ON THE TABLE
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Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2–736 W. North Temple,
SLC, 801-322-1489; 866 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-214-6050. rediguana.com. All locations are a blessing in this City of Salt, which still has mysteriously few good Mexican restaurants. Mole is what you want.
Rio Grande Café–258 S. 1300 East, SLC,
801-364-3302. riograndecafeslc.com. As bustling now as it was when it was still a train station, this is a pre-Jazz favorite and great for kids, too. Dishes overflow the plate and fill the belly.
Taqueria 27–149 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-
259-0940; 4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-676-9706; 6154 S. Fashion Blvd. Ste. 2, Murray, 801-266-2487; 1688 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801331-8033. taqueria27.com. Salt Lake needs more Mexican food, and Todd Gardiner is here to provide it. Artisan tacos (try the duck confit), inventive guacamole and lots of tequila.
Seafood Current Fish & Oyster House–279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-326-3474. currentfishandoyster.com. An all-star team made this cool downtown restaurant an instant hit. Excellent and inventive seafood dishes plenty of non-fishy options. Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.–2302 E. Parleys Way, SLC, 801-466-9827. harborslc.com. A much-needed breath of sea air refreshes this restaurant, which updates their menu frequently according to the availability of wild fish. A snappy interior, a creative cocktail menu and a vine-covered patio make for a hospitable atmosphere. Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House–2155 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-946-2079. kimishouse. com.Kimi Eklund and Chef Matt Anderson are bringing a touch of glam to Sugar House with their highstyle, multi-purpose restaurant: It’s an oyster bar, it’s a steakhouse, it’s a lounge. However you use it, Kimi’s makes for a fun change from the surrounding pizza and beerscapes, with dramatic lighting, purple velvet and live music. Market Street Grill–48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-322-4668; 2985 E. Cottonwood Pkwy., SLC, 801-942-8860; 10702 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-302-2262. marketstreetgrill.com. SLC’s fave fish restaurants: Fish is flown in daily and the breakfast is an institution. The Oyster Bar–48 W. Market St., SLC,
801-531-6044; 2985 E. Cottonwood Parkway (6590 South), SLC, 801-942-8870. marketstreetgrill.com. This is one of the best selection of fresh oysters in town: Belon, Olympia, Malpeque and Snow Creek, plus Bluepoints. Crab and shrimp are conscientiously procured.
Southeast Asian Chabaar Beyond Thai–87 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5100. chabaarbeyondthai. com. One of Annie Sooksri’s parade of restaurants, this one features what the name implies: a solid
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menu of Thai favorites plus some inventions based on Thai flavors.
Chanon Thai Café–278 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-1177. chanonthaislc.com. A meal here is like a casual dinner at your best Thai friend’s place. Try curried fish cakes and red-curry prawns with coconut milk and pineapple. FAV Bistro–1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 801-676-9300. bestthaifoodinutah.com. Cross-cultural food with a menu of fusion dishes based on Thai flavors. Indochine–230 S. 1300 East, 801-582-0896.
indochinesaltlake.com. Vietnamese cuisine is under- represented in Salt Lake’s Thai-ed up dining scene, so a restaurant that offers more than noodles is welcome. Try broken rice dishes, clay pots and pho.
Mi La-Cai Noodle House–961 S.
State St., SLC, 801-322-3590. lacainoodlehouse. com. Mi La-cai’s noodles rise above the rest, and their pho is fantastic—each bowl a work of art. The beautiful setting is a pleasure. It’s even a pleasure to get the bill.
My Thai–1425 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-5054999. mythaiasiancuisine.com. My Thai is an unpretentious mom-and-pop operation—she’s mainly in the kitchen, and he mainly waits tables, but in a lull, she darts out from her stove to ask diners if they like the food. Yes, we do. Oh Mai–850 S. State St.,SLC, 801-575-8888; 3425 State St., SLC, 801-467-6882, Other Utah locations. ohmaisandwichkitchen.com. Fast, friendly and hugely flavorful—that sums up this little banh mi shop that’s taken SLC by storm. Pho is also good and so are full plates, but the banh mi are heaven.
