The FIS World Championship series is the largest snow-sports related event to happen in Utah since the 2002 Winter Olympics. The series runs from 2/1 through 2/10, and during this time several Park City restaurants are offering specials and other accommodations.
EBS LOUNGE AT DEER VALLEY RESORT
Edgar’s Beer and Spirits Lounge at Deer Valley Resort will be celebrating the World Championships with extended hours and live music Feb. 6-9. Enjoy delicious appetizers with draft and bottled beers, fine wines and cocktails from 2:30 – 10 p.m. Live music will be performed by Mike Rogers from 2:30 – 6 p.m. and Morgan and McCune from 6 – 10 p.m.
While many restaurant owners in Park City rent out their space and high-tail it to the Caribbean during the craziness of Sundance, many others drink an extra espresso or two and dive head first into the Sundance craziness.
Here’s a list of Park City and Salt Lake City restaurants that will be open, as well as applicable specials.
Of all of the dining experiences available to residents along the Wasatch Front, dining at The Yurt at Solitude is among the most unique and memorable experiences out there. Let me try to paint a picture for you: upon arrival at Solitude, find your way to the ski rental shop, where you’ll meet your guide and strap on some snowshoes to get ready for your hike up to The Yurt. “Did I dress warm enough?” you wonder quietly to yourself, and perhaps out loud to others. Once the sun goes down in the mountains, things cool off very quickly. Your guides will equip you with a headlamp, and off you go to begin your journey. If you’re not the “hiking type,” don’t worry—if you can walk around a park, you’ll be just fine. No man left behind. Unless you’re going to make me late for dinner. Then all bets are off. It’s a short half mile hike up to the yurt, which is a large tent with origins in Mongolia. Upon arrival, snowshoes are removed, and you enter the yurt, which seats up to 26 guests. A small staff of servers, including one who looks remarkably like Chris Pratt and has similar comedy chops, greets you and helps you find your seat, as well as the appropriate libations. The room is cozy and warm, with help from the cast iron wood-burning stove.
There is no electricity in the yurt. Propane lamps light the room, and everything is cooked on the wood-fired stove. It is cozy. Comfortable. Intimate. Chef Craig Gerome is the chef. I have been a fan of Gerome’s work since his time at the Annex in Sugarhouse (RIP). His balance of flavors is always on point, and his work with seafood is masterful.
Chef Craig Gerome plating a dish of smoked short ribs, potato fondant, charred carrots, and turnip pureé
Our menu consisted of:
Salad: chicory salad with whipped Bellwether Farms ricotta, pine nuts, tarragon, and Pecorino Toscano.
Soup: pacific Bay chowder, diver scallops, and sourdough.
Entreé: smoked beef short rib with potato fondant, charred carrots, and turnips.
Dessert: milk and honey panna cotta with huckleberries and white chocolate crunch.
For those looking to really make an impression–whether it be a first date, corporate dinner, anniversary, or just a special evening–a dinner at The Yurt at Solitude is an experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
“Memorable,” “unique,” and “adventurous” are words that could be used to describe this experience. But I think I’ll just stick with “delicious.”
The Yurt is available Wednesday through Sunday during the winter season. Guests 13 years of age and older are invited. Parties of 1 to 26 are welcome. A four-course dinner, snowshoe guide, tax, and corkage are included in the price, with wine and beer available for purchase.
Check out some of the dining options around SLC and Park City to ring in the new year.
Oasis Café
Oasis Cafe will greet revelers this New Year’s Eve with a special four-course prix fixe menufrom 5 p.m. Chef de Cuisine Efren Benitez’s creative menu includes starter options of ahi tartare or soy-sauce-infused tofu. Second course options of heritage mixed green salad with smoked bacon and a silky shrimp bisque tempt diners, while entrée selections of lobster bucatini, pan-seared filet mignon, honey chipotle glazed chicken breast and curried wild mushroom couscous round out the meal.
Diners can cap off their New Year’s Eve meal with a choice of espresso chai cheesecake, poached saffron pear with ginger gelato or a delicate pineapple upside down cake. Cost is $50 not including suggested wine pairings, alcoholic beverages, tax or gratuity.
