Tag: dining

New Restaurants, News

New Modern Italian Coming to Sandy

South Valley residents, rejoice! A new restaurant is opening up in your neck of the woods in December. Scelto (pronounced shell-toe) is opening up soon in Aspen Plaza at 849 E 9400 S.

I, for one, am heartened that this is a non-chain restaurant opening up in South Valley. We need more of those.

Press release from Scelto below.

This December, Scelto (pronounced “Shell-toe) is opening their first flagship kitchen and restaurant to welcome friends, neighbors, locals, and visitors to their Sandy location to try their modern and unique take on Italian cuisine.

“This great opportunity of opening a restaurant was driven by my deep love of food and real estate, and the scarcity of dining options in the southeast end of the valley,” says Waleska Iglesias – Co-Owner of
Scelto. “My business partner, Scott Dilley, and I are excited to embark on this culinary enrichment and community-building journey, bringing a much-needed dining experience to Sandy. Our goal is to fill this
gap and become a great gathering place for everyone.”

The Scelto team expects to grow their business throughout the valley, and are applying for the new concept of the year award given by the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. Scelto, recently featured in Gastronomic Salt Lake City, is excited for their official Grand Opening this December, where guests can enjoy the new Scelto atmosphere, menu, and what Waleska and Scott are bringing to the Sandy community.

About Scelto
Co-Owners and business partners Waleska Iglesias and Scott Dilley both live in the Salt Lake valley. Waleska Iglesias and Scott Dilley are both Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate investors with a combined 19 years of experience. The flagship Scelto location is currently hosted in the Aspen Plaza near Bonsai Japanese Steakhouse and La Costa Mexican Restaurant – the Scelto group looks forward to bringing their gourmet Italian servings to Sandy and beyond in years to come.

Events, News, Park City News

These Tickets Will Sell Out Fast – Intermountain Health FIS World Cup “Freestyle Feast”

From Deer Valley:

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

2024 INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH FREESTYLE INTERNATIONAL FIS SKI WORLD CUP AT DEER VALLEY

FEBRUARY 1 – 3, 2024

We can’t wait to see YOU at the 2024 Intermountain Health Freestyle
at Deer Valley! The high-flying action takes place February 1-3, 2024 with moguls, aerials and dual moguls competitions at night, under the lights. The event is free and open to the public; however, we want to invite you to join us for the VIP Freestyle Feast available each night.

Each VIP Freestyle Feast Ticket includes:

One-Night Access to the VIP Tent at the Base of the Competition Venue
A VIP Gift
Premier Indoor/Outdoor Viewing
Delicious Libations
Dinner Buffet Provided by Deer Valley Chefs

Please note that bags of any kind are not allowed into the event venue, per the Park City Police Department’s public safety policy.

The event is free and open to the public, but the VIP Freestyle Feast is expected to sell out, so grab your tickets now!

More information can be found on their website.

review

Lola: Hit and Miss

One of the things I love is the bounty of Mexican food restaurants that we have in the city. We have our 24-hour drive throughs that all end in “etos” or “bertos.” We have taco carts and birria joints. We have places to eat deep, flavorful molé. We have cheap eats and higher-end. It’s a bounty of choices.

So where does Lola, located at 9th and 9th, fit in this spectrum? Well, it might be best for me to describe the place and you can judge for yourself.

The interior is befitting of the chic exterior of the restaurant. The first thing that draws you eye upon entering is the long open kitchen that greets you right as you cross the threshold. I am, and forever will be, a sucker for open kitchens. I don’t care how “2010” of me it is to say so. As a wannabe chef, it is infinitely intriguing to me to watch them work their magic.

The dining room is noisy with excitement, but not overly so. The steady thrumming of noise adds vibrancy and energy to the room, while not being too much.

The menu is focused, though not overly simple. You’ll find two to three appetizers, a few salads, and eight or so entrees. The restaurant offers some creative drink options, including some really nice aguas frescas.

We started our meal with the queso fundido, and warm, melty cheese dish featuring Heber Valley Cheese. The dish stuck to its roots with soft corn tortillas, but I would have liked to have been given the option to get some traditional tortilla chips, which would have made scooping the gooey cheese with bits of plantain a bit easier.

For our entrees, our party chose the toasted Japanese yam with “umami sour cream,” the tinga empanada, and asada burro, and the chicken milanesa.

The yam received rave reviews from our friend, who said the mix of flavors were really nice. The yam was so light that she remarked that it was like she was eating a cloud. The tinga dish was also well received, and the carne asada burro, despite needing a bit of salt and perhaps a tangy element like some pickled onions or jalapeños, was also tasty.

