Spice Kitchen Incubator is allowing new immigrants from countries such as Bhutan to start businesses on a shoestring, making the American Dream come true for refugees Kamal and Geeta Niroula, owners of the Bhutan House Restaurant. Five years ago, the S.P.I.C.E. Kitchen Incubator (Supporting the Pursuit of Innovative Culinary Entrepreneurs), came out of a demand … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2018
Guest Workers in Utah
They come to Moab from all over the world. Tourists, yes, but also guest workers. Service industry employers say these workers, brought in on temporary visas, are necessary for the viability of their businesses. “You just can’t get enough help in Moab,” says Judy Bane, Lodge Manager at Moab’s Red Cliffs Lodge resort. However, some advocacy groups, such as the … [Read more...]
Tasting Mexico at Alamexo Cantina
Matthew Lake has a passion for Mexican fare Matthew Lake, the owner and executive chef at Alamexo Mexican Kitchen and its newer offspring Alamexo Cantina, is passionate about Mexican cuisine. He doesn’t cut corners when it comes to sourcing ingredients, which is one of the things that separates his Mexican meals from so many others. To wit, he tasted and tested more than one … [Read more...]
Water Witch’s Coconut Daiquiri
Water Witch is one of those bars that you wish was on every corner. Not only is the diminutive (aka cozy) watering hole staffed with some of the most talented mixologists in the West, but they are also some of the most friendly. No attitude. And so, for someone like me - who doesn’t drink a lot of cocktails - Water Witch is a very comfy spot. The bartenders don’t treat me … [Read more...]
BLT Bucatini Recipe
BLT Bucatini is one of my very favorite pasta dishes - one that makes use of pancetta (bacon), arugula (lettuce) and cherry tomatoes: BLT. I like to make this using thick bucatini pasta, but feel free to use any type of pasta you like. Ingredients: 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes, roasted (see instructions below) 2 garlic … [Read more...]
Respect the Real: the Need for Authentic Voices in American Music
I was sitting at a table in one of my favorite Salt Lake bars listening to Rooster, a traveling country singer. His song was about something he experiences on any given night of the week. It was a song about sleeping in his truck in some middle-of-nowhere Wyoming town after a gig. Throughout the song, a drunk lady leaned against the stage yelling repeatedly, "play Johnny … [Read more...]
Smokin’ Bones BBQ: : Saucy Flavor Puts this Bountiful Spot on the BBQ Map
There is an old saying that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The meaning translates into many areas of life, but does it apply to choosing a restaurant? Just off a busy intersection in Bountiful, I found one—the metaphorical book which needed to be judged by its cover, and ultimately, one that needed to be read. The old building, the captivating sign, the people … [Read more...]
Foraging Wild Spring Foods
Most readers of Utah Stories might recognize my name as an author of mostly gardening-oriented articles. Although I have been passionate about foraging since I was a teenager, I taught my first class through the West High Community Education program in the fall of 2011 with only 12 students in attendance. As the years passed, the number of students continued to climb, … [Read more...]
Downtown SLC Building Boom: The New Face of Downtown Examined
On a typical week day, 23-year-old Mason Medart hops on the first Trax train to his investment research job at Goldman Sachs, puts in up to 16 hours, then works out at the rooftop gym at 4th West Apartments, and sometimes catches the sun setting over the mountains. A transplant from St. Louis who went to college in Dallas, Medart is happy with his life since moving to Salt … [Read more...]
Uinta’s New Seasonal Brew: Mango Lime Pilsner
What could be more refreshing on a warm spring or summer day than a cold pilsner beer, you ask? How about Mango Lime Pilsner? That’s the new, seasonal brew (May to September) from Uinta Brewing Company. According to Uinta brewmaster Tanael Escartin, “We wanted to create a beer that would let the unique combination of the fruits’ natural citrus and sweetness shine, … [Read more...]