SLM Nov/Dec 2022

M A Y Y OUR SEAS ON B E B RI GH T

A Y

of wishes for the New year. May this

and your loved

and far.

and

food!

Marco Silva

ON THE COVER

fashion love

FEATURES 66 SAVING THE GREAT SALT LAKE

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

The Great Salt Lake is drying up, and the fallout from its dessication could be near-apocalyptic—collapsing ecosystems, diminishing resources, shortening ski seasons and polluting the air. We explore what is causing the lake to dry up and how to stop it.

74

BALLET WEST POWER COUPLES

BY HEATHER HAYES

Ballet West is a star of the holiday season with their rendition of e Nutcracker. Behind the scenes, the world-reknowned company has seen many of its dancers become more than colleagues and fall in love. The couples share their love stories.

86 ROAD TRIP: HAWAII

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

& JEREMY PUGH

Experience the island of Maui from the open road. From highways through Maui’s rich cowboy country or dense rainforests with hidden marvels, it’s a road trip through the Rainbow State.

Ballet West dancers Lillian Casscells & Beau Chesivoir. Love is in the air as the dancers prepare for the biggest production of the season.

contents

15 the hive

BY SALT LAKE STAFF

There a plenty of ways to celebrate the holidays, through travel, gift-giving, movie marathons and parties. The Hive has your holiday guides and survival tips to get you to New Year’s Eve.

47 park city

BY TONY GILL

How is Park City solving the banes of the ski season parking and housing inventory for workers?

93 on the table

BY SALT LAKE STAFF

The local chef’s classroom that is raising up a crop of at-home sushi rollers.

121 bar fly

BY AVREY EVANS & JEREMY PUGH

Something is happening around Edison Street. Say goodbye to one bar that didn’t quite make it and hello to the new blood that’s moving in.

128 last page

BY JEREMY PUGH

Donnie and Marie Osmond are Utah sweethearts, and, for a time, they were America’s sweethearts, too. Remember the Donny & Marie show?

Boca Raton, FL 33429.

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PRESIDENT

Margaret Mary Shuff

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Jeremy Pugh

MANAGING EDITOR Christie Porter

ASSISTANT EDITOR Josh Petersen

PARK CITY LIFE EDITOR Tony Gill

NIGHTLIFE EDITOR Avrey Evans

WRITING CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Ruth Harris, Heather Hayes

STYLING CONTRIBUTORS

Vanessa Di Palma Wright Harly Richards Nikki Breedlove, Tricia Snow

ART DIRECTOR

Jeanine Miller

PHOTOGRAPHY

Adam Finkle

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Arianna Jimenez

DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR

Josh Petersen

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Cori Davis

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVES

Janette Erickson

Launnee Symes Scott Haley

Matt Thompson

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Jodi Nelson

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Disrupting Diamonds

The Romance of Ballet

LAST SUMMER, ONE OF OUR REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Heather Hayes approached us with a bold idea. She had discovered that love was in the air within the ranks of Ballet West, one of Utah’s most beloved cultural institutions. As a strange side effect of the lockdown and, generally, how closely the dancers in the company work together, several loving partnerships had bloomed. Why not, she suggested, learn more about this phenomenon and share their love stories? And along the way why not take the opportunity to deck these dancing couples out in beautiful clothes and jewelry and photograph them at the Capitol Theater? Well, it was, as you can see, a great idea. Ballet West gave us exclusive access to their stage and eight of their dancers to produce our cover story and main feature “Romancing the Stage” (p. 74).

Inside you’ll find the origin stories of four couples and, while there is plenty of romance in each tale, it also gave us a chance to go behind the scenes and learn more about the unique lives of professional dancers. It’s a strange world, right? Dancing at this level is less of a job and more of a lifestyle choice, or actually, a life. Their days are filled with a grueling schedule of rehearsals. Their office is the warren of

practice spaces. Each day is an attempt to reach the perfection demanded by the ballet form. No wonder they find camaraderie, friendship and, in these cases, love among each other.

We hope you’ll enjoy this glimpse into the lives of our four couples as well as the gorgeous photography (by Adam Finkle), beautiful styling and fashion choices (by Vanessa Di Palma Wright) and fabulous layout by our art director (Jeanine Miller). And, this year, when you’re sitting with your family in the Capitol Theatre, enjoying Ballet West’s rendition of The Nutcracker be sure to check the playbill for our eight dancers.

Jeremy Pugh

REFUGEE FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED

REFUGEE FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED

Catholic Community Services' Refugee Foster Care program places unaccompanied refugee minors in loving and licensed foster homes.

Catholic Community Services' Refugee Foster Care program places unaccompanied refugee minors in loving and licensed foster homes.

If you are interested in opening your heart and home to a refugee youth, email rfcrecruiter@ccsutah.org.

If you are interested in opening your heart and home to a refugee youth, email rfcrecruiter@ccsutah.org.

PHOTO

Disrupting

THE HIVE

PEOPLE

MEETSFASHIONDANCE

THE FINEST NUTCRACKER IN ALL THE LAND

the holidays are as common as egg nog, but Ballet West’s production is the oldest in the nation and, by many, considered the best. In 1944, Ballet West founder Willam Christensen worked off the 1892 Russian version by by Pyotr Tchaikovsky that was lost in a sea of bad reviews and the tumult of the Bolshevik Revolution and two World Wars. Christensen revived it and gave it a fresh face for post-war American crowds. Thanks to Christensen (a native of Logan, Utah, B.T.W.), The Nutcracker has become the most frequently performed ballet and serves as an introduction to classical music for many. Christensen’s version is still preserved and performed each December by Ballet West and has been named “the best Nutcracker in the United States” by The New York Times. Besides watching the pros leap, spin, dip and soar (more on them on pg. 74), hundreds of local kids compete for spots in the iconic production each year at the historic Capitol Theatre. (Dec. 2-24, 2022, balletwest.org)

PHOTO BEAU PEARSON

|

OUTDOORS

PRODUCTIONS

Nutcracker

Nutcracker Prince performed by Ballet West Soloist David Hu mire

“Romancing

FAMILY HOLIDAY PARTY

Survive the holidays (and the inevitable family drama) with this easy game

It’s Bingo. You know the rules. Mark off each square as its corresponding condition is met. You win by marking off five adjacent squares in a row, column or diagonal. Play with other members of your family (we recommend including only your cool relatives who can keep the game a secret) by downloading this page from saltlakemagazine.com, cutting out and rearranging the squares at random, to create multiple unique bingo boards. Make things more interesting by adding a small cash pot for the winner—they’ll need that money for therapy. (Advanced tip: if your family get-togethers are particularly messy, try for a “blackout” instead.)

Overpowering

Potluck-style holiday dinner

Grandparents get pushy about having the grand kids perform the Nativity

“Holiday Spice” scented candle

Someone takes offense to saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” “Son of a nutcracker!” and other Elf quotes Sibling complains about their Secret Santa gift

Someone Says “Happy Holidays”

Someone says “The War on Christmas” without irony Elaborate Jell-O mold in green or red

An old Santa hat makes the rounds and no one mentions the mysterious stain nor odor Someone pulls out a family photo album or scrapbook

“You’ll shoot your eye out!” or another overused A Christmas Story quote “I thought we agreed on a $20 limit for gifts?”

“I thought we weren’t doing gifts this year?”

Only one person actually shows up in an ugly holiday sweater “Jesus is the reason for the season”

Someone arrives late because they were “cleaning up” after the Ward Christmas Party

Probing personal questions (when are you going to get married, have kids, etc.)

“I shouldn’t have another, but I’m on vacation…”

A passionate debate over whether Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie

Mom gets very sensitive about the dryness of the ham and/or turkey

Someone is shamed for bringing a “store-bought” dish instead of homemade

Chilled sparkling apple cider

Someone makes mom cry, but she says “It’s not really about the ham”

Salt Lake magazine presents

MEDICAL-GRADE HYDRATION

The spa-hospital fusion continues

BY MARY RUTH HARRIS

BEAUTY TRENDS have gone way beyond your mom’s Oil of Olay and are increasingly blurring the line between medicine and wellness. The fusion of hospital and spa seems complete, however, with the advent of infusion therapy and intravenous drips marketed as “wellness infusions.” As a nurse practitioner, who has run thousands of drip lines often in life-or-death situa tions, it caught my attention. My medical experience made me skeptical of the benefits or even the effectiveness of “well ness infusions.” So I decided to give it a try. I’m not afraid of needles and, honestly, training for an upcoming race in this hot

dry summer has left me dehydrated to the bone. While I kept my eyebrow raised over the wellness claims, I know for sure that intravenous drips are an excellent tech nique for rehydration.

But first a little medical history. An Oxford scientist created the first infusion device in 1656 with a writing quill and a pig’s bladder. We’ve come a long way since then. Its applications have benefits in the medical community for everything from blood transfusions to chemotherapy. These non-medical (although administered under medical supervision) wellness infusions are a new use for the old technology. A while back,

I remember seeing a couple of places in Las Vegas selling infusions as a hangover cure. But these infusions are more for healthy folks who want to feel even more healthy

While I was recovering from a couple of brutal trail runs in the heat, my nursing friend Sarah Aldridge suggested I try DRIPBaR in Sandy, where she is the medical director. I was really impressed. The space is clean and comfortable with just enough medical touches to make it feel safe, but nothing like the ER. DRIPBaR has an extensive menu of choices and the staff is well educated, trained and ready to mix and drip the solutions to your specific needs. The infusions can offer quick energy boosts or immunity support.

“Using a combination of Vitamin B12, B complex, Taurine, Vitamin C, Biotin, and Folic Acid in an IV drip gave Mary an energy boost to help improve overall health and hydration,” Aldridge says. “There were added benefits of energy from an IV push dose of Glutathione.”

The reassuring fact that this space is medically supervised and all the medications are safely compounded in a sterile hood, helped my medical brain relax and enjoy the time spent. No quills and definitely no pig bladders involved. Does it work? Well, I certainly left more hydrated, and I felt and slept a lot better the next week. I’d add this to a wellness program, for sure.

MARY RUTH HARRIS has lived in Utah most of her life and for the past 22 years in Salt Lake City. With a back ground in medicine and a pas sion for healthy living, Mary loves experiencing and writing about anything that will add to wellness and well-being, hers and yours. An avid cyclist and trail runner, she writes about health, beauty, fit ness and athletic training for Salt Lake magazine.

Sarah Aldridge is the medical director at DRIPBar in Sandy, a new med-spa touting the bene fits of medical-grade IV infusions as a wellness technique.

THE DRIPBaR

11348 S. State Street, Sandy, thedripbar.com

SEASON’S EATINGS

Get on everyone’s nice list with these Utah food gifts

BY JOSH PETERSEN

IWOULD WAGER THAT the average Utahn has a longer Christmas shopping list than pretty much any person in the country. From friends to neighbors to the 57 cousins in your Utahsized extended family, it can get overwhelming fast. Not to pooh-pooh the spirit of giving, but nothing saps the fun out of the holidays like trying to find the perfect present for the ward Relief Society presi dent or the coworker you only talk to on Zoom.

Food may seem like a foolproof holiday option—after all, who doesn’t like to eat? Let’s be honest, though, a lot of those gift baskets end up in a neglected corner of the kitchen, next to the dubious-looking fruitcake and 17 cinnamon-scented candles. Want to ensure your gift isn’t secretly tossed in the trash can after New Year’s? These presents for food lovers are cute, tasty and all-local, so you can feel extra good about where you’re spending your money.

WHAT TO GET…

For the sweet tooth CACHE TOFFEE COLLECTION

Cache Toffee founder Lori Darr uses her mother’s techniques to make small batches of homemade toffee with local ingredients. During the holidays, look for the Tartan Turtle with caramel, drizzled chocolate, pecans and cashews, or get extra festive with the sweet, salty and a little bit spicy Pizzaz toffee featuring peppermint, peppercorn and pink Himalayan sea salt. cachetoffee.com

For the teetotaler WB’S EATERY

Think beyond the bakery with unique gift boxes from WB’s Eatery. WB’s sells an extensive variety of dry spirits and non-alcoholic beers and wine, and their cocktail kits and glassware have everything you need to make a drink at home that everyone can enjoy. Beyond the (alcohol-free) liquor cabinet, the Good Day Sunshine Pack includes coffee, homemade jam and waffle mix, while the Bud Box is complete with a grinder and water pipe. Even your dog can get in on the fun with a gift box just for pets. wbseatery.com

Cache Toffee Collection

Keto Cakes

PHOTOS COURTESY WB’S

For the hungry Francophile LES MADELEINES

The downtown French bakery Les Madeleines is best known for its kouignamann, a flaky, buttery cake made from layers of laminated dough and lots of caramelized sugar. (Les Madeleines was the first bakery in the western U.S. to sell the now-trendy pastry.) If any of your out-of-state friends are craving this Brittany-via-Utah treat, boxes of kouign-amann can be shipped nationwide. lesmadeleines.com

For gluten-free family FILLINGS AND EMULSIONS

There are plenty of great foodie gifts at Fillings and Emulsions, a Latin bakery whose pastries and desserts are featured at many restaurants across town. For those who can’t (or won’t) eat gluten, Fillings and Emulsions has one of the biggest and best gluten-free menus around, including decadent cakes and mix-and-match boxes of French macarons. fillingsandemulsionsmainstreet.square.site

For the carb counter KETO CAKES

Most holiday treats have one thing in common—sugar, sugar and more sugar. This is no fun for the health-conscious among us that won’t indulge in a cheat day even for Christmas. (Can’t relate.) We aren’t here to vouch for or against keto—a popular high-fat, low-carb diet—but for anyone on your holiday list avoiding sugar, Keto Cakes offers a menu of the treats they’ve been missing, including cupcakes, mini-cheesecakes, muffins and peanut butter bars. ketocakesutah.com

For the devout vegan PASSION FLOUR

Your vegan friends will thank you—and everyone else will be pleasantly surprised. Passion Flour is a coffee shop, cafe and bakery with an entirely plant-based menu of treats. Petit fours include the usual suspects along with unique creations, like an artisan pop-tart with puff pastry, berry jam and vegan cream cheese. passionflourslc.com

WB’s Eatery

For the long-term relationship: RUBY SNAP

Long before Utah’s “cookie wars” made headlines, the SLC shop Ruby Snap was selling gourmet cookies with mouthwatering flavor combinations. (Trust us, these are a big step up from Crumbl.) There’s no wrong way to gift Ruby Snap, but consider splurging on a subscription to the “Cookie of the Month” club, which delivers new flavors to your door all year long. rubysnap.com

For a gift (almost) too pretty to eat THE SWEET STORYLINE

On Instagram, videos of The Sweet Storyline’s colorful, intricate lollipops have garnered millions of views, and it’s not hard to understand why. These gourmet suckers are basically miniature works of art. The Sweet Storyline is a one-woman operation and lollipops sell out fast, but if you manage to snag some, there’s no doubt your phone will eat first. thesweetstoryline.bigcartel.com

Ruby Snap

Realizers, not just real estate agents.

WHEN CHARLES DICKENS

sat down to write his “ghostly little book,” he endeavored to raise an idea that would not sour his readers on the Christmas season but “haunt their houses pleasantly.” Indeed, we have been haunted by A Christmas Carol since 1843. Its longevity may be due, in part, to Dickens’ performances of it. Starting in 1853, he took his show on the road in Britain then to the United States, and audiences could not get enough. Rather than read directly from his book, he transformed it into a performance piece. He rewrote, cut and pasted together pages, and added stage cues until he had a script worthy of the stage.

Th is too has passed into modern tradition with actors, storytellers and speakers who channel the spirit of Dickens and perform A Christmas Carol as he once did: one man, one stage, one book. Dane Allred is one such man, but it didn’t start out that way. “The fi rst time I performed A Christmas Carol , I was the narrator in a version of it that one of my friends had written,” says Allred. He’s a retired Payson High School drama

Haunted By ‘A Christmas Carol’

Orators and actors keep alive the spirit of A Christmas Carol by performing it as Charles Dickens once did

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

Matthew Delafuente as Charles Dickens

teacher and teaches public speaking at BYU and UVU. He started performing a version similar to Dickens’ at places like the Provo Tabernacle (before it caught fire) and the Provo Public Library. Even though he had it mostly memorized from playing the narrator, Allred says, “I like to recreate Dickens’ reading of it from his book.” In all of the years Allred performed A Christmas Carol at the library, he says, “There were people who came every single time. I would say, ‘You know the story isn’t going to change, right?’ and they would say, ‘That’s the point. We like it.’”

Now in his mid-60s, Allred hopes to pass the proverbial Dickensian torch to a new generation of orators and actors. Actors like Matthew Delafuente, who played Dickens two years running in A Christmas Carol one-man show at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo. When it comes to the story’s staying power, Delafuente points to a passage when Scrooge is with the Ghost of Christmas Past and Dickens describes the brightness and joy of the Christmas celebration—family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, festive music, singing and dancing and playing games. “There are all of these things from A Christmas Carol that are now embedded in our own Christmas traditions,” says Delafuente, who has also played George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, so he’s becoming quite familiar with holiday traditions. “Dickens was a pioneer.”

Both Delafuente and Allred point to the themes in A Christmas Carol as another secret

to its long-lived success. “Dickens used his performances to raise money for children’s hospitals,” says Allred (who was inspired by that charity to perform A Christmas Carol with free admission). Dickens’ concern for children in poverty was a key impetus for writing A Christmas Carol , and, in doing so, he inextricably merged the virtues of giving and charity with Christmastime.

“Ultimately, it’s a story about a selfish man who, by the end, learns to see the needs of others in a new light,” says Delafuente. “We relate because we all have that battle of learning to see things from a perspective outside our own.”

“It’s a story of redemption,” says Allred. “I think it’s important to remember that Scrooge ends up as the good guy. We get to see him change, and think, ‘if he can change, why can’t I?’”

As much as the hundreds of film and TV adaptations and thousands of stage performances of A Christmas Carol might haunt us, it is the spirit of generosity that Dickens endeavored to have “haunt our homes pleasantly.” Less pleasantly, in the Ghost of Christmas Present’s parting words, there is also a warning concerning the children of Man, Ignorance and Want. “Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy [Ignorance], for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing be erased…Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And abide the end!”

DICKENS’ CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Every holiday season, Christ mas magic transforms the Dixie Convention Center in St. George into a 19th cen tury Victorian market. At the Dickens’ Christmas Festival, Utah vendors and perform ers travel back in time, don their (period-appropriate) gay apparel and celebrate the holidays with seasonal treats, locally made gifts and Father Christmas himself.

Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 2022 dickenschristmasfestival.com

IT’S A STORY OF REDEMPTION. IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT SCROOGE ENDS UP AS THE GOOD GUY. WE GET TO SEE HIM CHANGE AND THINK, ‘IF HE CAN CHANGE, WHY CAN’T I ?’

—DANE ALLRED, ACTOR, A CHRISTMAS CAROL

WHAT TO DO? EVERYTHING.

You’ll find a wide range of things to do during the winter in Southern Utah, in cluding downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, as well as hiking, mountain biking and off-roading (trails condition permitting, be sure to keep an eye on closures and conditions). Camp ing and backpacking are also possible, though each requires additional skills and experience. Consider going with a guide if you’re unfamiliar with winter recreation. Otherwise, there are lodging options yearround allowing you to spend your days exploring and your nights in a cozy bed.

WHERE TO GO: EAST OR WEST?

In Southwestern Utah, ideal wintertime base camps include St. George, Cedar City and Kanab. Three national parks are found in this portion of the state — Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef — as well as Cedar Breaks and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.

In Southeastern Utah, the most popular winter base camp is Moab. But consider also the amenities in towns like Monticel lo, Bluff and Green River or at Goulding’s Lodge near Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This region includes Arches and Canyonlands national parks, as well as Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments. The area is especially rich in Native American heritage sites designated to protect and preserve important rock imagery and cliff dwellings.

TRAVELING WITH A PLAN.

As you travel, consider how to follow Forever Mighty principles to keep these destinations beautiful year-round. Special tips for wintertime travel include:

As a light dusting of snow falls over Utah’s brilliant red rocks a sense of tranquility cloaks Southern Utah. Wintertime is the perfect time of year for a quieter, more solitary getaway. With some special preparation and an appreciation for the beauty the seasonal weather often reveals, a winter visit to Southern Utah can be both safe and unforgettable.

Plan to be self-reliant with food, water and sleeping.

Check for seasonal closures for roads, restaurants, visitor services and supply stores.

Be sure to call ahead when considering lodging and dining options

Be weather -wise and plan for snowy road and trail conditions.

If in doubt, hire a guide.

Prepare to Leave No Trace, including avoiding stepping on fragile biocrusts, packing out all trash and traveling with “wag bags” for when nature calls.

Tuscan Inspired CHATEAU

7895 Cabellero Drive, Cottonwood Heights, UT

Nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, 20 minutes from world-class ski resorts, this custom chateau is the embodiment of luxury. From the immaculate finish work throughout, to the sprawling mountain views, to the Control4 home automation system, not a detail has been missed. The 1,761 square-foot carriage house is perfect for storing RVs or extra vehicles, and can also be converted into extra living space. Tasteful gates and stone walls surround the property to create extra privacy for you to enjoy the private backyard oasis.

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Whether you are ready to list your home for sale or purchase a new home, Brad and Sean can help you with your real estate goals.

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BLASPHEMOUS BRANDS

These heathens are getting out of hand

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS that I bought when I moved to Utah was a Polygamy Porter baseball cap. The Wasatch Brewery label had an additional layer of humor for myself, seeing as my surname is Porter and the Porters from which I hail are Mormon polygamist stock. Even without the personal connection, Wasatch’s Polygamy Porter, which launched more than two decades ago, was at the forefront of what is now a trend: brand and product names that subvert Utah’s predominate religious

culture. I say “subvert” because most of these products are forbidden for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints to consume.

For the creators of these spirits and brews, however, it’s about more than having a bit of fun. ey want to make a good product while tapping (pun intended) into an alternative culture, creating a community for the nonreligious, united by more than their love of liquor, co ee and beer.

“I really care about the community,

which is something that a lot of people lose when they leave the church,” says Melissa Anders, a former Mormon who runs Apostate Co ee (apostateco ee.com) Apostate’s labels feature roast names that reference LDS teachings (Choose e Light roast instead of “Choose the right”) and the Word of Wisdom (Iced “Hot Drink” roast). Apostate also posts customers’ “I’m an Apostate” stories, inspired by the LDS Church’s past “I’m a Mormon” campaign. “I think a lot of people feel they are alone a er leaving, so hearing other people’s stories can be a rming,” says Anders.

Chris Vines of Temple Grounds Co ee Co. (templegrounds.com) says making reference to Mormon culture was a way to instantly connect with their community of Utah co ee drinkers. eir co ee blends include e Holy Roast and, their most popular, Outer Darkness and Celestial Blend. It was also important to her and husband Ben to nd a way to thread the needle. “We wanted it to be funny, but not rude or disrespectful to members of the church,” says Chris, whose family still belongs to the LDS Church.

But, at the end of the day, that’s not who these products are for. “ ese are hot drinks for the people who drink them,” says Ben.

In another reference to Utah’s polygamist past, there’s Five Wives Vodka. “It’s a message in a bottle,” says Mark Fine, President and CEO of Ogden’s Own Distillery. “Our spirits are telling the stories that the church might want us to forget.” In fact, pretty much all of Ogden’s Own labels t that bill (e.g.: Madam Pattirini Gin). Now, with Five Husbands ( vehusbandsvodka.com), Ogden’s Own is telling the stories of members of Utah’s LGBTQ+ community who appear on this year’s label (and a portion of the pro ts of Five Husbands Vodka is donated to support LGBTQ+ causes). ey are people who are “authentically themselves,” says Fine. “ ese are not just ‘Five Husbands’, but truly ‘Five Stories’ that I hope people will relate to and support who one is or who one wishes to be.”

Holiday Movies Spotlight Utah

BY JEREMY PUGH AND CHRISTIE PORTER

IT’S SUMMER AND IT’S snowing outside of the Tower Movie Theater. There are bundled up couples wearing ear muffs and sipping hot chocolate at tables arranged in front of the theater. Two giant nutcrackers guard the Tower’s entrance and the marquee above reads “The Nutcracker, Dec. 1 to 24.” But don’t panic, not climate change at work. It’s just another Hallmark Channel Christmas production in progress.

Dozens of holiday (or holiday adjacent) movies and counting have been lmed in Utah, many are low-budget a airs for the assembly line of lms that air each season on Hallmark’s “ e Countdown to Christmas.” But why Utah? State incentives for lm and television production, homegrown crews, great locations and an easy jaunt from L.A. are a recipe for holiday cheer.

Mr. Krueger's Christmas (1980)

Filmed in Salt Lake City, this NBC Christmas special, starring James Stewart, became a household classic in Utah following its premiere on Dec. 21, 1980. Featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the short tells the tale of an elderly widower who relies on his daydreams and faith to get through a lonely Christmas.

Better O Dead (1985)

Starring John Cusack, this teen romantic comedy tells the story of high school student and avidskier, Lane Myer, who is suicidal after his girlfriend breaks up with him just before Christmas. The ski scenes including the finale “K2 Race” against the film’s bad guy were filmed at Snowbird, Alta and Brighton Resorts.

Good Luck Charlie, it's Christmas! (2011)

Based on the popular Disney Channel original series, Good Luck Charlie, this festive film follows the Duncan family’s road trip. Idiocy strikes when a woman and her daughter get separated from their family during the holidays. The production filmed in Salt Lake City's Gateway Mall, the Salt Palace Convention Center and in St. George.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Who knew that one of the filming locations for the Grinch’s mountain top redoubt is right here in Utah? The film adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen, was filmed at Solitude Mountain Resort, where the powdery peaks provided the backdrop while mean old Mr. Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for all the Whos in Whoville.

Switched for Christmas (2017)

A Hallmark Channel regular until she left the network in 2021, Candace Cameron Bure filmed many films for Hallmark in Utah. Notably, Switched for Christmas, the story of twin sisters who swap lives until Christmas Day. In doing so, each woman gains a deeper perspective and appreciation of what she has. Filmed in downtown Salt Lake, Federal Heights and the Utah State Fair Park

The Housewives of the North Pole (2021)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Kyle Richards, and Breaking Bad actress, Betsy Brandt, star as a type-A duo who battle for the neighborhood title for Best Holiday House Decorations. The Housewives of the North Pole was filmed in locations around Salt Lake City and Ogden.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT)

COURTESY HALLMARK PEACOCK; NBC, BONNEVILLE;

UNIVERSAL/COURTESY

COLLECTION

The Beehive State provides the back drop for an avalanche of Christmas movies

The Housewives of the North Pole

Switched for Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Chistmas

Mr. Krueger’s Christmas

POWERING THE NEXT GENERATION

BY TONY GILL

ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2022, the temperature at the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City International Airport measuring station reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit. It was the second time the mercury reached such dizzying heights over the sum mer, and the fifth time in history the city had reached that all-time high. That day was also the 34th time tem peratures had reached triple digits this year, adding to an unseemly tally and shattering the previous record of 21. It’s getting hot out there, folks, and it’s about time we acknowledge it.

