If you’re looking for a laugh, this might be the ticket. Some language, though (it’s Gordon Ramsay).
The Park City Area Restaurant Association (PCARA) is announcing their partnership with the Utah Restaurant Association (URA) to create twelve new episodes featuring Park City restaurants for the Taste Utah TV series. Taste Utah is an interactive dining guide featuring innovative videos of the best restaurants in Utah. The series currently focuses on dining options in Northern, Wasatch Front, and Southern regions of the state, and will soon be joined by segments dedicated to greater Park City.
“We are honored to partner with the Utah Restaurant Association and participate in the Taste Utah TV series,” said Ginger Ries, executive director of the Park City Area Restaurant Association. “It is a welcomed opportunity to showcase our region’s world-class dining among incredible company in the restaurant industry across the state.”
A new Taste Park City section of Taste Utah is now accessible on tasteUT.com and showcases 30 PCARA and URA members in four of Park City’s distinct dining districts: Historic Main Street, the Resorts, Prospector, and Kimball Junction. Each 4-6-minute episode follows hosts Katy Sine and Jami Larson to select restaurants. The duo interviews owners and executive chefs for an insider’s view on the history and vision of the establishment, along with behind-the-scenes tours and cooking tips for signature dishes from the kitchen. The interactive dining guide gives consumers the opportunity to explore the dining culture, find new dining destinations, and see what they can expect at each restaurant. Food enthusiasts are encouraged to share their dining experiences by posting their favorite restaurant photos to Instagram using #tasteParkCity and hashtagging the restaurant’s name to be featured on the Taste Utah website.
“The Taste Utah TV series provides a unique platform to promote our state’s diverse dining scene,” said Melva Sine, executive director of the Utah Restaurant Association. “We are thrilled to feature so many of Park City’s award-winning restaurants that help elevate Utah’s reputation as a must-visit food destination.”
Episodes 1-5, featuring Tupelo, Ritual Chocolate, Shabu, Glitretind, Bakery at Windy Ridge, Riverhorse On Main and The Brass Tag, have already been filmed and will be available on tasteUT.com. Upcoming Taste Park City episodes include:
Episode 6 (March 4): The Farm
Episode 7 (March 11): Silver Star Cafe
Episode 8 (March 18): Red Rock Brewing
Episode 9 (March 25): High West Saloon
Episode 10 (March 31): Cafe Terigo
Episode 11 (April 7): Myrtle Rose
Episode 13 (April 21): Yuki Yama / Wasatch Brew Pub
As part of the grand opening of their brand new store at the Fashion Place Mall, Macy’s brought in Chef Dana Herbert to give a cooking demonstration and share some recipes from his new cookbook, “Sweet and Savory Union.” Chef Dana is the winner of TLC’s show Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker.
After his demonstration, I was able to chat with Dana for a few minutes to discuss the Macy’s Culinary Council, his cookbook, and ask him if he could only have one small appliance in his kitchen, which would it be?
Hit play below to listen to the interview.
Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar continues its “Flight & Bite” Wine Wednesdays weekly in Stanza’s lounge into March. This month Wine educator and sommelier Jimmy Santangelo is offering two flights; one of rosés for $15, and one featuring “big reds” for $16. Both include creative and well-paired bites from Stanza’s kitchen.
Santangelo hand selects wines and educates diners about the nuances of each. “Now that the days are longer, it’s a better excuse to stay downtown after work and join me in the bar as we explore some new wine regions and varietals,” says Santangelo. “While we bring in most of these selections by special order and we’ll sell them in flights in the restaurant during the entire month.”
Jimmy’s focus in March revolves around rosé and big red selections. Each includes two 2-1/2 oz. splashes of wine and two “bites” of Stanza’s Italian Bistro cuisine. Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. These selections are served during regular business hours each Wednesday.
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.