Brunch will be served on New Year’s Eve from 8 a.m. – 2:30 and lunch will be served prior to 5 p.m. Reservations are highly suggested and can be made by calling 801-322-0404 or visiting www.OasisCafeSLC.com. Oasis Cafe is located at 151 South 500 East in downtown Salt Lake City.
New Year’s Daybrunch at Oasis Cafe is also a favorite with locals. It’s loaded with traditional breakfast dishes, soups, salads and sandwiches. Brunch is ala carte and will be served from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with lunch served from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.
Oasis Café will only be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Christmas Eve serving the regular brunch menu and then will be closed in the evening and on Christmas Day to allow their employees to enjoy the holidays with their families.
George (Formerly Finca)
Current Fish & Oyster
Chef Alan Brines and his culinary team are excited for Current Fish & Oyster’s New Year’s Eve celebration. His four-course menu is available from 4 until 10 p.m. on Dec. 31. Diners choose one selection from each course. First course options include a trio of oysters, crab cake, wagyu beef tartare or local burrata. Second course selections include an apple and barley salad, silky crab bisque, a house salad or Current’s famous clam chowder. For the main course, diners can choose from Current’s signature branzino, black cod, pan roasted sea scallops, Double R Ranch New York steak, Mary’s organic chicken or roasted cauliflower. Dessert options abound from pastry chef Amber Billingsley: orange semolina cake, chocolate torte or her famous gelato and sorbet selections. Wine selections by Mike Fayad will be presented tableside.
The cost per person for the four-course dinner is $75 and does not include beverages, tax and gratuity. “We are excited to ring in the New Year with our guests,” said General Manager Ryan Mickelson “This is a great opportunity to introduce some special menu offerings, guest favorites and some terrific wines that pair perfectly. We also want to thank everyone for a terrific year.”
Current Fish & Oyster will be open Christmas Eve for lunch from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and dinner from 4 until 8 p.m., serving the regular dinner menu plus some specials. Current will be closed on Christmas Day to allow their employees to enjoy the holidays with their families. Current will be open on New Year’s Day for dinner starting at 4 p.m.
Stanza Italian Bistro
Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar’s celebrated chef Jonathan LeBlanc is proud to present a special four-course dinner on New Year’s Eve to be served from 5 until 10 p.m. The cost is $70 per person and does not include alcoholic beverages, tax or gratuity. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling 801-746-4441, info@stanzaslc.com or by visiting www.stanzaslc.com. Stanza is located at 454 East, 300 South in Salt Lake.
Stanza will be open for Christmas Eve lunch and dinner, closed on Christmas Day and open for dinner only on New Year’s Eve from 5 p.m. They will be closed on New Year’s Day to allow their employees to be with their families.
Stanza’s New Year’s Eve menu includes an amuse bouche of Alaskan halibut pâté. Starter selections include a silky Australian Lobster bisque, lump crab and heirloom tomato, veal and prosciutto polpette or winter burrata. Main course entrée and pasta selections include a dry-aged New York strip, red crab agnolotti, Snake River Farms porchetta, quail bucatini, or scallops.
Desserts by Salt Lake’s favorite pastry chef Amber Billingsley include a Meyer lemon panna elderflower panna cotta, pecan pie cannoli or raspberry semifreddo. General Manager Keith Foust’s knowledgeable service staff will guide diners through the best wine and craft cocktail pairings for each course.
Oak Wood Fire Kitchen
Café Niche
Café Niche on 300 South will be hosting a special four-course New Year’s Eve dinner celebration from 5 until 10 p.m. Chef Andy Morrison’s menu includes: a “first bite” of her famous sour cream and onion deviled egg; second course choices of cheesy cauliflower soup or roasted asparagus with lemon and local Romano; an intermezzo of seasonal granita; entrée selections of scallops and grits, pomegranate braised lamb shanks, pretzel-crusted chicken, horseradish flank steak or wild mushroom mac and cheese. For dessert, diners can choose between a chocolate peanut butter Bundt cake or Luxardo cherries jubilee cheesecake.
Cost per person is $55 and does not include beverages, tax or gratuity. Wine pairings will be offered tableside. Reservations are a must and can be made by calling 801-433-3380 or by visiting www.caffeniche.com.