At long last there’s been some action on climate change at the federal level. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed in August, is a multi-faceted bill aimed at reducing the deficit, reducing prescription drug prices and investing in domestic energy production while reducing carbon emissions. The bill allocates $369 billion for clean energy and climate change mitigation, which will reduce carbon emissions to 40% lower than 2005 levels by 2030. The fact that it had to be passed using budget reconciliation while featuring an opaque title is tacit acknowledgement we can’t confront reality for fear of partisan strife. The distorted conversation makes understanding how radically the energy landscape in Utah may be affected in the coming years and how those living and visiting the Beehive State will be impacted.

“It’s certainly a step in the right direction,” says Meisei Gonzalez, Communications Director with HEAL Utah, a 501c3 committed to protecting public health and the environment by promoting renewable energy and clean air initiatives. “The IRA utilizes the incentive approach—the carrot not the stick—which we’ve seen achieve better results in Utah. The bottom line is it will help us transition to newer technologies for production

and generation of clean energy and away from fossil fuels. It has the potential for wide-ranging positive effects locally and beyond.”

61% of power generated in Utah last year came from coal-fired power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That’s down from 75% in 2015, and over that same period solar power has gone from supplying just 0.2% to 10%. It’s a trend not necessarily born of altruism, but one driven by the increasing economic viability of new power sources. “The market is already shifting towards renewables,” says Gonzalez. “Costs are lower and efficiencies are higher, so investment is drawn in that direction.”

BEEHIVE STATE BIPARTISANSHIP?

Utah’s senators in Washington, D.C. haven’t had positive things to say about the IRA—Mike Lee called it “Orwellian” and Mitt Romney called it, bizarrely, “a bag of hammers,” but there’s been more positivity at home. The Utah Clean Air Caucus, a bipartisan group of Utah legislators, is opti mistic about how the bill can help improve Utah air quality. The group has long supported electric vehicle adoption and charging infrastruc ture, a goal supported by the IRA’s electric vehicle subsidy (up to $7,500). The group’s members are also feeling especially cooperative as environmental calamity looms with the dropping of the Great Salt Lake’s Water levels.

Indeed, there’s already been a massive global investment in renewable energy. According to figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the world added 464 gigawatts of solar and nuclear power energy generation in just 2020 and 2021. That exceeds the amount of power produced by all the nuclear plants (413 gigawatts) operating in the world today at a cost ($32 per megawatt-hour) that’s half that of coal and natural gas and one quarter that of nuclear generated power.

Is transformative change coming to Utah’s energy production industries?

Still, there’s reason to believe the pace of change, especially in Utah, will be underwhelming. “The IRA is a good tool to spur development of renewables via extended and expanded ITC (investment) and PTC (production) tax credits. But for the IRA to have an impact on Utah’s fuel mix, I wouldn’t count on that. Coal is going to have to stay in the supply stack for now in Utah,” says a power generation investment professional with a focus on thermal assets who asked to be identified as Mr. Pink. (His participation in this story was dependent on anonymity for job security.)

“Imagine replacing, megawatt for megawatt, all the coal power in Utah with storage. That’s about 4.4 gigawatts of dispatchable energy, meaning it can be on whenever required. To have that all available with batteries running four hours at a time— because the typical reference technology is a four-hour battery—is astonishingly difficult to

comprehend and absurdly expensive at this point. It’s insane to think it’s simple,” says Mr. Pink.

So even as the government moves to influence an already shifting market, there’s a sort of catch-22 keeping fossil fuel power alive. “From our perspective, legacy assets are paradoxically getting more valuable as renewables are built,” Mr. Pink says. “Coal is more expensive on a fully delivered basis relative to solar because of the fixed cost. Those costs are recovered through rates, so even though coal plants are running less because they’re getting priced out, customers are going to have to pay an increased rate for the reliability they offer.”

So, all the wind turbines and solar panels in the world won’t sustain the power grid without an unimaginable number of batteries. “The element in the bill that’s really essential is the investment into battery storage. It’s crucial for making renewables more viable,” Gonzalez agrees. Battery technology has drastically improved in recent years and is the key transforming the power grid. Utah has the resources to fuel the shift.

Utah is home to 28 of the 35 federally listed mineralderived commodities for which there is skyrocketing demand owing to new battery technology, and Utah is the second most favorable mining jurisdiction in the contiguous United States, both according to the Utah Geological Survey. Mining in Utah is a critical necessity for systemic change in the country’s energy production but has the potential for environmental and social justice calamity if mishandled. “While wind and solar inflict far less environmental harm, they still require resources from our earth. How sustainable our mining practices are will ultimately determine how Utah fares environmentally as infrastructure changes,” Gonzalez warns.

Some eggs need to be broken to make an omelet, but we don’t need to throw them at the windows. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), a nonprofit protecting Utah’s wilderness-quality lands from oil and gas development supports the IRA as a positive, if imperfect, bill. The bill “will reduce oil and gas leasing speculation, which is rampant in Utah,” SUWA said in a statement. “The bill contains more good than bad and represents the largest federal investment in climate mitigation and leasing reform to date.”

The future remains unwritten. Clean domestic energy production holds the possibility of economic windfall and environmental restoration in Utah, but the same forces that have driven investment for profit threaten to undermine the pace of change and its myriad outcomes. The extractive industries haven’t always been kind to Utah, but there’s hope things could be different this time. The winds of change are blowing. It’s up to us where they take us.

COAL IS GOING TO HAVE TO STAY IN THE SUPPLY STACK FOR NOW IN UTAH”

A conceptual illustration of a battery energy storage power plant

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DENVER TWO WAYS

We know you’re not there to ski, but Denver will still surprise you

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

EMERGING FROM THE GATES of the Denver Airport, visitors are greeted by Blucifer—a towering cerulean horse, reared up on its haunches, mouth agape in an equine scream, staring down new arrivals with glowing red eyes.

The 32-foot statue, formally titled “Mus tang,” cuts a powerful figure against clear Colorado skies and elicits both fondness and tolerance from residents. But the reac tion elicited from first-time visitors is more likely to be, “what the hell?”

“It’s weird. It’s very Denver,” one local explains to her friend, once they were aboard the A-Line commuter train to Denver’s Union Station and safely hidden from the penetrating gaze of Blucifer. Legends abound about Blucifer’s origins and intentions. The same is true for Denver International Airport (flydenver.com) itself. Some say the underground tunnels beneath

the airport lead to the secret headquarters of the Illuminati and it was built by the Freemasons and New World Order. Officially, airport representatives have denied all of these conspiracy theories, but isn’t that exactly what an agent involved in a massive cover-up would say?

If that’s all “very Denver,” then Denver is cool. Sure, SLC is closer to mountain resorts and our snow is the best there is, but once you get the jokes out of your system, you’ll find there’s so much to love about the Mile-High City that isn’t skiing. Denver offers a comfortingly familiar climate and eclectic culture that can surprise and delight even the most entrenched of Utahns. And, its proximity to home makes it the perfect destination for a quick holiday getaway without the pressure to cram too much into a single weekend. You can do Denver your way.

ADVENTURE NO. 1 HISTORY AND MYSTERY

If you saw Blucifer, fell in love, and then started scouring airport conspiracy theory message boards, there’s plenty more weird in Denver to keep you hooked. Head to the Cheesman Park neighborhood, grabbing a strong cup of joe at Russian coffee joint

Dazbog (1201 E. 9th Ave., Denver, dazbog. com) on the way. Cheesman Park is home to the Denver Botanic Gardens (1007 York St., Denver, botanicgardens.org), a welcome winter reprieve, and a stunning neoclassi cal colonnade, but the park’s tranquil trails belie a haunting history. Back in the 1800s, Cheesman Park was a cemetery. When the city converted it into a public park, the undertaker responsible for moving the bodies was accused of dismembering corpses so they could be placed in child-sized coffins (allegedly, he was paid per coffin) and fired before the job was done. Instead of hiring someone else, the city simply removed the remain ing headstones, leaving an estimated 3,000 bodies buried under the park still today. From Cheesman Park, dispel the chill from your bones with a beer, cocktail and tasty pub grub at the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s favorite bar, Wild Corgi Pub (1223 E. 13th Ave., Denver, wildcor gipub.com), where “Yappy Hour” is every day from open–7 p.m. Nearby, there’s another historical gem and home to one of Denver’s most famous residents: the Molly Brown House Museum (1340 Pennsylva nia St., Denver, mollybrown.org). Margaret Brown didn’t receive the moniker “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” until after her death—a death which she did not meet 110 years ago aboard the RMS Titanic. Although memorably portrayed by Kathy Bates in the 1997 film, Brown was more indomitable in reality. Her Denver home has been lovingly restored by Historic Denver and is open to the public for tours. Set aside as many hours as you can for the psychedelic trip that is Meow Wolf Denver’s Convergence Station (1338 1st St., Denver, meowwolf.com). This

interactive, surreal, sci-fi art exhibit has an underlying narrative about converged worlds and deep lore and mysteries to explore. Spanning four stories, 70+ unique installations, rooms and portals, Convergence Station took three years and 300 creators to make. (Pro tip: pay a little extra for the QPass for an even more immersive experience.) Return to earth with a craft beer at Little Machine (2924 W. 20th Ave., Denver, littlema chinebeer.com) or a unique Cinnamon Horchata Ale at Latinx-owned Raíces Brewing Co. (2060 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, raicesbrewing.com)

For dinner, we’re taking a jaunt to Denver’s Lower Highland (LoHi) neighborhood to Linger (2030 W. 30th Ave., Denver, ediblebeats.com/linger). The restaurant’s semi-macabre décor reminds patrons that it’s housed in a former mortuary. Start off with a cocktail and a shareable plate like the steamed bao buns. For a nightcap, head up the street to the intimate speakeasy Williams & Graham (3160 Tejon St., Denver, williamsandgraham.com). If you didn’t make a reservation at W&G beforehand, the punk rock bar around the corner, Occidental (1950 W. 32nd Ave., Denver, occidentalbar.com), welcomes all.

Where to Stay: Patterson Historic Inn (420 E. 11th Ave., Denver, patter soninn.com) is in the heart of Capitol Hill. The renovation of the 130-year-old mansion turned B&B is the subject of the film The Castle Project, which documents the workers’ ghostly encounters. Rumors also abound about the unexplainable occurrences at the Victorian mansion Lumber Baron Inn & Garden (2555 W. 37th Ave., Denver, lumberbaron.com).

PHOTOS

(Clockwise from top left) Blucifer; Meow Wolf Denver; Linger; Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light

TREAT YOURSELF (AND A FEW SELECT OTHERS)

The A-Line from the Denver airport will take you to Union Station (1701 Wynkoop St., Denver, unionstationindenver.com) in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo), where it’s a choose-your-own dining adventure, depending on your mood or the time of day: restaurants Stoic & Genuine, Ultreia and Mercantile offer cuisine from James Beard award-winning chefs. During the winter, your visit might be in time for Miracle at Union Station, a pop-up cocktail bar that unapologetically leans into the Christmas spirit. The holiday décor is ostentatious, coinciding with the Merry & Bright Lights strewn outside.

Afterward, you can walk off your meal at the 1.25-mile-long 16th Street Mall (the16thstreetmall.com). For some holiday shopping, the Dairy Block (1800 Wazee St., Denver, dairyblock.com) is a retail incubator for local high-end boutiques. And, because we all have at least one cowboy in our lives, the iconic Rockmount Ranch Wear (1626 Wazee St., Denver, rockmount.com) shop is where the first snap-button cowboy shirt was invented. Also in LoDo, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (1485 Delgany St., Denver, mcadenver.org) hosts changing exhibitions throughout the year of modern painting and sculpture, and the gift shop sells unique gifts for art lovers or eclectic souvenirs for yourself.

There’s more retail therapy to be had in the Cherry Creek North neighborhood. Start off with brunch at Urban Egg Eatery (3033 E. 1st Ave., Denver, urbaneggeatery.com), where they use local ingredients from small producers whenever possible. Now ready to brave the holiday rush, head to Cherry Creek Shopping Center (3000 E. 1st Ave., Denver, shopcherrycreek.com). While in the neighborhood, make sure to swing into Show of Hands (250 Columbine St., Denver, showofhandsdenver.com). The local, female-owned art and gift gallery sells whimsical and vibrant creations that you won’t find anywhere else. Across the street, treat yourself to bottomless bellini brunch— who says you can’t have a second brunch?— at Quality Italian (241 Columbine St., Denver, qualityitaliandenver.com).

During the holiday season, Cherry Creek Holiday Market (Fillmore Plaza, Denver,

cherrycreekholidaymarket.com) hosts 50 local makers selling their wares. If that’s to your liking, go full Santa’s elf at the Denver Christkindlmarket (Civic Center Park, Denver, christkindlmarketdenver.com). Shop for handmade gifts in a replica European village decorated for the holidays. Indulge in Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, Knödel, goulasch, Nürnberger sausages, and wash it down with Glühwein. Elevated Rooftop Bar (249 Columbine St., Denver, 720-520-1474) hosts Après in the Clouds during the winter—a multiple course dinner, around the fire in a cozy cabana, complete with s’mores and spectacular views. Close out the day with a meticulously crafted cocktail at B&GC (249 Columbine St., Denver, bandgcdenver.com), a sleek basement bar hidden in an alley behind an unmarked door with an antique gold doorbell.

Where to Stay: After shopping, wind down at one of the yoga and barre classes at Halcyon (245 Columbine St., Denver, halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com). Halcyon’s Kitchen Counter invites guests to socialize during happy hour, daily, 3-6 p.m, and its Gear Garage has complimentary bicycles, scooters and seasonal equipment like sleds and snowshoes for guests to check out. For a downtown locale—and a familiar pampered treatment for SLC natives—the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver (1717 Champa St., Denver, monaco-denver.com) has newly renovated luxury accommodations, nightly wine hour from 5-6 p.m., pet-friendly rooms, and complimentary hotel bicycles to get around downtown.

FROM TOP

ELEVATED, KITCHEN COUNTER, GEAR

GARAGE COURTESY HALCYON; VISIT DENVER

(Clockwise from top left) Aprés in the Clouds; Halcyon’s Kitchen Counter; Halcyon’s Gear Garage; Union Station

GiftGUIDE

OUR 2022 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE IS HERE! DISCOVER UNIQUE AND SPECIAL GIFTS AS WELL AS SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR HOL IDAY GATHERING FROM SALT LAKE MAGAZINE’S PARTNERS IN FINDING THAT PERFECT GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST.

DESIGN BY ARIANNA JIMENEZ

KEN GARFF SCHOLARSHIP CLUB

451 S. 1400 East, Salt Lake City kengarffscholarshipclub.com • 801-587-9328

Be part of the University of Utah all year long with our restaurant and event spaces.   Rice-Eccles Stadium

CACHE TOFFEE

863-333-5453 (TOFFEE5453) • cachetoffee.com

Share a sweet treat this holiday season

Whether you’re treating yourself or gifting it to a friend, Cache Toffee is the perfect holiday treat! Every hand-crafted batch of sweet, buttery goodness starts with premium ingredients combined with artisan bean-to-bar chocolate. Whether you’re craving classic toffee, like our Traditional toffees, or something festive like our seasonal flavor, Pizzaz, there’s a Cache Toffee that’s perfect for sharing this holiday season. Don’t even try to resist!

Individual boxes are available at Harmons, Whole Foods, Kamas Food Town, The Store, The Market at Park City, and online.

NEW WEST KNIFEWORKS

625 Main Street, Park City newwestknifeworks.com • 435-214-7460

Like cooking, making knives depends on using the best ingredients. New West’s line features the highest performing knife steel on the market, S35VN “Powder Metal” steel and indestructible G10 han dles — 100% made in the USA. Their shop on Main Street in Park City is an unmatched retail experience. The Arete block is adapt able and will support anywhere from 3-7 knives of different lengths and shapes. The block is designed to beautifully display your knives as you build your collection over time.

Instagram @NWKnifeWorks

HEMPED PARK CITY

918 E 900 South, Salt Lake City • 385-259-0909

804 Main Street, Park City • 435-800-2501

Hemped Park City has just the right thing for those hard-to-buyfor people on your list!  Offering a vast array of hemp-derived solutions to help manage pain, stress, sleep and even skincare.  For both people and pets!

hempedparkcity.com | Instagram @hempedparkcity

O.C. TANNER JEWELERS

15 S. State Street, Salt Lake City • 801-532-3222 416 Main Street, Park City • 435-940-9470

Julez Bryant designs: HAWK charm with fancy colored sapphires and diamonds, $1,120; NIKKI pendant with diamond, $1,600; HOPE charm with green garnets and diamonds, $2,470; JONA charm with pink sapphires, green and teal diamonds, $3,810; GATZ charm with diamonds, $860; GIKA pendant with fancy colored sapphires, $1,640. All in 14K gold, chains sold separately from $480.

RED BUTTE GARDEN

300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City redbuttegarden.org • 801-585-0556

Find a unique selection of botanic-inspired gifts and stocking stuffers including pins, magnets, fine jewelry, designer bags, accessories, greeting cards, gardening books, wind chimes, home and holiday décor, fairy garden supplies, and much more!

WINE COUNTRY INN

777 Grande River Drive, Palisade, CO coloradowinecountryinn.com • 970-464-5777

GRANDE RIVER VINEYARDS

787 Grande River Drive, Palisade, CO granderivervineyards.com • 970-464-5867

Nothing says “I love you” better than gifting a personalized wine experience for your special someone. Let Colorado’s premier Wine Estate tailor your getaway with an overnight stay at Wine Coun try Inn and a visit to Grande River Vineyards next door. Package includes a bottle of GRV wine, logo wine glasses, logo wine opener and house made truffles plus the daily afternoon wine reception and deluxe breakfast. A winery tour and private tasting are a bonus. Retail Value: $277 plus tax

WB’S EATERY

455 25th Street, Ogden wbseatery.com/collections/all • 385-244-1471

Non-alcoholic cocktail kits by WB’s Eatery include a non-alcoholic spirit and a mixer or de-alcoholized wine so you can mindfully celebrate. All kits are gift wrapped and shipped nationwide.

15% off use SLCMAG valid through December 31st, 2022

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PARK CITY

ON THE OTHER SIDE

BBQ ABOVE THE COMPETITION

BY TONY GILL

YOU KNOW WHY I don’t do barbecue competitions?” Richie Lush asks. “Because every day people walk in here and tell me this is the best barbecue they’ve had in their whole damn lives. And I just say, ‘Thank you. That’s why I do this.’ I win five competitions a day, so who cares about what some judges think?” Lush, the owner and namesake of Lush’s BBQ in Park City, is not a man prone to hyperbole, and I sure can’t recall tasting finer barbecue. Is it the best of your life? You’ll have to give it a try to find out. 7182 Silver Creek Rd., Park City, 435-333-2831, lushsbbq.com

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Richie Lush

LUSH’S HAS A FOOD TRUCK, TOO

Lush’s BBQ is only open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (7 p.m. on Sundays). Such is the price of meticulously smoked meats. But Lush also runs a food truck that periodically sells in Kamas as people come and go from the Uintas, and it is available for catering events. Get in touch through Lush’s BBQ’s website for more details on food truck availability and locations.

PARK CITY’S PITMASTER

Lush’s ‘in between’ barbecue is an unapologetic reflection of its maker

BY TONY GILL

FREE OF CONTEXT, Tennessee barbecue on the Wasatch Back sounds like a surefire tourist trap in the making, but the moment you start talking to Richie Lush, any worry about au thenticity will quickly dissipate. Even after nearly a decade living in Utah, he speaks with a drawl straight from Lincoln County, Tennessee where he and his barbecue both hail from. Those roots are on full display at his recently opened restaurant in Silver Creek, Lush’s BBQ.

“I’ve had interior decorators come in and ask me who put all this stuff up. I just say, ‘Me. This is my life and what I do.’ I got pictures of my kids and fishing trips and hunting. I got elk and mule deer on the walls. Some people don’t like hunting, well, sorry for your luck,” Lush says.

Lush has that familiar charisma common in confident chefs, but when I asked him what makes his Tennessee barbecue stand out, he was understated, at least at first. “I don’t sauce mine down. That’s pretty much all that separates it,” he says before pausing and unfurling a far more detailed and poignant tale of his recipe’s origins than one would bargain for.

“I guess I get that question a lot, and I don’t know how to answer it. See, I learned from a couple old dudes who just believed in me. Charlie Woodley, who was the first black man to open a barbecue restaurant in Fayetteville, walked up to me one day and said, ‘Your dad always helped me out, and you know what? I think this recipe might help you out.’ Charlie put nothing on the pulled pork, he’d cook whole shoulders and sauce it afterwards with straight vinegar, no tomatoes. But I also learned from this other guy, Cheese, and he had a little tomato in his. So, I kind of mixed it up to

somewhere in between a Carolina and Memphis style, like a mix of what I learned from these guys who are now passed. I call it the ‘in between.’”

There are thousands of takes on barbecue and exponentially more opinions on what constitutes perfection.

I’m hardly a critic and certainly no pitmaster, but take it from me, the “in between” is awfully good. Think sharp vinegar with a hint of citrus and just a touch of sweetness. When the meat’s just coming off the smoker, you’d be hard pressed to find better ribs, brisket or pulled pork anywhere. Not in Kansas City. Not in Carolina. Not even Texas.

7182 Silver Creek Rd., Park City, 435-333-2831, lushsbbq.com

PAY DAY AT PAYDAY EXPRESS

BY TONY GILL

IT’S PAY DAY at Payday Express. Park City Mountain is introducing paid parking at the Park City base area for the 2022-2023 ski season, and I’m certain everyone is going to be extremely chill about it. I’m kidding, of course, as people will most assuredly lose their minds. Hear me out though, because (ducks head) I actually think it’s a good idea. I’m not normally one to defend corporate ski profiteering—and this is most certainly an instance just such a thing—but when a change like this has positive unintended consequences for the community then consider me a bloodthirsty capitalist!

First, the details. Every day this season from December 12 to April 2, it will cost $25 to park in the lots at the Park City base area. Reservations are required with full prepayment. If you carpool with four or more skiers, it’s free to park, but you’ll still need a reservation. If you duck out of work early and show up after 1:00 p.m. it’s free to park. You can hold up to 10 parking reservations per account at any time, meaning if you live with multiple passholders you can get wildly creative and hoover up most of the days you’ll end up going to the hill.

Park City is predicting an 11% decrease in parking demand at the base area. It’s certainly going to keep me from parking there. After all, $25 is a lot to pay to park, but there’s good news: you can avoid paying the fees while helping sort out lingering community issues at the same time. You may have heard ski traffic is kind of a nuisance around here. In fact, it pretty much

PARKING RESERVATION

drives all conversation relating to the community. Carpooling with four people takes those pesky single-occupancy vehicles off the road, reducing congestion, lessening your carbon footprint and allowing you to park for free. That’s seems like a good deal all around.

Are you one of those no friends on a powder day people? If so, you might be out of luck on the carpool front—and you should probably adjust your attitude because skiing with friends is more fun and if nobody saw you do what you’re bragging about they’ll never believe you anyway— but there are ample public transport options available. Park at the Jeremy Ranch or Ecker Hill park and ride and hop on the High Valley Transit Green Line to skip the frustrating traffic snafus in Kimball Junction, and mindlessly scroll Instagram on a free ride right to the base of Park City Mountain.

The only way we fi x ski traffic is if we stop driving so many cars to the hill. Don’t give the resort an extra $25. Take the free bus. It’s free. And it even works if you’re going to the Canyons Base Area or Deer Valley, where parking is still free. Time to be part of the solution. It’s free.

DAILY LIFT TICKET CAPS ARE COMING

Paid parking isn’t the only way Park City Mountain is aiming to curb crowds. The resort will be limiting daily lift ticket sales.

It’s another calculated move intended to increase advance pass purchases, but if it has the added eff ect of helping reduce lift lines, locals will likely be for it.

Paid parking at Park City Mountain is set to shake up skier routines

PRICED OUT

The road to workforce housing development in Park City is long and strenuous

BY TONY GILL

IT’S USUALLY NOT a great sign when high-ranking federal officials visit Summit County on official busi ness. The reflected shine may provide a temporarily warm feeling for our commu nity’s moment in the spotlight, but it’s usu ally the result of some untenable problem we’re inadequately addressing that makes for a nice photo-op of concerned faces.

Take U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegeig’s midsummer visit to tout the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Act. Buttegeig spent time overlooking the aftermath of last year’s Parleys Canyon Fire—which threatened thousands of Snyderville Basin homes—and discussing how infrastructure could protect residents. Yet another fire was ignited by a truck along I-80 two months later just a stone’s throw away—it was controlled quickly by fire crews—showing there may be some infrastructure work left to do there.

So, when Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Dominique Jackson

This workforce housing complex at Canyons Village will provide lodging for 441 Park City Mountain employees this winter. Without ambitious affordable housing developments like this, labor shortages in Park City are certain to persist.

stopped by to address the affordable housing shortage in the area, I reached for the metaphorical fire extinguisher. It’s no secret skyrocketing prices exacerbated by pandemic-fueled migration, short term rentals and fractional ownership through LLCs have exhausted the supply of reasonably priced housing and decimated the community’s workforce. The trend, mirrored in other regional resort towns is fueled largely by NIMBYISM according to

Jackson, a sentiment shared by Park City’s Mayor Nann Worel.

In Park City this often takes the form of “concerned citizens” organizing to derail affordable housing often under the guise of wanting “responsible development,” which is commonly a euphemism for protecting property values. Some opposition is already brewing in response to a recent proposal for a public-private workforce housing project on Homestake Road. The proposal from the

WHAT IS INCLUSIONARY ZONING AND WHY ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT?

Inclusionary zoning refers to requirements for developers to build a certain amount of affordable housing—20 percent of new units in Snyderville Basin—to be reserved for families earning 80 percent or less of AMI. A 2022 law, H.B. 303 grandfathered in the ability for the county to maintain that level of inclusionary zoning where it was already in place, but limits the power to enact these requirements in new areas, such as the East Side where future development is likely. It’s yet another obstacle facing affordable housing in Summit County.

