dining guide Red Butte Café This neighborhood place emphasizes Southwestern flavors and premium beers. Try the portobello with mozzarella and caramelized onions or beef with ancho jus. 1414 S. Foothill Blvd., SLC, 801-581-9498. EGL Restaurants at Temple Square
There are four restaurants here: Little Nauvoo Café (801-539-3346) serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; Lion House Pantry (801539-3257) serves lunch and dinner buffet-style (it’s famous for the hot rolls, a Thanksgiving tradition in many Salt Lake households); The Garden (801-539-3170) serves lunch and dinner (don’t miss the fried dill pickles); and The Roof (801-539-1911), a finer dining option eye-to-eye with Moroni on top of the Temple, which is open for dinner with a mammoth dessert buffet. 15 E. South Temple, SLC. GLM
Roots Café A charming little daytime cafe in
Millcreek with a wholesome granola vibe. 3474 S. 2300 East, East Millcreek, 801-277-6499. EGLL
Ruth’s Diner The original funky
ON THE ROAD
Savoring Springdale Kings Landing Bistro in Driftwood Lodge A couple of years ago, I tried to give a dining award to Parallel 88 but it closed before I could get to it. Located in the Driftwood Lodge (almost at the end of the main drag in Springdale), a formerly outmoded mid-’50s hotel resuscitated by the vogue for mid-century modern style, the 88 did a beautiful job, serving fresh, seasonal ingredients in a beautiful setting with a view of the park’s iconic Watchman butte. The view is eternal, but Parallel 88 has been replaced by King’s Landing and an almost-overwhelmingly enthusiastic chef and waitstaff. The beverage manager, who is also a server, and the chef came to Utah from Las Vegas and while technically that’s just a state away, the culinary distance between Sirio Maccione’s Le Cirque Bellagio to Springdale is enormous. This duo is trying to shorten it. There are surprises on the menu—distinctly un-Utah dishes raise eyebrows in our emphatically local food scene— but the kitchen knew how to handle a softshell crab, whatever its provenance, giving it a new crispy and golden exoskeleton made of crushed salt and vinegar chips to replace the moulted one. Sweet pea hummus provided a sweet, creamy and inventive contrast. Likewise, the octopus, given a nice char, was surprisingly topped with gremolata, the lemon zest garnish used for osso buco, while bison carpaccio was strewn with edamame as well as the traditional arugula and cheese. The wine selection, according to our server, is still being assembled; in the meantime, we sipped a tropical-torpedo Matua Sauvignon Blanc with the briny appetizers and switched to a Kings Ridge Pinot Noir to accompany the special New York strip and the vegetable trio—goat cheese crostini with sweet pea hummus and mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes with reduced balsamic and a melange of potatoes, peppers, edamame and olives. Like most families these days, we eat all over the spectrum, from red meat to that most modern of concoctions, a quinoa salad, the grain tossed in a champagne vinaigrette with spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes and feta. 1515 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, 435-772-7422
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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 in big portions rule here. The giant biscuits come with every meal, and the chocolate pudding should. 2100 Emigration Canyon, SLC, 801-582-5807. ELM
Rye The food rocks at this hip new version of a diner connected to Urban Lounge. At breakfast (which lasts until 2 p.m.), the soft scrambles or the waffles with whiskey syrup are called for. At lunch try the shoyu fried chicken, the street dumplings and the lettuce wraps, which can make a meal or a nosh. 239 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-364-4655 .EGLL Silver Fork Lodge Silver Fork’s kitchen
handles three daily meals beautifully. Try pancakes made with a 50-year-old sourdough starter. Don’t miss the smoked trout and brie appetizer. No more corkage fees, so bring your own. 11332 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton, 888-649-9551. EGL – M
Stella Grill A cool little arts-and-craftsstyle café, Stella is balanced between trendy and tried-and-true. The careful cooking comes with moderate prices. Great for lunch. 4291 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-288-0051. EGL – M Tiburon 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. 8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-255-1200. EGLLL
Tin Angel From boho bistro, Tin
Angel has grown into one of Salt Lake’s premier dining destinations, still with a