Holiday Hours: Café Niche will open on Christmas Eve for brunch from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. serving the regular menu and closed for dinner. They will be closed on Christmas Day all day to allow their employees to spend time with their families.
New Year’s Eve open for dinner only from 5 until 10 p.m. On New Year’s Day, Niche will be open for brunch from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., closed for dinner, and will be open again for regular business on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2018.
Table X
NewYear’s Eve is no exception when it comes to Table X’s commitment to serving sophisticated, modern cuisine with seasonal ingredients. Recently recognized by Salt Lake City Weekly for creating some of the city’s most innovative cuisine, the restaurant’s three chef-owners are collaborating on a special tasting menu to wow their guests’ culinary senses. The December 31 celebration features a seven-course tasting menu for $85/person (wine pairing – $35/person; non-alcoholic beverage pairing – $20/person). It will include Hudson Valley Foie Gras with blueberries preserved from the Table X Garden and Morgan Valley Lamb with sun chokes. The restaurant is now accepting reservations at www.tablexrestaurant.com or call 385.528.3712.
“We love helping our guests welcome the NewYear with our cutting-edge, artfully presented cuisine,” says Nick Fahs, one of the chef-owners of Table X. “The evening is designed for those seeking a more elevated, sophisticated way to close out 2018 while appreciating our seasonal approach to dining and sampling new dishes in a stylish, modern setting.”
The seven-course tasting menu also features house made items such as burrata cheese and sourdough bread, Clifford Farm soft egg with fermented mushrooms and farro porridge, Pacific Stripped Bass, and Persimmon & Drakes Farm Goat Yogurt Parfait.
Provisions
Park City
Element
For those looking for a truly special NewYear’s Eve, Element is offering a four-course prix fixe prepared and served at home. Surf-and-turf with braised short ribs and lobster tail is the star attraction – with an option of shaved black truffle – plus diners’ choice from six appetizers that include seared tuna tataki or duck confit, a choice of Caesar or peppery green salad, and dessert of ugly fudge cake, Mexican chocolate mousse or orange vanilla sponge cake.
Escala Provisions Company Restaurant at Hyatt Centric Park City
Adults $100 per person, Children (6-11 years) $40
Children (5 years and under) $10
Prices do not include beverages, tax or gratuity
Specials at Fireside Dining for New Year’s Eve include a selection of salads and soups including the Little Gem Salad, House-Pickled Beets, Antipasto, Roasted Brussels, Sprout Panzanella Salad, Chickpea Soup and Lima Bean Stew. Dinner specials include Wild Boar Schnitzel with smoked hibiscus jam, roasted gala and granny smith apples, Almond Flour Dusted Trout with sea beans and caramelized shallot thyme sauce, Veal and Wild Mushroom Stew with crimini, hen of the woods, shiitake, chanterelle and oyster mushrooms, accented with fresh rosemary and lemon, Hand Grated Rösti Potatoes with fresh thyme, housemade fresh herb cream, Fire Roasted Leg of Lamb with rosemary jus, Juniper Rubbed Prime Rib with roasted garlic béarnaise, fresh herb au jus, horseradish cream, Purple Potato Gnocchi with roasted thyme wild mushrooms, Seahive Cheddar and miso butter and Roasted Butternut Squash with fresh pomegranate seeds, sweet potatoes and baby kale.
Goldener Hirsch
The AAA Four-Diamond restaurant will be offering specials in addition to its regular à la carte menus, including selections such as Maine lobster, 22-ounce dry-aged bone-in ribeye, Maui Nui Axis venison, foie gras with burgundy winter truffles, and a selection of domestic and imported caviar with traditional accompaniments
Grub Steak
NYE: 3-course prix fixe, $79.75 per guest
Park City’s beloved steakhouse is serving a sumptuous three-course dinner for NYE.
For New Year’s Eve, choose between the Caesar, wild rice and mushroom soup, or the salad bar, followed by surf-and-turf of herb-roasted striploin with a forest mushroom demi glace and Maine lobster tail. Dessert is a classic: chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.