Still, some progress is being made on this front. New for this winter, Park City Mountain has housing for 441 resort employees at the Canyons Village base area. It’s part of a major effort, in conjunction with increased wages and benefits, on behalf of the resort to attract and retain employees and alleviate staffing issues plaguing businesses throughout the community. “Housing availability is essential for the sustainability and vitality of all resort communities, as well as our business. Our goal with all of our wage and housing investments is a fully staffed, engaged and supported team,” says Park City Mountain spokesperson Sara Huey. “This prime location ensures convenient access to work, to public transportation and to all the wonderful experiences Park City has to offer. Having such a significant number of resort employees will provide consistent availability of staff members to create an outstanding guest experience at the resort.”

Centerville-based J. Fisher Company would build 123 rental units on a 1.86-acre lot owned by the city, 80 percent of which would be allocated for workforce housing with the remainder being market-rate units. If approved, the development would provide critical, long-term workforce housing that would be ideal for young families due to its centralized location and walkable distance from schools, resorts, restaurants and grocery stores.

123 units isn’t enough to fix widespread labor shortages, but it’s a step in the right direction that actually helps people live in the communities they work in. Obstacles remain, primarily due to parking and traffic concerns. Nearby businesses worry overflow parking exceeding the 131-stall capacity will flow into their lots, and area residents have already begun wringing hands over the thought of adding vehicles to the road.

Park City Mountain’s investment is admirable, but not one smaller local businesses have the resources to duplicate. That’s why the city’s efforts to develop affordable housing solutions are so essential. Worel has expressed the city’s goal to provide some housing units with a 60 percent of area median income (AMI) limit, but details remain sparse. Further, some business owners contend the 60 percent AMI limit, which amounts to $56,160, is too high and will still price out many local workers.

Simply put, developing affordable housing in Park City is a Sisyphean task. Fundamentally, it’s an inventory problem we can’t come close to correcting, especially with citizens fighting development at every turn. I appreciate HUD coming to town, but I can’t shake the feeling once again we’ve merely identified hurdles without any plans to clear them.

HOUSING AVAILABILITY IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY AND VITALITY OF ALL RESORT COMMUNITIES

With so many new arrivals in Utah, it got us thinking. We field so many questions from readers wondering where the best, well everything is. Folks are look ing for more than food and fun (our specialty). They need plac es to live cars to drive, solu tions for their business. So we asked some of our favorite partners to share their expertise and advice for newcom ers AND longtime locals. Enjoy!

WRITTEN BY MEGAN HULSE | DESIGNED BY ARIANNA JIMENEZ

Buying a home is a big deal, and who you choose to help you through the process makes all of the difference. The right mortgage company will save you time, money, and heartache. City Creek Mortgage has been helping Utah families save thousands of dollars money when buying and refinancing their homes for over 24 years while earning thousands of 5-Star Google reviews.

What many people don’t know is that you can (and should) shop around for a mortgage. When shopping for a car or household appliances, you research the product, check out the various retailers, compare prices, and read reviews– all in an effort to save money. So why wouldn’t you do the same with a home loan?

City Creek Mortgage’s goal is to make it easier than ever to shop for your mortgage and has developed an online suite of free and easy-to-use tools that allow you to compare other lenders’ rates and fees with City Creek’s.

“With our tools, you can get a real-time rate quote in less than 30 seconds, without giving us your contact information. We are confident in our rates, and believe if you like what you see, you’ll choose City Creek.”

After 24 years, the City Creek Mortgage belief is the same: hardworking people have more important things to spend their money on than an overpriced mortgage. Expe rience the luxury of a seamless, thoroughly communicated mortgage experience, and expect to save money with City Creek Mortgage.

WHAT DOES USING A SALARY-BASED LOAN OFFICER MEAN TO ME?

“Choosing a salary-based loan officer ensures that you are not being overcharged by a loan officer whose paycheck is dependent on how much they can charge you. You are working with someone who is paid to give you the best advice and save you money.”

WHAT SETS CITY CREEK MORTGAGE APART FROM OTHER LENDERS?

“We are locally and fami ly-owned so we proudly stand behind every transaction. We check in with you throughout the process and if for any reason you are dissatisfied with your experience, you will hear from one of us to find

out how we can make it right before you close. We believe that if you provide a fair price and an excellent experience, people will come back for their future needs and they will bring their family & friends with them. This is how we’ve built City Creek Mortgage.”

WHY DO OTHER MORTGAGE COMPANIES HIDE THEIR RATES?

“The sad reality is that it’s because many in the industry make more money when they keep you in the dark. They will ‘It’s Complicated’ their way out of questions regard ing loan costs, requiring you to fill out an application and pull credit. We believe this approach is wrong. Before you give any information, visit City Creek’s website to get a 30-second rate quote for a fully transparent cost assessment.”

With a history grounded in their farm, their lab and their kitchen, Deep Roots Harvest is dedicated to producing high-quality cannabis goods that tell a story. Through local service, community involvement, and carefully curated prod ucts, they strive to establish their shops as assets to each of their six communities around Nevada, from West Wendover to Reno to Mesquite and Las Vegas.

Deep Roots Harvest’s passion begins at the cultivation stage. The team has renovated two 40,000-square-foot warehouses in Mesquite, each meticulous climate controlled to foster a variety of strains year-round. Each yield is carefully bred to ensure max imum potency, ready for production into any one of the shop’s many products, from concentrates to pre-rolls.

Facilities like these have allowed Deep Roots Harvest to stay on the cutting edge of the cannabis industry.

“Testing standards and consistency with regard to potency in products have continued to evolve, making overall product quality really top-notch,” says Jon Marshall, COO.

The Deep Roots Team is all proud to be a part of the advance ment and maturing of the cannabis industry as a whole.

“We work with other industry partners and the Cannabis Compliance Board to advocate for improved patient and customer access,” says Marshall. “Our goals are to create best practices for operators, and improve the transparency of products for the end user, in an effort to promote responsible regulation.”

By achieving these goals, Deep Roots Harvest hopes to create a positive space for cannabis in the economy and to help reduce the negative perceptions brought on by overregulation and zealous penalization of minor drug offenses.

HOW IS THE DEEP ROOTS EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DISPENSARIES?

“We take great pride in both the quality of our selection and the expertise of our staff. We love our craft and try to stock products that appeal to all levels of consumers, but it really boils down to making sure our expert staff is ready to educate customers about cannabis medically, not just recreationally. For us, it is more than just a plant. Our Budtenders are constantly keeping up on the latest in dustry developments, and will always have the most current information for buyers.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY A PRODUCTS TOTALLY UNIQUE TO DEEP ROOTS?

Our Helix Gummies and Cheeba Chews are a delicious edible alternative than smokeable cannabis. Choosing infused edibles allows you to prioritize high-quality ingredients, and include a dosage measured in milligrams rather than by THC percentage. This allows for a more closely-monitored con sumption experience.”

HOW IS DEEP ROOTS IMPACTING THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE?

“Alongside our storefronts, we act as a ‘silent growing partner’ to several brands and dispensa ries, and have built strong rela tionships with cultivators, pro ducers and retailers throughout Nevada. All of our plants grow from clones, and we utilize every part possible, whether they are dried for flower, prepped for infusion into concentrates, or used for distillate.”

For the past 13 years, Dr. Daniel Ward, MD has been “Improving Lives by Inspiring Confidence” in his facial surgery practice and at Form Derm Spas, which just celebrated its sixth anniversary.

While Dr. Ward has cultivated an impressive reputation as a surgeon, the mission of Form Derm Spa is to extend that surgical-quality service into the non-surgical realm, where Dr. Ward is considered one of the worlds’ experts. The Ward MD team is committed to improving lives, both of their clients and their team members.

For customer relationships, quality looks like excellence in the craft, and integrity that shows in consultations.

“If we do not think that we can provide that service then we do not agree to perform the procedure,” says Dr. Ward. “The treatments that we perform are all medical grade and we believe that the medical aesthetics industry is marred by those who make promises of incredible results with treatments that do not deliver. We are trying to change that practice. We believe we can do better!”

Dr. Ward also believes in building confidence and positivity in the lives of team members. “This commitment to each other translates into an amazing experience for our clients.” Each team member is required to spend 10% of their week on personal education, training, and profes sional development. This company is committed to developing the skills of each team member, from new techniques, to time management, to something as simple as meditation.”

For a self-improvement experience rooted in expertise and integrity, there is no higher quality experience than that which can be obtained with Ward MD or Form Derm Spas.

“Our goal is to improve lives. We do that by helping people look and subsequently feel their very best” explains Dr. Ward. “Our most common procedures include rhinoplasty, facelift and eyelid rejuvenation, hair res toration, laser treatments for wrinkles and pigmentation, and more. I am also proud that my team is considered a leading expert in procedures such as filler and Botox. It is fun to be the standard that others in the community and across the country look to for expertise and advice.”

HOW REGULATED ARE THESE TREATMENTS?

“Aesthetics treatments are not tightly regulated by the state. These do qualify as medical treatments, but they can be administered by a wide variety of personnel in the healthcare industry. They aren’t all physicians— even if they call themselves ‘doctor.’”

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A SURGERY TEAM?

“First and foremost, make sure you like the surgeon and the team. You want to find providers who’ll help you achieve your goal and navigate any potential complications down the road. Second, when looking for a facial plastic surgeon, verify that the provider is board certified either in

general plastic surgery, or specifically in facial plastic surgery. There are no other board certifications in the plastics field. Finally, find a practice or med spa that frequently performs the treatments you are interested in. Keep in mind the phrase, ‘jack of all trades, master of none,’ You do not want to receive treatment from someone who isn’t well-practiced.”

WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS IN SURGERY?

“Surgical procedures are making a comeback. While our non-surgical options are fantastic, many patients find that surgery gives a more impressive and long-lasting result, as well as that non-surgical procedures can have a longer recovery time than surgical procedures. Many patients would rather go under the knife if it means a better result—especially if there is less recovery.”

What could be better than man’s best friend protecting you, your home, and your children?

Nothing, say the pros at Global K9 Protection Services. Owner and trainer Courtney Robbins combines her military and tactical experience with 25+ years of dog training skills to give her clients ultimate protection.

“We are sought out worldwide for our highly trained (and social) family and personal protection dogs, as well as for our Super Puppy Breeding Program,” says Robbins. “We take pride in our ability to give clients a new level of safety and comfort in their home.”

Robbins has been working with dogs since the age of 10, but truly turned the passion into a career follow ing high school when she headed to an accredited dog school. While she was training there, the 9/11 attacks shook the nation, compelling her to join the military. Robbins joined as a military police officer, became one of the first-ever National Guard K9 Handlers, and graduated with distinguished honor graduate in the MWD Handlers Course. She has served with K9 units in many capacities, including explosives detection, security forc es, and as a private contractor in Afghanistan securing the US Embassy

Courtney and her dogs have worked alongside local, state, and federal agencies on various missions to pro tect officials from government officials, to the Pope and the President of the United States.

Following those high-profile missions, Robbins has now put her military training skills to use in the next chapter of her career with dogs. She now specializes in training elite protection canines for law enforcement, professional athletes, and royalty, and is primed to pro vide the same service for your family.

HOW MUCH IS A PERSONAL PROTECTION DOG?

“Pricing depends on the level of training that is needed. A full training program can run anywhere from $14,000 to $60,000 and above. We offer all levels of training, custom ized to meet each client’s needs. Sometimes that means obedience or service dog training, and others it looks like police K9 procurement and detection drills.”

WHAT CAN CUSTOMERS EXPECT WHEN THEY VISIT YOUR BUSINESS?

“Families bringing their dogs to us or shopping for a protection animal will find a new level of profession alism and discipline here, that starts with cleanliness and organization. On top of discipline, our dogs are happy and healthy because they are getting the most effective and individualized training. We are constantly improving our facility and programs by seeking out the latest meth ods of training.”

WILL YOU TRAVEL ?

“Absolutely! We can send puppies from our breeding program to any home in the world and have trained dogs globally. Don’t let distance be a barrier to the best training your dog can receive.”

Nobody wants to have surgery, right? That’s the perspective that Dr. Mark W. Peterson accommodates in his work as a sports medicine physician at Heiden Orthopedics. Dr. Peterson uses conservative treatment, specializing in injections, to try to prevent surgical intervention when possible.

“As a non-surgical orthopedic physician, my focus is in helping patients figure out their pain and make their own health decisions,” says Dr. Peter son. “Sometimes surgery is a necessary step, but other times there are other less invasive options for treatment.”

He helps patients through this process with the same care he would show his own family, working with other top-of-the-line surgeons at Heiden to get treatment underway promptly and personally.

Dr. Peterson commonly uses three types of in jections to treat pain and inflammation in patients:

1.) Cortisone, an anti-inflammatory injection. 2.) Hyaluronic Acid (HA), to lubricate and cushion joints. 3) Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), which stimu lates damaged tissues and stimulates self-healing.

Using ultrasound guidance, he places these injections directly into the affected extremity, to help guide the medication more precisely. If you are experiencing new or chronic pain and aren’t quite sure where to find answers, call Heiden Orthope dics for an evaluation with Dr. Peterson to start determining your next steps to recovery.

CAN I MANAGE MY INJURY WITHOUT SURGERY?

“Because everyone experiences pain differ ently, it is important that we do a physical exam, obtain a medical history, and review any previous imaging. With this infor mation, our clinic creates a personalized plan for each patient, dependent on the nature and extent of the injury. We’ll dis cuss your options during your visit, both non-sur gical and surgical.”

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED AN MRI?

MRIs are not required pri or to a visit to our office.

If you have been injured or are experiencing pain, an examination is the first thing I recommend. We often start with a discussion, X-rays, or ultrasound, with MRIs ordered if more informa tion on the damage is needed.

WHAT IS A PRP INJECTION?

A PRP (platelet-rich plas ma) injection allows doc tors to utilize cells in your body to help advance and promote the healing of damaged tissue. The injection is created using your own blood, centri fuged to concentrate your platelets which are then injected into the area. The platelets stimulate the tissue and increase healing.

After 24 years of serving up locally-flavored cuisine in Salt Lake City, Spencer’s for Steak & Chops welcomed a fresh face a little over a year ago: Executive Chef Tony Coppernoll joined the team, straight from a stint at the Waldorf Astoria in Key West, Florida.

Chef Tony was born and raised in Wisconsin, where his passion for locally sourced and sustainably produced dishes began to flourish. Since age 12, he has gained experience from every type of culinary atmosphere imaginable, from mom and pop diners to lavish wedding banquets.

“I am well versed in a lot of culinary settings, but I try to keep my Midwest roots at heart,” says Chef Tony. “I grew up in a very lush farming community, so I always like to look out for the local guys.”

Local fare is all over Spencer’s menu: microgreen garnish es from Steen Greens, Caputo’s prosciutto, cuts from Wasatch Meats, and more.

The Hilton Salt Lake City Center and the Spencer’s team take sustainability and the hotel’s motto of “Travel with Pur pose” very seriously. Their on-site herb garden, which is used in dishes daily, is pollinated by thousands of bees inhabiting the hotel’s four rooftop hives which are on track to produce more than 15 gallons of honey this year.

It’s easy to cultivate quality when it comes from your own backyard, but Chef Tony has also built a reputation in quality in more than just flavor profiles. All of the service staff in the restaurant are dedicated to giving each customer a 5-star expe rience, and keep tabs on the tiniest details to make sure every diner has a positive experience on their first visit and beyond.

HOW DO I ORDER LIKE A PRO AT SPENCER’S?

“Our most popular appetizer is called Millionaire’s Bacon. It features local Daily’s bacon, and pairs fantastically with a deep, dark, red wine. Our composed salads are also an elevated twist on the classics.

We call our main plate concept “Center of the Plate,” with op tions for all grades of meat. Try a classic or step outside the box with a veal chop, and keep an eye on our seasonal menu. This winter, we are feeling all things braised.”

HOW IS SPENCER’S A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER STEAKHOUSES?

“We like to call dining here a

‘dining experience’, rather than just ‘going out to dinner.’ Most chains have to conform to a nationally-distributed menu. At Spencer’s, we have the freedom to infuse a much more personal touch into everything we do. Our dishes follow a classic steakhouse concept but have a contemporary flair that makes it fun to dine here.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE?”

“Hilton’s worldwide motto re flects a company-wide commit ment to sustainability and waste reduction. In some places, that looks like switching to ener gy-conserving electric outlets and other low waste efforts. Here, we wanted to do some thing a bit more ‘Utah-flavored’, and have brought sustainability into every level of our dining experiences, from our local sourcing to our home-grown produce.”

At Salt Lake City’s Shriners Children’s, you’ll find a team of orthopedic specialists committed to com prehensive, quality care—from helping children with congenital orthopedic conditions to those recovering from injuries. However, that care is not limited to on-site services: these providers want to see children thrive socially, emo tionally and physically, providing resources for families to support their children’s overall growth.

And no one champions that goal better than the Shriners Children’s medical director Kristen Carroll, M.D. A renowned specialist in neuromuscular diseases such as cerebral palsy, myopathies and neuropathies, Dr. Carroll has been cultivating an environment of hope and healing at Shriners Children’s for decades. “We’re driven to make lives richer, easier and less complex for children and families in Utah and beyond.”

Case in point? The Shriners Children’s clubfoot clinic is considered one of the best treatment programs in the world. The program, with Theresa Hennessey, M.D. and Marcella Woiczik, M.D. at the helm, covers the entire journey, from helping moms navigate an in-utero diagnosis, to casting newborns’ feet for correction when the bones are pliable, to monitoring continued progress toward full mobility. Shriners prosthetic orthotics are experts at this technique and help parents along the way. That is just one example of the indi vidualized treatment plans Shriners Children’s works to cre ate for patients: the specialties extend to patients from birth to age 18, and to the full scope of orthopedic conditions.

“The Shriners Children’s team believes every child, re gardless of ability to pay, deserves a care plan as special as they are, and I believe healthcare is a human right,” says Dr. Carroll. “We’re all deserving of being treated with respect and kindness.”

WHAT IS SHRINERS CHILDREN’S SPECIALTY?

“We provide top-of-the-line care recognized as the very best by U.S. News & World Report. All under one roof, our children can access outpatient clinics, wheelchair seating and mobility services, a motion analysis center, therapy ser vices, prosthetics and orthotics, and a host of professional sup port services to help families navigate treatment.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO SEEK A SPECIALIST?

“Certainly an injury or sugges tions from your pediatrician can lead you to seek care but don’t dismiss your intuition. Moms

and dads get that Spidey sense that something is not right. Is my child walking or growing normally? Is their back straight? I highly suggest any parent with questions about their child’s musculoskeletal growth to see a pediatric orthopedic specialist to set their mind at ease.”

WHY SHOULD WE CHOOSE SHRINERS CHILDREN’S?

“Our long-standing mission is to provide family-centered care to children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it, regardless of ability to pay. What’s more, all of our providers work on research and training which keeps us at the top of our game. Plus, our specialty in orthopedics and plastic surgical care makes us smaller; this leads to a less in timidating environment for kids and their families than a bigger institution.”

The American Heart Association is proud to celebrate leaders who are passionate about the health and wellbeing of our community. These executives have completed the challenge of raising or donating $5,000 or more to help create a healthier Utah for ourselves, our families and our employees to live, play and work, free of heart disease and stroke. Congratulations!

Executives with

Heart

Cody Green Edwards Lifesciences

Josh Caldwell 2022 EWH Challenge Chair Mortenson

Alison Flynn Gaffney 2022 Heart Challenge Chair University of Utah Health

Eric Dunn CMT Technical Services

Mark Davis, Sr. Moreton & Company

Chad Bittner, M.D. 2021 Heart Challenge Chair Optum

Daniel Gledhill Edwards Lifesciences

Jaden Malan Colliers Doug Tapking AHA Board Member

Kevin Peterson WCF Insurance

Matt Radke Jacobsen Construction

Greg Summerhayes Chapman Richards & Associates

CHANGES

including copyrights, in the Work. The Work shall not be used by the Advertiser/Agency for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written agreement of Smartlite.

Smartlite shall not be liable for any special, incidental or consequential damages arising out of or relating to any and all content approved by your company. In no event will Smartlite's liability in connection with this agreement exceed amounts paid to smartlite by the company hereunder. These limitations apply to all causes of action in the aggregate. Smartlite makes no claims, promises, guarantees or representations as to the content presented herein, including, without limitation, the accuracy,

of

Welcome to the Great Salt Lake. It is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere—the eighth largest in the world. The Great Salt Lake is home to a unique (quirky, even) selection of plants and animals. Ten million birds from 338 different species make an annual pilgrimage to the Great Salt Lake to rest, fatten up on brine flies and shrimp and breed before they continue their long migrations south. The Jordan, Weber and Bear Rivers feed the terminal lake and deposit millions of tons of salts and minerals, supporting the industries that mine the lake for magnesium and sulfate of potash and harvest brine shrimp. With swimming, boating and biking on its islands and shorelines, the lake affords the curious opportunities for recreation and sightseeing. It is the namesake for the Salt Lake Valley, inspiring songs, poetry and great works of art. It is the stubborn, salty remnant of the monstrous ancient Lake Bonneville that once covered 20,000 square miles 15,000 years ago.

And it’s in trouble.

THEsaving GREAT

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

R. BONNIE BAXTER COLLECTS specimen samples from the Great Salt Lake as she has for the last 25 years. One of her collection sites is at Spiral Jetty, a coil of basalt rock built by sculptor Robert Smithson in 1970. Early in her career, Baxter had to use a canoe to reach Spiral Jetty. Years later, she would slosh to Spiral Jetty in her waders. Now, she walks over dry lakebed crust. Spiral Jetty has not moved, but the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake has—about a mile away.

“It’s normal for the lake to fluctuate up and down, but now we don’t see much of a change at all,” says Baxter, a professor of biology and director of The Great Salt Lake Institute (GSLI) at Westminster College. “Normally, we have some protection from it getting too dry—like the recharge from a decent snowpack—but there’s nothing to fall back on right now. It’s not able to bounce back after a really dry year. I think that’s my biggest concern.”

On July 3, 2022, the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake dropped below the historic low for average daily

elevation (a record of 4,190.2 feet set in October 2021). “This is not the type of record we like to break,” announced Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Joel Ferry when the lake reached its record low. “It’s clear the lake is in trouble.”

Big trouble. Recent research has identified the causes and what will happen if the lake dries up. To say that the fallout from its desiccation would be nigh-apocalyptic is not an exaggeration. Now that we know, the focus of efforts has changed to discovering what we can do to save the Great Salt Lake before it is too late.

WHY IS THE GREAT SALT LAKE DRYING UP?

To get to the heart of the issue, researchers, environmental advocates, policymakers and other interested parties, came together for the first-ever Great Salt Lake Summit at the Davis Conference Center in January of this year. Experts discussed the impacts of the receding lake and who or what is to blame.

ABOVE: Biologist, Dr. Bonnie Baxter, above, routinely gathers samples from the Great Salt Lake, which she began studying, “in a backwards way,” to discover how life survives in such an extreme environment. Recently, GSLI research efforts have turned to studying the microbialites being lost as the lake dries up.

A seemingly unending Western megadrought—the worst drought in 1,200 years—certainly plays a role in the dwindling of The Great Salt Lake. That the drought is solely to blame has been the public perception for some time, but it is only part of the story. “Drought is contributing to the drop but a bigger issue right now is our water-use policies,” Dr. Kevin Perry, a professor and chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah, tells the audience at the Great Salt Lake Summit. Research out of Utah State University, presented at the Summit, found that an ongoing drought is responsible for decreasing water levels by about 5.5 feet. Utah’s water demands, however, has diverted 39% of the lake’s inflow, dropping its level by 11 feet and decreasing the volume of the lake by half.

In short, we are diverting the water before it ever has a chance to reach the Great Salt Lake. As to where that water is going instead, municipal and industrial demands account for only 11% of the Wasatch Front’s water consumption. Agriculture accounts for 63% of water use in the Wasatch Front and closer to 80% of total water diversions in the state. Utah also uses more water than other states. Utah’s public

supply customers use the most water per capita in the U.S., and Utah residents use more domestic water per capita than residents of other Southwest States, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Abundant water use could also be the result of the cheap water rates paid by Utah consumers compared to other states. And, as it stands, the demand for water will only increase with Utah’s population.

“Growth is another daunting consideration,” says Great Salt Lake Coordinator Laura Vernon. Utah’s population is projected to increase by 2.2 million by 2060 and most of that growth is expected to happen along the Wasatch Front. “The population continues to explode and we’re one of the driest states in the nation. We need to act like it,” says Vernon. “We can’t keep using water the way we have been.”

LIFE WITHOUT THE GREAT SALT LAKE?

It starts with a mobile phone alert. “National Weather Service: High Wind Warning for Salt Lake County. Sustained, strong winds with even stronger gusts are happening. Seek shelter.” The mobile phone chimes again. “National Weather Service: Dust Storm Warning for Salt

Lake County. Visibility of 1/2 mile or less due to blowing dust or sand, and wind speeds of 30 miles an hour or more.” Before the NWS alerts clear from the phone’s screen, another notification appears. “Latest air quality forecast from Utah Department of Environmental Quality: Red.”

Through the window of the downtown office building, a dingy cloud rises to the northwest and consumes Salt Lake City in a few short minutes. Over the distant howl of the wind, a hum fills the space as the building’s air filtration system kicks on. Masks and respirators are pulled over faces. Some wear full-face gas masks, breathing clean air cycled through an expandable/collapsible hose. Others wear homemade fabric masks retrofitted with HEPA filters sliced from their home AC unit’s air filter. A YouTube how-to video has been making the rounds the last few weeks. (“A fun craft to do with the kids!”)

The storm lasts only a moment, but the wind leaves behind a fine coat of tan grime on the city. Playa dust sticks to everything and gets everywhere. All of the shaking, vacuuming and scrubbing will not rid the dust from clothes, carpets, cars, hair, skin or nail beds. The moment you start to believe all of the dust is finally gone is the moment you’ll find more hiding in a shoe, pocket or shirt crease.

Worse yet is what lingers in the dust and penetrates the lungs and bloodstream: a mishmash of fine particulate matter, including arsenic. In this bleak future, most people can recite by heart the health impacts of inhaling the stuff every time the wind blows to the southeast. In the short term, difficulty breathing, headaches and sore throat. In the long term, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, skin cancer and bladder cancer.

This terrifying future is not a reality. Not yet.

