Sapa’s courtyard featuring historic teahouses, imported from Vietnam
Now, each of the seven siblings has a property to manage (one lives out of state), with Mai in charge of design and Mai’s husband, Son Dang, serving as CEO. This family of Vietnamese immigrants keeps living the American dream. Set to open in 2019 is Mai’s “Food Alley” concept. Located on 800 South and State, the plan is to bring 17 restaurants together offering specialized menus. The project includes artists working upstairs above the eateries. All this news leaves little room to describe the spicy off-menu roll we tasted on a recent visit. The Mariachi’s use of tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, yellowfin tuna and julienned cucumber seems typical for a sushi roll. But then came thinly sliced
onion, avocado and lime along with finely chopped cilantro. After our sushi chef, Steve, expertly rolled and sliced the roll, he dotted each piece with fish eggs and Sapa’s spicy Mariachi sauce, plating the slices beside ribbons of red Sriracha, white spicy mayo, green jalapeno aioli, and brown eel sauce. Running your sushi bite through the sauces kicks it up a notch, something your lips will remind you of long after you’ve gone home. This zesty take on sushi is not on the menu so remember it this way: It’s not My Sriracha Roll, it’s Mariachi Roll! ❖
Hoang Nguyen Sapa Investment Group partner
722 S. State, SLC 801-363-7272 SapaBarAndGrill.com
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TDK
Devour This | Recipe
Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm “Zuke-Canoes”
Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm Stuffed Summer Squash BY JEN CASTLE & BLAKE SPALDING
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dose of nature and solitude can add a delicious ingredient to any meal. Nearly 20 ago, we chose Boulder, Utah, as the location for our business because of its location: nestled in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one of the country’s most dramatic, untrammeled landscapes. As former Grand Canyon river chefs, we knew the power of a good meal in the wilderness, and Boulder was perfect for that alchemy. Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm thrives because of the monument. People from the entire world come to dine with us and experience an increasingly rare sense of awe and peace from the quiet, the dark skies, the astonishingly beautiful red cliffs, and the centuries-old piñon-juniper forests. Still, this land is more than just backdrop; our restaurant is deeply connected to it. We own a 6.5-acre farm where we grow more than 20,000 pounds of produce annually, all of which is lovingly prepared and served in our dining room. We buy
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ACE KVALE
Jen Castle, left, and Blake Spalding
our meat from local ranchers, and our menu highlights the region’s history, with a blend of Western Range, Pueblo and Southwestern flavors. Running a busy restaurant in one of the nation’s most remote towns is already a massive undertaking, and now we both have a second full-time job we never expected: fighting to defend our beloved monument from the ravages of resource extraction. It’s overwhelming, but this work is profoundly meaningful to us. We who live in this sacred place have a responsibility to be stewards. We owe it to our business, our employees, our community, the earth, and future generations seeking the healing and inspirational experience of true wilderness.
PIÑON-SAGE STUFFED SUMMER SQUASH
Featured in our new cookbook This Immeasurable Place: Food and Farming from the Edge of Wilderness. At the height of summer when we’re juggling squash, we do everything we can with them, including using our famous black pepper biscuits as the basis for this seriously yummy stuffed version. We call them Zuke-Canoes! If you don’t have a batch of biscuits on hand, substitute 1½ cups breadcrumbs with ½ teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
VOTED THE WORLD’S BEST LOBSTER ROLL INGREDIENTS (for 6 servings) 6 medium-large summer squash (approximately 8 inches in length) 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon salted butter 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup onion, diced ½ cup piñons, toasted 1½ cups biscuit crumbs, toasted ½ cup white wine 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated ¼ cup cream cheese, cut into ¼ inch chunks Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a shallow baking dish. Lay the squash flat on a chopping board. Create “boats” to stuff by cutting ¼ off lengthwise and scraping the seeds and most of the flesh out of the remaining 3/4. Set aside. Finely dice the squash “lids,” the seeds and flesh. Place the squash boats cut-side down in a baking dish and add 2 tablespoons of water. Roast the boats in the oven for 15 minutes, to soften. Meanwhile, sauté the diced squash lids and guts with the butter, salt and onion over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until quite soft. Once the squash boats are cooked, remove them from the oven, remove the water from the dish, and flip them over. Cool 30 minutes. When the diced squash and onion mixture is cooked through, remove it from the heat and add the piñons, biscuit crumbs, white wine, sage, nutmeg, and ¾ cup of the grated Monterey Jack cheese. Stir until combined. Add the cream cheese chunks at the end and stir gently. It’s lovely for people to find a cream-cheesy bite, so don’t combine all the way! Divide filling among the 6 squash boats in your baking dish, and top with the remaining grated cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is browned. ❖
Park City 1897 Prospector Ave
MON - SAT 11am - 8 PM 435.631.YUM1 www.freshieslobsterco.com
Salt Lake City 356 E. 900 S.
