Moon Bakery

Moon Bakery, tucked inside Chinatown Supermarket, is Utah’s first Korean-style bakery. Owner Changwook Yoon is in the kitchen as early as 2:30 a.m. Everything is made by hand, in-house—breads and pastries (sweet and savory) donuts, cakes and mochi.

BY LYDIA MARTINEZ

Changwook came to the bakery through a family connection; his passion for craft, quality, and tradition is evident. We sat down with him to discuss his baking journey with the help of a translator. "I was looking for a business; the previous owner is my brother-in-law's friend. He was getting older and wanted to move on," says Changwook. "My brother-in-law introduced us. I wasn't living in Utah, so I visited here a couple of times and liked it, so I took it over." That was over three years ago.

Delving into the differences between Korean-style pastries and their American counterparts, it all comes down to the dough. In the U.S., pastries are rich in butter and sugar, while the dough is generally less sweet. Many are made with laminated dough, which results in flaky or crispy layers. Korean pastries are often made with milk bread dough base, lending them a soft and pillowy texture. Made using the Tangzhong method, milk, flour, and water are mixed and then heated to form a type of roux before adding

If You Go

it to the dough. Cooking makes the starches hold more water and also makes for a more stable structure. This means a higher rise and softer pastry dough that is sweeter and more chewy than a typical American bakery. "We don't do frozen dough," says Changwook. "So we have to come in early every morning to make the dough, weigh it out, and prepare the fillings."

When Changwook took over Moon Bakery, he focused on maintaining the traditional K-style pastries. Still, he also added his own recipes to the shop. "I wanted to do a filled croissant. It is very popular and filled with strawberries and custard cream. I make pound cake. And a chocolate custard twisted donut."

INSIDE THE DOUGH: SWEET AND SAVORY FILLINGS

Sweet Korean pastries are often balanced by less sweet fillings. They often feature roasted chestnuts, white beans, red bean paste, sweet potato, or eggy custard cream. You’ll also find diplomat cream paired with fresh fruit. Diplomat cream is pastry cream folded with stabilized whipped cream for a fluffy, lighter and less cloying filling. These fillings add a touch of sweetness that complements the dough without overwhelming it, resulting in a perfectly balanced and delicious treat. Both Changwook and Richard from SanFran Burritos N Fryz expressed surprise that people here in Utah love traditional Korean flavors like red bean paste.

When asked what he wanted people to know about his bakery, more than anything else, Changwook says, “I wanted them to know that everything is fresh. Every day. We make everything right here.”

Coffee

3 Cups Coffee – 4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza #104, Holladay, 385-237-3091. 3cups.coffee. With a slick, modern interior, 3 Cups transitions seamlessly from a neighborhood coffee shop by day to a wine and cheese bar by night. This family establishment boasts of roasting their own beans and baking their own goods.

Caffe d’Bolla –249 E. 400 South, #100, SLC, 801-355-1398. caffedbolla.com. John Piquet is a coffee wizard—a cup of his specially roasted siphon brews is like no other cup of coffee in the state. His wife, Yiching, is an excellent baker.

Cupla Coffee –175 W. 200 South, SLC, 385207-8362; 1476 Newpark Blvd., Park City, 801-4629475. cuplacoffee.com. The menu at Cupla reflects the owners’ lifestyle of a low-carb and low-sugar diet, without sacrificing taste for health. They roast their own coffee beans, rotated seasonally.

La Barba –155 E. 900 South, SLC; 9 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 385-429-2401; 13811 Sprague Ln., Draper, 801-901-8252. labarbacoffee.com. Owned by locally owned coffee roasters—a favorite with many local restaurants—this little cafe off of George serves coffee, tea, chocolate and pastries.

Logos Coffee –1709 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-657-1383. logos.coffee. Logos is a small batch specialty coffee roaster that operates a mobile espresso cart (check social media for location) and a coffee bar that’s open 7 a.m.–2 p.m. everyday.

King’s Peak Coffee – 412 S. 700 West, Suite 140, SLC, 385-267-1890. kingspeakcoffee. com. All of King’s Peak’s coffee is sourced directly from farmers or reputable importers. In the end, the result is a better quality coffee.