Among his endeavors, Dr. Kevin Perry studies lakebed crust. “Crust is our friend. Crust prevents the dust from being liberated from the surface,” he says. There are about 800 miles of exposed lakebed around the Great Salt Lake and about 25% of the lakebed is actively eroding away and turning into dust sources. Dr. Perry set out to determine whether or not the contents of the dust were harmful, using the EPA’s Regional Screening Levels as the measurement of repeated exposure for “potential contaminants of concern.” As far as the dust around the Great Salt Lake is concerned, largely naturally occurring arsenic is the element that poses the most risk for human health. “Here’s the scary part,” Perry says. “Every single measurement of arsenic I took exceeded the EPA’s Regional Screening Levels, not only for residents but industrial workers, which is a higher standard.”

CAUTIONARY TALE OWENS LAKE

Should the Great Salt Lake become completely desiccated, there are existing parallels to show what a nightmare that will be. The inflows to Owens Lake, a saline lake in California, were di verted to the Los Angeles Aqueduct to support the booming city, desiccating the lake in the mid-1920s. Without water, Owens Lake became the largest source of PM 10 dust in North America. The poor air quality devastated the health of nearby com munities, who sued, and a judge ordered L.A. to mitigate the dust. After 25 years and $2.5 billion, they’ve found putting water back in the lake is the best way to control the dust, and at times the dust still reaches un healthy levels. The Great Salt Lake is 15 times the size of Owens Lake.

Utah already has air quality issues, particularly in the winter with inversion trapping PM 2.5s and PM 10s and in the summer with ozone. Dust predominantly gets kicked up in spring and fall, meaning Wasatch Front residents would lose their only window of good air quality, should the lake continue to dry up.

A desiccated Great Salt Lake would also spell disaster for Utah’s snow and ski season and not just for the obvious reason of eliminating lake effect snow. In a state known for The Greatest Snow on Earth, which attracts 4.5 million visitors every year and adds $1.4 billion to the economy, this is typically when alarm bells start going off (if the potential for inhaling dangerous levels of arsenic wasn’t enough). Lake effect accounts for about 5-10% of annual snowfall in the Wasatch Mountains, and every inch of snow makes a difference. Snowmelt provides 80% of surface water resources for both agriculture and domestic water use. To have enough water in our reservoirs, we need a strong snowpack that melts slowly and consistently over time, and the increased dust could mess with that.

Dr. MacKenzie Skiles is a hydrologist at the University of Utah who has studied the impact of dust on snow for nearly a decade. After a dust storm, dust sticks to the snow’s surface. Because the dust is darker than snow, it absorbs more solar radiation, which causes the snow to melt faster. Skiles documented a single dust event in 2017 that accelerated the snowmelt by one week. That’s one less week of snow in a season. Should dust storms become more frequent, Skiles points to the San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado as an

SCIENCE

example. The dust deposition in the San Juans is so extreme some seasons it advances snowmelt by up to two months.

The ecology of the lake is teetering on disaster as well. “As the lake shrinks, there’s less water and that means the salt gets more concentrated,” says Dr. Baxter. Water evaporates. Salt does not. “Right now, we’re at 17.1% salt in the south arm of the lake, which I’ve never seen since I’ve been studying it,” says Baxter. “Everything that lives in the lake has a favored salinity and a cut-off where its biology can’t handle the salt anymore.” For instance, the microbialites in the Great Salt Lake start dying off once the salt content is above 16%. The algae in the water columns are also getting too salty. Brine shrimp and flies depend on the algae and microbialites. And millions of birds depend on them. For 10 million migratory birds, the Great Salt Lake is the most important body of water for them to rest and eat up and get fat as they migrate. “The ecosystem is becoming shaky and you worry about the whole system collapsing,” says Baxter.

The ripple effects of a collapsing ecosystem don’t stop at migratory birds. The brine shrimp co-op distributes what’s harvested from the Great Salt Lake throughout the world as fish food, including food for shrimp (the kind people eat). The lake produces 40% of the world’s brine shrimp eggs. “There are industries out there on the lake making products that are very connected to our lives,” says Vernon. “100% of the magnesium used in manufacturing in the U.S. comes from the lake. All soda cans have magnesium in them.” All told, The Great Salt Lake Advisory Council says the lake contributes $1.3 billion to Utah’s economy each year and provides over 7,700 jobs. The lower water levels could cost the economy up to $32 billion.

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Laura Vernon, as the State’s coordinator for the Great Salt Lake, has the immense responsibility of getting all of the pertinent stakeholders and agencies working together, balancing competing interests and mandates, on lakerelated initiatives. It also gives her a birds-eye view of all the interconnected moving parts involved in any effort to change the future of the Great Salt Lake and the vast scope of meeting the current challenge. “It’s such a complex resource,” she says. In addition to coordinating all of the Department of Natural Resources divisions that work with the lake (there are nine), she works with the staff of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, which informs the executive branch on lake-related policy, mining, shrimping and recreation industries, upstream water users and federal agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

Getting all of the various entities working together might seem an impossible task, but Vernon says at least the momentum is in their favor. “As the saying goes, never let a good crisis go to waste.” And when the lake hit a new low, it started getting attention. “People are interested and invested and willing to work,” she says. “But there isn’t a silver bullet to fix the lake.” Rather, State leaders and representatives are taking the throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall approach. Perhaps because there is no apparent silver bullet, there’s also a lot of money being thrown around. “This past legislative session— many people call it the year of water,” says Vernon. “I call it ‘the year of the Great Salt Lake.’”

The State legislature passed a number of bills addressing the Great Salt Lake watershed. The Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Program (H.B. 410) creates a $40

Satellite images show the amount of lakebed exposed in the last 36 years, largely due to water diversions, creating “dust hotspots” at Farmington Bay, Bear River Bay, Gunnison Bay and the superfund site near the airport.

(Left) July 1986; (Right) July 2022

BOUCHARD USING

million trust, tasking the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands with increasing water flow into the lake, among other things. Integrated Great Salt Lake Watershed Assessment (H.B. 429), along with a $5 million budget allocation, mandates that the Division of Water Resources study the five watersheds that feed the Great Salt Lake and create a watershed assessment by 2027 with the intent of guiding future action with science. To address the dust, one bill allocates $115,600 one-time and $141,300 in ongoing annual funding to enforce laws banning motorized vehicles from driving on the Great Salt Lake (ATVs destroy the lakebed crust, thus accelerating the liberation of more dust).

Ocean to the Great Salt Lake. “We need to start considering how long some of these projects would take,” says Vernon. “It could take decades for a project like that to get underway and the lake could be in pretty poor shape by then.”

Moving forward, Vernon says the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council is looking at studies on conservation impacts, so they would know how much water needs to be conserved to put off the Bear River Development project, which would divert even more water from the Great Salt Lake to support the booming population in Northern Utah.

Even if we’re able to stave off disaster now, we’ll still need long-term policies in place to make sure the lake doesn’t end up here again. “It’s not a one-and-done thing,” says Vernon. “This isn’t an issue that is going away. We’re in it for the long term to protect the lake.”

Time will tell if these efforts will be enough to improve the health of the Great Salt Lake, but there is some hope to go around. “I am optimistic,” says Baxter. “Seeing politicians, agencies and researchers come together to work toward the same solution: getting water into the lake. We need to work together on this scientists, the public and their representatives to solve a problem of this magnitude. People understand the gravity of the situation.”

Other bills and budget items require water conservation at state facilities, allocate $875,000 for a multi-year study of waterbirds (Gunnison Island is home to one of few pelican breeding colonies, now in peril), appropriate $200 million in grants for secondary water meters and require water use and preservation plans to be part of municipal and county general plans.

As of yet, we haven’t seen any mandatory water conservation requirements for residents or industries, but we are seeing more incentives, like $5 million allocated for statewide grass rebate programs like Flip the Strip, and water-wise educational campaigns like Slow The Flow and H2Oath. While participation in these programs is voluntary, Dr. Baxter says she’s seeing that people want to be part of the Great Salt Lake solution. She advises, “stay in touch with your representatives and do what you can in your own water sphere. Every little action really is going to matter.”

As most of the water diverted from the Great Salt Lake goes to agricultural uses, the Utah legislature appropriated $50 million (in addition to $20 million in 2021, following the creation of the Agricultural Water Optimization Task Force in 2018) to find ways to reduce and optimize agricultural water use, such as grants for farmers to update inefficient irrigation systems.

On the federal level, Senator Mitt Romney introduced the Great Salt Lake Recovery Act, which creates a $10 million program for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to monitor and assess the water availability and conditions of saline lakes in the Great Basin, including the Great Salt Lake.

Not every idea has gotten traction. Notably, there was a proposal to create a 700-mile pipeline from the Pacific

All of the attention and momentum around the Great Salt Lake right now has also reminded Utahns about the significance of the lake, not just to the ecosystem, ski season or economy, but to Utah’s culture and identity. “I’m hearing from people all over the state of Utah, as the devastating consequences come to the surface,” says Baxter. “People are telling me what the lake means to them and how they are connecting to the lake in a different way.” After all, what is Salt Lake City without the Great Salt Lake?

Below: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Speaker Brad Wilson (R-Kaysville) tour the Great Salt Lake by airboat to see firsthand the implications of the receding lake, touring Bear River inflows, Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, and Farmington Bay.

“

THE ECOSYSTEM IS BECOMING SHAKY AND YOU WORRY ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM COLLAPSING.

”

—DR. BONNIE BAXTER

Richard Boyer – Walk in the Forest

Richard Boyer – Coming Home from the Theater

Josh Clare – January Morning

Autumn

Rob Adamson

Neff Canyon

FASHION MEETS ART

BY HEATHER HAYES PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM FINKLE

STYLED BY FARASHA VANESSA DI PALMA WRIGHT & HARLY RICHARDS MAKEUP BY NIKKI BREEDLOVE / HAIR BY TRICIA SNOW ART DIRECTION BY JEANINE MILLER

Professional ballet requires a singular focus, yet many of Ballet West’s dancers find the time to let love bloom. Over the years, the company has seen many of its dancers become more than colleagues and grow together as couples, begging the question: Is there magic in the air?

ever mix business with pleasure?

That can be a tough sell to artists, even highly regimented ballet dancers. Let’s face it, dancers work closely together—very closely—and among all the choreographed caresses, something more than a professional commitment to creating onstage chemistry happens. Dancers will admit, sparks do fly.

“It’s an insular world,” says Beau Pearson, a former company member who met and married his wife, Emily Adams, while dancing at Ballet West. During the holiday season, for instance, these Sugarplums, Nutcracker Princes, Mechanical Dolls and Mice Kings may spend up to 12 hours a day, six days a week together performing the company’s iconic Nutcracker We asked four of Ballet West’s devoted couples how they have handled workplace romance during the height of the ballet season.

Lillian Casscells & Beau Chesivoir

Lillian is a corps artist who joined Ballet West in 2017. She’s from Washington, D.C. Beau is also from D.C. and joined the company in 2018 as a corps artist.

THEIR STORY

Like the plot of any good romcom, Lillian Casscells and Beau Chesivoir often sparred during their early careers at Ballet West. But after COVID-19 sent them back to their hometowns, they lived just 10 minutes apart in the Washington, D.C. area.

“If nobody makes me do something, I might just sit in bed all day,” laughs Lillian, describing how, with a career that demands so much of her body, she saw the time away as a respite. But, she says, Beau had different ideas. “He would call me to do some daily activity, like bike riding or painting in the park. It was just friends finding a way to get out,” she says. “But it made me so happy… and then I realized he made me happy.”

Beau says they’d not been officially dating for a week when a remarkable—albeit slightly awkward—opportunity arose. Ballet West needed seven couples (living in the same household or social pod) to perform a series of partner dances that could be safely rehearsed and performed during the pandemic. Word had reached Salt Lake City that Lillian and Beau fit that description.

“It was an intense time, we were both trying to prove ourselves,” says Beau of the experience dancing with his new girlfriend to Frank Sinatra’s comically dissonant “Somethin’ Stupid.” It was Ballet West’s first live performance in seven months, and both dancers’ first solos with the company. When asked if they’d enjoy partnering again onstage, they agree they’re open to it, but not necessarily gunning for it.

“It can be stressful enough, and then you let your guard down with each other,” Olivia explains. “It’s easy to want to blame the other person when something isn’t working while rehearsing.”

Previously accepted into top-tier universities, they say they find each other’s smartness sexy. While both chose to put off school for dance, Lillian says she’ll finish her

degree someday and jump into politics, inspired by a summer internship on Capitol Hill. Beau says he has too many interests to count and hasn’t yet settled on which dream to pursue beyond dance.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” he says of his future. “I can’t focus on this part of life if I’m worried about the next.”

LEFT/BEAU: Jacket, Vintage YSL Blazer; Shirt, Slim Stretch Cotton Dress Shirt, Express; Pants, Tuxedo Pant, Nordstrom; Shoes, Calvin Klein Brodie Oxford, Nordstrom; Watch Breitling Navitimer, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. LEFT/LILLIAN: Dress, Heather Dress, Heggy Gonzalez @heggygonzalez; Jacket, Linda Richards Feather Jacket, Farasha; Bag, Chanel Coco Crossbody, The Lady Bag; Shoes, BP Lula Block Heel Sandal, Nordstrom; Earrings, Jade Trau Poppy Hoops with Diamond in 18K gold; Ring, Omi Privé with Green Tourmaline and Diamond in 18K gold, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. ABOVE/ LILLIAN : Dress, Dahlia Dress, Heggy Gonzalez @ heggygonzalez; Shoes, Kenneth Cole Dolly Ankle Strap Heel, Nordstrom; Earrings, Suna Bros. Diamond Circle in Platinum; Ring, Pomellato Nudo Grey Moonstone and Icy Diamond in 18K gold, O.C. Tanner Jewelers.

THE COUPLE

Dominic Ballard & Vinicius Lima

Dominic is a demi-soloist who joined Ballet West in 2017 and is originally from Albury, New South Wales, Australia. Vinicius is a corps artist who joined the company in 2018 and is from Vitória, Brazil.

THEIR STORY

Cooking for friends. It’s what Vinicius "Vinnie" Lima and Dominic Ballard say they like best when they leave the Ballet West studios each day. Both agree their background comes out in their cooking. “Dominic loves to make gourmet recipes and I like to make my Latin ones,” says Vinnie, with a teasing eye roll. “He’ll buy 20 ingredients to make one meal, and I’ll make 20 meals out of one ingredient.”

When Vinnie joined Ballet West in 2018, he says he and Dominic bonded over shared culture shock and recent heartbreaks.

“We became best friends long before we became a couple,” says Dominic. “We understand each other and what it means to be in a new country, with a passion to pursue a dream.” Sharing the international language of confusing encounters with American culture brought them closer.

“We’re still learning how to navigate life in the U.S. together,” says Dominic. “We don’t always understand the humor, what is O.K. to say or do and what’s not.”

Their backgrounds are as different as their home countries. Dominic grew up training in the family business—a dance school— while Vinnie discovered dance during an after-school program that he describes as a way “to get poor kids off the street.” Dominic’s family was thrilled when he chose to carry on their dance tradition, while Vinnie’s mom and grandma took some time to come around. His father still resists.

“It’s been tough,” Vinnie says. “I’m grateful for Dominic’s willingness to listen and support me because it’s hard.” Ballet West discovered Vinnie during an international competition and Dominic moved to Salt Lake City to find better roles as a taller dancer. (Height, it turns out, is a major factor in casting and Dominic stands 6 feet 3 inches tall.)

So, is competing for the same parts a challenge? Either one’s success could, they suppose, mean a missed opportunity for the other but …“we want each other to do well, though,” Dominic says. “We try to be supportive and honor each other's talent and help each other grow.”

RIGHT/ DOMINIC : Robe, Vintage Robe, Driftwood Collection; Rings, John Hardy Black Sapphire Signet and Hex Band in Sterling Silver, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. RIGHT/ VINNIE : Jacket, Vintage Jacket, Driftwood Collection; Pants, Topman Velvet Suit Pants, Nordstrom; Necklace, Apache Amulet in Sterling Silver; Ring, Apache Signet in Sterling Silver, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. ABOVE/ DOMINIC : Jacket, Rachel Gilbert Black Trench, Name Droppers; Shirt, Crochet Textured Shirt, Zara; Pants, Jacquard Suit Pants, Zara; Bracelet, John Hardy Bracelet in Sterling Silver, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. (ABOVE/ VINNIE : Shirt, Saiid Kobeisy Bodysuit, Name Droppers; Pants, Topman Velvet Suit Pants, Nordstrom; Necklace, John Hardy Pearl Necklace in Sterling Silver; Bracelet, John Hardy in Sterling Silver; Rings, John Hardy Link Ring and Pearl Ring in Sterling Silver, O.C. Tanner Jewelers.

THE COUPLE Olivia Gusti & Tyler Gum

Olivia is a demi-soloist who joined Ballet West in 2015 and is originally from Tampa, Florida. Tyler is a first soloist who joined the company in 2009 and is from Calhan, Colorado.

THEIR STORY

“She’s a romantic,” says Tyler Gum of his wife, Olivia Gusti.

“A hopeless one,” she adds with gusto.

Olivia has a commanding, queenly air about her. With her regal shoulders, long neck and wide eyes, she is every bit a ballerina. This imperious poise, however, dissolves the moment she bounces into a chair and bubbles out the couple’s love story—from their first meeting to an engagement ring scavenger hunt.

“Isn’t it beyond perfect?” she gushes as she shows off the olive-green sapphire ring glistening atop her finger. “Isn’t HE?”

The couple married in the summer of 2021 after seven years together. They met when Oliva joined the company as a trainee, who admits she was a bit intimidated her husband's soloist rank.

“Some couple-friends from Ballet West were always inviting us along,” Tyler says. “We kept wondering why we were the only two single people in the group, and it dawned on us that they thought we’d be good together.”

The matchmaking worked. “We’re two sides of the same coin,” Olivia says of their different but well-suited personalities. He’s detail-oriented. She looks at the big picture. She’s whimsical. He’s calm. She does the wash and he does the dishes.

“We complement each other,” agrees Tyler.

So what is it like to work day in and day out together, and sometimes even partner together—as they do in Nutcracker ’s Arabian Dance? They both agree it’s meaningful when they’re performing arm-in-arm on stage.

“It’s more time in my life that I get to experience with her,” Tyler says.

LEFT/ TYLER : Suit, Madison Fit Two-Button Suit, Brooks Brothers;

Tie, Louis Vuitton; Watch, Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. LEFT/OLIVIA : Vintage Corset and Tulle Skirt, Driftwood Collection; Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings, Ippolita in 18k gold, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. ABOVE/OLIVIA : Shirt & Shorts, Two-Piece Valentino Set, Name Droppers; Earrings and Bracelet, Mattia Cielo with Amethyst in 18K gold, O.C. Tanner Jewelers.

THE

Victoria Vassos & Hadriel Diniz

Victoria joined Ballet West in 2017 and is a corps artist who originally comes from Ticino, Switzerland and Seres, Greece. Hadriel is a principal artist who joined the company in 2015. He is originally from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

THEIR STORY

At her first Ballet West fundraising gala, Victoria Vassos asked her coworker, Hadriel Diniz to join her on the dance floor. But the Brazilian, who was quickly rising within the company ranks, bashfully declined.

“He actually said, ‘I don’t dance,’” she says, laughing in dismay.

“I was too busy sampling the bar,” he counters, giggling with boyish mirth.

“I told him, if you really want to be with me, text me tomorrow,” says Victoria, who’s half Greek and half Italian.

The next day, Hadriel says he poured over each word of a possible text editing and re-editing of a response to her challenge but, ever shy, was too afraid to hit send.

But there's more to the story. Long before that agonizing moment staring at his phone, Hadriel had caught a fleeting glimpse of Victoria across the studio. Anxious to approach her but shy, he retreated and asked his buddy, Josh Whitehead, to be his wingman. Brainstorming for an opener, they decided Josh (his Cyrano) would ask the towering beauty how tall she is.

But. Dumb luck. “Josh asked the wrong girl,” Hadriel says, shaking his head.

Dancers often have different class and rehearsal schedules, and trainees and company members don't generally mix. "I didn’t see her again for a long time," Dominic says. But then came that fateful night. He never did send that text but found the courage to talk to her. They instantly connected.

Victoria says the pair didn’t "date," at first.

“For two months straight, we spent every waking minute together—weekends, breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee…”

“…That’s called dating,” their friend (and would-be wingman) Josh interjects.

Both laugh. While they spend time together every day, Hadriel says, as a rule, he doesn’t like partnering on stage with his,

well, partner. “Partnering in performance with someone you love is hard,” he explains.

“When you’re trying to get everything perfect, it’s a recipe for disaster for me. I'm too impatient. Victoria, she is so patient, this is one of the things I love most about her, she brings me down to Earth.”

RIGHT/ HADRIEL : Suit, Slim Solid Brown Cotton Suit, Express; Shirt, Slim Geo Print Stretch Dress Shirt, Express; Shoes, Cole Haan Chelsea Boot, Nordstrom; Watch, Tudor Black Bay, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. RIGHT/ VICTORIA : Shrug, Asos Luxe, Name Droppers; Skinny Maxi Skirt, Rachel Gilbert, Name Droppers; Bodysuit, Target; Headband, Amazon; Bag, Chanel Vintage Satchel, The Lady Bag; Shoes, Black Suede Studio Kris Sandal, Nordstrom; Necklace, Roberto Coin Double Medallion in 18K gold; Ring, Julez Bryant Gold Block with Diamond in 14K gold, O.C. Tanner Jewelers. ABOVE/ VICTORIA : Tulle Dress, PAROSH, Name Droppers; Bodysuit, Fuschia Bodysuit, Express; Shoes, Jessica Simpson Peomi Platform Sandal, Nordstrom; Bracelet, Messika Wrap; Earrings, Suna Bros. Diamond Line in Platinum, O.C. Tanner Jewelers.

See them on stage

Every year, Ballet West presents a season that includes classical story ballets as well as mixed-bills that highlight contemporary works. What type of ballet speaks to you? Single tickets range from $25–$119 at balletwest.org

Ballet West’s 2022-23 Season

RODEO (Choreography by Agnes de Mille; Music by Aaron Copland) Also featuring Concerto Barocco and Return to a Strange Land. Nov. 4 – Nov. 12

THE NUTCRACKER (Choreography by Willam Christensen; Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky) Dec. 2 – Dec. 24

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (Choreography by Adam Sklute and Ballet West Artistic Staff; Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky) Feb. 10 – Feb. 18

SNOW WHITE Family Classic Series performed by Ballet West II and Academy. April 7 – April 8

THE WEDDING (THREE BALLET WEST PREMIERES) Les Noces; In the Night; A Light Rain. April 14 – April 22

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NEXT AT

Since the first flights departed The New Salt Lake International Airport, millions of travelers have experienced its stunning architecture, tech-friendly amenities, and thoughtfully curated dining and shopping options. But we’re just getting started.

As Phase 2 is finished in 2023, you can expect 22 additional gates and 19 new shops and restaurants, including more local favorites. And in 2024, Phase 3 will bring even more places to eat, drink, shop, and relax—plus a new central tunnel that significantly shortens the walk to Concourse B gates.

See what’s next for your new SLC at slcairport.com

Photo courtesy: HOK Architects

E TAKE OUR TIME rolling up Haleakala Highway, the two-lane highway that scales Maui’s preeminent volcano of the same name. The reason for the deliberate pace is threefold—the unforgiving switchbacks enclosed scantily by the occasional guardrail, the dramatic rise in elevation (from sea level to 10,000 feet in a mere 37 miles) and the arresting views from the road. Along the highway to Haleakala Crater, there are two National Park Service visitor centers and a number of scenic lookout points, and I daresay we stopped at all of them. Facing makai (toward the ocean), the misty mountainside gives way to grassy farmland then relents to cities and sandy beaches and the endless expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Facing mauka (toward the mountain), the landscape becomes lunar-like just as it vanishes behind a halo of clouds. At the second visitor center, we shuck our breezy beachwear and change into warm pants, knit caps, jackets and gloves.

At a 10,023-foot elevation, Haleakala Crater sits above the cloud layer. The craggy peak jutting out of white cotton clouds invokes images of the mythological Mount Olympus, the home of the gods. In Hawaiian mo‘olelo (stories), Haleakala is where the folk hero Maui snared the Sun and made him promise to travel the sky slower, lengthening the day. Haleakala means “house of the sun.” People in parkas flock to the summit like pilgrims at the end of every day and this trip is no exception. We do our best to get comfortable on the nature-provided seating of rough volcanic boulders and wait. Rustling accompanies the chattering teeth and excited conversations as people produce snacks from pockets and backpacks. We brought fresh banana bread from Kula but a nearby group of geniuses had thought to drive up a few pizzas and we made a silent vow to copy them next time.

When the sun starts to set, there are no “oohs” or “awws.” All of the noise fades at once and everyone turns their faces west. The sun touches the clouds and they erupt in gold and turquoise, and the ground around the summit turns scarlet. The colors deepen in hue and contrast as the sun sinks behind the lip of the crater, forming a golden halo as it falls beyond the clouds, then is fi nally swallowed by the ocean. No one stirs until the last ray of light dies. Beyond the singularity of watching the sunset from atop a volcano on a speck of land in the middle of the ocean, the reverence of the assembly makes it something more akin to a spiritual experience.

WHERE TO PLAY

To say Maui packs a lot into a little more than 727 square miles is an understatement of irresponsible proportions. Because of its unique geography and infamous trade winds, Maui has multiple distinct microclimates to play in, which help define Maui’s diverse regions. The North Shore and West and Central Maui get a lot of love from tourists, but South Maui and the Upcountry stole our hearts.

Waterfall on the Road to Hana at Sunset

BY CHRISTIE PORTER AND JEREMY PUGH

As stunning as the Haleakala sunset is, sunrise on the volcano is the more sought-after ticket. So much so that visitors have to battle it out online for the few available permits. The area is also unparalleled for stargazing. Outside of the popular solar and stellar spectator events, Haleakala National Park (nps.gov/hale) has two areas for visitors to explore. The Summit District has over 30 miles of hiking trails that range in difficulty from 10-minute walks to multi-day overnight trips. One of the most popular is the 11-mile alpine desert hike, Keonehe‘ehe‘e (Sliding Sands) Trail. The trail takes hikers across the crater and through an area unofficially called “Pele’s Paint Pot” for its colorful cinder.