March 2017 Flight & Bite Options:
#1 Rose Flight & Bite – $15
- Borgo Molino Millesimato Brut Prosecco Valdobbiadene, IT 2015*
- Palmina Arneis, Santa Ynez Valley 2015*
- shaved spring root vegetable with dried cherry vinaigrette
- Chilled calamari endive salad with grapefruit vinaigrette
#2 Big Red Flight & Bite – $15
- N2 Winery Langhe Rosso, Piedmont 2012
- Orin Swift ‘Locations’ Italy -2
- Homemade garganelli with porcini mushroom sauce
- Homemade bolognese stuffed ravioli finished with pomodoro sauce
Dessert Options:
- Cannoli alla Ricotta – Two Cannoli alla Ricottas $800
- Pair with either Cocchi Americano $700 or Meleto Vin Santo $1200
The Natural History Museum of Utah is hosting a lecture series about food. As the population continues to increase, issues such as how we provide enough safe, nutritious food to feed the world’s inhabitants is an ever-pressing question that needs to be addressed. The museum has invited four prominent food lecturers to present about current challenges regarding the production and distribution of food. Two of the lectures have passed, however, two remain.
The next lecture, held at the Salt Lake City public library on March 23rd, will be presented by Diana Cox-Foster, a research entomologist and pollinating insects research facility located in Logan, Utah. Ms. Cox-Foster’s lecture will discuss the importance of bees to pollination, and thus, food production, and will discuss the continuing devastating rate of bee hive deaths in the past several years. Registration for this event is closed, however, standby seats may be available. Get more information here.
The final lecture will be held on April 11, 2017, with special guest Andrew Zimmern. Mr. Zimmern is an accomplished chef and three-time James Beard award winner who has made a noteworthy reputation as the guy that eats all sorts of nasty stuff on his Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods. Zimmern’s lecture topics will touch on the ways we live our lives through food, and how me might understand and make better choices for our future. Tickets are $12, or $6 with U of U I.D. More info on Zimmern’s lecture at Kingsbury Hall (and link to buy tickets) here.
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
Photo courtesy Slapfish
I generally limit my coverage of chains and franchises, but when a good one pops up on my radar, I’m glad to toot their horn.
Slapfish started as a food truck serving fresh, sustainable seafood dishes such as traditional fish tacos and fish and chips to more adventurous items like chowder fries, ceviche, and lobster taquitos. Not gonna lie, looking at their photos is making me wish they were opening a bit closer to downtown, but I think I’ll make the drive. I’m excited to try out their version of the lobster roll.
“With our menu of seasonally rotating, gourmet dishes in a relaxed setting, guests experience the quality of fine dining with the cost and convenience of faster food. Also setting us apart is the fact that we only serve the freshest fish and shellfish sourced from responsible suppliers of seafood.” Chef Andrew Gruel
Slapfish intends to open up to eight locations in Utah. Grand Opening events will happen on March 10th and 11th in their Lehi location.
Slapfish
3360 N Frontage Road
Lehi
Throw a rock in any direction from Main Street in Salt Lake City and you’re bound to hit a pizza shop. Actually, you’re bound to hit many pizza shops. Off the top of my head, I can think of Este, Eva Bakery, Pizza Studio, From Scratch, Settebello, Oak Wood Fire, Pier 49, Pie Hole, Sicilia, and Maxwell’s. No, Sbarro doesn’t count. And I’m sure I missed a couple.
Needless to say, downtown pizza choices abound, and while each shop offers very different styles of pizza, from thin crust at Pie Hole and Este to thick slices at Pier 49, I was a bit surprised to hear that a new pizza place, Johnny Slice, opened right across the street from Sicilia and down the street from Oak, Pier 49, and Maxwell’s. That said, Johnny Slice isn’t looking to be pigeonholed as just a pizza joint, as they seek to differentiate themselves with broad menu offerings. Breakfast sandwiches, coffee, pasta, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, and desserts are all served in this light and open space dominated by striking black and white tiles. The owner of Johnny Slice is also the owner of Michelangelo Ristorante on Highland Drive (but not the restaurant of the same name just up Main Street), so the breadth of Johnny Slice’s menu is not uncharted territory for these restauranteurs.