The milanesa was a dud, I’m sad to say. Milanesa is traditionally prepared by slicing beef or pounding a chicken breast very thin, then lightly breading and frying. After reading the description, I was excited to give it a try, but sadly was disappointed. The dish needs to be completely reworked, or just 86’d. The chicken was tough, dry, chewy, and flavorless. I found myself wishing for a crema or sauce of some sort to help add some complexity to this dish and help add a bit of moisture, but all I had was a lemon wedge. The best part of this dish were the quick-pickled tomatoes, which I believe were seasoned with Tajin. I would have loved to have had another handful of those to help add a little excitement to this otherwise bland dish.

We had great service from who I believe is one of the owners and “sometimes chef” (in his words). Water pitchers were brought to the table promptly, silverware was replaced efficiently, and the timing of the meal was spot-on.

Should you check out Lola? I definitely think so. The restaurant adds a fun vibe to an already fun 9th and 9th. I’d say the restaurant sits between Chile Tepin and Monarca from an “upscale” perspective. You won’t be getting refried beans and rice with every entree, but you also won’t be spending $40 per plate, either. I think Lola sits in a nice spot price-wise, with entrees ranging from around $18 to $25 dollars.

So, go check it out and let me know what you think. Just don’t get the milanesa.

News, Park City News

Riverhorse on Main Easter Brunch

Tapas? Great. Unlimited? Awesome. Unlimited Tapas? Ecstatic.

Celebrate Easter in style this year with a full menu of all-you-can-eat tapas-style brunch favorites on Sunday April 9th from 11am to 2:30pm. Brunch is $95 for everyone 13 and up, and $65 for 12 and under.

Riverhorse on Main
540 Main Street, Park City

Make reservations at Resy.com

review

SLC Eatery

It’s always fun to discover someone or something that does things a bit differently than the rest. Taking chances and experimentation creates excitement and vibrancy. And few SLC restaurants exhibit this better than SLC Eatery, located on 1017 South Main Street.

SLC Eatery remains one of my favorite restaurants in Salt Lake. I love the someone oddball location on Main Street around 10th South. The building is a former rock shop, sandwiched between a motel and a used car dealership. The interior decor remains current, with beautiful woodwork designed and built by Chad Parkinson at The Furniture Joint.

The wide-ranging menu is creative and daring, but keeping things within most peoples’ comfort zones. Expect to find everything from Utah scones to bulgogi to albacore tataki to swordfish.

My favorite feature of the restaurant is the dim sum cart, which is wheeled around to diners at least twice throughout the meal. The dim sum cart at State Bird in San Francisco inspired co-owner and chef Paul Chamberlain to incorporate a dim sum cart as part of SLC Eatery.

Pre-COVID, the cart was chock-full of various small plates filled with tasty bites. The plates are priced low enough to encourage diners to try a bunch of different plates and see what they like. Now, in a post-COVID world, and with food waste in mind, the cart no longer has ready-made plates ready to be picked off the cart. Rather, the cart has one prepared plate of each option, allowing diners to choose which they would like. The dishes are then prepared a la minute and brought out. I’ll admit some of the charm of the cart is gone with this change, but the idea is still fantastic and sets SLC Eatery apart from other restaurants. On a recent visit, we were able to try a bunch of different small plates, instead of committing to just one entree.

I love that the cart allows co-owners and chefs Logan Crew and Paul Chamberlain a creative outlet to experiment with different flavors and techniques. On the evening we stopped by, we were lucky that one of the dim sum items was an item that’s been with them from the start: the very lovely Tokyo Turnips, with a wonderfully sweet and bright caper date purée and a sesame garlic crunch. The Utah Scone with “everything” seasoning was wonderfully light and crunchy, and the clam dip with tobiko and house-made potato chips were a hit. My favorite small plate was the fried quail with pomegranate and an SLC Eatery take on barbecue sauce. The quail was shatteringly crisp and perfectly cooked.

Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Arancini
Orecchiette with Chorizo Ragu
Fried Qual with Pomegranate and BBQ Sauce

A standout plate of the evening was the calamari “fried rice,” a gorgeous dish with crispy rice, a carrot ginger nage, jalapeños, olive, and cilantro. Logan and Paul really know how to balance flavors in a way that each dish is wonderfully tasty, but not overpowering.