On the eastern side of Haleakala is the coastal Kipahulu District. Unlike the blustery weather of the summit, Kipahulu District is hot, humid and wet. One of the main draws is the Pipiwai Trail, a 4-mile hike that starts at the visitor center parking lot. Early in the hike, you’ll have to contort your way through a massive Banyan tree. It’s rumored to be the second largest Banyan on Maui (the largest is in Lahaina). The trail also winds through a thick bamboo forest, culminating in a view of its crown jewel, the 400-foot Waimoku Falls.

If seeing Haleakala National Park from the

ground is beneath you (literally), zip lines dot the island for your consideration. Skyline Hawaii (18303 Haleakala Hwy, Kula, skylinehawaii.com) offers guided zipline tours of Haleakala and Eco-Adventures of surrounding Upcountry Maui. The Upcountry was born out of the local ranches and farms and entrenched in Hawaii’s paniolo (cowboy) culture. It might as well be a completely different world from the tourist-heavy coastal towns. Explore the local farmers’ markets like Kula Country Farms (6240 Kula Hwy, Kula, kulacountryfarmsmaui.com) or take a tour of Maui Tea Farm (18303 Haleakala Hwy, Kula, mauiteafarm.com).

If it’s the beach you’re after, head to South Maui. Kamaole Beach I (“Kam I,” 75 Alanui Ke’ali’i, Kihei), Kam II and Kam III in Kihei are lowkey and great for swimming as well as for attempting kayaking or paddleboarding. There are plenty of places to snag reasonable equipment rentals within walking distance to the beach, like Auntie Snorkel (The Rainbow Mall, 2439 S. Kihei Rd. #101a, Kihei, auntiesnorkel.com). If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, take a snorkeling tour of Molokini Crater, a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater off the coast of South Maui. Boats head out there daily, like the Pride of Maui (101 Maalaea Rd., Wailuku, prideofmaui.

ABOVE: Banana bread along Hana Highway

TOP: Trail to Waimoku Falls

PHOTOS: (LEFT) HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY MAUI; (ABOVE LEFT) ADOBE STOCK

com). If you’re feeling even more adventurous, head to South Maui’s Makena Beach State Park (4670 Makena Alanui, Kihei), commonly called “Big Beach.” The water here is crystal clear and great for a little light snorkeling. On the north end of Big Beach, there is a hidden trail to a sandy little cove called Little Beach. Little Beach is definitely not a very chill nude beach and you certainly did not hear it from us.

WHERE TO EAT

After a day on the water, Kihei offers many dining options within walking distance from the beach. The food truck game in Kihei is particularly strong, with two locations where they tend to congregate: Kihei Food Truck Park (1 Piikea Ave., Kihei) or Alahele Place near Kihei Marketplace on South Kihei Road. For an extra kick in the morning, check out Kraken Coffee’s truck (krakencoffeemaui. com) or grab a bag of Maui coffee to take home from Lava Java Coffee Roasters of Maui (1941 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, lavajavamaui. com). For lunch or dinner in Kihei, get in line at the open-air Paia Fish Market South Side (1913 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, paiafishmarket.com). It’s the second location of the legendary original in Paia. The Blackened Sashimi is

particularly good, but you really can’t go wrong. Ululani Shave Ice (61 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, ululanishawaiianshaveice.com) is the real deal for your Hawaii shave ice fix. If your journey is taking you to Upcountry, Grandma’s Coffee House (9232 Kula Hwy, Kula, grandmascoffeehousemaui. com) has been roasting and blending Maui coffee since 1918. Ulupalakua Ranch Store & Grill (14779 Piilani Hwy, Kula, ulupalakuaranch.com) serves up meat from their own ranch, which you can survey while you eat your meal picnic-style near the open-air grill. For farm-to-table, there's Hali’imaile General Store (900 Haliimaile Rd., Makawao, hgsmaui.com) and Restaurant Marlow (30 Kupaoa St. A104, Makawao, restaurantmarlow.com), a pizza place where Chef Jeff Scheer sources ingredients from local farmers and ranchers and his own garden. No trip to Upcountry is complete without a stop at Maui Cookie Lady (3643 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, themauicookielady.com). Founder Mitzi Toro is known nationally for the creations from her island boutique bakery.

WHERE TO DRINK

You can't beat the views or cocktails at Hawaii Sea Spirits Organic Farm and Distillery's on-site Ocean Organic Vodka Cafe (4051 Omaopio Rd, Kula, oceanvodka.com). The distillery offers regular tours that introduce visitors to the process of making vodka from ocean water, the growing and harvesting of sugarcane varieties, as well as how to use their

spirits. Our tour guide Joe could have written a book on how to mix cocktails from Hawaii Sea Spirits. The lawn outside the cafe gets crowded in the late afternoon to watch the sunset with a tasty drink in hand. Maui Wine (14815 Piilani Hwy, Kula, mauiwine.com) offers tastings daily. The owner of the ranch started the vineyard and winery back in the 70s with just one kind of grape. Nowadays, they cultivate six grape varietals and make to-die-for pineapple wines made from Maui Gold pineapple, of course. Back in South Maui, there’s no shortage of bars to get your drink on, but the Happy Hour menu at Maui Brewing Company (605 Lipoa Parkway, Kihei, mauibrewingco.com) is hard to beat. Between handcrafted beer, seltzers, sodas and cocktails, order a flight and a few shared plates, while dining al fresco. For the classic tiki bar experience, check out South Shore Tiki Lounge (1913-J, S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, southshoretiki.com). The patio is perfect at night, and regular live music makes for impassioned sing-along opportunities.

WHERE TO STAY

Depending on your taste, you can spring for ocean views at a luxurious resort or rent a beachside condo in Kihei. Use your best judgment while perusing sites like airbnb. com and vrbo.com, as tourism officials warn that scams are not unheard of. For a relaxing stay in Upcountry, there’s Lumeria Maui Retreat (1813 Baldwin Avenue, Makawao, lumeriamaui.com), where you can enjoy yoga and meditation classes. It’s also worth looking into The Malama Hawaii Program

ABOVE LEFT: Watching the sunset on Haleakala

LEFT: Makena Beach

GO BIG ON THE BIG ISLAND

The Big Island truly lives up to its name (which is actually Hawai'i, while the entire state’s name is Hawaii, which feels like a practical joke to confuse Haoles). Anyway, it’s big. So it’s best to divide your time between its two distinct sides: Hilo Side (wet) and Kona Side (dry).

HILO SIDE

Hilo Bay, at the center of Hilo Town, is a good place to start your exploration of the main “city” on the wet side. From the Bay, it’s an easy walk to Liliuokalani Gardens and a stroll through Hilo’s Farmer Market to pick up picnic supplies. Richardson’s Beach Park offers a gentle put-in for snorkeling. From Hilo, drive to Volcanoes National Park for a chance to see the constant volcanic activity bubbling below the surface.

KONA SIDE

Visit Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (The Place of Refuge) a fascinating dose of early Hawaiian history established on the site of a sanctuary and sacred place of peace.

Nearby is the snorkeling hot spot Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument. You can access the monument by kayak or book a charter with Captain Zodiac Raft Tours and enjoy snorkeling in the bay near the monument. The eastern side of the island is home to its best sandy beaches. The most popular sandy beach on the east side is Hapuna Beach, be sure to plan for some sand and surf time here. One of the most unique ocean experiences in Hawaii is the opportunity to dive or snorkel with the pod of Manta Rays that live off the coast. Book a charter at the Kona Marina (book early, they are insanely popular). Kona Village is the main city on the Kona side. Explore shops, restaurants and bars on its main street. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has a beautiful ocean view bar and an excellent happy hour.

(gohawaii.com/malama). Malama translates to “care for.” In exchange for articipating in volunteer opportunities, you could qualify for a discount or free night at a participating hotel. HanaMaui Resort (5031 Hana Highway, Hana, hyatt.com) will give you your fourth night free if you volunteer with Pacific Whale Foundation. Condominium resort Castle Kamaole Sands (2695 South Kihei Rd., Kihei, castleresorts.com), beachside in Kihei, offers a fifth night free for picking up beach litter.

MAUI: UPCOUNTRY ON KULA HIGHWAY

START: Paia

END: Ulupalakua

On the slopes of Haleakala, tour farms and ranches and peruse local art galleries and markets steeped in the history of Maui’s Paniolo (cowboy) culture. There will be plenty of fresh snacks along the way, finished with a flight of local wine.

1. PAIA TOWN

This historic town on Maui’s North Shore was once a booming plantation town during the height of Maui’s sugar cane industry. Today, Paia is a town of colorful storefronts, local art galleries and one-of-a-kind boutiques and

restaurants. On your way out of town, tour the Haliimaile Pineapple Farm and distillery and grab some Maui Gold pineapple to take home.

2. MAKAWAO TOWN

Makawao is a thriving arts community that has kept its plantation roots intact. The combination of its paniolo heritage and its lively art scene makes for great pop-up markets to eclectic art galleries. The Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center hosts free exhibits and T. Komoda Store & Bakery has been serving cream puffs since 1916.

3. PUKALANI

Boasting spectacular views of two Maui coastlines, Pukalani has a laid-back, country feel. It is home to the Upcountry Farmers Market, which has a wide selection of local growers and producers. Visit one of Maui’s last true mom-and-pop establishments, the Pukalani Superette.

4. KULA

Kula is in the heart of Maui’s Upcountry and in the middle of a culinary resurgence. Harvest your own veggies and have them made into a gourmet meal at Oo Farm, visit the one-man working protea and coffee farm, Shim Coffee Farm, play with the animals at Surfing Goat Dairy or tour the Kula Botanical Gardens.

Lumeria Maui Resort

PHOTOS: (FAR LEFT)

HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY; (LEFT) COURTESY LUMERIA MAUI RETREAT

5. ULUPALAKUA

Blink and you’ll miss the small town of Keokea, but the old-time gas station, art gallery and country general store are worth a visit. Then continue down the road to the Ulupalakua Ranch Store & Grill (famous for their elk) and, finally, reward yourself with a flight of your new favorite wine at Maui Wine.

MAUI: HANA HIGHWAY

START: Haiku

END: Kipahulu

Hike to waterfalls and through rain forests, sun on stunning black or red sand beaches and eat the best banana bread you’ve ever had. Do it on your own or hire a guide (or the middle option of downloading a guided tour app like GPSY). Spread it over two days or start early and try to do it all in one. Even though it’s only 50 miles or so, the one-lane bridges, tight turns and incredible views will slow you down. Be sure to stay on the main drag out of respect for the locals who don’t want to be a tourist attraction.

1. HAIKU

You’re going to want coffee for this road trip, so start off with a cup of joe in Haiku at Jaws Country Store. From there, it’s not far to the Garden of Eden Arboretum or the Leilani Farm Sanctuary in Haiku to see the local flora and fauna up close.

2. KEANAE PENINSULA

While technically a slight detour from the famous Road to Hana, the ocean views from the Keanae Lookout will change your life, as will a loaf (or two) of fresh banana bread from Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread. In 1946, the entire community was almost wiped out by a hurricane and the only building left standing was the local church, which you can still see today.

3. NAHIKU MARKETPLACE

Another great place to stretch your legs (and take a potty break) is the Nahiku Marketplace—where you’ll find some outdoor dining. There’s coffee, smoothies

and more tasty banana bread at the Nahiku Cafe and an open-air BBQ. Find locally made gifts at the Nahiku Gallery. Between the marketplace and Hana, you’ll find Coconut Glen’s, which people swear by, if you’re game for vegan coconut ice cream.

4. HANA

Get a parking reservation in advance to swim and sunbathe on the beautiful black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. Or take a (slightly scary) little hike to find the more secluded red sand beach, Kaihalulu Beach. Explore the Hana Lava Tube or Wailua Falls and swimming hole. For souvenirs to commemorate the drive, try the Hasegawa General Store and Hana Ranch Store.

5. KIPAHULU DISTRICT (HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK)

A final stretch of stunning rainforest and waterfalls will take you to the Kipahulu District entrance of Haleakala National Park and access the Pipiwai and Kuloa Point trails. The Kuloa Point Trail will take you on a short walk to the Hale Halawai, a reconstruction of a traditional Hawaiian meetinghouse, archeological sites and the Ohe’o Gulch. The Pools of ‘Ohe’o are a stunning series of tiered pools fed by a waterfall, sometimes called the “Seven Sacred Pools.”

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Shopping Paia's main street; Garden of Eden Arboretum on the Hana Highway; Keanne Peninsula on the Hana Highway; aerial view of the Road to Hana

ON THE TABLE

SUSHI FOR DUMMIES

EVERY SATURDAY, Mint Sushi owner Chef Soy shares his sushi-making expertise in a two-hour class for beginners. Sauces and fish are already prepared in advance, so all you need to do is put on gloves and get ready to roll. (Sorry.) The class is best enjoyed if you can accept some playful teasing for your sushi-making skills. Chef Soy gave compliments to the natural sushi chefs in the crowd, and if you were struggling, well…“If I don’t say anything, that means it sucks,” he warned. Read some of Chef Soy’s tips for home sushi chefs on page 94.

Mint Sushi seafood tapas and sushi

MINT CONDITION

BY JOSH PETERSEN

If you’re going to dinner at Mint Sushi, plan on venturing beyond the California Roll.

OK, if you insist on the familiar, California rolls and other basics are still on the menu, but Mint Sushi, owned by sushi chef Batsaikhan Ariunbold (aka Chef Soy) rewards those willing to try something new. In fact, the restaurant’s specialty is not rolls at all—it’s an always-evolving menu of flavorful, unexpected seafood-forward tapas.

Chef Soy began his Utah career at the now-closed Rice Basil and started a couple of other sushi restaurants before opening the first Mint Sushi location in Sandy. From the beginning, Chef Soy wanted to expand the palettes of Utahns, which—no offense—he calls “bland.” “I wanted to bring in a new thing, so that’s when I started doing tapas,” he says. The menu of small plates and established classics caters to both “YOLO people”—Chef Soy’s term for more adventurous eaters—and those who’d prefer to stick to the standards.

Now, Mint has expanded to three locations in Salt Lake County. At his restaurant in Cottonwood Heights, Chef Soy prepares a weekly 10-course tasting menu of tapas for $70 a person. He changes the dishes every week, and the most successful small plates earn a permanent spot on the menu. At the tasting event I attended, highlights included hamachi with a spicy jalapeño sauce, a refreshing walu ceviche served with apple and green onion and, for dessert, a scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream.

Chef Soy hopes to keep growing Mint Sushi. His third location, in Holladay, opened earlier this year, and he hopes to add a brunch menu and

open more restaurants in the coming months. The sushi-making classes, though, will continue. Chef Soy has been giving Utahns a sushi education for almost a decade now, and though he admits teaching was not his favorite at first, he’s grown to appreciate it. “I really love teaching now,” he says. “It’s really fun.” Here are some basics to know before you start making your own sushi at home:

Mint

HARMONS

WILLIAMS-SONOMA

At Mint Sushi, Chef Soy serves tasty tapas and shares his knowledge with sushi novices

WHAT’S IN WASABI?

While the spice of wasabi gives a necessary kick to many sushi rolls, the plant was not originally used for flavor at all. According to Chef Soy, the Japanese used wasabi wrapped with seaweed to kill bacteria in uncooked fish. The wasabi plant is in the same family as horseradish—the two are so closely related, in fact, that most of the time the wasabi you’re eating is actually a com bination of horseradish and mustard. Chef Soy, though, evangelizes for “real wasabi,” which is more similar to relish. (This version of wasabi should dissolve immediately when mixed in soy sauce.) Side by side with the paste often served at sushi restaurants, you can tell the major difference: the relish has a sweeter, more delicate flavor that compli ments the seafood beautifully. The next time you order sushi, ask your waiter to bring some of the real stuff.

KEEP IT FRESH

Quality ingredients are the essential foun dation of any successful sushi dish. For ginger, look for the white root and avoid pink. Seaweed, called “nori” in Japanese, is the foundation of your roll. Buy it roasted, which is thicker, harder and has a better flavor. The most important part of your sushi is the fish. Your best bet is to avoid the supermarket entirely—even high-end grocery stores may have seafood sitting on ice for days or weeks before you purchase it. Soy recommends the downtown market Aquarius Fish, but what ever you do, look for sushi-grade fish and try to find the freshest product available.

KNOW WHAT TO MAKE AT HOME (AND WHAT TO BUY)

Chef Soy’s eel sauce, a reduction of eel, soy sauce, sugar, fruits and veggies, takes eight hours to make. He wisely advises aspiring home sushi chefs to skip the process and buy sauce from their favorite sushi restau rant. Spicy mayo, another common sushi companion, is much easier to make on your own. Just combine one part sriracha and two parts mayonnaise, mix and serve.

GET READY TO EAT

Chef Soy says that Americans tend to drown sushi in soy sauce, overwhelming the food’s delicate, complex flavors. Try just dipping the end—and remember, most sauces you serve with sushi will already have soy. Wellbalanced sushi features a combination of fat, acid and salt. For the perfect bite, combine avocado, ginger, just a bit of soy and enjoy.

MAKING A HAND ROLL

In the class, Chef Soy teaches the step-by-step process of a few basic dishes—a shrimp tempura hand roll, salmon nigiri and a citrus roll. The hand roll, which is the easiest to make, only has a few ingredients and steps.

Even if you’re wearing gloves, coat your hands with a drop of sesame oil before preparing sushi. This prevents the rice from sticking to your hands.

Start with the seaweed laying flat, rough side up.

Form a golf ball-sized clump of rice and flatten it on the left side of the seaweed. Smear one grain of the rice on the opposite corner. This will act as an adhesive.

Quarter an avocado, peel and make small slices from the bottom of the section.

5. Lay tempura shrimp and avocado slices at an angle on the rice.

6. Fold the top left corner of the seaweed to the bottom right and roll like an ice cream cone.

MINT SUSHI

8391 S. 700 East, Sandy 385-434-8022

3158 E. 6200 South, Cottonwood Heights 801-417-9690

4640 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay 385-296-1872

mintsushiutah.com

It’s not Food Court, It’s a Food Hall

A grown-up food court for grown-ups

BY JEREMY PUGH

Food Halls are so not new. The trend started 25 years ago, of course, with the renovation of the Chelsea Market. But like anything that starts in New York, it takes a while to emigrate west, more than two decades, to be exact. Food Halls are essentially a “fussifying” of the mall food court we all grew up with. You will not find a Sbarro, Mrs. Fields or an Orange Julius, however. Instead, the focus is on “upscale” offerings (aren’t we tired of that word?) which as a matter of practice essentially means that a slice of pizza costs $17. All cynicism aside, the upside gives small local operators a space that isn’t a food truck to bring their food to the masses and offers the synergy of banding together with a selection of other vendors to draw a variety of eaters, which is kind of perfect for all of us who can never collectively decide where to eat. Also, there’s beer, wine and cocktails.

Hall Pass, at the Gateway, was the first such endeavor. Opening in 2019, it was forced to limp along during the lockdown but a recent visit revealed (pardon the pun) a healthy crowd, excellent options in the vendors and perhaps proof that the Food Hall is here to stay. As further evidence, consider the latest entry to the Hall business, Woodbine Food Hall & Rooftop Bar, in the blooming Granary District. Its management

WHERE TO EAT

Listings

SALT LAKE CITY & THE WASATCH FRONT

American Fine Dining

ARLO

271 N. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845. arlorestaurant.com

Chef Milo Carrier has created a destination in a small, charming house at the top of the Marmalade neighborhood. A fresh approach and locally sourced ingredients are the root of a menu that bridges fine and casual dining, at once sophisticated and homey.

BAMBARA

202 S. Main St., SLC, 801-363-5454. bambara-slc.com

The menu reflects food based on sustainability and the belief that good food should be available to everybody. Prizing seasonally driven dishes sourced from local farmers, he turns out dishes with a community-minded sensibility.

THE CHARLESTON

1229 E. Pioneer Rd., Draper, 801-550-9348. thecharlestondraper.com

Offering gracious dining in Draper, Chef Marco Silva draws from many culinary traditions to compose his classic and exciting menu—artichoke souffle, braised halibut, ratatouille. The setting, in a historic home surrounded by gardens, is lovely and we love his high standards: No kids under 11 Friday and Saturday evenings and an indoor dress code.

GRAND AMERICA

555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6708. grandamerica.com, laurelslc.com

Grand America Hotel’s Laurel Brasserie & Bar is one of the dinner/nightlife stars of the city, and the kitchen makes sure other meals here are up to the same standard. The setting here is traditionally elegant but don’t be intimidated. The food shows sophisticated invention, but you can also get a great sandwich or burger.

HSL

418 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-539-9999. hslrestaurant.com

The initials stand for “Handle Salt Lake”—Chef Briar Handly made his name with his Park city restaurant, Handle, and now he’s opened a second restaurant down the hill. The place splits the difference between “fine” and “casual” dining; the innovative food is excellent and the atmosphere is casually convivial. The menu is unique—just trust this chef. It’s all excellent.

LA CAILLE

9565 Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, 801-942-1751. lacaille.com

Utah’s original glamour girl has regained her luster. The grounds are as beautiful as ever; additions are functional, like a greenhouse, grapevines and vegetable gardens, all supplying the kitchen and cellar. The interior has been refreshed and the menu by Chef Billy Sotelo has today’s tastes in mind. Treat yourself.

of FAME HALL LOG HAVEN

6451 E. Mill Creek Canyon Road, SLC, 801272-8255. log-haven.com

Certainly Salt Lake’s most picturesque restaurant, the old log cabin is pretty in every season.

Chef Dave Jones has a sure hand with American vernacular and is not afraid of frying although he also has a way with healthy, low-calorie, high-energy food. And he’s an expert with local and foraged foods.

PAGO

878 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-532-0777. pagoslc.com 341 S. Main St., SLC, 801-441-2955. pagoslc.com

Tiny, dynamic and food-driven, Pago’s ingredients are locally sourced and reimagined regularly. That’s why it’s often so crowded and that’s what makes it one of the best restaurants in the state. The list of wines by the glass is great, but the artisanal cocktails are also a treat.

PROVISIONS

3364 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-410-4046. slcprovisions.com

With Chef Tyler Stokes’ bright, fresh approach to American craft cuisine (and a bright, fresh atmosphere to eat it in), Provision strives for handmade and local ideals executed with style and a little humor.

SLC EATERY

1017 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-7952. slceatery.com

The SLC Eatery offers culinary adventure. Expect equally mysterious and delightful entrees and exciting takes on traditional dishes.

TABLE X

1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712. tablexrestaurant.com

This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine. Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

A trio of chefs collaborate on a forward-thinking thoroughly artisanal menu—vegetables are treated as creatively as proteins (smoked Quintessential Utah

A select list of the best restaurants in Utah, curated and edited by Salt Lake magazine

of FAME HALL

Dining Award Hall Of Fame Winner

team Zachary Howa, Ryan Reich and Max Coreth renovated the space that once was Jorge Fierro’s Rico’s warehouse and Frida Bistro after Fierro bought a new warehouse space and moved his operation.

The renovation turned the former commercial warehouse into a bright, airy space with lifted ceilings and skylights.

“We wanted to keep this space open to the public,” says Howa. “It’s one of the best buildings in Salt Lake City and a location that brings the east and west sides together.

As its name says, Woodbine has a full liquor license with a 21-and-over bar up front and on the roof. Inside the hall beer and wine is available. The Hall has spaces for up to nine establishments

and thus far there are five tenants (see below). When we visited last summer there was still a bit of construction dust in the air but the space located close to the new Slackwater Pizza and on the same road as the established Kittos Tap room has the potential to become a catalyzing space in this growing part of town, which essentially is a food desert apart from Slackwater, occasional food trucks at Kiitos and Fisher Brewing and now, Woodbine.

“There’s a lot of room for growth in this neighborhood and a chance to create a brand new city space,” Howa says.

Woodbine Food Hall & Rooftop Bar 545 W. 700 South, SLC (801) 889-3615

Instagram @woodbineslc

There are currently five food vendors in Woodbine open with plans to open up to nine more. All of the vendors are locally owned and many sprang from incubator kitchens or small catering operations. “We wanted to create an opportunity for people starting out,” Howa says.

MOZZ ARTISAN PIZZA

With an established location in Provo, Woodbine provided Mozz a chance to expand into SLC. Mozzartisanpizza.com Instagram @mozz.pizza

DEADPAN SANDWICH

Chef/Owner Taylor Giullian’s first commercial endeavor features what he describes as an internationally inspired small menu of sandwiches “that I’d like to eat.” He hopes you will too.

Instagram @deadpan_sandwich

QUERUBIN AND THE TACO LADY

The Taco Lady was a catering operation looking to make the move to brick and mortar under the Woodbine Food Hall roof.

Instagram @querubinandthetacolady

3 CUPS OF COFFEE

The established Holladay cafe is opening its second location at Woodbine.

Instagram @3_cups_coffee

YAKKUZA RAMEN

This one wasn’t fully open on our first visit but more ramen seems fine to us.

Instagram @yakuza.ramen

sunchoke, chile-cured pumpkin, barbecued cannelini beans) bread and butter are made in-house and ingredients are the best (Solstice chocolate cake.) Expect surprises.

American Casual

BLUE LEMON

55 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-328-2583. bluelemon.com

Blue Lemon’s sleek interior and high-concept food have city style. Informal but chic, manyflavored but healthy, Blue Lemon’s unique take on food is a happy change from downtown’s food-as-usual.

BRICK & MORTAR

228 S. Edison Street, SLC, 801-419-0871. brickmortarslc.com

Brick & Mortar is a bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown (where Campos Coffee used to be). It’s a gastro pub with a mean brunch game, but the lunch and dinner (and afterdinner drinks) won’t disappoint.

CAFE NICHE

779 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-433-3380. caffeniche.com

The food comes from farms all over northern Utah, and the patio is a local favorite when the weather is fine.

CITRIS GRILL

3977 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-466-1202. citrisgrill.com

Most dishes come in either “hearty” or “petite” portion sizes. This means you can enjoy a smoked salmon pizzetta or fried rock shrimp appetizer and then a petite order of fire-roasted pork chops with adobo rub and black bean-corn salsa. Expect crowds.

COPPER KITCHEN

4640 S. 2300 East, Holladay, 385-237-3159. copperkitchenslc.com

A welcome addition to Holladay, Ryan Lowder’s Copper Kitchen reprises his downtown Copper Onion and Copper Common success with varia tions. The menu is different, but the heartiness is the same; the interior is different but the easy, hip atmosphere is the same, and the decibel levels are very similar.

COPPER ONION

111 E. Broadway, Ste. 170, SLC, 801-355-3282. thecopperonion.com

An instant hit when it opened, constant crowds attest to the continuing popularity of Ryan Lowder’s Copper Onion. Though the hearty, fla vorful menu changes regularly, some favorites never leave: the mussels, the burger, the ricotta dumplings. Bank on the specials.