The Mariposa
$160 per person. Wine pairing available for an additional $65 per person
To celebrate the new year, enjoy Osetra Caviar with roasted corn flan and king crab, puffed sorghum and yuzu, Chestnut Soup with warm winter vegetable salad, wild mushroom spiced orange espuma, Char Sui Boa with Niman Ranch beef, black garlic-soy and radish baby bok choy. Selections also include Cassoulet with sucking pig, toulousian sausage, flageolet bean and roasted duck, Veal Chop with sweet potato risotto, picked peaches and verjus. The dessert is a Citrus Rum Baba with Valrhona white chocolate mousse and blood orange caramel champagne pomegranates. A vegetarian menu is also available.
Powder at Waldorf Astoria
New Year’s Eve: Five-course prix fixe, $95 per person
Powder’s famed New Year’s Eve celebration returns. The evening opens with caviar blini and oyster, followed by a choice of yellowfin tuna and scallop tartare or beets and goat cheese. Enjoy porcini mushroom consommé and a champagne intermezzo, then an entrée of either venison and veal loin or Chilean sea bass, followed by NewYear’s Surprise for dessert featuring Tahitian vanilla, fromage blanc and raspberries.
Seafood Buffet
Adults $75 per person, Children (6 – 11 years) $30 per person
Children (5 years and under) complimentary
Deer Valley’s Seafood Buffet will feature a special New Year’s Eve dinner offering appetizers such as Niman Ranch baby back ribs with cilantro glaze or housemade ancho and agave BBQ sauce, Niman Ranch braised beef short ribs with roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, housemade brown sugar cured bacon, Littleneck Clams and PEI Mussels with white wine, garlic, tomato and housemade focaccia crostini, Beet Cured Aractic Char Crostini with horseradish cream cheese, crispy shallots and everything flavored baguette and Grilled Shrimp and Crispy Grit Cake with roasted tomato salad, Gold Creek Farms feta and mint and lemon chimichurri. Featured soups will include Carrot Ginger Bisque, Lobster and Fennel Chowder and Curried Cauliflower. Hot specialties offered will include Honey Soy Glazed Sablefish with ginger rice and orange ginger sauce, Pan Seared Sea Bass with tomato, eggplant, artichoke and caper ragout with crispy chickpeas, Crispy Skinned Ora King Salmon with pesto whipped potatoes and lemon compound butter, Lobster, Crab and Uni Risotto with roasted mushrooms, sweet peas and sherry vinegar, Sea Scallops seared to order with truffle crème fraiche and black garlic aioli and Ahi Tuna seared to your taste. A selection of desserts will also be included in the evening’s special menu.
Two new restaurants are making their debut this season in the Park City area, and an impressive new gingerbread display has been erected at the Stein Eriksen Lodge. Read on to find out more.
Hearth and Hill
Hearth and Hill, a 192 seat upscale casual restaurant will open its doors on December 16th. Brooks Kirchheimer, the former manager of Daly’s Pub at Montage Deer Valley and Sundance’s Zoom restaurant, is the proprieter, with Mia Yue (formerly of Firewood and High West) as the GM. Chef de Cuisine is Adam Walker (formerly of Handle and Yuki Yama). The restaurant is located in Kimball Junction and will offer an eclectic selection of food, such as a daily gyoza selection, hamachi crudo, seasonal soups of the day, ramen, burgers, Korean fried chicken, Utah trout, and filet mignon. Sounds intriguing!
The restaurant has a full bar, a large patio, and a 36-seat private dining room. The restaurant will be open year-round for lunch and dinner, and offers takeout.
1153 Center Drive, Newpark Retail Center (between Jupiter Bowl and Best Buy). More information at www.hearth-hill.com
RIME Raw Bar
Matt Harris, chef/owner of Tupelo Park City, is opening RIME Raw Bar, the world’s first ski in/ski out seafood and raw bar. RIME opens December 20th, and will offer an oyster happy hour ($2.50 oysters from 2-3pm). The menu includes ahi tartare, chowder, crudo plates, chopped salad, lobster rolls, French dips, tacos, and more, along with a selection of various beers, sparkling wines, reds, and whites.
With a tagline of “Where Powder Meets Chowder,” it’s already off to a great start in my book.
RIME is located at the top of the Jordanelle gondola, and is open Thursday through Sunday, 11am – 3pm.