Tokyo Turnips, Calamari Fried Rice, Clam Dip with Tobiko and House-Made Chips

For our main, we had the house-made orecchiette in a basque chorizo ragu and topped with buffalo mozzarella. It was outstanding.

At the end of the meal, the dim sum cart made another tempting round, this time with desserts. We chose the apple cheesecake with salted caramel and oat crumble. The crust was unique, and was more filo dough-like than a standard graham cracker crust, but it was delicious regardless.

Apple Cheesecake

I absolutely love and appreciate the niche that SLC Eatery has managed to carve out for itself in SLC. The food is elevated but approachable, and reasonably priced (expect to pay between $30 and $40 for most entrees). The chefs flirt with molecular gastronomy, but keep it on the conservative side of the spectrum in a way that doesn’t scare off their general audience and keeps prices reasonable.

One other side note: you know the old cliche that we eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths? Paul and Logan get that. And it shows with their food photography, especially on their Instagram account, which routinely posts some incredibly beautiful photos of their food. They seem to be one of the few restaurants in SLC that understand that proper food photography sets restaurants apart from the rest.

Paul and Logan (and the rest of the SLC Eatery crew): keep doing your thing, man. I love the inventiveness, the willingness to stick your necks out to try a unique location and a unique service model.

Events, News

Park City February Events

Even after an eventful Sundance Film Festival, there is a ton of stuff going on in Historic Park City in February. I’d especially recommend you consider experiencing the prix-fixe menu at The Nelson Cottage by High West, held every Wednesday nights at 5:30 and 8:30. It’s a really fun location with excellent food and drinks. Press release below.

**************

The Historic Park City Alliance (HPCA) invites guests to Main Street to join Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day celebrations, intimate dining experiences, laid-back bar trivia, and world-class concerts this February. 

“Local businesses in historic Park City are providing plenty of reasons to celebrate,” explains Ginger Wicks, Executive Director of the Historic Park City Alliance. “With a collection of special events, dinner specials, and weekend shows, locals and visitors can fill the calendar with no shortage of things to do.”

February festivities scheduled on Park City’s Historic Main Street include:

Wednesdays

Prix-Fixe Dinners at The Nelson Cottage by High West

Experience unique prix-fixe menus created every Wednesday, featuring the best of Utah’s local harvest. Dinner is served with optional whiskey pairings to complement each course, along with an ever-changing wine list and a small selection of beers. Seatings at 5:30 & 8:30 p.m. $95 with optional whiskey pairings starting at $50.

Thursdays

Trivia King at Flanagan’s on Main

Team up for King Trivia Live Pub Quiz every Thursday at 7 p.m. Test your knowledge over traditional Irish fare, premium beers, and spirits. 

2 – 4 

Dustbowl Revival at The Egyptian Theatre

The always-evolving group of string and brass players entertain audiences with their beloved style of American roots music. Shows nightly at 8 p.m.

8 – 11 

Sarah Jarosz at The Egyptian Theatre

With her captivating voice and richly detailed songwriting, Sarah Jarosz has emerged as one of the most compelling musicians of her generation. A 4-time Grammy Award-winner at the age of 30. Shows nightly at 8 p.m.

12

Super Bowl Buffet at Star Bar

Feast on a Super Bowl buffet catered by Big Dipper Park City including Game Day 

favorites like chips and dips, mini corn dogs, potato salad, and a taco and chili bar. $90 

per person ($45 for food and $45 drink minimum).

14

Valentine’s Day Dinner at Courchevel Bistro

Treat your sweetheart to an exclusive 4-course Valentine’s Day dinner from 5 – 9 p.m. Each course will have gluten free and vegetarian options and will be the exclusive menu for the evening. $120 per person. Alcohol billed upon consumption. Joyeuse Saint Valentin! 

16 – 19 

Richard Thompson – Acoustic Solo at The Egyptian Theatre

Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time, Richard

Thompson is also one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters. 

Thursday – Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 6 p.m.

23 – 26

Daily & Vincent at The Egyptian Theatre

Grand Ole Opry members, 5-time Grammy Award winners individually, 3-time Grammy 

Award nominees collectively, 4-time Dove Award winners, and winners of 35 IBMA 

Awards altogether, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent and their world-class band play a 

full set of classic American bluegrass. Thursday – Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 6 p.m.

News

Utah James Beard 2023 Semifinalists

Big kudos to the following restaurant chefs and owners for making the semi finalist list for 2023!