CUCINA

1026 E. 2nd Ave., SLC, 801-322-3055. cucinawinebar.com

Cucina has added fine restaurant to its list of descriptors—good for lunch or a leisurely din ner. The menu has recently expanded to include small plates and substantial beer and wine-bythe-glass lists.

THE DODO

1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-486-2473. thedodorestaurant.com

It’s hard even to update the review of this vener able bistro. So much stays the same. But, like I always say, it’s nice to know where to get quiche. And our raspberry crepes were great. Yes, I said crepes.

EPICURE

707 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801-748-1300. epicureslc.com

American food here borrows from other cuisines. Save room for pineapple sorbet with stewed fresh pineapple.

HUB & SPOKE DINER

1291 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-487-0698. hubandspokediner.com

This contemporary diner serves the traditional three a day with an untraditional inventiveness applied to traditional recipes. Like, artisanal grilled cheese with spiked milkshakes. And mac and cheese made with spaetzle. Breakfast is king here—expect a line.

LEFT FORK GRILL

68 W. 3900 South, SLC, 801-266-4322. leftforkgrill.ipower.com

Every booth comes with its own dedicated pie shelf. Because no matter what you’re eating— liver and onions, raspberry pancakes, meatloaf or a reuben—you’ll want to save room for pie. Tip: Order your favorite pie first, in case they run out. Now serving beer and wine.

LITTLE AMERICA COFFEE SHOP

500 S. Main St., SLC, 801-596-5708. saltlake.littleamerica.com

Little America has been the favorite gather ing place for generations of native Salt Lakers. Weekdays, you’ll find the city power players breakfasting in the coffee shop.

LONDON BELLE SUPPER CLUB

321 S. Main St., SLC, 801-363-8888. londonbelleslc.com

It’s a combo deal—restaurant and bar. That means you have to be over 21 to enter but it also means that you can stay in one place all eve ning. Their kitchen serves up everything from duck confit nachos to their signature 12-ounce Niman Ranch ribeye.

MOOCHIE’S MEATBALLS

232 E. 800 South, SLC, 801-596-1350; 2121 S. State St., South Salt Lake, 801-487-2121; 7725 S. State St., Midvale, 801-562-1500. moochiesmeatballs.com

This itty-bitty eatery/take-out joint is the place to go for authentic cheese steaks made with thinly sliced steak and griddled onions glued together with good ol’ American cheese and wrapped in a big, soft so-called French roll.

NOMAD EAST

1675 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-883-9791. nomad-east.com

Nomad East is cousin to the original, nowclosed Nomad Eatery. It’s in the charmed loca tion on 1300 South where Eggs in the City used to be. Everything here is cooked in a pizza oven, even the roasted chicken (a must-have.) Chef Justin is a salad wizard. Fun and excellence combined.

OASIS CAFE

151 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-322-0404. oasiscafeslc.com

Oasis has a New Age vibe, but the food’s only agenda is taste. Lots of veg options, but meat, too. The German pancakes are wonderful, but its evening menu suits the space —being both imaginative and refreshing.

OQUIRRH

368 E. 100 South, SLC 801-359-0426. oquirrhslc.com

Little and original chef-owned bistro offers a menu of inventive and delicious dishes—whole curried lamb leg, chicken confit pot pie, milkbraised potatoes—it’s all excellent.

THE PARK CAFE

604 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-487-1670. theparkcafeslc.com

The Park Cafe has been serving up breakfast to the Liberty Wells neighborhood since 1982. Right next to Liberty Park, the cafe’s location is hard to beat.

PIG & A JELLY JAR

401 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7366; 227 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-8400; 1968 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Hol laday, 385-695-5148. pigandajellyjar.com

Great chicken and waffles, local eggs, and other breakfasts are served all day, with homestyle additions at lunch Sunday-Thursday and supper on Friday and Saturday.

PORCH

11274 S. Kestrel Rise Rd., Bldg. G, South Jordan, 801-6791066. porchutah.com

A chef-owned restaurant in the new urban com munity of Daybreak, this sleek little cafe was conceived by Meditrina owner Jen Gilroy and focuses on locally-sourced cuisine with south ern touches.

PORCUPINE PUB AND GRILLE

3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-942-5555. porcupinepub.com

With 24 beers on tap available for only $2 every Tuesday, Porcupine has practically created its own holiday. Chicken noodle soup has home made noodles and lots of chicken. Burgers and chile verde burritos are good, too.

ROOTS CAFÉ

3474 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-277-6499. rootscafeslc.com

A charming little daytime cafe in Millcreek with a wholesome, granola vibe.

RUTH’S DINER

4160 Emigration Canyon Rd., SLC, 801-582-5807. ruthsdiner.com

The original funky trolley car is almost buried by the beer garden in fine weather, but Ruth’s still serves up diner food in a low-key setting, and the patio is one of the best. Collegiate fare like burgers, BLTs and enchiladas rule here. The giant biscuits come with every meal, and the chocolate pudding should.

SILVER FORK LODGE

11332 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd., Brighton, 801-533-9977. silverforklodge.com

Silver Fork’s kitchen handles three daily meals beautifully. Try pancakes made with a 50-yearold sourdough starter. Don’t miss the smoked trout and brie appetizer.

STELLA GRILL

4291 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-288-0051. stellagrill.com

A cool little arts-and-crafts-style café, Stella is balanced between trendy and tried-and-true. The careful cooking comes with moderate prices. Great for lunch.

TIBURON

8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-255-1200. tiburonfinedining.com

Servings at Tiburon are large and rich: elk tenderloin was enriched with mushrooms and demi-glace; a big, creamy wedge of St. Andre came with pork belly. In summer, tomatoes come from the garden.

TRADITION

501 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7167. traditionslc.com

Plan your meal knowing there will be pie at the end of it. Then snack on pigs-in-blankets (sau sage from artisan butcher Beltex) and funeral potatoes. Fried chicken, braised pork, chicken and dumplings are equally homey. Then, pie.

VESSEL KITCHEN

905 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-810-1950; 1146 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801-337-5055; 11052 S. State St., Sandy, 801-349-2544; 1784 Uinta Way, #E1, Park City, 435-2008864. vesselkitchen.com

Each of Vessel’s four locations is in an area of Utah they feel they can engage with the local populace through straight-forward, fast, casual cuisine that’s also healthy. Online ordering and curbside takeout are available at every Vessel restaurant.

Bakeries

THE BAKING HIVE

3362 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-419-0187. bakinghive.com

Tucked behind Provisions restaurant, this homespun bakery uses real butter and cream. Classes allow kids to ice and decorate their own cakes and they offer gluten-free options, too.

THE BAGEL PROJECT

779 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-906-0698, bagelproject.com

“Real” bagels are the whole story here, made by a homesick East Coaster. Of course, there’s no New York water to make them with, but other than that, these are as authentic as SLC can get.

THE BIG O DOUGHNUTS

248 W. 900 South, SLC, 385-770-7024. bigodoughnuts.square.site

Vegan. Doughnuts. Need we say more? Blueber ry-lavender, tofutti cream cheese, etc.

BISCOTTS BAKERY & CAFE

1098 W. Jordan Pkwy. #10, South Jordan, 801-890-0659; 6172 W. Lake Ave., South Jordan, 801-295-7930. biscotts.com

An Anglo-Indian teahouse, Lavanya Mahate’s (Saffron Valley) latest eatery draws from inter twined cultures, serving tea and chai, English treats and French pastries with a hint of subcon tinental spice.

CARLUCCI’S BAKERY

314 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-366-4484. carluccisbakery.com

Plus a few hot dishes make this a fave morning stop. For lunch, try the herbed goat cheese on a chewy baguette.

CITY CAKES & CAFE

1860 S. 300 West, D, SLC, 801-359-2239. 192 E. 12300 South, Ste. A, Draper, 801-572-5500. citycakescafe.com

Gluten-free that is so good you’ll never miss it. Or the dairy—City Cakes has vegan goodies, too. And epic vegan mac ‘n’ chezah.

EVA’S BAKERY

155 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-3942. evasbakeryslc.com

A smart French-style cafe and bakery in the heart of downtown. Different bakers are behind the patisserie and the boulangerie, meaning sweet and daily breads get the attention they deserve. Go for classics like onion soup and croque monsieur, but don’t ignore other specials and always leave with at least one loaf of bread.

FILLINGS & EMULSIONS

1475 S. Main St., SLC, 385-229-4228. fillingsandemulsions.com

This little West-side bakery is worth finding— its unusual pastries find their way into many of Salt Lake’s fine restaurants. Pastry Chef Adal

berto Diaz combines his classical French train ing with the tropical flavors of his homeland. The results are startlingly good and different.

GOURMANDISE

250 S. 300 East, SLC, 801-328-3330, 725 E. 12300 South, Draper, 801-571-1500. gourmandise.com

This downtown mainstay has cheesecakes, can noli, napoleons, pies, cookies, muffins and flaky croissants. And don’t forget breads and rolls to take home.

LA BONNE VIE

555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6708. grandamerica.com

Cuter than a cupcake, Grand America’s pastry shop has all the charm of Paris. The pretty win dows alone are worth a visit.

LES MADELEINES

216 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-673-8340. lesmadeleines.com

The kouign aman still reigns supreme among Salt Lake City pastries, but with a hot breakfast menu and lunch options, Les Mad is more than a great bakery.

MRS. BACKER’S PASTRY SHOP

434 E. South Temple, SLC, 801-532-2022. mrsbackers.com

A Salt Lake tradition, Mrs. Backer’s is a butter cream fantasy. Fantastic colors, explosions of flowers, most keyed to the current holiday cre ated from American-style butter cream icing, fill this old-fashioned shop.

PASSION FLOUR PATISSERIE

165 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-242-7040. passionflourslc.com

A vegan-friendly cafe located in an up-andcoming neighborhood. They offer coffee and tea lattes and a variety of croissants: the crust is flaky and buttery (despite the lack of butter). They also bake up some deliciously moist cus tom vegan cakes for any occasion.

RUBY SNAP FRESH COOKIES

770 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-834-6111. rubysnap.com

The Trudy, Ruby Snap’s classic chocolate-chip cookie. But it’s just a gateway into the menu of delicious fresh cookies behind the counter at Ruby Snap’s retro-chic shop on Salt Lake’s west side.

SO CUPCAKE

4002 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-274-8300. socupcake.com

Choose a mini or a full cake, mix and match cakes and icings, or try a house creation, like Hanky Panky Red Velvet.

TULIE BAKERY

863 E. 700 South, SLC, 801-883-9741; 1510 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-410-4217. tuilebakery.com

You can get a little spiritual about pastries this good on a Sunday morning, but at Tulie you can be just as uplifted by a Wednesday lunch.

VOSEN’S BREAD PARADISE

328 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-322-2424. vosen.com

This German-style bakery’s cases are full of Eifelbrot, Schwarzbrot, Krustenbrot and lots of other Brots as well as sweet pastries and fantas tic Berliners.

Barbecue & Southern Food

PAT’S BARBECUE

155 W. Commonwealth Ave., SLC, 801-484-5963; 2929 S. State St., SLC, 385-528-0548. patsbbq.com

One of Salt Lake City’s best, Pat’s brisket, pork and ribs deserve the spotlight but sides are no table here, too. Don’t miss “Burnt End Fridays.”

R&R BBQ

307 W. 600 South, SLC, 801-364-0443. Other locations. randrbbq.com

Owned by brothers Rod and Roger Livingston, winners on the competitive barbecue circuit. Ribs and brisket star, but fried okra steals the show.

THE SUGARHOUSE BARBECUE COMPANY

880 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-463-4800. sugarhousebbq.com

This place is a winner for pulled pork, Texas brisket or Memphis ribs. Plus killer sides, like Greek potatoes.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

(Also check bar listings, page 121)

AVENUES PROPER PUBLICK HOUSE

376 8th Ave., SLC, 385-227-8628. avenuesproper.com

It’s a restaurant and brewpub, with the empha sis on small plates and late hours. The food is inventive, the beer is good and—big plus—they serve cocktails as well as brew at this neighbor hood hot spot.

BOHEMIAN BREWERY

94 E. 7200 South., Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com

Bohemian keeps a firm connection to its cultural history—so to go with the wonderful Czech beer, you can nosh on potato pancakes, pork chops and goulash. There’s also plenty of American beer fare.

DESERT EDGE BREWERY

273 S. Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery.com

Good pub fare and freshly brewed beer make this a hot spot for shoppers, the business crowd and ski bums.

RED ROCK BREWING

254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446; 6227 State St., Murray, 801-262-2337; 1640 Redstone Center Dr., Park City, 435-575-0295. redrockbrewing.com

Red Rock proves the pleasure of beer on its own and as a complement to pizzas, rotisserie chick en and chile polenta. Not to mention brunch. Also in the Fashion Place Mall.

SQUATTERS PUB BREWERY

147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739; 1763 S. saltlakebrewingco.com

One of the “greenest” restaurants in town, Squatters brews award-winning beers and pairs them with everything from wings to ahi tacos.

WASATCH BREWPUB

2110 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-783-1127. saltlakebrewingco.com

Part of the same mega “boutique” group that produces Squatters and Wasatch beers and runs the pubs in Salt Lake City and Park City with those names, this extension is everything you expect a brewpub to be—hearty food, convivial atmosphere, lots of beer and a great late-ish option.

Breakfast/Lunch Only

THE DAILY

222 S. Main St., Ste. 140, SLC, 801-297-1660. thedailyslc.com

Chef Ryan Lowder’s only non-Copper restau rant (Onion, Commons, Kitchen) is open all day for breakfast, lunch and noshing. Call in and pick up lunch, stop in and linger over Stump town coffee, take some pastries to go and don’t miss the biscuits.

EGGS IN THE CITY

2795 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-581-0809. eggsinthecityslc.com

A familiar face in a whole new space—the favored breakfast joint has moved to Millcreek. Hip and homey, all at once.

FINN’S CAFE

1624 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-467-4000. finnscafe.net

The Scandinavian vibe comes from the heritage of owner Finn Gurholt. At lunch, try the Nor dic sandwiches, but Finn’s is most famous for breakfast (best pancakes in town), served until the doors close at 2:30 p.m.

MILLCREEK CAFÉ & EGGWORKS

3084 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-485-1134. millcreekcafeandeggworks.com

This spiffy neighborhood place is open for lunch, but breakfast is the game. Items like a chile verde-smothered breakfast wrap and the pancakes offer serious sustenance.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis DIVERSION

535 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-657-7326. diversioneatery.com

Much-needed neighborhood eatery serving burgers, dogs, chili and fries. Try the “burger bowl”—just what it sounds like and twice as messy.

FELDMAN’S DELI

2005 E. 2700 South, SLC, 801-906-0369. feldmansdeli.com

Finally, SLC has a Jewish deli worthy of the name. Stop by for your hot pastrami fix or to satisfy your latke craving or your yen for knishes.

PRETTY BIRD CHICKEN

146 S. Regent St., SLC; 675 E. 2100 South, SLC; prettybirdchicken.com.

Chances are you’ll still have to wait in line for Chef Viet Pham’s Nashville hot chicken. There is really only one thing on the menu—spicy fried chicken on a bun or on a plate. Go early— Pretty Bird closes when the kitchen runs out of chicken.

PROPER BURGER AND PROPER BREWING

865 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-8604. properburgerslc.com

Sibling to Avenues Proper, the new place has expanded brewing and burger capacity, two big shared patios. And ski-ball.

SHAKE SHACK

11020 State St., Ste. B, Sandy, 385-276-3910; 6123 S. State St., Murray, 801-448-9707; shakeshack.com The national favorite has landed in Utah and surely there will be more to come. Danny Meyer’s all-American favorite serves burgers, mediocre fries and milkshakes, along with other fast food faves. Play board games and try one of their super cool shake flavors.

SIEGFRIED’S DELICATESSEN

20 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-3891. siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

The only German deli in town is packed with customers ordering bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut and spaetzle.

TONYBURGERS

613 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-419-0531; Other Utah locations. tonyburgers.com

This home-grown burger house serves freshground beef, toasted buns, twice-fried potatoes and milkshakes made with real scoops of ice cream.

Coffee

3 CUPS COFFEE

4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza #104, Holladay, 385-2373091. 3cups.coffee

With a slick, modern interior, 3 Cups transi tions 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, 385-207-8362; 1476 Newpark Blvd., Park City, 801-462-9475. cuplacoffee.com

The menu at Cupla reflects the owners’ lifestyle of a low-carb and low-sugar diet, without sac rificing taste for health. They roast their own coffee beans, rotated seasonally.

LA BARBA

155 E. 900 South, SLC; 9 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 385-4292401; 13811 Sprague Ln., Draper, 801-901-8252. labarba coffee.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.

PUBLIK

502 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 385-229-4836; 975 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-355-3161; 210 S. University St., SLC, 385-5491928. publikcoffee.com

Serving the latest in great coffee; the old-school java joint made for long conversations; a neocafe 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, 385-301-8905. arempas.com

Happy, casual Venezuelan food—arepas, teque nos, 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, 801-506-7788. 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, 801-220-0500. 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.”

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 chefdriven, 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 mom-and-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 hon orable renditions of favorites, but it is a reward ing 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 authen tic Peking duck.

Fren ch & 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 mitrail lette 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, 801-274-6264. 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 ac cording to season and the current chef’s whim.

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. Univer sity Ave., Provo, 801-373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., #120, West Jordan, 801-282-0777. bombayhouse.com

This biryani mainstay is sublimely satisfying, from the wise-cracking 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 takeout 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

Indian-Nepalese restaurant with an everexpanding 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, 801-466-3504; 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, 801-572-6123; 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 In dian 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

Highlighting South Indian street food, one of the glories of subcontinental cuisine, Lavanya Mahate’s restaurant is a cultural as well as culi nary 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 restau rants: 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 mysteri ously not overcooked. Friendly service.

Italian & Pizza

ARELLA PIZZERIA

535 W. 400 North, Bountiful, 801-294-8800. arellapizzeria.com

Chic pizza in Bountiful. Arella’s pies appeal to pizza purists, traditionalists and adventurers, with wood-fired crusts and toppings that range from pear to jalapeño.

BRICKS CORNER

1465 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-953-0636. brickscornerslc.com

Bricks is the sole purveyor of Detroit-style pizza in Salt Lake City, baked in a steel pan and smothered in cheese, some might think it resembles a lasagna more than a pizza. You’ll want to come hungry.

CAFÉ TRIO

680 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-533-8746. triodiningslc.com Pizzas from the wood-fired brick oven are won derful. One of the city’s premier and perennial lunch spots. Be sure to check out their weekly specials.

CAFFÉ MOLISE & BTG WINE BAR

404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-364-8833. caffemolise.com

The old Eagle building is a gorgeous setting for this city fave, with outdoor dining space and much more. Sibling wine bar BTG is under the same roof. Call for hours.

CAPUTO’S MARKET & DELI

314 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-531-8669; 1516 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-6615; 4670 Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-272-0821. caputos.com

A great selection of olive oils, imported pastas, salamis and house-aged cheeses, and the larg est selections of fine chocolate in the country. The deli menu doesn’t reflect the market, but is a reliable source for meatball sandwiches and such.

CARMINE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

2477 Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-948-4468. carmines.restaurant

Carmine’s has a robust menu of Italian classics, including housemade pasta, Neapolitan pizza and a wine list expansive enough for pictureperfect pairings.

CUCINA TOSCANA

282 S. 300 West., SLC, 801-328-3463. toscanaslc.com

This longtime favorite turns out Italian classics like veal scaloppine, carbonara and a risotto of the day in a chic setting. A tiny cup of compli mentary hot chocolate ends the meal.

ESTE PIZZA

2148 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-485-3699; 156 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-363-2366. estepizzaco.com

Try the “pink” pizza, topped with ricotta and marinara. Vegan cheese is available, and there’s microbrew on tap.

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, 385-270-5606. osteriaamore.com

An offshoot of the ever-growing Sicilia Mia group, the food here is not highly original —ex pect 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 chef-owned, red sauce Italian spot catering to its neighborhood. Expect casual, your-hands-on service, hope they have enough glasses to accommodate the wine you bring, and order the spinach ravioli.

THE PIE PIZZERIA

1320 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-582-5700; 3321 S. 200 East, South Salt Lake, 801-466-5100; 7186 Union Park Ave, Midvale, 801-233-1999; 10627 Redwood Rd., South Jordan, 801-495-4095. thepie.com

Students can live, think and even thrive on a diet of pizza, beer and soft drinks, and The Pie is the quintessential college pizzeria. While the original is a University neighborhood instituion, more locations have popped up around the valley to serve more than just the collegiate crowd.

PIZZERIA LIMONE

613 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-953-0200; 1380 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-733-9305; 11464 S. Park way Plaza Dr., Ste. 100, South Jordan, 801-495-4467; 42 W. 11400 South, Sandy, 801-666-8707. pizzerialimone.com

The signature pie at this local chain features thinly sliced lemons. Service is cafeteria-style, meaning fast, and the pizza, salads and gelato are remarkably good.

PIZZA NONO

925 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-702-3580. pizzanono-slc.com

Small, kick-started pizzeria in 9th and 9th neighborhood has a limited but carefully sourced menu, a small but good list of wine and beer and an overflowing feeling of hospitality.

SALT LAKE PIZZA & PASTA

1063 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-484-1804. saltlakepizzaandpasta.com

And sandwiches and burgers and steak and fish. The menu here has expanded far beyond its name.

SETTEBELLO PIZZERIA

260 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-322-3556. settebello.net

Every Neapolitan-style pie here is handshaped by a pizza artisan and baked in a wood-fired oven. And they make great gelato right next door.

SICILIA MIA

4536 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-274-0223; 895 W. East Promontory, Farmington, 385-988-3727. siciliamiautah.com

A family-run restaurant with a huge number of fans who love the food’s hearty and approach able style, friendly service and touches of show biz—famous for its pasta carbonara, prepared in a wheel of Parmesan. The third in a trio of family-owned restaurants. They all recall Ital ian food of yesteryear.

SIRAGUSA’S TASTE OF ITALY

4115 Redwood Rd., Taylorsville, 801-268-1520. siragusas.com

Another strip mall mom-and-pop find, the two dishes to look out for are sweet potato gnocchi and osso buco made with pork.

STANZA

454 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-746-4441. stanzaslc.com

Chef Jonathon LeBlanc, brings a happy flair to this Italianesque restaurant. And Amber Bill ingsley is making the desserts. Va tutto bene!

STONEGROUND ITALIAN KITCHEN

249 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-364-1368. stonegrounditalian.com

The longtime pizza joint has blossomed into a full-scale Italian restaurant with chef Justin Shifflet in the kitchen making authentic sauces and fresh pasta. An appealing upstairs deck and a full craft bar complete the successful transfor mation. Oh yeah, they still serve pizza.

TUSCANY

2832 E. 6200 South, SLC, 801-277-9919. tuscanyslc.com

This restaurant’s faux-Tuscan kitsch is mellow ing into retro charm, though the glass chande lier is a bit nerve-wracking. The double-cut pork chop is classic, and so is the chocolate cake.

VALTER’S OSTERIA

173 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-521-4563. valtersosteria.com

Valter Nassi’s restaurant overflows with his effervescent personality. The dining room is set up so Valter can be everywhere at once. Old favorites include a number of tableside dishes.

VENETO RISTORANTE

370 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-359-0708. venetoslc.com

This small place, owned by Marco and Amy Stevanoni, strives to focus on one of the many regional cuisines we lump under the word “Italian.” Hence the name; and forget what you think you know about Italian food except the word “delizioso.”

Japanese

KAZE

65. E. Broadway, SLC, 801-800-6768. kazesushiut.com

Small and stylish, Kaze has plenty to offer besides absolutely fresh fish and inventive combinations. Food is beautifully presented and especially for a small place the variety is impres sive. A sake menu is taking shape and Kaze is open until midnight.

KOBE JAPANESE RESTAURANT

3947 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-277-2928. kobeslc.com

This is Mike’s place—Mike Fukumitsu, once at Kyoto, is the personality behind the sushi bar and the driving spirit in the restaurant. Perfect ly fresh fish keeps a horde of regulars returning.

KYOTO

1080 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-487-3525. kyotoslc.com

The service is friendly, the sushi is fresh, the tempura is amazingly light, and the prices are reasonable. Servings are occidentally large, and service is impeccable.

NOHM

165 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-917-3812. nohmslc.com

A genius Japanese and Korean restaurant specializing in robata and sushi. Chef-owner David Chon is more daring with his menu than most—this is a place for exploring. If you see something you’ve never tasted before, taste it here. Servers are happy to help.

of FAME HALL TAKASHI 18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595. takashisushi.com

Takashi Gibo earned his acclaim by buying the freshest fish and serving it in politely eye-pop ping style. Check the chalkboard for specials like Thai mackerel, fatty tuna or spot prawns, and expect some of the best sushi in the city.

TOSH’S RAMEN

1465 S. State St., SLC, 801-466-7000. 1963 E., Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay.

Chef Tosh Sekikawa is our own ramen ranger. His long-simmered noodle-laden broths have a deservedly devoted following—meaning, go early. Now with a second location.

TSUNAMI

1059 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-900-0288; 7628 S. Union Park Ave., Midvale, 801-676-6466; 10722 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-748-1178; 1616 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801-770-0088. tsunamiutah.com

Besides sushi, the menu offers crispy-light tem pura and numerous house cocktails and sake.

YOKO RAMEN

473 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-876-5267. yokoslc.com

More ramen! Utahns can’t seem to slurp enough of the big Japanese soup—Yoko serves it up for carnivores and vegans, plus offers some kinkier stuff like a Japanese Cubano sandwich and vari ous pig parts.

Mediterranean & Middle Eastern

CAFÉ MED

420 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-493-0100. medslc.com

Get the mezzes platter for some of the best falafel in town. Entrees range from pita sand wiches to gargantuan dinner platters of braised shortribs, roast chicken and pasta.

LAYLA

4751 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, 801-272-9111. laylagrill.com

Layla relies on family recipes. The resulting standards, like hummus and kebabs, are great, but explore some of the more unusual dishes, too.

LAZIZ KITCHEN

912 S. Jefferson St., SLC, 801-441-1228. lazizkitchen.com

There are so many reasons to love Laziz Kitch en. Some are obvious—their top-notch Leba nese-style hummus, muhammara and toum.

of FAME HALL MAZZA

1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259. mazzacafe.com

Excellent. With the bright flavor that is the hallmark of Middle Eastern food and a great range of dishes, Mazza has been a go-to for fine Lebanese food in SLC before there was much fine food at all.