Viking Gingerbread Display at the Stein Eriksen Lodge
The incredible pastry chef team at Stein, led by Executive Pastry Chef Jeremy Garcia and Corporate Chef Zan Holmquist, have done it again, creating a huge Viking ship made out of gingerbread. The ship features a 13-foot candy cane mast, and 8-foot dragon figure, and 9 feet of gingerbread stretching from bow to stern on each side.
The ship features hundreds of pounds of fresh-baked gingerbread, fondant, cookies, and candy.
“Our annual gingerbread display is one of my favorite ways to impress our guests during the holiday season,” said Jeremy Garcia, Executive Pastry Chef at Stein Eriksen Lodge. “The level of creativity and passion for such an enormous display – entirely constructed of pastries – is a testament to our team’s dedication to ensure the holidays spent at Stein Eriksen Lodge are an unforgettable experience.”
The display is located in the Mountain Lodge at Stein Eriksen. For more information, see their website.
Guys, I know I’m way late to this one. There’s only like three days left. But if you haven’t checked out a Dine O’Round restaurant yet, I’d highly suggest it. It’s a great way to check out a new restaurant and get a sense for their offerings without necessarily breaking the bank. See the press release below.
DOWNTOWN DINE O’ROUND SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 14
Downtown’s Best Restaurants Offer Specially Crafted Three-Course Dinner Menus or Two-Item Lunches.
Salt Lake City (September 21, 2018) – Featuring the top downtown Salt Lake City restaurants, the 16th annual Downtown Dine O’ Round, presented by Nicholas & Company, begins Friday, Sept. 28 and runs through Sunday, Oct 14, 2018. Diners can sample two-item lunches for $5 or $10 or three-item dinners for $15, $25 or $35 during a two-week span that includes three full weekends.
Dine O’Round attendees may choose a three-course dinner for either $15, $25 or $35, depending on the cost of typical entrees. Sampling three selections at such a significant discount allows people to experience a wider selection of tastes than sampling a single dish. Some restaurants will choose to put one of their guest favorites on the Dine O’Round menu, while others may change their Dine O’Round menu daily or weekly.
Options range from gourmet – think Current, Finca, Copper Onion, Stanza – to more casual options. The unique concept of Dine O’Round is designed to attract new diners to restaurants they have yet to experience or to re-visit old favorites. Newcomers this year include The Daily, London Belle, Argentinas Best Empanadas and Copper Canyon.
Diners are also offered the opportunity to “win dinner for a year” via a photo contest. Because diners are fond of posting photos to the social media network Instagram, restaurant-goers can upload photos from their Dine O’Round experience and enter by using the hashtag #DineORound and tagging @downtownslc on Instagram to be automatically entered to win.
The Alliance coordinates this event each fall to bring new people downtown, as well as encourage downtown residents and office workers to explore what the city has to offer. “Downtown Salt Lake City truly punches above of its weight class when it comes to food and culture,” said Dee Brewer, executive director for the Downtown Alliance. “Our fantastic restaurateur partners have elevated Salt Lake City’s brand as a culinary hotspot with quality dining options, culinary talent and varied ethnic cuisines.”
The lunch crowd is not forgotten during Dine O’Round, as nearly half of these top-notch dining establishments offer a wide array of two-item meals for either $5 or $10. Adding lunch to the mix gives workers downtown, who often may not often venture beyond their block or building, a good reason to sample the wide range of delectable culinary options downtown.
For the second year in a row, Dine O’Round will also feature the Chef Showdown on Oct. 10. This three-course cooking challenge pits two of Dine O’Round’s top chefs against each other and features a panel of local food critics. The chefs will use special ingredients from the Downtown Farmer’s Market and offer two signature cocktails. Attendees can bid on plates with proceeds benefiting local charity.
Restaurant-goers do not need to sign up for anything, carry any cards or clip coupons. All they need to do is ask for the Dine O’Round menu from their server. However, they are certainly not limited to just the special menu: diners are welcome to add on additional appetizers or drinks to further sample additional flavors.
Dine O’ Round is made possible with strategic partnerships and corporate sponsorships with Nicholas & Company, City Weekly/Devour, OpenTable, City Creek Center and Salt Lake Chamber.