Their kitchen serves up breakfast sandwiches like a sausage and egg, bacon and egg, veggie, and ham & cheese. Breakfast is served all day, and you can wash it all down with a hot coffee or a freshly pulled espresso. At $5.75 for a sandwich, it seems a bit on the steep side for an early morning bite on the way in to the office, but the sandwiches aren’t tiny, either.
The French toast is made with house-baked focaccia, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and real maple syrup ($6.75). Add a side of warm berry sauce for another 75 cents. A dining companion reported that the French toast was tasty and was cooked well, and just what you would expect from French toast: soft on the inside and with a nicely griddled crust.
Pizza can be ordered by the slice, or whole pies can also be ordered. By the slice pizzas are waiting and ready to be warmed upon order. I think the pizzas are good. Not great, but good. Pizzas range from your standard cheese, pepperoni, and Hawaiian, and branch out into more creative territory with their Mediterranean (white sauce, bacon, garlic, spinach, feta, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, and roasted red peppers) and PP&J (pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeño). I tried a variety of slices and found the sauce to be a bit one-dimensional and too acidic for my tastes, while the pizza crust was decent, but a bit too reminiscent of a bagel in the chewiness department. At the end of two pieces my jaw feels like it just completed a set of bench presses. A little crunchier and a little less chewy would work wonders.
Their version of the roast beef sandwich was a real standout. Thin-sliced deli roast beef is heaped onto a fresh hoagie roll, topped with a generous portion of roasted peppers, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and parmesan cheese, and placed into the oven to get all melty and crispy. The sandwich ($8.50) is served alongside a pickle and a delicious cup of au jus that is a perfectly salty, beefy accompaniment to the rich and hearty sandwich. You can also jazz the sandwich up further by topping it with an assortment of peppers and giardiniera from their condiment bar. A combo option for $2.50 adds a bag of chips and a soda, but unless you just returned from a Strongman competition you’re not going to have room. This sandwich is hearty, and packs a deliciously agonizing gut-punch that will have you questioning your life decisions for a few hours after. I recommend it 100%.
Roast beef sandwich
Condiment bar
I have only visited during lunch hours, but they seem to understand the importance of quick turnarounds during the crazy downtown lunch rush. Every time I have stopped by, the kitchen has been staffed with no less than 5-7 employees, a kitchen manager expediting, and an extremely friendly and helpful restaurant manager running food and bussing tables. Pizza slices and sandwiches show up within five minutes. Prior restaurant experience shines through in their service during the lunch rush. Unfortunately, dining buddies have reported this same prompt service to not quite be the case on nights and weekends, where an order of French toast and an egg sandwich took about 30 minutes to arrive, and an order of spaghetti and meatballs on another night took about the same amount of time.
Johnny Slice is serious about being open when it counts, opening at 7:30 during the week, closing at 11pm and remaining open until 2am on the weekends. Capturing the after-bar crowd will allow them to shine long after other pizza joints have closed up shop for the night.
Some serious money seems to be invested into the remodel of the old Pepper’s sandwich shop, showcasing a brand new kitchen, a large, open, bright dining room, and beautiful hand-lettered signage on the windows. I really love the black and while tiles throughout, as it makes me feel like I’m in an old-school pizza parlor. The dining area is spacious, and could easily accommodate a band for some extra weekend fun. Additionally, you can reserve a private dining room for parties, which seats 12. It’s obvious through the quality and details in the remodel that the owners care about the space, care about downtown and intend to be here for a long time.
With pizza and dining choices abounding in downtown Salt Lake City, Johnny Slice is a delicious and worthy addition.
