Granary Bakehouse, located in the 9th and 9th neighborhood, closed its doors this week. From Selma, owner of Granary Bakehouse, in a post on Instagram:
After ten wonderful years in business and five unforgettable years in our 9th & 9th location, we officially closed our doors.
As many of you already know, my health has taken a significant turn these past few months. After much reflection, I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to step away from the bakery to focus fully on my well-being and healing.
They’ve set up a GoFundMe to “support our team and cover remaining expenses.” A link to their GoFundMe can be found via their Instagram account.
Babe Ruth was known for his healthy appetite. He was known for his particular love for hot dogs, reportedly downing 10-12 hot dogs before a game.
While The Bambino in Midvale doesn’t do hot dogs, I suspect Ruth would have been equally proud to have his nickname adorning the outside placard of this wood-fired pizza shop.
The Bambino is larger than I imagined, taking up the footprint of two of the historical buildings on historic Main Street (they share space with Setties, an ice cream and other sweet treats shop). Additional space is available on their large outdoor patio, lending plenty of breathing room for everyone.
We selected the cheese pizza, sausage, “The Peach” (consisting of whole milk mozzarella, fresh seasonal peaches, jalapeños, honey, and basil), and the “Garlic Smalls,” which is basically their version of a garlicky cheesy bread made from their pizza dough.
Everything was super delicious. The pizza was everything I like about a good wood-fired pizza: excellent flavor, including the dough, great texture, and the pizza is light enough that you don’t feel like you need a nap after dinner.
They’ve taken inspiration from the movie The Sandlot with their pizza names and overall vibe. Word on the street is that they have quite a robust secret pizza menu named after some of The Sandlot characters.
The Bambino is open from 11-8pm on weekdays, and “later on weekends.” I plan on swinging by for lunch to try one of their “Portafoglio” (wallet) sandwiches named the Mortazza. It’s made from their pizza dough, lemon nutmeg ricotta, mortadella, arugula, pistachios, shallots, salt and pepper. Sounds like an absolute grand slam.
I typically shy away from posting about franchises, but every now and then there’s a fun one that pops up that I think deserves some attention.
bb.q Chicken opened a little while ago at 3490 S State St. What was initially a fast casual model (order at the counter) has pivoted to a sit down model for this Korean fried chicken shop. Interesting choice, given the current trends that are going the opposite direction. In fact, many fast-casuals are setting up order touch screens to save on staffing even more.
The Ddeok Bokki was a fun, spicy dish composed of rice cakes and shrimp cakes doused in a slightly sweet and fairly spicy sauce. I really enjoyed it.
Of course the star is the fried chicken. Some of the most shatteringly crisp chicken I’ve had, yet it still maintained its juiciness. The “Secret Sauce” was a fun flavor. Next time I’m there I look forward to trying the Gang Jeong.
I think bb.q Chicken is definitely worth a spot on your “need to try” list. Give it a shot and tell me what you think.
Really, really saddened to hear this news. We have so few traditional butcher shops left in Salt Lake. And arguably the best one just announced that after ten years, it’s time to hang up the knives and close up shop, with their last day being December 23rd.
The best way to summarize Beltex Meats’ approach was that they care. They care about where they source their products. They care how those animals are treated. They care about their customers. And they care about the community.
To be clear, this level of care costs money. When you walk into Beltex you need to be prepared to acknowledge that responsibly sourced meats cost more, especially at Beltex’s relatively small scale. I suspect that, like so many other businesses in SLC (and across the country for that matter) they determined the maintaining prices at a reasonable level and still keep the lights on perhaps was no longer possible. But this is speculation on my part.
When I would stop by and buy a cut of beef (my favorite is, and always will be, the flatiron steak) they would take the time to educate me on how to cook it. Sometimes, it’s not complicated, with Phillip telling me one time: “get your grill as hot as it will go, three minutes each side, and you’re done.” Simple. But with good ingredients, most the time simple is the best.
And I would be remiss to not mention their sandwiches, which I regard as some of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. The porchetta was gluttony-on-a-bun, and man was it worth it. And their Saturday special, the cuban, was the best cuban sandwich I have ever eaten. They have ruined me for life for cuban sandwiches. I went to Miami and tried various renditions and remember thinking “none of these holds a candle to what Beltex does in Salt Lake.”
Again, I’m speculating here again, but I always got the impression that Beltex’s owner Philip Grubisa didn’t particularly love the attention that the sandwiches got over their meat selection. The sandwiches were one of those things designed to get people in the door, yet, the sandwiches developed a fame of their own, and I have a hunch that perhaps the distraction they created away from their main mission of providing the best meats in the valley wasn’t always what he had envisioned.
Nevertheless, yet another departure of a storied food business is making the headlines and leaving a deficit in the SLC food scene that will be difficult to replicate. Starting a standalone butcher shop in this day and age was brave enough, and I’m not sure we’ll see anyone else willing to step up and do it again, and that makes me sad for what SLC will be missing out on going forward.
Best wishes to the entire Beltex crew, who were always top-notch. Keeping my greedy fingers crossed that this isn’t the last time Philip Grubisa and his crew make a dent in the SLC food scene.
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.
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.
From my friends over at Building Salt Lake comes the news that the Hotel Monaco, as well as the hotels restaurant Bambara and bar The Vault will be closing temporarily for renovations.
The restaurant and bar will be closed for renovations beginning April 17th, with Bambara planning to re-open mid-June.
Additional details, including photos of the redesigned rooms, can be found over at Building Salt Lake.
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 AranciniOrecchiette with Chorizo RaguFried 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.
If you didn’t get a chance to check out Seattle’s famous Piroshky Piroshky pop-up the last time they were in town, you get a chance at redemption. PP just announced they are returning to Salt Lake on March 3rd, and they are accepting pre-orders right now. More info from their press release below.
****************
Piroshky Piroshky is heading back to Utah by popular demand. This time around, we’re visiting Provo and Salt Lake City.
Starting today, you can order a taste of Seattle’s internationally renowned bakery Piroshky Piroshky for Pre-Order Pickup on the selected date.
Founded in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, Piroshky Piroshky has offered hand-crafted Eastern European pastries to loyal fans since 1992.
Famous for its long lines out the door, Piroshky Piroshky Bakery has received widespread acclaim over the years, including a feature on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” and voted one of “The 20 Most Iconic Food Destinations Across America” by the Smithsonian.
With free delivery from Seattle’s favorite bakery to your city, our hand-held pies are not to be missed!
If it’s your first time, we invite you to visit our website to check out our unique and delicious options, including seasonal items available for a limited time.
How it works: 1. Select our best-selling pies online at piroshkybakery.com ahead of our visit. 2. Relax, knowing your piroshky is hand-made and made to order. (Items are flash frozen delivery.) 3. Pick up your piroshky on the event day, and say “Hi”; we love making new friends! 🙂
It’s that simple, delicious & fun. Thank you for your continued support!
Salt Lake City, UT – SaltFire Brewing Company Event Date: 03/03/23 Pick Up Time: 04:00 PM – 06:00 PM Location: 2199 S W Temple St, South Salt Lake, UT, 84115 Order Deadline: 03/01/23 – 2:00 PM Minimum Order: $50.00
SLCeats: Highlighting the best restaurants in Salt Lake City and Park City 