Old Cuss Cafe –2285 S. Main St., South Salt Lake. oldcuss.com. More than a coffee shop, this warm, mountain-man-style cafe serves plant-based food, craft coffee and a rotating menu of seasonal fare.

Publik– 502 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 385-229-4836; 975 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-355-3161; 210 S. University St., SLC, 385-549-1928. publikcoffee. com. Serving the latest in great coffee; the oldschool java joint made for long conversations; a neo-cafe where you can park with your laptop and get some solo work done.

Urban Sailor Coffee –1327 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-227-8978. urbansailorcoffee.com

Urban Sailor Coffee opened its first sit-down coffee shop in Sugar House after originally serving Anchorhead specialty coffee from a mobile coffee cart and Steve Smith tea from a URAL sidecar motor.

Salt Lake Roasting Company– 820 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-363-7572. roasting.com

SLC’s original coffee shop owner John Bolton buys and roasts the better-than-fair-trade beans.

Central & South American

Arempa’s – 350 S. State St., SLC, 385-3018905. arempas.com. Happy, casual Venezuelan food—arepas, tequenos, cachapas—basically everything is cornmeal filled with pulled beef, chicken or pork and fried. But—also the same fillings between slices of plantains. And a chocolate filled tequena.

Braza Grill– 5927 S. State St., Murray, 801506-7788. brazagrillutah.com. Meat, meat and more meat is the order of the day at this Brazilian-style churrascaria buffet.

Rodizio Grill– 600 S. 700 East, SLC, 801220-0500. rodiziogrill.com The salad bar offers plenty to eat, but the best bang for the buck is the Full Rodizio, a selection of meats—turkey, chicken, beef, pork, seafood and more— plus vegetables and pineapple, brought to your table until you cry “uncle.”

Cool Down with Bingsoo

Moon Bakery also has the best treat of summer—the famous Korean iced dessert known as Bingsoo or Bingsu. Ice is shaved down to an almost fluffy texture and then topped with sweetened condensed milk, fruit, red beans and whipped cream.

Flavors:

Pat Bingsoo —traditional red beans (sweet adzuki beans) topped with seasonal fruit and condensed milk.

Mango Bingsoo —because, in the words of Changwook, "Americans love mango." A mango ice served with lots of chopped fresh mango and sweetened condensed milk.

Ddalgi Bingsoo —strawberry-flavored ice smothered with fresh strawberries. Shockingly pink and less sweet than the other two flavors.

Get the large and share!

Chinese & Pan-Asian

Asian Star–7588 S. Union Park Ave., Midvale, 801-566-8838. asianstarrestaurant.com. The menu is not frighteningly authentic or disturbingly Americanized. Dishes are chef-driven, and Chef James seems most comfortable in the melting pot.

Boba World– 512 W. 750 South, Woods Cross, 801-298-3626. bobaworld.blogspot.com. This momand-pop place is short on chic, but the food on the plate provides all the ambiance you need. Try the scallion pancakes, try the Shanghai Fat Noodles, heck, try the kung pao chicken. It’s all good.

Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant – 565 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-531-7010. hongkongteahouse.yolasite.com. Authentic, pristine and slightly weird is what we look for in Chinese food. Tea House does honorable renditions of favorites, but it is a rewarding place to go explore.

J. Wong’s Bistro –163 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-350-0888. jwongs.com. Drawing from their Thai and Chinese heritage, J. Wong’s menu allows you to choose either. Lunch—Chinese or Thai—isn’t a good deal. It’s a great deal. Don’t miss the ginger whole fish or the Gunpowder cocktail. Call ahead for authentic Peking duck.

French & European

Bruges Waffle and Frites – 336 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-4444; 2314 S. Highland Dr., 801-486-9999. brugeswaffles.com. The original tiny shop turns out waffles made with pearl sugar. Plus frites, Belgian beef stew and a gargantuan sandwich called a mitraillette with merguez. Other locations have bigger menus.

Café Madrid– 5244 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-273-0837. cafemadrid.net. Authentic dishes like garlic soup share the menu with port-sauced lamb shank. Service is courteous and friendly at this family-owned spot.

Franck’s– 6263 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC, 801274-6264. francksfood.com. Founding chef Franck Peissel’s influence can still be tasted—personal interpretations of continental classics. Some, like the meatloaf, are perennials, but mostly the menu changes according to season and the current chef’s whim.