Johnny Slice
12 W Broadway, Salt Lake City
(385) 415-2924
Photo Courtesy PC Food & Wine Classic
Photo Courtesy PC Food & Wine Classic
Photo Courtesy PC Food & Wine Classic
Tickets are now available for the 13th annual Park City Food & Wine Classic from July 6 – 9. Utah’s Wasatch Mountains will welcome internationally-known chefs, vintners, sommeliers, brewers, and distillers to offer an unforgettable experience of food and wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, and live music paired with access to world-class mountain recreation including hiking, mountain biking, cycling, fly fishing, and more.
The Classic kicks off July 6 with Wine on the Mountain, an exclusive event to sample exquisite culinary creations, spend one-on-one time with wine experts, and enjoy live music in an intimate setting at Montage Deer Valley. Historic Main Street’s Stroll of Park City takes place July 7 with offerings from Park City’s extensive collection of award-winning restaurants and local retailers. Stroll VIP tickets allow guests to enjoy 30 extra minutes and skip the lines. The Toast of Park City on July 8 features an impressive selection of premium wines, beer, spirits, and gourmet food purveyors, along with live music on the lawn of the DeJoria Event Center near the Uinta foothills. Toast tickets include complimentary round-trip transportation from Park City.
Tickets can be purchased online at parkcityfoodandwineclassic.com. Be sure to check the website frequently for updates on additional culinary events as they are confirmed for this year’s Classic.
Event proceeds benefit the People’s Health Clinic, a nonprofit healthcare provider that serves uninsured individuals and families in Utah’s Summit and Wasatch counties.
Ah, love is in the air. Along with the inversion.
Check out some dining and celebration options for V day. Call soon–restaurants book up early.
Oasis Cafe: $40 per person, four course fixed menu featuring ahi tartare, fennel salad or shrimp bisque, halibut, beef tenderloin, or roasted chicken, and dessert. Call (801) 322-0404 for reservations.
Current Fish and Oyster: four course menu, $70 per person (drinks, tax, gratuity extra). Additionally, if you’re looking to celebrate, but don’t like the crowds on the 14th, Chef Gardner is offering dinner specials the 10th through the 13th as well. New offerings this year for the 14th include roast duck breast and a turbot and crab roulade. This is in addition to other menu options such as oysters, calamari, beef short ribs, organic cauliflower, braised salmon, and more. (801) 326-3474
Alamexo: the Mexican restaurant is celebrating el dia del amor. Valentine’s specials will be served from the 14th through the 18th, and include filet mignon with chile paste, tamale, jalapeño relleno, and salsa mocajete ($27), mahi mahi in a salsa veracruzana ($24), as well as some specialty desserts and beverages. (801) 779-4747.
Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar: Stanza is offering a $65 per person six course dinner on the 14th. The Valentine’s menu includes buttermilk panna cotta, Alaskan king crab, black truffle spaghettini, blood orange with black olive and candied walnut, a porcini-dusted New York strip loan, and a special dessert. (801) 746-4441
Laziz Kitchen: four-course prix fixe menu. You must reserve/pay in advance. Price is $140 per couple. The menu includes stuffed roasted onions, salads, salmon, organic chicken, and chocolate cardamom ice cream. (801) 441-1228.
RYE Diner and Drinks: RYE is open for Valentine’s Day. No information on their offerings, but each entree includes a guaranteed free ticket to the Urban Lounge next door for their Valentine’s Day party. Email janavanbrocklin@gmail.com
PAGO: offering a five-course tasting menu + wine pairings. Saturday, February 11th and Tuesday, February 14th. $75 per person tasting menu, $42 wine pairings. Dinner will feature choices of chocolate-dipped strawberries, pork belly, oysters, steak tartare, braised short ribs, duck breast, curried cauliflower, triple chocolate mousse hearts, and a house ice cream tasting. (801) 532-0777.
Stoneground Italian Kitchen: offering both a three-course ($35) and five-course ($50) dining option. (801) 364-1368.
La Caille: five-course dinner, $95 adults, $55 children. See their menu on Facebook. (801) 942-1751
Log Haven: Log Haven is completely booked on 2/14, but still has some room on 2/13 and 2/15. You can see their special menu on their site. (801) 272-8255.