Skewered Thai–575 S. 700 East, SLC, 801364-1144. skeweredthai.com. A serene setting for some of the best Thai in town—perfectly balanced curries, pristine spring rolls, intoxicating drunk noodles and a well-curated wine list. Tea Rose Diner–65 E. 5th Ave., Murray,
801-685-6111. bestthaifoodinutah.com. Annie Sooksri has a mini-empire of Thai and Asian restaurants across the valley—Tea Rose has been a favorite since 2007 and offers a menu of Thai staples and American breakfast dishes.
SOMI Vietnamese Bistro–1215 E. Wilmington Ave., SLC, 385-322-1158. somislc.com. But there’s also Chinese food and a cocktail menu at this stylish Sugarhouse restaurant. Crispy branzino, pork belly sliders on bai and braised oxtail are some of the highlights to the menu, which also includes the standard spring rolls and pho. Thai Garden–868 E. 900 South, SLC, 801355-8899. thaigardenbistroslc.com. Paprika-infused pad thai, deep-fried duck and fragrant gang gra ree are all excellent choices—but there are 50-plus items on the menu. Be tempted by batter-fried bananas with coconut ice cream. Krua Thai–212 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-3284401. kruathaiut.com. Curries and noodle dishes hit a precise procession on the palate—sweet, then sour, savory and hot—plus there are dishes you’ve never tried before and should: bacon and collard greens, red curry with duck, salmon with chili and coconut sauce. Zao Asian Cafe–400 S. 639 East, SLC,
801-595-1234; 2227 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801467-4113; Other Utah locations. zaoasiancafe.com. It’s hard to categorize this pan-Asian semi-fast food concept. It draws from Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese traditions, all combined with the American need for speed. Just file it under fast, fresh, flavorful food.
Pho Tay Ho–1766 S. Main St., SLC, 385-2400309. photayho.com. One of the best Pho joints around is an unassuming house on the southside of Salt Lake City. The family-owned-and-operated noodle house keeps their menu small but full of flavor.
Steak
Pho Thin–2121 S. McClelland St., SLC, 801485-2323. phothinslc.com. From its Sugar House location, Pho Thin serves up pho made in the Hanoi style, and it’s a family recipe. Their menu also offers other Vietnamese comfort and street foods.
Christopher’s Prime–110 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-890-6616. christophersut.com. The menu is straightforward, chilled shellfish and rare steaks, with a few seafood and poultry entrees thrown in for the non-beefeaters.
Pleiku–264 S. Main St., SLC, 801-359-4544. pleikuslc.com. This stylish downtown spot serves a selection of Vietnamese dishes made from family recipes and served tapas-style. Note the pho, which is brewed for 36 hours and served in a full-bowl meal or a preprandial cup.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse–20 S. 400 West Ste. 2020, The Gateway, SLC, 801-3553704. flemingssteakhouse.com. This local branch of a national chain has a famously impressive wine list. With more than 100 available by the glass, it has selections that pair well with anything you order.
Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill–722 S. State St., SLC, 801-363-7272. sapabarandgrill. com.Charming Vietnamese stilt houses surround the courtyard. Sapa’s menu ranges from Thai curries to fusion and hot pots, but the sushi is the best bet.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse–275 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-363-2000. ruthschris.com. This former bank building has inner beauty. Stick with classics like crab cocktail, order the wedge, and ask for your butter-sizzled steak no more than medium, please. Service is excellent. Eat dessert, then linger in the cool bar.
Sawadee Thai –754 E. South Temple, SLC, 801-328-8424. sawadeethaiutah.com. The menu goes far outside the usual pad thai and curry. Thai food’s appeal lies in the subtleties of difference achieved with a limited list of ingredients.
Spencer’s–255 S. West Temple, SLC, 801238-4748. spencersslc.com. The quality of the meat and the accuracy of the cooking are what make it