Sample menus and participating locations can be found at www.dineoround.com
Park City Culinary Institute’s Salt Lake location is hosting seasonal chef demonstrations and tasting dinners throughout the summer. Chef Jordan Miller, recently invited to cook at the James Beard Foundation, developed a tasting menu that showcased some of the very best that Utah has to offer: raw milk butter from West Jordan, local trout, pine nuts, pepperweed, dandelion, and Morgan Valley lamb.
One tasting dinner remains on July 20th. Price is $45 per person. Go to parkcityculinaryinstitute.com for more info.
Morgan Valley lamb chops
Foraged watercress, dandelion, curly dock, blue mustards, and sorrel
Beets five ways with pine nut pudding. I’m not a beet fan, but this dish was spectacular.
Juniper cured Utah trout, strawberry, celery, and clasping pepperweed
Nibble, nosh, sip and swirl the evening away while listening to live music on Tracy Aviary’s cool, green grounds at Eat Drink SLC 2018 on July 12, from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Festival-goers, aged 21 and over, sample seasonal fare from many of Salt Lake’s leading restaurants and purveyors; sip from a selection of 80 wines from an international assortment of family-owned wineries; taste craft cocktails from small-batch distilleries, including several which are locally owned and operated; and enjoy local beers from award-winning Utah craft brewers. Each of the three distinct festival pods feature its own culinary mix and musical genre, allowing patrons to chart their own course through the evening.
Eat Drink SLC is a response to a new sense of urbanism in Salt Lake. As the valley changes, its tastes are changing with it. The growth of chef-driven and -owned restaurants and rise of craft beverages, urban wineries and distilleries are elevating the city’s palate. “Eat Drink SLC is a delightful way to celebrate our community’s coming of age as a culinary hotspot and raise visibility for the vibrant food and drink scene with both locals and tourists,” according to Tracey Thompson, President of Vine Lore Wine and Spirits, the event’s Presenting Drink Curator. Thompson notes that Eat Drink SLC marries food and drink in a way not found in other Utah events. “Eat Drink fosters an appreciation of the synergy between food and drink,“ says Thompson “not just one or the other but how the marriage of the two.”
Vine Lore Wine and Spirits is joined by an impressive list of award-winning Salt Lake City restaurants and food businesses. Eat Drink SLC is hosted under a nonprofit partnership umbrella consisting of Tracy Aviary and SB Dance. These two organizations represent, respectively, a place and an arts-maker that contribute to the unique character of our community. A third nonprofit – Neighborhood House – represents an organization that empowers underserved youth from Salt Lake’s west side, many of whom are from families involved in the food and beverage industry. Eat Drink SLC’s mission is to honor the entire industry’s food chain including customers, business owners, managers, servers, culinary professionals, purveyors and agricultural workers.
With tickets priced at $90, this summer evening social is an approachable, affable and appetizing night out while supporting three local nonprofits that enhance Salt Lake’s community: Tracy Aviary, Neighborhood House, and SB Dance. Admission includes all food and drink and a complementary signature wine glass. Guests must be 21 years old and over. Please buy tickets early, as the event sells out days in advance.
Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar’s first wine dinner of the summer features wines from Vosca, Roncúsand Dolfo paired with Chef Jonathan LeBlanc’s four-course Italian tasting menu on Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. Cost is just $85 per person (or $55 per person without wine pairings). Reservations are a must and can be made by calling 801-746-4441. Reservations may be made on www.stanzaslc.com, but a notation about the wine dinner needs to be included.
After a refreshing Vosca Chardonnay DOC upon arrival, the pairing of Chef LeBlanc’s menu includes: Dolfo Rose 2016 with Chef’s new Brûléed Melon, Prosciutto and Burrata with frisée salad and Cavalli balsamic; Dolfo Pinot Noir 2012 with Tiger Prawn Risotto Rucolawith heirloom tomato and pecorino; Dolfo Merlot 2013 with a juicy Rack of Lamb with orzo, mint pistachio pesto, cucumber créme fraîche and oven roasted Campari tomato. The dessert course will feature Roncus Rilolla Gialla with pastry chef Amber Billingsley’s Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake with roasted stone fruit, local wildflower honey and candied walnuts.
“While backpacking Europe a couple years ago, I was blown away by the wonderful wines being produced along the border of Italy and Slovenia. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to form a relationship with some of these winemakers, and to help in making their delicious product available in Utah,” says Hillary Merrill, general manager. “These wines are very dear to my heart, making this an especially exciting dinner for me.”