MANOLI’S

402 E. 900 South, Ste. 2, SLC, 801-532-3760. manolison9th.com

Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have created a fresh modern approach to Greek food. Styl ish small plates full of Greek flavors include Butternut-squash-filled tyropita, smoked feta in piquillo peppers and a stellar roast chicken.

PADELI’S

30 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-322-1111. padelisstreetgreek.com

One of Salt Lake’s original Greek restaurants, Greek Souvlaki, has opened a contemporary version of itself. Padeli’s also serves the classic street fare, but these excellent souvlaki come in a streamlined space modeled after Chipotle, Zao and other fast-but-not-fast-food stops. The perfect downtown lunch.

SPITZ DONER KEBAB

35 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-364-0286. spitz-restaurant.com

This California transplant specializes in what Utahns mostly know by their Greek name “gy ros.” But that’s not the only attraction. Besides the food, Spitz has an energetic hipster vibe and a liquor license that make it an after-dark destination.

Mexican BARRIO

282 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-613-2251. barrioslc.com

A slick new taco bar with a slightly punk Mexi can theme, Barrio offers the usual selection of tacos—everyone’s favorite food, outdoor seating on nice days, margaritas, beer and a selection of serve yourself salsas.

BLUE IGUANA

165 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-533-8900. blueiguanarestaurant.net

This colorful downtown restaurant has a charming downstairs location and patio, and has been a Salt Lake staple for decades. Enchi ladas, tacos, and “jengo” nachos—piled high on a platter—are all good, as are the margaritas. A nifty addition: phone chargers on every table.

CHILE TEPIN

307 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-883-9255. chile-tepin.com

Popular for its generous servings of Mexican food, this place usually has a line on Friday

nights. Heavy on the protein—the molcajete holds beef, pork and chicken—but cheese en chiladas and margaritas and other staples are good, too.

CHUNGA’S

180 S. 900 West, SLC, 801-953-1840; 1895 S. Redwood Rd., SLC, 801-973-6904. chungasmexican.com

These tacos al pastor are the real deal. Carved from a big pineapple-marinated hunk, the meat is folded in delicate masa tortillas with chopped pineapple, onion and cilantro.

LONE STAR TAQUERIA

2265 E. Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-944-2300. lstaq.com

Lone Star serves a burrito that’s a meal in itself, whether you choose basic bean and cheese or a special.

of FAME HALL RED IGUANA

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, 801-331-8033. 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 res taurant 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 high-style, 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 beer scapes, 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 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 pine apple.

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 plea sure to get the bill.

MY THAI

1425 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-505-4999. 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.

PHO TAY HO

1766 S. Main St., SLC, 385-240-0309. photayho.com

One of the best Pho joints around is an unas suming house on the southside of Salt Lake City. The family-owned-and-operated noodle house keeps their menu small but full of flavor.

PHO THIN

2121 S. McClelland St., SLC, 801-485-2323. 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.

PLEIKU

264 S. Main St., SLC, 801-359-4544. pleikuslc.com

This stylish downtown spot serves a selec tion 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.

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.

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 subtle ties of difference achieved with a limited list of ingredients.

SKEWERED THAI

575 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-364-1144. 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, 801-355-8899. 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, 801-328-4401. kruathaiut.com

Curries and noodle dishes hit a precise proces sion 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, 801-467-4113; 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.

Steak

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.

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.

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.

SPENCER’S

255 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-238-4748. spencersslc.com

The quality of the meat and the accuracy of the cooking are what make it great. Beef is aged on the bone, and many cuts are served on the bone—a luxurious change from the usual cuts.

Vegetarian & Vegan RAWTOPIA

3961 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-486-0332. rawtopia.com

Owner Omar Abou-Ismail’s Rawtopia is a des tination for those seeking clean, healthy food in Salt Lake—whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore. Desserts are amazingly indulgent— like chocolate caramel pie and berry cheesecake.

VERTICAL DINER

234 W. 900 South, SLC, 801- 484-8378. verticaldiner.com

Vertical Diner boasts an animal-free menu of burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts. Plus or ganic wines and coffees.

ZEST KITCHEN & BAR

275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com

Zest has sophisticated vegan cooking plus a cheerful attitude and ambience fueled by cre ative cocktails. Pulling flavors from many cu linary traditions, the menu offers Cuban tacos, Thai curry with forbidden rice, stuffed poblano peppers as well as bar noshes and an amazing chocolate-beet torte—all vegan. The menu changes frequently. This is a 21+ establishment.

PARK CITY & THE WASATCH BACK

American Fine Dining

APEX

9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435-604-1402. montagehotels.com/deervalley

Apex at Montage exudes luxury in an understat ed and comfortable way. No need to tux up for pampered service; the classy lack of pretension extends to the menu—no unpronounceables, nothing scary or even too daring—just top-ofthe-line everything. Quality speaks for itself.

350 MAIN

350 Main St., Park City, 435-649-3140. 350main.com

Now run by Cortney Johanson who has worked at the restaurant for 20 years, this mainstay cafe on Main Street is seeing another high point. With Chef Matthew Safranek in the kitchen, the menu is a balanced mix of old favorites and soon-to-be favorites like Five Spice Venison Loin in Pho. Amazing.

FIREWOOD

306 Main St., Park City, 435-252-9900. firewoodonmain.com

Chef John Murcko’s place on Main Street is all about cooking with fire—his massive Inferno kitchen grill by Grillworks runs on oak, cherry and applewood, depending on what’s cooking. But each dish is layered and nuanced, with global influences. Definitely a star on Main Street.

GLITRETIND

7700 Stein Way, Deer Valley, Park City, 435-645-6455. steinlodge.com

The service is polished, and the menu is as fun or as refined or as inventive as Chef Zane Holmquist’s mood. The appeal resonates with the jet set and local diners. The wine list is exceptional. But so is the burger.

GOLDENER HIRSCH

7520 Royal St., Park City, 435-655-2563. aubergeresorts.com/goldenerhirsch

A jazzed up Alpine theme—elk carpaccio with pickled shallots, foie gras with cherry-prune compote and wiener schnitzel with carawayspiked carrot strings.

MARIPOSA AT DEER VALLEY

7600 Royal St., Park City, 435-645-6632. deervalley.com

(Open seasonally) Try the tasting menu for an overview of the kitchen’s talent. It’s white tablecloth, but nothing is formal.

MUSTANG

890 Main St., Park City, 435-658-3975. mustangparkcity.com

A duck chile relleno arrives in a maelstrom of queso and ranchero sauce. Braised lamb shank and lobster with cheese enchiladas share the menu with seasonal entrees.

RIME SEAFOOD & STEAK

2300 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, St. Regis, Deer Valley, 435-940-5760. srdvdining.com. Acclaimed Chef Matthew Harris heads the kitchen at this simply brilliant restaurant at the St. Regis—meticulously sourced meat and sea food from his trusted vendors, perfectly cooked.

ROYAL STREET CAFÉ

7600 Royal St., Silver Lake Village, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, 435-615-6240. deervalley.com

(Open seasonally) Don’t miss the lobster chow der, but note the novelties, too. In a new take on the classic lettuce wedge salad, Royal Street’s version adds baby beets, glazed walnuts and pear tomatoes.

VIKING YURT

1345 Lowell Ave., Park City, Park City Mountain Resort, 435-615-9878. thevikingyurt.com

Arrive by sleigh and settle in for a luxurious five-course meal, featuring a healthy introduc tion to the nordic beverage aquavit. Reserva tions and punctuality a must.

American Casual

BLIND DOG GRILL

1251 Kearns Blvd., Park City, 435-655-0800. blinddogpc.com

The kitchen offers imaginative selections even though the dark wood and cozy ambience look like an old gentlemen’s club. Don’t miss the Dreamloaf, served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

THE BLUE BOAR INN

1235 Warm Springs Rd., Midway, 435-654-1400. theblueboarinn.com

The restaurant is reminiscent of the Alps, but serves fine American cuisine. Don’t miss the award-winning brunch.

THE BRASS TAG

2900 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, 435-615-2410. deervalley.com

In the Lodges at Deer Valley, the focal point here is a wood oven which turns out everything from pizza to fish and chops, all of the superior quality one expects from Deer Valley. Open seasonally.

EATING ESTABLISHMENT

317 Main St., Park City, 435-649-8284. theeatingestablishment.net

Claiming to be the oldest, this restaurant is one of Park City’s most versatile. On weekend mornings, locals line up for breakfasts.

FLETCHER’S ON MAIN STREET

562 Main St., Park City, 435-649-1111. fletcherspc.com

Fletcher’s has a casual approach designed to suit any appetite, almost any time. Talented Chef Scott Boborek’s carefully sourced dishes range from burgers to Beef Wellington—with lobster mac and Utah trout.

HANDLE

136 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-602-1155. handleparkcity.com

Chef-owner Briar Handly offers a menu, mostly of small plates, with the emphasis on excel lent sourcing—trout sausage and Beltex Meats prosciutto, for example. There are also fullmeal plates, including the chef’s famous fried chicken.

HEARTH AND HILL

1153 Center Dr., (Newpark), Park City, 435-200-8840. hearth-hill.com

This all-purposse cafe serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, focusing on bright, approach able American dishes with a kick.

HIGH WEST DISTILLERY

703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com

Order a flight of whiskey and taste the differ ence aging makes, but be sure to order plenty of food to see how magically the whiskey matches the fare. The chef takes the amber current theme throughout the food.

SAMMY’S BISTRO

1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-214-7570. sammysbistro.com

Down-to-earth food in a comfortable setting. Sounds simple, but if so, why aren’t there more Sammy’s in our world? Try the bacon-grilled shrimp or a chicken bowl with your brew.

SILVER STAR CAFE

1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456. thesilverstarcafe.com

Comfort food with an upscale sensibility and original touches, like shrimp and grits with chipotle or Niman Ranch pork cutlets with spaetzle. The location is spectacular.

SIMON’S AT HOMESTEAD RESORT

700 N. Homestead Dr., Midway, 800-327-7220. homesteadresort.com

Simon’s boasts a robust menu of smoked meats, wood-fired pizza and local craft beer, while the Milk House offers both classic and unexpected flavors of ice cream, coffee and treats.

SPIN CAFÉ

220 N. Main St., Heber City, 435-654-0251. spincafe.net

Housemade gelato is the big star at this familyowned café, but the food is worth your time. Try the pulled pork, the salmon BLT or the sirloin.

ZERMATT RESORT

784 W. Resort Dr., Midway, 435-657-0180. zermattresort.com

The charming, Swiss-inspired resort hosts both the high-end, but straight-forward, Z’s Steak & Chop Haus and the less formal Wildfire Smoke haus, home to smoked meats and draft beer.

Bakeries & Cafés

PARK CITY COFFEE ROASTERS

1764 Uinta Way, Park City, 435-647-9097. pcroaster.com

The town’s fave house-roasted coffee and house made pastries make this one of the best energy stops in town.

WASATCH BAGEL CAFÉ

1300 Snow Creek Dr., Park City, 435-645-7778. wasatchbagelandgrill.com

Not just bagels, but bagels as buns, enfolding a sustaining layering of sandwich fillings like egg and bacon.

WINDY RIDGE BAKERY & CAFÉ

1750 Iron Horse Dr., Park City, 435-647-2906. windyridgebakery.com

One of Park City’s most popular noshing spots—especially on Taco Tuesdays. The bakery behind turns out desserts and pastries for Bill White’s restaurants as well as take-home entrees.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

BURGERS & BOURBON

9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435-604-1402. montagehotels.com/deervalley

Housed in the luxurious Montage, this casual restaurant presents the most deluxe versions of America’s favorite foods. The burgers are stu pendous, there’s a great list of bourbons to back them, and the milkshakes are majorly good.

RED ROCK JUNCTION

1640 W. Redstone Center Dr., Ste. 105, Park City, 435-575-0295. redrockbrewing.com

The house-brewed beers—honey wheat, amber ale or oatmeal stout, to name a few—comple ment a menu of burgers, brick-oven pizzas and rotisserie chicken.

SQUATTERS ROADHOUSE

1900 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-9868. squatters.com Everyone loves the bourbon burger, and Utah Brewers Co-op brews are available by the bottle and on the state-of-the-art tap system. Open for breakfast daily.

WASATCH BREWERY 250 Main St., Park City, 435-649-0900. saltlakebrewingco.com

This was the first brewpub in Utah, and it serves handcrafted beer and family-friendly fare without a hefty price tag. Everyone loves Polygamy Porter, and the weekend brunch is great, too.

Breakfast

DEER VALLEY GROCERY & CAFE

1375 Deer Valley Dr., Park City, 435-615-2400. deervalley.com

The small lakeside spot serves sandwiches and lunch specials, plus it’s a great place to stock up on deer Valley classics to take home—think classic Deer Valley turkey chili.

WOODLAND BISCUIT COMPANY

2734 E. State Hwy. 35, Woodland, 435- 783-4202. woodlandbiscuitcompany.com

Breakfast is the real deal here so pile on the bacon and eggs but if you sleep late, not to worry—burgers, sandwiches and tacos are good too.

Located between Resorts and the Airport

Continental & European

CAFÉ TERIGO

424 Main St., Park City, 435-645-9555. cafeterigo.com

This charming café is the spot for a leisurely meal. Chicken and bacon tossed with mixed greens and grilled veggies on focaccia are café-goers’ favorites.

COURCHEVEL BISTRO

201 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-572-4398. courchevelbistro.com

Named after Park City’s sister city in the Savoie region of France, which happens to be the home turf of Chef Clement Gelas and is he having some fun with his mother cuisine. Be guided by him or your server and try some French food like you haven’t had before.

Italian & Pizza

FUEGO

2001 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, 435- 645-8646. fuegopizzeria.com

Off the beaten Main Street track, this pizzeria is a family-friendly solution to a ski-hungry eve ning. Pastas, paninis and wood-fired pizzas are edgy, but they’re good.

GHIDOTTI’S

6030 N. Market St., Park City, 435-658-0669. ghidottis.com

Ghidotti’s evokes Little Italy more than Italy, and the food follows suit—think spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and rigatoni Bolognese. Try the chicken soup.

GRAPPA

151 Main St., Park City, 435-645-0636. grapparestaurant.com

Dishes like osso buco and grape salad with gorgonzola, roasted walnuts and Champagne vinaigrette are sensational, and the wine list features hard-to-find Italian wines as well as flights, including sparkling.

Japanese/Pan-Asian

SUSHI BLUE

1571 W. Redstone Center Dr. Ste. 140, Park City, 435-575-4272. sushiblueparkcity.com

Find the yin and yang of Asian-American flavors in Bill White’s sushi, excellent Korean tacos, crab sliders and other Amer-Asian food fusions, including the best hot dog in the state, topped with bacon and house-made kimchi.

YUKI YAMA SUSHI

586 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6293. yukiyamasushi.com

Located in the heart of Old Town Park City, Yuki Yama offers both traditional japanese dish es and more modern plates. It’s all guided by the steady hands of Executive Chef Kirk Terashima.

Mediterranean REEF’S

7720 Royal St. East, Park City, 435-658-0323. reefsrestaurant.com

Lamb chops are tender, falafel is crunchy, and the prices fall between fast food and fine dining. It’s a den of home cooking, if your home is east of the Mediterranean. Open seasonally.

Mexican & Southwestern BAJA CANTINA

1355 Lowell Ave., Park City, 435-649-2252. bajaparkcity.com

The T.J. Taxi is a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, cheddarjack cheese and guacamole.

BILLY BLANCO’S

8208 Gorgoza Pines Rd., Park City, 435-575-0846. billyblancos.com

Motor City Mexican. The subtitle is “burger and taco garage,” but garage is the notable word. This is a theme restaurant with lots of cars and motorcycles on display, oil cans to hold the flat ware, and a 50-seat bar made out of toolboxes. If you’ve ever dreamed of eating in a garage, you’ll be thrilled.

CHIMAYO

368 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6222. chimayorestaurant.com

Bill White’s prettiest place, this restaurant is reminiscent of Santa Fe, but the food is pure Park City. Margaritas are good, and the avoca do-shrimp appetizer combines guacamole and ceviche flavors in a genius dish.

EL CHUBASCO

1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-645-9114. elchubascoparkcity.com

Regulars storm this restaurant for south-of-theborder eats. Burritos fly through the kitchen like chiles too hot to handle—proving consis tency matters.

TARAHUMARA

1300 Snow Creek Dr., Ste. P, Park City, 435-645-6005. tarahumararestaurant.com

Some of the best Mexican food in the state can be found in this Park City cafe. Don’t be fooled by the bland exterior; inside you’ll find a fullfledged cantina and an adjoining family restau rant with a soulful salsa bar.

Seafood

FRESHIE’S LOBSTER CO.

1915 Prospector Ave., Park City, 435-631-9861. freshieslobsterco.com

After years as everyone’s favorite summer food stop at Park Silly Market, Freshie’s has settled into a permanent location selling their shore-todoor lobster rolls all year round.

RIME SEAFOOD & RAW BAR

9850 Summit View Dr., Park City. rimerawbar.com

Such a hit on the slopes that Chef Matt Harris took the concept inside and Rime is an anchor restaurant inside the St. Regis, Open Thurs-Sun.

Southeast Asian SHABU

442 Main St., Park City, 435-645-7253. shabuparkcity.com

Cool new digs, friendly service and fun food make Shabu one of PC’s most popular spots. Make reservations. A stylish bar with prizewinning mixologists adds to the freestyle feel.

KUCHU SHABU HOUSE

3270 N. Sundial Ct., Park City, 435-649-0088. kuchushabu.com

The second shabu-style eatery in PC is less grand than the first but offers max flavor from quality ingredients.

Steak

BUTCHER’S CHOP HOUSE & BAR

751 Lower Main St., Park City, 435-647-0040. butcherschophouse.com

The draws are prime rib, New York strip and pork chops—and the ladies’ night specials in the popular bar downstairs.

GRUB STEAK

2093 Sidewinder Dr., Prospector Square, Park City, 435649-8060. grubsteakparkcity.com

Live country music, fresh salmon, lamb and chicken, and a mammoth salad bar. Order bread pudding whether you think you want it or not. You will.

EDGE STEAKHOUSE

3000 Canyon Resort Dr., Park City, 435-655-2260. westgateresorts.com

This beautifully fills the beef bill at the huge resort, and the tasting menus take you through salad, steak and dessert for $45 to $60, depend ing on options.

NORTH SALT LAKE & BEYOND

American Fine Dining

THE HUNTINGTON ROOM AT EARL’S LODGE

3925 E. Snowbasin Rd., Huntsville, 888-437-5488. snowbasin.com

Ski-day sustenance and fireside dinner for the après-ski set. In summer, dine at the top of the mountain.

American Casual HEARTH ON 25

195 Historic 25th St. Ste. 6 (2nd Floor), Ogden, 801-399-0088. hearth25.com

The charming upstairs dining room is a great setting for some of the best and most imagina tive food in Ogden. Handmade hearth bread, espresso-rubbed yak, killer stroganoff—too many options to mention here—this is really a destination restaurant.

PIG & A JELLY JAR

227 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-8400. pigandajellyjar.com

The same great made-from-scratch Southern comfort food as the original, now in Ogden. A popular brunch spot open seven days a week.

PRAIRIE SCHOONER

445 Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-392-2712. prairieschoonerrestaurant.com

Tables are covered wagons around a diorama featuring coyotes, cougars and cowboys—corny, but fun. The menu is standard, but kids love it.

TABLE 25

195 25th St., Ste. 4, Ogden, 385-244-1825. table25ogden.com

A bright, contemporary space in Downtown Ogden has a patio right on Historic 25th Street. The elevated yet approachable menu includes Spanish mussels and frites, ahi tuna and a clas sic cheeseburger.

UNION GRILL

315 24th St., Ogden, 801-621-2830. uniongrillogden.com

The cross-over cooking offers sandwiches, sea food and pastas with American, Greek, Italian or Mexican spices.

WB’S EATERY

455 25th Street, Ogden, 385-244-1471. wbseatery.com

Part restaurant, part bar, part coffeehouse, WB’s Eatery is located inside The Monarch, a hip maker and market space for artists. A hybrid space as well, the eatery sells CBD oil, as well as serving up cocktails, bites and boards of meat and cheese.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

THE BEEHIVE PUB & GRILL

255 S. Main St., Logan, 435-753-2600. thebeehivegrill.com

An indirect offshoot of Moab Brewery, the Grill focuses as much on house-brewed root beer as alcoholic suds, but the generally hefty food suits either.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis

CAFFE IBIS

52 Federal Ave., Logan, 435-753-4777. caffeibis.com

Exchange news, enjoy sandwiches and salads and linger over a cuppa conscientiously grown coffee.

MADDOX RANCH HOUSE

1900 S. Highway 89, Perry, 435-723-8545. maddoxfinefood.com

Angus beef steaks, bison chicken-fried steak and burgers have made this an institution for more than 50 years. Eat in, drive up or take home.

Chinese MANDARIN

348 E. 900 North, Bountiful, 801-298-2406. mandarinutah.com

The rooms are filled with red and gold dragons. Chefs recruited from San Francisco crank out a huge menu. Desserts are noteworthy. Call ahead.

Italian & Pizza

SLACKWATER PIZZA

209 24th St., Ogden, 801-399-0637. slackwaterpizzeria.com

The pies here are as good as any food in Ogden. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s a good selection of wine and beer.

ROVALI’S RISTORANTE

174 E. 25th St., Ogden, 801-394-1070. rovalis.com

This friendly family-owned place on Ogden’s main drag serves hearty Italian fare and housemade pastry, plus a creative bar menu and live music.

Japanese

RAMEN HAUS

2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-393-0000. ramenhausogden.com

Sergei Oveson’s experience with ramen master Tosh and Shani Oveson’s at Naked Fish shows all over their restaurant in Ogden. Simple but stylish sums the space and terrific is the only word for the ramen. Do not leave without order ing the honey toast even if you think you don’t want dessert.

TONA SUSHI

210 25th St., Ogden, 801-622-8662. tonarestaurant.com

The charming old space on Ogden’s main drag houses a meticulously top-notch sushi restaurant. Owner Tony Chen grows herbs and sprouts in the basement and the plates he presents show an artist’s touch. Ask about the secret menu.

Mexican SONORA GRILL

2310 Kiesel Ave., Ogden, 801-393-1999. thesonoragrill.com

A big, beautiful Mexican restaurant, the kind you see in Texas or New Mexico, Sonora serves

great chips and salsa, a famous margarita, several kinds of ceviche and all the dishes you love as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Southeast Asian

THAI CURRY KITCHEN

582 25th St., Ogden, 385-333-7100. thaicurrykitchen.com

Chic and sleek counter service offering bright from-scratch curries and salads plus locally made kombucha.

PROVO & CENTRAL UTAH

American Fine Dining

COMMUNAL

102 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-8000. communalrestaurant.com

Food is focused on the familiar with chef’s flair—like braised pork shoulder crusted in panko. Attention to detail makes this one of Utah’s best.

THE TREE ROOM

8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance Resort, Sun dance, 866-627-8313. sundanceresort.com Sundance Resort’s flagship is known for its seasonal, straightforward menu and memorable decor, including Robert Redford’s kachina col lection. Try the wild game—spice-rubbed quail and buffalo tenderloin.

American Casual

CHOM BURGER

45 W. 300 North, Provo, 385-241-7499. chomburger.com

Colton Soelberg’s (Communal, etc.) low-key high-end burger place has an eye towards in fusing high-quality ingredients into America’s favorite sandwich. Inexpensive, innovative and delicious burgers and shakes, as we have come to expect from Soelberg who has a knack for elevating comfort food.

THE FOUNDRY GRILL

8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance Resort, Sundance, 866-932-2295. sundanceresort.com

The café in Sundance Resort serves comfort food with western style—sandwiches, spit-roasted chickens and steaks. Sunday brunch is a mam moth buffet.

STATION 22

22 W. Center St., Provo, 801-607-1803. station22cafe.com

Ever-hipper Provo is home to some cutting-edge food now that the cutting edge has a folksy, musi cal saw kind of style. Station 22 is a perfect exam ple of the Utah roots trend—a charming, funky interior, a great soundtrack and a menu with a slight Southern twang. Try the fried chicken sandwich with red cabbage on ciabatta.

Indian

BOMBAY HOUSE

463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., West Jordan, 801-282-0777; 2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC, 801-581-0222. bombayhouse.com

Salt Lake’s biryani mainstay has several sister res taurants worthy to call family.

Italian

MÀSTRA ITALIAN BAKERY AND BISTRO

476 N. 900 West, Ste. D, American Fork, 385-221-9786. mastraorders.com

Màstra is owned by a born-and-raised Italian who serves up authentic, but not snobbish, Italian food. The carbonara is the crowd favorite.

PIZZERIA 712

320 S. State St., Ste. 185, Orem, 801-623-6712. pizzeria712.com

The pizza menu reaches heights of quality that fancier restaurants only fantasize about. Not only are the blister-crusted pizzas the epitome of their genre, but braised short ribs, local mushrooms and arugula on ciabatta are equally stellar.

Vegetarian

GINGER’S GARDEN CAFE

188. S. Main St., Springville, 801-489-1863. gingersgardencafe.com

Tucked inside Dr. Christopher’s Herb Shop, Gin ger’s serves truly garden-fresh, bright-flavored, mostly vegetarian dishes.

MOAB & SOUTHEAST UTAH American Dining

HELL’S BACKBONE GRILL

20 N. Highway 12, Boulder, 435-335-7464. hellsbackbonegrill.com

Owners Blake Spalding and Jen Castle set the bar for local, organic food in Utah. Now the cafe has gained national fame. They garden, forage, raise chickens and bees, and offer breakfasts, dinners and even picnic lunches.

SUNGLOW FAMILY RESTAURANT

91 E. Main St., Bicknell, 435-425-3821.

This pit stop is famous for its pinto bean and pickle pies. Yes, we said pickle.

Mediterranean IL POSTO ROSSO

AT THE RADCLIFFE MOAB

477 S. Main St., Moab, 435-355-1085. radcliffemoab.com/dining

Il Posto Rosso has a modern, Mediterraneaninspired menu with protein and other ingre dients sourced from a variety of local farms, gardens and ranches.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

MOAB BREWERY

686 Main St., Moab, 435-259-6333. themoabbrewery.com

A beloved watering hole for river-runners, slick-rock bikers, red-rock hikers and everyone who needs a bite and a beer, which is nearly everyone in Moab. All beer is brewed on site.