Mar | Muntanya –170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6700. mar-muntanya.com. The rooftop restaurant, atop the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, has a menu of Spanish-inspired cuisine with an emphasis on shareable tapas, Spanish gin and tonic cocktails and regional specialties with a little Utah twist.

Monsieur Crêpes –1617 S. 900 East, SLC, 787-358-9930. monsieurcrepesut.us. This French-style creperie offering both savory—Brie, prosciutto, tomato—and sweet—whipped cream, fruit, chocolate—fillings. The famous Gallic pancake evolved from a food truck into a charming cafe with a very pretty patio.

Indian

Bombay House –2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC, 801-581-0222; 463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., #120, West Jordan, 801-282-0777. bombayhouse.com. This biryani mainstay is sublimely satisfying, from the wisecracking Sikh host to the friendly server, from the vegetarian entrees to the tandoor-grilled delights. No wonder it’s been Salt Lake’s favorite subcontinental restaurant for 20 years.

Curry in a Hurry–2020 S. State St., SLC, 801-467-4137. ilovecurryinahurry.com. The Nisar family’s restaurant is tiny, but fast service and fair prices make this a great take-out spot. But if you opt to dine in, there’s always a Bollywood film on the telly.

Himalayan Kitchen– 360 S. State St., SLC, 801-328-2077; 11521 S. 4000 West, South Jordan, 801-254-0800. himalayankitchen.com. IndianNepalese restaurant with an ever-expanding menu. Start the meal with momos, fat little dumplings like pot stickers. All the tandoor dishes are good, but Himalayan food is rare, so go for the quanty masala, a stew made of nine different beans.

Kathmandu– 3142 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801466-3504; 250 W. 2100 South, SLC, 801-935-4258; 863 E. 9400 South, Sandy, 801-981-8943. thekathmandu.net. Try the Nepalese specialties, including spicy pickles to set off the tandoor-roasted meats. Both goat and sami, a kibbeh-like mixture of ground lamb and lentils, are available in several styles.

Royal India –10263 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801572-6123; 55 N. Main St., Bountiful, 801-292-1835. royalindiautah.com. Northern Indian tikka masalas and Southern Indian dosas allow diners to enjoy the full range of Indian cuisine.

Saffron Valley East India Cafe –26 E. E St., SLC, 801-203-3325. saffronvalley.com. Lavanya Mahate has imported her style of Indian cooking from South Jordan to SLC. Besides terrific lunch and dinner menus, East Indian Cafe offers regular celebrations of specialties like Indian street food or kebabs. Stay tuned.

Saffron Valley–1098 W. South Jordan Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-438-4823. saffronvalley.com zaco.com. Try the “pink” pizza, topped with ricotta and marinara. Vegan cheese is available, and there’s microbrew on tap.

Highlighting South Indian street food, one of the glories of subcontinental cuisine, Lavanya Mahate’s restaurant is a cultural as well as culinary center, offering cooking classes, specialty groceries and celebration as well as great food.

Saffron Valley– 479 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-203-3754. saffronvalley.com. Yet another iteration of Lavanya Mahate’s vision of her homeland, this Saffron Valley location combines the best of her other three restaurants: Indian street foods, classic Indian and the Indian-Anglo bakery.

Tandoor Indian Grill– 3300 S. 729 East, SLC, 801-486-4542; 4828 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-999-4243. tandoorindiangrill.com. Delicious salmon tandoori, sizzling on a plate with onions and peppers like fajitas, is mysteriously not overcooked. Friendly service.

Nuch’s Pizzeria –2819 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-484-0448. nuchspizza.com. A New York-sized eatery (meaning tiny) offers big flavor via specialty pastas and wonderful bubbly crusted pizzas. Ricotta is made in house.

Osteria Amore

224 S. 1300 East, SLC, 385270-5606. osteriaamore.com. An offshoot of the evergrowing Sicilia Mia group, the food here is not highly original —expect carpaccio, fried octopus, all kinds of pasta and pizza in the nicely redesigned space.

Per Noi Trattoria

3005 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-486-3333. pernoitrattoria.com. A little chefowned, red sauce Italian spot catering to its neighbor-