HellsBackboneGrill.com Devour Utah • september 2018
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Spirit Guide
DRINKING BY DESIGN
Patrons discover more about the city’s character in these upgraded SLC bars STORY & PHOTOS BY DARBY DOYLE
F
or far too long, Utah nightclubs were simply dark and uninspired watering holes. For that, you could easily thank meddling state lawmakers who made it difficult for bar owners to invest in their properties. From one year to the next, they were never sure what regulations would impact them and their patrons. But in more recent years, it’s obvious that a number of Utah nightclubs are getting their acts together. Not only are more and more bars being remodeled and updated, but many are reclaiming the past in novel ways. Equally satisfying for both the eyes and the palate, these Salt Lake City bars represent the exciting diversity of Utah’s drink and design scene. From modern minimalist to over-the-top glam, each of these four 21-and-over spots elevate guests’ overall experience.
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THE DRINK: BILLY PILGRIM THE CREATOR: ADAM ALBRO
THE BAR: THE REST | 331 S. MAIN | 801-532-4042 | BODEGA331.COM Slotted in a narrow, historic Main Street space, the bars Bodega and The Rest are the Gemini twins of owner Sara Lund’s creative imagination. Streetlevel Bodega’s vibe reads like a much less sticky shots-and-brews scene of an East Coast college-adjacent bar. Whereas descending downstairs into The Rest’s cool, dark and intimate space immediately transports guests to
an environment reminiscent of private supper clubs and swanky speakeasies. A Utah native, Lund lived in New York City for years and the diversity and complexity of Manhattan’s population inspired her design of both bars. “The concept of The Rest started not from a love of craft cocktails and food,” Lund says—although both are consistently excellent— “but from a
BILLY PILGRIM
1½ ounces bourbon ½ ounce Drambuie ½ ounce Cynar 3 dashes Honest John black walnut bitters Stir all ingredients in an Old Fashioned glass with ice. Garnish with an orange twist, express citrus oils over the glass.
feeling of restlessness and the desire to find a place I felt I belonged.” With walls lined with taxidermy, art, books, collectibles and curiosities in every quiet nook, the bar is worth visiting over and over to discover something new each trip—optimally with one of The Rest’s sophisticated and superlative cocktails in hand. The Billy Pilgrim ($15), named by bar manager Adam Albro after the protagonist in Kurt Vonnegut’s classic novel Slaughterhouse-Five is a variation of an Old-Fashioned that evokes the decadence and decidedly dramatic mood of this downtown bar. Devour Utah • september 2018
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TONA tonarestaurant.com SUSHI BAR AND GRILL 2013 - 2018
BOSS 2016
Best Odgen Restaurant
2015 - 2017
2012 - 2017
210 25th Street, Ogden • (801) 622-8662 • facebook.com/tonasushi
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Spirit Guide
THE DRINK: IMPROVED SHOCHU COCKTAIL NO. 1 THE CREATOR: RICH ROMNEY THE BAR: POST OFFICE PLACE | 16 W. MARKET ST. | 801-519-9595
With modern, minimalist design and soaring ceilings emphasizing large original art panels by local multi-media artist Gary Vlaskic, recently opened Post Office Place embraces sleek elegance without a bit of stuffiness. SLC sushi institution Takashi’s co-owners Tamara and chef Takashi Gibo created in Post Office Place a spot that very much reflects Gibo’s personal and culinary journey, having lived in both Japan and Peru before coming to Utah.