ST. GEORGE & SOUTHWEST UTAH American Fine Dining

KING’S LANDING

1515 Zion Park Blvd., Ste. 50-A, Springdale, 435-772-7422. klbzion.com

In the Driftwood Inn, some of the finest food and the finest view in Utah. The kitchen is ambitious—seasonal, vegan, gluten-free are all covered. Mushroom tart involves mushrooms, caramelized onions, butternut squash and grapes with burrata and basil, but the flavors meld into harmony.

PAINTED PONY

2 W. St. George Blvd., Ste. 22, St. George, 435-634-1700. painted-pony.com

The kitchen blends culinary trends with stan dards like sage-smoked quail on mushroom risotto. Even “surf and turf” has a twist—ten derloin tataki with chile-dusted scallops.

SPOTTED DOG CAFÉ

428 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0700. flanigans.com/dining

Relax, have some vino and enjoy your achiotebraised lamb shank with mint mashed pota toes on top of rosemary spaghetti squash.

VERMILLION 45

210 S. 100 East, Kanab, 435-644-3300. vermillion45.com

Who would expect a fine restaurant with a French chef in Kanab. But here it is, and it’s excellent.

American Casual

MOM’S CAFÉ

10 E. Main St., Salina, 435-529-3921. famousmomscafe.business.site

Mom’s has fed travelers on blue plate standards since 1928. This is the place to try a Utah “scone” with “honey butter.”

OSCAR’S CAFÉ

948 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-3232. oscarscafe.com

Blueberry pancakes, fresh eggs, crisp potatoes and thick bacon. We love breakfast, though Oscar’s serves equally satisfying meals at other times of day.

PEEKABOO CANYON WOOD FIRED KITCHEN

233 W. Center St., Kanab, 435- 689-1959. peekabookitchen.com

Complementing Best Friends Animal Sanctu ary, this casual eatery serves vegetarian cui sine—artisanal pizza, local beer, craft cocktails and a rocking patio.

RED ROCK GRILL AT ZION LODGE

Zion National Park, 435-772-7700. zionlodge.com

Try eating here on the terrace. Enjoy meltingpot American dishes like smoked trout salad with prickly pear vinaigrette. And you can’t beat the red rock ambience.

WHIPTAIL GRILL

445 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0283. whiptailgrillzion.com

Tucked into an erstwhile gas station, the kitchen is little, but the flavors are big—a goat cheese-stuffed chile relleno crusted in Panko and the chocolate-chile creme brulee.

XETAVA GARDENS CAFÉ

815 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins, 435-656-0165. xetava.com Blue corn pancakes for breakfast and lunch are good bets. But to truly experience Xetava, dine under the stars in eco-conscious Kayenta.

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21 & OVER BARS

Forget about navigating the state’s labyrinth of liquor laws—the more than 20 bars and pubs listed here prioritize putting a drink in your hand, although most of them serve good food, too. Restricted to 21 and over. (Be prepared to show your I.D., whatever your age. This is Utah, after all.)

All bars listed in the Salt Lake Bar Fly have been vetted and chosen based on quality of beverage, food, atmosphere and service.

This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine.

Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

BAR FLY

THE BARS OF EDISON STREET (BUT FIRST, SOME HISTORY)

BY JEREMY PUGH AND AVREY EVANS

THE ALLEYWAY STREET connecting 200 South and 300 South in downtown SLC, was originally named Franklin Avenue. According to the blogger Rachel Quist (Rachel’s SLC History, slchistory.org), when Franklin Avenue was in its heyday (the late 1880s and 1890s) it was home to the majority of African Americans in SLC. Franklin Avenue was considered a tenderloin district like the other mid-block alleys in the area, Commercial Street and Plum Alley. There were brothels on Franklin Avenue in the 1890s but also a multi-racial community living in boarding houses and many businesses were owned by people of color.

In 1906 city leaders changed the name of Franklin Avenue to Edison Street and now the street is once again undergoing a revitalization with a slew of newly opened bars anchored by the original bar Ryan Lowder’s Copper Common on the southern end. Here’s your guide to Edison Street’s latest lightbulb moment. (See what we did there?)

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Franklin Avenue

FRANKLIN AVENUE COCKTAILS AND KITCHEN

Once hailed for its variety of theater acts and late-night extracurriculars, Franklin Avenue has been resurrected as a swanky restaurant and bar from the minds of Bourbon Group. The building’s original brick facade and speakeasy interiors convey the bar’s history, but Chef and part owner Matt Crandall’s menu is hardly stuck in the past. “The food is multicultural fusion with roots in modern American,” he says. House-made pasta, seasonal veggies and Asian-inspired dishes are served alongside a diverse cocktail menu—and a wall-to-wall selection of whiskies (this is the Bourbon Group, after all).

WHAT YOU’RE DRINKING — Glass Cage of Emotion: Laphroaig 10 yr. Scotch, Banana liqueur, Creme De Cacao and sea salt.

DON’T PASS UP Bar snack bargains: Mushroom Beignets, Kimchi Pickles and Coconut Snap Peas. franklinaveslc.com

BACK DOOR ON EDISON

One day it was Mortar & Pestle, then abracadabra! The bar space on the northern end of the street was transformed into Back Door on Edison, a new watering hole from the owners of Laziz Kitchen (which also magically replaced the connected restaurant, Curry Up Now, with a new location for Laziz). With Lebaneseinspired bar bites and a promising still-in-development cocktail menu, Backdoor is a welcome replacement for the previous occupants. Sorry, but Mortar & Pestle never really found its footing and it wasn’t helpful that the bar space smelled of curry wafting in from the restaurant.

WHAT YOU’RE DRINKING — Oaxacan Old Fashioned: Bozal Mezcal Ensamble, Casamigos Reposado Tequila, Trinity bitters, honey

DON’T PASS UP — The dip sampler features excellent renditions of baba ganoush, muhammara and the hummus that started Laziz years ago. backdoorslc.com

COPPER COMMON

The pioneer on the block began as Plum Alley and has morphed over the years into Copper Common, one of Salt Lake’s most reliable watering holes with a foodforward menu. The original inspiration for owner Ryan Lowder was Maison Premiere in Williamsburg, a high-end cocktail and oyster’s joint at the heart of hipster Brooklyn. And although oysters are still on the

AC 225 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-722-9600. ac-hotels.marriott.com

The Euro-styled hotel has a chic lobby bar and a secret menu of drinks inspired by movies filmed in Utah, like Dumb and Dumber and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

THE AERIE

9320 Cliff Lodge Dr. Ste. 88, Snowbird Resort, 801-933-2160. snowbird.com

Floor-to-ceiling windows mean drinkers can marvel at nature’s handiwork while feasting from the sushi bar. The menu is global with live music some nights.

ALIBI BAR & PLACE

369 S. Main St., SLC, 385-259-0616. alibislc.com

Located along SLC’s bar line on Main Street, Alibi has a sleek, hip vibe and is generally filled with happy hipsters, espe cially when they have theme nights.

BAR X

155 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-2287. barxslc.com

This was the vanguard of Salt Lake’s new cocktail movement, serving classic drinks and creative inventions behind the best electric sign in the city.

BEER BAR

161 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-259-0905. beerbarslc.com

Ty Burrell, star of ABC’s small-screen hit Modern Family, co-owns Beer Bar, which is right next to Bar X. It’s noisy, there’s no table service, but there are 140+ brews to choose from, plus 13 kinds of wurst.

THE BAYOU

645 S. State St., SLC, 801-961-8400. utahbayou.com

This is Beervana, with 260 bottled beers and 32 on draft. The kitchen turns out artichoke pizza and deep-fried Cornish game hens.

BEERHIVE PUB

128 S. Main St., SLC, 801-364-4268. @beerhive_pub

More than 200 beers—domestic, im ported and local—with a long ice rail to keep the brew cold, the way Americans like ’em, are the outstanding features of this cozy downtown pub.

THE BLACK SHEEP BAR & GRILL

1400 S. Foothill Drive #166, SLC, 801-877-9350; 1520 W. 9000 South Ste. C, West Jordan, 801-5662561. theblacksheepbarandgrills.com

A friendly neighborhood sports bar with a homemade American menu, 14 TVs and events almost nightly. It’s a fun place to hang with friends or cheer on your favorite team.

BTG WINE BAR

404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-359-2814. btgwinebar.com

BTG stands for “By the Glass” and though BTG serves craft cocktails, specialty beer and good food, the pièces de résistance are the more than 50 wines by the glass. Order a tasting portion or a full glass.

CAMPFIRE LOUNGE

837 E. 2100 South, 801-467-3325. campfirelounge.com

The laid-back feeling of sitting around a campfire is what the owners were aiming for, with or without flames. Campfire is a relaxed neighborhood joint with afford able drinks. And s’mores.

CASOT WINE + WORK

1508 S. 1500 East, SLC. 801-441-2873. casotwinework.com

In a town with a dearth of neighborhood bars and bars that want to be neighbor hood bars but for a lack of location in an actual neighborhood, Casot is the real deal. Located in the established 15th and 15th hood, this small wine bar is a welcome addition featuring a Spainish forward list from Pago’s Scott Evans.

COPPER COMMON

111 E. Broadway #190, SLC, 801-355-0543. coppercommon.com

Copper Common is a real bar—that means you don’t actually have to order food if you don’t want to. But on the other hand, why wouldn’t you want to? This bar has a real chef.

THE COTTON BOTTOM

2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-849-8847. thecottonbottom.com

Remember when this was a ski bum’s town? The garlic burger and a beer is what you order.

DICK N’ DIXIE’S

479 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-994-6919. @dickndixies

The classic corner beer bar where cronies of all kinds gather regularly to watch sports, talk politics and generally gossip about the city and nothing in particular.

EAST LIBERTY TAP HOUSE

850 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-441-2845. eastlibertytaphouse.com

Half a dozen beers on draft and 20 or more by the bottle, and the rotation changes constantly. The menu does clever takes on bar food classics.

EIGHT SETTLERS DISTILLERY

7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-900-4315. eightsettlersdistillery.com

The distillery is entrenched in and in spired by the history of the Cottonwood Heights area and so are the spirits. Take home a bottle from the store or stay and

enjoy a taste of the past at the themed, on-site restaurant.

FLANKER

6 N. Rio Grande, The Gateway, SLC, 801-683-7070. flankerslc.com

A little bit sports bar, a little bit nightclub and a little bit entertainment venue, with a parlor and bowling alley, private kara oke rooms and a golf simulator.

GARAGE

1199 N. Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904. garageonbeck.com

Everyone compares it to an Austin bar. Live music, good food and the rockingest patio in town. Try the Chihuahua, a chileheated riff on a margarita.

THE GIBSON LOUNGE

555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6000. grandamerica.com

Grand America’s inimitable style is trans lated into a cushy but unstuffy bar, the antithesis of the current hipster style. You can actually wear a cocktail dress to this cocktail bar.

GOOD GRAMMAR

69 E. Gallivan Ave., SLC, 385-415-5002. goodgrammar.bar

The crowds playing Jenga on the patio, the decor, full of pop celebs and heroes, and a soundtrack of eclectic old- and altrock, makes a space that bridges old and young imbibers.

GRACIE’S

326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-819-7565. graciesslc.com

Play pool, throw darts, listen to live music, kill beer and time on the patio and upstairs deck. Plus, Gracie’s is a gastropub.

GREEN PIG

31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-532-7441. thegreenpigpub.com

Green Pig is a pub of a different color. The owners use eco-friendly materials and sustainable kitchen practices. The menu star is the chili verde nachos with big pork chunks and cheese.

HIGH WEST SALOON

703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com

The bartenders at Utah’s award-winning distillery concoct different cocktail menus for every season focusing on High West’s spirits, although the bar stocks other alcohol.

ICE HAUS

7 E. 4800 South, Murray, 801-266-2127. icehausbar.com

Ice Haus has everything you need from a neighborhood bar and a purveyor of German cuisine: a wide selection of pub fare and plenty of seating in the beer-hall

menu and the cocktails are still among the highest of ends, Copper Common has continued to evolve with Lowder’s tastes. These days the bar menu is focused on hard-to-find (in Utah) aperitifs and digestives and one of the best natural wine lists in the state.

WHAT YOU’RE DRINKING — The Fourth Regiment: High West Double Rye, Carpano Antica Vermouth and three bitters—Peychaud’s, celery and orange

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL — The civilized setting and the sophisticated menu—including flown-fresh oysters and what we believe is the best bar burger in the entire world. coppercommon.com

THE CHICAGO TRUNK MURDER MYSTERY

According to SLC history blogger, Rachel Quist, on Feb. 16, 1893, a large box from Salt Lake City marked “Household Goods” arrived at an address in Chicago. The recipient refused delivery and it was sent to storage until it was sold as unclaimed freight three years later. Inside was a metal trunk that had been soldered shut and contained the hog-tied body of Prosper Chazal, a French immigrant, who owned a saloon on Franklin Avenue and was last seen flaunting a large sum of money around town.

inspired location. The menu has a strong number of vegan options.

LAKE EFFECT

155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-2068. lakeeffectslc.com

An eclectic bar and lounge with a fine wine list and full menu. Live music many nights; open until 1 a.m.

LAUREL BRASSERIE & BAR

555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6708. laurelslc.com

Laurel Brasserie & Bar’s food focuses on classic European cuisine with an American approach. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the real star is the Happy Hour menu with items like Pumpkin Arancini and The Smokey Paloma cocktail.

OYSTER BAR

48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-322-4668. marketstreetgrill.com

The nightlife side of Market Street seafood restaurant, the Oyster Bar has an is a place to begin or end an evening, with an awardwinning martini and a dozen oysters—half price on Mondays.

THE PINES

837 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-8418. @thepines.slc

From the owners of Dick N’ Dixie’s, The Pines is an elevated neighborhood bar with a cool interior and even cooler bar tenders. Stop by to taste their solid range of brews, or visit the bar on a weekend for a new wave discotheque.

POST OFFICE PLACE

16 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595. popslc.com

Post Office offers craft cocktails, multicul tural small plates and the largest selection of Japanese whisky in the state. Ask for a “special delivery” if you’re up for a boozy adventure.

QUARTERS ARCADE BAR

5 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-477-7047. quartersslc.com

Nostalgic for all those Gen Xers and gamer geeks, Quarters features retro gaming pinball and a game called Killer Queen. Drink a sling—or order a La Croix with a shot poured into the can.

RABBIT HOLE

155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-2068. lakeeffectslc.com

Downstairs in Lake Effect, the gaslit Rabbit Hole takes you to a different time, especially on Wednesday nights which are devoted to jazz. The Rabbit is a real listening room—you don’t talk over or under the music. This rare respect and a top notch bar makes this a very unusual hare.

SCION CIDER BAR

916 Jefferson St., SLC. scionciderbar.com

Cider has often taken a back seat to its more prevalent siblings, wine and beer, but not at Scion. It’s another soon-to-be favorite bar in the Central Ninth with a wide variety of 20 hard ciders on tap.

SEABIRD BAR & VINYL ROOM

7 S. Rio Grande, The Gateway, SLC, 801-456-1223. seabirdutah.com

Great little locally owned bar in the Gateway with great views, a fun little patio, friendly bartenders and more style than the place can hold.

THE REST AND BODEGA

331 S. Main St., SLC, 801-532-4452. bodegaslc.com

The neon sign says “Bodega;” drink a beer in the phone booth–sized front or head down stairs to the The Rest. Order a cocktail, settle into the apparently bomb-proof book-lined library, or take a booth and sit at the bar.

THE SHOOTING STAR

7350 E. 200 South, Huntsville, 801-7452002. shooting-star-saloon.business.site

More than a century old, this is gen-youwine Old West. The walls are adorned with moose heads and a stuffed St. Bernard. Good luck finishing your Star Burger.

VARLEY

63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-203-4124. varleyslc.com

A craft cocktail bar and lounge situated right next to its companion restaurant The Ivy. The modern aesthetic pairs well with a classic cocktail and conversation.

THE VAULT

202 S. Main St., SLC, 801-363-5454. bambara-slc.com/the-vault

A quintessential hotel bar, with big windows overlooking pedestrian traffic. Special cock tails may be themed to what’s on stage across the street at Capitol Theatre.

WAKARA BAR

480 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-581-1000.

One of the few bars on the west bench, Wakara serves craft cocktails and hosts live music, trivia nights, liquor education and even, occasionally, drag queens.

WATER WITCH

163 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-462-0967. waterwitchbar.com

Three of Utah’s leading bartenders join forces in this charming tiny bar. Whether you want a classic drink, a draft or glass of wine, or a cocktail custom-designed to your taste, this is the place to belly up.

WHISKEY STREET

323 S. Main St., SLC, 801-433-1371. whiskeystreet.com

This stretch of Main was once dubbed “Whiskey Street” because it was lined with so many pubs and bars. A 42-foot-long cherry wood bar encourages you to bend the elbow.

WHY KIKI

69 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-641-6115. whykikibar.com

A tropical beach-themed club to get away at with a fruity drink in a tiki glass (or bowl!) or shake it on the dance floor. Don’t miss Taco Tuesday or the regular drag shows.

Copper Commons BELOW: Copper Commons

ZEST KITCHEN & BAR

275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com

Zest offers hand-crafted fresh juice cock tails with the same emphasis on local and organic ingredients as the food—try an original concoction like the Straw-bubbly Lavender Martini.

Beers & Brews

BOHEMIAN BREWERY

94 E. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com

Enjoy the lagers beloved by Bohemian’s owners’ Czech forebears, following the ancient Reinheitsgbot or German Purity Law.

BEWILDER BREWING

445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840. bewilderbrewing.com

In a building decked out with an awesome Trent Call mural, Bewilder Brewing set up shop next to the bygone nightclub Area 51. Try the house-made sausages and a beer list that skews toward traditional German styles.

DESERT EDGE BREWERY

273 S. Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery.com

The constantly changing variety and Beer School set Desert Edge apart from all the others. This classic Salt Lake bar (and restaurant) continues to innovate its brews.

EPIC BREWING COMPANY

825 S. State St., SLC, 801-906-0123. epicbrewing.com

Epic exclusively brews high-alcohol con tent beer. The brewing facility moved to Colorado, but you can still buy cold beer to-go at the taproom.

FISHER BREWING COMPANY

320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337. fisherbeer.com

Fisher takes its name from a brewery originally founded in 1884, but the brews and low-key atmosphere are strictly right now. One of the few in town that has cask ale occasionally.

KIITOS BREWING

608 W. 700 South, 801-215-9165. kiitosbrewing.com

A rising star, Kiitos brews are on several menus around town. But if you stop by the brewery to taste, you can play pinball, too.

LEVEL CROSSING BREWING CO.

2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-2705752. levelcrossingbrewing.com

Opened by home brewer and photogra pher Chris Detrick, Level Crossing is long on games (like darts), good food and of course good beer.

MOUNTAIN WEST CIDER

425 N. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4147. mountainwestcider.com

With handcrafted ciders ranging from dry to sweet, all named for Utah’s iconic natural features, the people at Mountain West Cider know their craft and their community.

PRODIGY BREWING

25 W. Center Street, Logan, 435-375-3313. prodigy-brewing.com

A family-friendly brewpub, Prodigy serves an upscale twist on classic brewpub fare and beers with labels tailored to the area, like “Cached Out” Hefeweizen and “Rusty Hoe” Farmhouse Ale.

PROPER BREWING CO. 857 S. Main St., 801-953-1707. properbrewingco.com

From the same proper folks who brought you the Publick House, Proper Brewery and Burgers hugely expands the brewing capacity of the original.

RED ROCK BREWERY 254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446. redrockbrewing.com

A longtime favorite for tippling and tast ing—the pub draws on 45 recipes for its rotating selection.

ROHA 30 E. Kensington Ave., SLC, 385-227-8982. rohabrewing.com

The name comes from the owners two names: Rob Phillips and Chris Haas, for mer brewer for Red Rock Brewery.

ROOSTERS BREWING CO.

253 25th Street, Ogden, 801-627-6171. roostersbrewingco.com

A local favorite in the heart of every thing Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Roosters Brewing Co. offers both a comfortable dining experience in their restaurant and a 21+ tap room. The owners are deeply involved in the community, and that love shows in their drinkable beers and reliable American pubfare.

SALTFIRE BREWING

2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-9550504. saltfirebrewing.com

Located in a distilling and brewery hub of South Salt Lake, SaltFire has grown alongside its contemporaries, bringing a

punk/metal edge and the tongue-in-cheek labels of its tasty craft brews, including “crushable” collaborations with the Heavy Metal Shop.

SALT FLATS BREWING CO.

2020 Industrial Circle, SLC, 801-828-3469. saltflatsbeer.com

Born in a garage—the Garage Grill to be exact—Salt Flats’ drinkable beers each takes its name from racing and motor sports culture. This is beer brewed to celebrate the racecar driver in all of us.

SHADES BREWING

154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-200-3009. shadesbrewing.beer

A mom-and-pop brewery supplying many local restaurants—check the website— stop by their tap room.

SQUATTERS/WASATCH

147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739; 2110 Highland Dr., SLC, 801-783-1127; 1763 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-466-8855. saltlakebrewingco.com

Salt Lake’s original breweries merged to form Utah Brewers Cooperative and are now in the hands of Salt Lake Brewing Company. Squatters and Wasatch are the most popular watering holes in Salt Lake.

TALISMAN BREWING COMPANY

1258 Gibson Ave., Ogden, 385-389-2945. talismanbrewingco.com

Talisman’s friendly tap room has 18 beers on tap, and you can pick up your own cans and growlers to take home. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food or order from a nearby restaurant. Dog friendly.

TF BREWING

936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-270-5972. tfbrewing.com

TF stands for Templin Family. Brewmas ter Kevin Templin has a long history in Salt Lake’s beer scene. Expect meticu lously made German-style beer and don’t miss game night.

UINTA BREWING COMPANY

1722 S. Fremont Dr., SLC, 801-467-0909. uintabrewing.com

Founder Will Hamill says, “We make beer. Period.” Uinta produces certified organic beers and beer in corked bottles.

Distilleries & Tasting Rooms

BEEHIVE DISTILLING

2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-2590252. beehivedistilling.com

Perhaps best known for their Jack Rabbit Gin, Beehive Distilling also serves up craft cocktails from not just a tasting room, but a full bar.

CLEAR WATER DISTILLING CO.

564 W. 700 South, Ste. 401, Pleasant Grove, 801997-8667. clearwaterdistilling.com

Utah County’s lone distillery is doing the Lord’s work in bringing that part of Utah equally singular spirits. Tours and tast ings are available.

DENTED BRICK DISTILLERY

3100 S. Washington St., South Salt Lake, 801-8839837. dentedbrick.com

Steeped in history, Dented Brick spirit start with water from a local artesian well. The driller of the well is also the distill ery’s namesake. Try their handcrafted, signature vodka, rye, gin and rum in a scheduled tasting.

HAMMER SPRING DISTILLERS

3697 W. 1987 South, SLC, 801-599-4704. hammerspring.com

The distillery makes a variety of spirits, including vodka, gin, coffee liqueur and whiskey. Tours and tastings are available.

HOLYSTONE DISTILLING

207 W. 4860 South, Murray, 385-800-2580. holystonedistilling.com

Holystone is a small batch distillery, maker of an 114-proof gin, a grape-based vodka, Utah’s first legal absinthe and first Shochu. Tastings and tours are available by appointment.

OGDEN’S OWN DISTILLERY

615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995. ogdensown.com

Ogden’s Own brings fun and passion with its labels, the most well-known of which is their award-winning Five Wives Vodka. Craft cocktails tailored to their spirits are served at their on-site cocktail bar, Side Bar.

OUTLAW DISTILLERY

552 W. 8360 South, Midvale, 801-706-1428. outlawdistillery.com

Outlaw makes rum, spiced rum, white whiskey, whiskey and Outlaw moonshine. Distillery tours available.

SUGAR HOUSE DISTILLERY

2212 S. West Temple, #14, SLC, 801-726-0403. sugarhousedistillery.net

Sugar House’s distillers have a keen eye for detail, and ingredients for their spirits are sourced locally whenever possible. Everything goes down smooth. Open for tours and tastings.

WATERPOCKET DISTILLERY

2084 W. 2200 South, West Valley City, 801-3829921. waterpocket.co

Waterpocket’s spirits are often fresh takes on old favorites or venturing into entirely new territory. Tours and tastings are available by appointment.

DONNY & MARIE

BY JEREMY PUGH

FROM 1976 TO 1979, Donny & Marie was a hit cornball variety show featuring the young Osmond duo, Donny, 18 and Marie, 16. If you were a young Mormon growing up in Utah, this show was the original must-see TV, because these famous Osmonds were Mormons, too. In 1976, there weren’t a lot of famous Mor mons to point to with pride.

Donny and Marie were it And, moreover, Donny & Marie was produced here, at Osmond Studios in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley. It wasn’t some Hollywood co-opting of Utah, it was Utah in all its family-friendly, corny glory. At the height of their ’70s powers, Donny and Marie were Utah incarnate, on display for the rest of the world. We watched because all our neighbors watched and because we didn’t really realize how goofy it was.

Each show started out with, yes, an ice skating bit, for some reason, then moved on to groaningly bad comedy skits, more musical numbers, and then the whole “I’m a little bit country, I’m a little bit rock ’n’ roll” schtick. Week after week, Marie would sing a country song alongside Donny

(most often in purple), who would sing a rock tune.

But it was fun—good, clean fun—although most of us secretly preferred The Muppet Show, which was somehow more racy. But for me, Donny

and Marie were amazing. They were (and still are) amazing because they taught me about live television.

To explain: My father went to a live broadcast of the show’s Halloween special at Osmond

Studios, which improbably featured a performance by KISS (a band that the pearl clutchers in our midst referred to as “Knights in Satan’s Service”). But I was 5 years old, didn’t know much about Satan and KISS was my favorite band.

I played their album “Destroyer” on my Burt & Ernie tape player alongside another great album from the era, “Burt’s Blockbusters.” Plus Gene Simmons blew fire! FIRE! Burt liked pigeons and linoleum.

So, there I am. I’m watching our teeny black-and-white TV, in my footie-pajamas, waiting for Gene Simmons to blow fire, and my mother tells me that my father is there, right there, right now. What? Wait. What? The producers cut to a shot of the crowd and there he was, my dad, with his ’70s-guy mustache and perm. Right there. On the TV. My Dad, KISS, and Donny and Marie all together inside the TV. My whole world exploded. Dad brought back an autographed picture of Donny and Marie that I kept on my wall for years. It said: “Keep smiling, Jeremy. Love, Donny & Marie.” I doubt Gene Simmons would have been so nice.

Utah’s 1970s ambassadors