  • Outstanding Restaurant: Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm
  • Outstanding Bakery: Normal Ice Cream
  • Outstanding Hospitality: Manoli’s
  • Outstanding Bar: Post Office Place
  • Best Chef Mountain Region: Paul Chamberlain and Logan Crew, SLC Eatery; Andrew Fuller, Oquirrh; Briar Handly, Handle Park City, Ali Sabbah, Mazza.

Sometimes restaurant awards miss the mark, but in this case, each one of these nominations is so very well deserved. Each of these restaurants has had an outsized influence on the Salt Lake dining scene in their own unique ways.

Congratulations to each of the nominees! The full list of nominees can be found here.

New Restaurants, News

Pizza Volta Now Open in Sugarhouse

The good news/bad news world of SLC dining continues. Right on the heels of the news of the closure of two Sugarhouse restaurants, Flatbread Pizza and Habit Burger, a new pizza place opens around the corner.

Pizza Volta, created by Martin Brass and Paul Cucchiarelli of Hand Fire Pizza in Jackson, recently opened on McClelland Street. The restaurant is making community involvement a pillar of their operations, by offering non-profits one night per week to fundraise based on a portion of that night’s sales. More info on the “Pizza With A Purpose” nights can be found here.

The menu appears to have some interesting options. I’m particularly intrigued by their take on a “funeral potatoes” pizza, which features cheddar cream sauce, mozzarella, roasted potato, prosciutto, red onion, and yes, corn flakes. I’m not sure how any true Utahn could resist that!

Full press release below

Pizza Volta announced today the opening of their newest location in Sugar House with a menu featuring a variety of artisan pizzas made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. From classic cheese to more creative options like beet, goat cheese and dill or the bacon and caramelized onion combo, there’s something for every pizza lover at Pizza Volta. 

Pizza Volta offers an extensive beer selection and specialty cocktail menu to compliment every aroma and flavor. For kombucha lovers, try the Bad and Boochie or celebrate a special occasion with a glittery swig of Strawberry Fields. The current cocktail menu features local favorites Jack Rabbit Gin and Five Wives Vodka arranged with convivial mixers of mint, lavender and more.

Pizza Volta’s Paul Cucchiarelli and Martin Brass said, “We are thrilled to open the doors in Salt Lake City and look forward to sharing their passion for great pizza with the community.  We are also excited to give back to the community through our weekly fundraisers with local nonprofits. It’s important for us to be able to make a positive and lasting impact in our new neighborhood. Supporting the community that supports us has always been one of our fundamental principles.”
Pizza Volta believes in serving more than just delicious pizza to the Salt Lake City community. On Tuesday nights proceeds from local nonprofits are given a platform at Pizza Volta to promote their cause. Portions of every pizza sold in-house or for take out go directly to that participating organization. Nonprofit organizers interested in being featured can check out the Pizza Volta ‘Pizza With a Purpose’ page for application information.

Cucchiarelli and Brass are no strangers to creating successful pizza restaurants in beautiful locales. They launched Hand Fire Pizza in Jackson, Wyoming in 2017 in a landmark, historical theater building.
Pizza Volta is now open 11:30 am – 10 pm and offers dine-in and takeout options. Parking is available along McClelland Street, in addition to street parking all around Sugar House and in the parking garage below the Pizza Volta building.
For promotions, menu changes and other delectable news, follow the Pizza Volta blog or follow Pizza Volta on Instagram and Facebook. 

Uncategorized

Flanker Kitchen + Sporting Club Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Tons of action happening over the next few weeks at Flanker. Check out the info below.

Flanker Kitchen + Sporting Club is celebrating its first anniversary with a new high-energy concert series, delicious brunch, and a Super Bowl watch-party for the ages. Reservations for the Super Bowl Watch Party and Anniversary Brunch are highly recommended and can be made at www.flankerslc.com. 

Grammy Award-Winning Artist Anderson Paak who is DJing under his alter ego DJ PeeWee, said, “I’m super excited and honored to be spinning at Flanker for their 1 year anniversary! It’s gonna be the best way to start the year off right! Can’t wait to get the people moving and grooving! Salt Lake, here Wee come, baby! ” 

“It’s been an exciting first year and we look forward to building on our success,” said
Bryan Bass, Chief Marketing Officer of Carver Road Hospitality. “In addition to our anniversary festivities, Super Bowl Sunday was our most popular event last year and we’re going to make this year even bigger and better. As the best place in town to watch the big game, we expect this party will sell-out so sports fans should secure their reservations right away.”