Stanza is located at 454 East, 300 South in Salt Lake. Reservations can be made by calling 801-746-4441, info@stanzaslc.com or by visiting www.stanzaslc.com.
$85 Five-Course Wine Dinner includes:
Vosca Chardonnay DOC upon arrival
Course One
Brûléed Melon, Prosciutto and Burrata with frisée salad and Cavalli balsamic
Dolfo Rose 2016
Course Two
Tiger Prawn Risotto Rucola with heirloom tomato and pecorino
Dolfo Pinot Noir 2012
– Cassis Sorbet –
Course Three
Rack of Lamb with orzo, mint pistachio pesto, cucumber créme fraîche and oven roasted Campari tomato
Dolfo Merlot 2013
Course Four
Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake with roasted stone fruit, local wildflower honey and candied walnuts.
One thing I’ve always respected about Chef Matt Lake is that he’s not afraid of change. After his first SLC restaurant, ZY, wasn’t performing up to his standards, he took one weekend to completely redecorate, rebrand, and the following Monday the city was introduced to Alamexo downtown.
Though not as dramatic a change, Chef Lake has listened to customer feedback at Alamexo Cantina, and has introduced a brand new menu. Shared plates as originally envisioned for the cantina are still available, however diners are now able to order their own entrees as well. Some classic dishes from Alamexo downtown have also found there way to the Cantina menu. And what started as one menu for both lunch and dinner has morphed into two separate menus. Those that enjoy adult beverages need not fear: Alamexo Cantina continues to offer its top-shelf selection of various tequilas as well.
On a recent visit I was able to try the larger entree portions, as well as some of the classic dishes. Queso Fundido with guajillo-marinated lobster was a rich, gooey revelation and is highly recommended (and coming in at a similar price as the guacamole, I think it’s a no-brainer which one I would choose, despite my love for a huge bowl of guac).
Queso fundido with lobster
Fans of Alamexo downtown will be happy to see that Chef Lake’s famous Enchiladas Suizas are now on the cantina menu. These are my go-to enchiladas, and they never disappoint. I also tasted the Enchiladas Jaiba y Camarones (enchiladas with lump crab and gulf shrimp, baked in a roasted habanero cream sauce). Rich, sweet, and spicy, these delightful enchiladas hit all of the right notes. I had a hard time choosing between the seafood enchiladas and the Mole Poblano enchiladas. Mole Poblano is my all-time favorite mole due to the sweet, rich, chocolately notes. I had the server bring me out a small taste of the mole Poblano, and I would suggest it for only the biggest spicy fanatics out there. It was a bit past my comfort level.
Enchiladas with lump crab and gulf shrimp
Some of the other classic cantina side dishes remain. The street corn, cut from the cob and covered in lime aioli, queso fresco, and chile molido, remains one of my favorite dishes. And the Platanos con Crema remains on the menu as well, although the new versions are large chunks of plantain that are then fried, as opposed to the old “crab cake” style plantains from the old menu, which were diced up and formed into patties, then fried. I preferred the old style, but plantain lovers will really enjoy the new version as well.
Plantains with cream
In celebration of the new menu, and for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration, Chef Lake is rolling out a few specials for Cinco de Mayo. Both Alamexo Cantina and Alamexo downtown will feature carnitas tacos with salsa verde, avocado, and jalapeno escabeche. Another special menu item will be enchiladas enfrijolatas with achiote chicken and asparagus. Both locations will also feature a special drink menu, including one named Medicina Botanica: Espolon reposado, ginger agave, lemon, and a Wahaka mezcal float.
In the mood to win a free dinner to Alamexo Cantina? I’m giving away $100 for the cantina (drinks and gratuity are not included) to celebrate the new menu, and to celebrate SLCeats reaching 1,000 followers on Instagram. All you have to do? Go to the SLCeats Instagram page and leave a comment on the giveaway post. That’s it! I’ll pick one commenter at random and the $100 is yours!
Disclaimer: $100 gift card provided by Alamexo Cantina. I was an invited guest to try the new menu.
SLCeats: Highlighting the best restaurants in Salt Lake City and Park City 