Park City/Deer Valley
Stein Eriksen Lodge: the lodge is featuring special Valentine’s Day options such as a rose petal turndown service, house-made chocolates, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and flower bouquets. Call the lodge at (435) 604-2793.
The Brass Tag at the Lodges at Deer Valley: the restaurant’s raved-about dinner menu will be on offer, plus a special of porcini mushroom crusted scallops served with forbidden rice, roasted cauliflower and leek puree ($28).
Deer Valley Grocery Café: for those serving a special private meal at home, add a little something extra with the Fritto Misto for two ($14.75) from Deer Valley Grocery~Café. Enjoy rice flour battered wild sockeye salmon and shrimp, served with fennel, lemon, shiitake mushrooms, fresh sage dipping broth and preserved lemon salt.
Fireside Dining: spend an evening enjoying delectable selections beside a roaring fire. Fireside Dining at Deer Valley resort will be offering a trio of specials: seared duck breast with an elderberry and elderflower lacquer, slow-roasted tomatoes, Cipollini onions and sage polenta; roasted root vegetables with herb honey butter glaze; and a s’mores tart with house-made graham crust, bittersweet ganache and bourbon marshmallow.
Flanagan’s on Main: the Irish pub is serving classic surf-and-turf for Valentine’s Day. The “Lovebirds” special ($98 total) features fresh house salad, a sumptuous grilled 28-ounce ribeye, two 6-ounce lobster tails, mixed vegetables and dessert.
Grub Steak: Park City’s longtime locals-favorite steakhouse will be serving a delicious three-course prix fixe. The Valentine’s Day menu ($59.75 per person) starts with a choice of hearts of romaine Caesar salad, wild rice and mushroom soup, or Grub Steak’s 45-item fresh salad bar. Then enjoy beef wellington, featuring tenderloin of beef and mushroom duxelle baked in puff pastry, served alongside steam asparagus and citrus hollandaise. Chocolate lava cake and fresh raspberries and Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream caps the evening for dessert.
Tupelo: Park City’s home for globally inspired, artisanally sourced and stunningly prepared food is serving an a la carte menu and a five-course tasting menu for Valentine’s Day.
The tasting menu ($95, with an optional $65 wine pairing), starts with barbecue octopus with red bean stew, red pepper vinegar, kale and pickled lemon, followed by whiskey glazed Niman Ranch pork belly with apple butter, pickled beets and smoked maple; pan roasted bass with squash caponata, herb broth, lemon and smoked soy; and sous vide wagyu ribeye with wild mushroom, roasted marrow and truffles. Enjoy a tasting of artisanal chocolates for dessert. The a la carte selections draw from Tupelo’s regular dinner menu, with selections such as buttermilk biscuits, house-made ricotta, and Utah trout.
If you can’t find something in here that you like, then I’m afraid I’m of no use to you!
The Mandarin restaurant is set to begin their two week celebration of the Year of the Rooster this Saturday January 28th through Saturday February 11th. During this celebration, the restaurant will be offering a special Chinese New Year meal for parties of four or more people. Selections from the special menu include:
- Salmon Spring Roll with Sambal Aioli
- Vegetable Asian Salad
- Chicken Creamed Corn or Hot and Sour Soup
- Black Bean Beef
- Traditional Mai Fun Rice Noodles
- Pineapple Shrimp
- Satay Pork
- Steamed White and Brown Rice
- House-made Ice Cream Pair: Saigon Cinnamon and Lychee-Raspberry
- Cookie of Good Fortune
For an additional charge, specialty beverages such as gingerita, pomegranate spritzer, wine, Asian beers, ginger brew, and hot tea will be offered.
Cost is $20 per person. Reservations are accepted for groups of eight or more.
Additionally, the traditional eight-person Lion Dance will be performed at 6pm on February 1st and February 7th.
(801) 298-2406
348 E 900 N, Bountiful, Utah
SLCeats: Highlighting the best restaurants in Salt Lake City and Park City 