While no excuse is needed to come enjoy the food, drinks and atmosphere, the Flanker Anniversary event line up is not to be missed: 

Friday, January 27 – ‘PARTY GOERS’ CONCERT

In the first installment of the new Salt Sessions concert series, the Party Goers will deliver an electric performance. Salt Sessions are modeled after the popular NPR Tiny Desk series where artists play original work made for the big stage but performed in an intimate setting. New artists will be announced each month. 

PARTY GOERS is known for high energy live performances and their swaggerous investigation of hip hop, house and electronic music. The three members reside in various locations strewn through the Rocky Mountain West, and in many ways their music reflects this geographic. Sampled sounds from the forest creating tech-house soundscapes, high-elevation hip hop beats, side-chained kicks gasping for oxygen, gritty MPC laden tracks scratched by countless turntables…a sonic collage that strikes original. It’s a party.

The pre-show entertainment will be DJ Gabba from 6:30PM to 8:30PM and DJ Karma will close out the evening. 

Saturday, January 28 – DJ SOXXI and DJ PEE WEE aka ANDERSON PAAK  

DJ Soxxi hails from Las Vegas and mixes buoyant sounds with screaming dance music. She illustrates a raw, unrestrained style of hard house while maintaining an approachable opening to club-goers. She symbolizes in life and music that anything is possible and there are no boundaries. 

Anderson Paak is fresh off a New Year’s Eve collaboration with Bruno Mars and ready to party in Salt Lake City! At the 64th Grammy Awards he won Song of the Year for Leave the Door Open. In addition to his solo career, Anderson Paak formed the duo NxWorries, regularly plays with the band Free Nationals, and collaborates with Bruno Mars in Silk Sonic. This Grammy award winning rapper not only dazzles with his high-energy sets, he also gives back to under-served communities through his Paak House initiative.

Sunday, January 29 – ANNIVERSARY BRUNCH WITH MYSTIC MUSE

Help celebrate 365 days of food, cocktails, sports, karaoke, concerts, dance parties, and so much more at Flanker + Kitchen and Sporting Club. Toast with a spicy mimosa, chai mule, a bloody maria, any artisan cocktail you crave or sip from the well-rounded beer selection. Enjoy eggs benedict four ways, steak and eggs, shrimp and grits, and the famous hot fried chicken sandwich. 

Eat, drink and converse while Sea Jay, known as DJ Mystic Muse, spins intoxicating tunes. Mystic Muse is a multidisciplinary artist who creates meditative and striking environments for people to dance and live in the present moment. She often paints live during her sets adding an ethereal nature to her work. The more the merrier at the Anniversary Brunch so book your group reservation now. 

Sunday, February 12 – SUPER BOWL AT FLANKER KITCHEN + SPORTING CLUB

No matter who is playing, the Super Bowl is always one of the most watched events around the world. Come for the atmosphere, more than 60 TV, large LED screens and stay for the unbeatable food and drink offerings. Sports fans wanting the best seats at Utah’s premier Sporting Club & Kitchen should book your reservation now, before Flanker is sold out for the biggest game of the season.

News

Taqueria 27 Has New Owners

Congrats to the Todd and Kristin Gardner, who recently sold Taqueria 27 to restauranteur Laxman Paudyal.

From the press release:

Taqueria 27, a local favorite, is delighted to announce new ownership. The restaurant will continue to serve up its unique signature tacos and delicious margaritas under the direction of the new owners, who are committed to preserving the quality and character of the restaurant.

Miles Clark, the new operations manager for Taqueria 27, is a Salt Lake City local through and through. He loves the food culture of the city and surrounding areas. He has also been in the restaurant business since he was 15 years old, holding jobs from dishwasher to manager to everything in between.

“I am looking forward to taking such an amazing company to new heights,” said Miles. “We plan to expand Taqueria 27 with the same high standards that have already been in place. We are very proud of the previous owners’ dedication to very fresh food and cocktails! We would like to continue with their high dedication to our food and drink menus. We are bringing in new liquor options for our guests.” 

Laxman Paudyal, Taqueria 27’s new president, is a successful businessman that has grown from the ground up. He is a military vet that worked with the US military in several countries as a translator. He was born and raised in Nepal. He has been in the United States since 2002, where he put himself through college at BYU. He has successfully run multiple restaurants, including Big Daddy’s Pizza and Carlos And Harleys.

“Our goals are to continue high-quality service and food standards,” Miles continued. “Our mission is to take care of our guests as though they were at our own dinner tables. Our drive is to provide guests with timely service, great food, and a high-quality work environment for our staff. Our key to success will be our fresh-to-order food and drinks and our knowledge of the restaurant industry.”