Represented on the menu (with chef de cuisine Tommy Nguyen) at the helm] are several references to “nikkei,” the Peruvian term for Japanese-Peruvian culture fusion. General manager Rich Romney says they named the spot after the historic Market Street Post Office formerly across the street. “The old post office served as a gathering place— where people pass through, interact and where cultural interchange happens,” he says. In keeping with that cultural give-
and-take theme, I thoroughly enjoyed sipping Romney’s Improved Shochu Cocktail No. 1 ($10), a combination of barley shochu, Zubrowka vodka and ume plum brandy, served in a masu (traditional cedar sake box). The smooth drink has clean herbal, fruity and distinctively sour notes and spot-on balance. “It’s the first of what we imagine will be many shochu cocktail variations,” Romney says.
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Spirit Guide
THE DRINK: HAZELNUT ARMY NAVY THE CREATOR: SCOTT GARDNER THE BAR: WATER WITCH 163 W. 900 SOUTH 801-462-0967 WATERWITCHBAR.COM A bar geek’s bar to the Nth degree, Water Witch opened in the up-andcoming Central Ninth neighborhood to immediate applause. Owned and operated by legendary 801 barmen Matt Pfohl, Scott Gardner and Sean Neves, the bar’s drink menu throws the net wide for alcohol appeal, featuring everything from rare spirits and craft cocktails (with eye-poppingly low prices) to local draft beers and wine in a can. And the menu board changes with the whims of the bar’s staff and whatever they can get their creative paws on. Echoing the inclusive offerings from posh to proletariat, the bar’s design—a collaboration between the bar owners and artist/Hollywood film set designer Mark Hofeling—combines the yin-yang of turn-of-the-last century fine art and what Hofeling describes as a “post-war machine shop vibe.” “We wanted the Witch to be a really unique Salt Lake space. A community gathering place that reflects our city,” Neves says. Further, he says their priorities of using local craftspeople for all of the built components and construction, as well as the largescale reproduction of historic Utah landscape artist Alfred Lambourne’s painting “Cliffs of Promontory,” pay homage to a definitive sense of place. Scott Gardner’s Hazelnut Army Navy ($10) spin on a classic Army & Navy gin cocktail embraces all the wonderful and wacky things we’ve come to love about a quiet Wednesday afternoon or boisterous weekend night at the Witch: lots of color, nice balance and a bit of bravado. All wrapped up in a pretty presentation.
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HAZELNUT ARMY NAVY 1½ ounces Ransom Dry Gin ½ ounce fresh lemon juice ½ ounce housemade Water Witch hazelnut orgeat 1 dash orange bitters
Shake with ice and serve. Express lemon oil over cocktail and discard peel, if desired.
STORE ★★★★★
GIFT CERTIFICATES TO UTAH’S FINEST DEVOURUTAHSTORE.COM
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Spirit Guide
THE DRINK: BOURBON & THE BEAST THE CREATOR: JEN CROCKER THE BAR: PROHIBITION 151 E. 6100 SOUTH, MURRAY 801-281-4852 PROHIBITIONUTAH.COM “It’s like Disneyland, but for grownups,” Prohibition operations manager Jen Crocker says of the popular bar located just north of Fashion Place Mall in Murray. In the spring of 2017, bar owner Nate Porter transformed the space, formerly occupied by a hookah bar, into a speakeasy-like showcase for plenty of red velvet, vintage décor and multiple performanceoriented seating areas. After all, the bar hosts a bevvy of themed events every week, with one of the city’s most competitive Geeks Who Drink trivia nights each Monday, live jazz and blues on Tuesday, and swing dance nights on Wednesday (with pre-show free dance lessons). ”People come dressed to the nines,” Crocker says, DJ and “Femcee” Madazon Can-Can hosts Thursday night Burly-Oke burlesque/karaoke nights, and there are live shows each weekend ($7 cover on Fridays and Saturdays). Crocker says that one of the most popular “date night” drinks on their extensive menu is the Bourbon & the Beast ($14). Served tableside, the whiskey-and-blood-orange-based cocktail is dramatically presented in a torched lavender smoke-filled glass cloche (with a glowing L.E.D. base for extra effect). Topped with a full red rose, it definitely hits all the Beauty and the Beast Disneyesque buttons.
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Artisan Roasters Since 1992
Freshly Roasted & Delivered to Your Door
valid thru 1/19
BUY ONLINE TODAY! Use Code DEVOUR to Get 30% off
657 South Main Street SLC | 801.595.8646 | www. millcreekcoffee.com
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Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
RESTAURANTS It’s Our Business…
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estaurants, we know them, we love them, and we love to celebrate them. We are Utah Restaurants. We are the Utah Restaurant Association. The restaurant industry is full of dynamic and unique intricacies. From floor to ceiling, kitchen layout, appliances, imported wood burning ovens, from farm to fork, each fold of the napkin, the smile that greets you at the door — there is intention in every inch of a restaurant with the main focal point and sole purpose being the delight of the guest and guest experience. There isn’t a more trusted industry, or more heavily regulated than restaurants and there is no other industry so geared toward service and making certain that every single customer is cared for, and leaves happy. The collaboration at every level sets this dynamic industry apart.
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Professionals behind the scenes, the line cook temping your steak, the dishwasher keeping the back of the house moving, and farmers tending their crops are equally as important as the server pouring you wine, filling your water glass, the chef greeting you at a table draped in white linen and the cashier giving you your change and food to go. What fuels this incredible industry? The passion of talented and dedicated people. We are known as the hospitality industry because that is our goal. And you are hungry for it. Because what fuels you, is the food we create. We couldn’t do this without amazing chefs, and a skilled and well educated workforce. ProStart is essential to the future of our industry. And we educate young people and our next generation of industry workers through this program. We also educate people about the
ProStart program through TeenChef Pro, an Emmy award winning education program based on the Utah ProStart program. This education program pairs ProStart students with some of Utah’s most talented and successful MentorChefs, guest judges and a host. It’s always been our aim at the URA to encourage you to eat out often. We want to offer you amazing opportunities to educate yourself as to all the extraordinary options available to you. From fine dine, to a fast bite we’ve got you covered. ProStart, Work Is The Way, Taste Utah, Taste Utah Bytes, TeenChef Pro, TasteUT.com, social media, e-newsletters, Alcohol and Food Training, Networking opportunities, our annual awards gala and summer socials there are infinite ways to be a part of all the great ways we support the Utah restaurant industry.
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
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eenChef Pro is back for season four and hotter than ever. Utilizing Utah ProStart curriculum and skills training, TeenChef Pro is an Emmy winning educational program that offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to one deserving TeenChef along with learning opportunities for all. For two weeks in the summer, 12 talented ProStart students are selected by three of Utah’s best chefs to be mentored and compete using ProStart competition rules for a four year scholarship to Johnson & Wales University. The competition intelligently mirrors the restaurant industry where these students compete in a team competition learning to work together and lead as well as cooking solo at the dreaded duel each episode to secure their spot for another week of competition. Though entertaining to watch the series is structured in a way where ProStart teachers can use the journey of each episode to help teach their students tips and practical implementation of ProStart skills as each week the MentorChefs help guide their teams and give informative industry insight and feedback at Judges Table. For the last two seasons, the series has partnered with Spy Hop to offer internships to aspiring film industry students. This partnership offers students an invaluable opportunity to work along side the professional crew that produce the series by training them through practical experience and mentorships on set. The production behind the scenes, mirrors the actual production, training the next generation of professional with industry veterans.
Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
You can catch all the cooking action this October beginning Sundays mornings on ABC4! Devour Utah • september 2018
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CHOOSE
RESTAURANTS Work Is Always The Way….
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f there is one aspect of the restaurant industry no professional can succeed without: it’s a strong work ethic. For over twenty years the Utah Restaurant Association has been looking forward to our future and Utah ProStart is all about investing in our future generation. Utah ProStart educates juniors and seniors in high school with a passion for food and gives them the industry standard skills and training that they need to be an intricate part of our workforce. Whether they are interested in front of the house management or back of the house training, the curriculum offered by this program created by some of the nations most successful and talented professionals provides students an unparalleled school to career education while still thriving in their high school experience. Utah ProStart is dedicated to teaching the teachers through an intensive summer training by top restaurant and food service professionals. And every fall student training offers each Utah
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ProStart student the opportunity to learn crucial skills during a hands on training with chefs and industry professionals that includes invaluable workplace safety certification training. At the URA, we understand that passionate individuals are everywhere and perhaps only need skills training and education to become an invaluable and intricate part of our industry. We have proudly partnered with several organizations to offer our “Work Is The Way” program which creates a statewide restaurant training initiative to provide veterans, homeless, unemployed and refugees with this same incredible industry standard training that will help them enter or re-enter the workforce with a career pathway while inviting them into our industry and community. We truly believe the restaurant industry is the industry of opportunity and it is an honor to be able to guide prospective professionals that work is the way and invite them to choose restaurants.
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
Taste Utah is gearing up for
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We are hungry for authentic Utah restaurant stories across the state. Wether you are a restaurateur, supplier or a superfan with a must-featurerecommend… we want to hear from you! Contact info@TasteUT.com and introduce yourself to us.
n o s a e s
5!
Taste Utah season 5 is coming to ABC 4 KTVX Sundays @ 9:00AM beginning January 2019.
We're About To Get Tasting Utah! #TASTEUTAH | INFO@TASTEUT.COM
Join your hosts Katy and Jami on ABC4 for restaurant inspiration and dining destinations during the ABC4 News at Midday. Get insider access, meet the chef and watch to win a dining destination gift certificate! Check out TasteUtah on instagram for updates and keep posting your food photos with #TasteUtah. Devour Utah • september 2018
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Last Bite
JEFFREY BECKSTRAND
Bluesman J.T. Draper
ALAN ROY CARRINGTON
Deli-Man Michael Feldman
JEFFREY BECKSTRAND
Folk guitarist Guy Benson
Hitting All the Right Notes
Live music, paired with a meal, can be a winning combination BY MICHAEL FELDMAN
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love live music. As a restaurateur, I love hearing music during my meal. At Sicilia Dolce about a month ago, an older gent was walking from table to table serenading guests with old Italian melodies—bellissimo! It created a lasting impression! As a musician, I decided to try offering music at my restaurant, Feldman’s Deli. Since I know many good musicians, it wasn’t hard for me to get folks to play here. The performances have caught on. We now have live music every Friday and Saturday night, featuring folk, jazz, country and blues. We’ve even had a classical duet. We opted not to have music every night to accommodate customers who prefer a quieter environment. It seems our business has benefited, since our revenue has grown, and we now have a reputation for high-quality music and great food. Musicians love to gig here (we are booked out for three-plus months) since we book them for short gigs (7-8:30 p.m.), it’s a restaurant (they get fed here–which is a big plus), and their families can experience their music without hanging in bars. The right kind of live music just adds to the pleasure of dining out. It creates a welcoming environment that increases the diner’s sensory experience. It makes it more enjoyable to go out and eat, as opposed to staying in (but I’m sure many folks have music playing at home when eating). That’s not to say it always works. Our deli is not a concert venue, nor is music our main focus. If the music is too loud, it
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cuts off conversations. Not everyone is going to like every artist. We cater to families, so we can’t have any music that might be considered risqué or offensive. But since Salt Lake City is beaming with talent, it’s not hard to find the right kind of music. We don’t charge guests for the show, but we do unashamedly ask them to support local live musicians by tipping generously. Some guests don’t tip, but most like the music and show their appreciation. We offer musicians a flat fee plus a guarantee after tips are counted. We promote them and expect them to promote their shows. For groups that draw a crowd, they do really well. For those that don’t, they get the guarantee. This arrangement spreads the risk between the deli and the musician. That way we can select any musician we really like and introduce our customers to well-known local musicians as well as up-andcomers. We try to be fair—no one is getting rich, but they get decent pay, are fed well and have an appreciative audience. For me, for the first time in my career, I get to combine my passion for our business with my love for music. In fact, I can be seen playing my music on occasional Friday nights. I’m not using the music to directly make money, but it has developed our business in several ways. Our brand has evolved from Salt Lake’s only Jewish deli with great traditional food to a Jewish deli that’s one of the city’s most unique music venues. And we might be the only Jewish deli in the whole country to offer live music! Take that, Adam Sandler! ❖
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