In the summer of 2023, Bambara restaurant in the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City got a bottom to top makeover, including replacing most of the banquet-style booths with large wooden tables, thereby creating a dining room that is more open and airy than previously. The makeover also added two Chefs Tables, which according to the folks at Bambara “provide guests the opportunity to experience a one-of-a-kind culinary performance. Located right next to the kitchen and bookable by OpenTable or by calling the restaurant directly, these up-close-and-personal seats bring a new perspective into the centrally located exhibition kitchen and bring guests into personal contact with the Chef throughout their dining experience.”

Executive Chef JV Hernandez

More recently, the Kimpton crew brought in a new chef, appointing JV Hernandez as Executive Chef. As you will come to see, it was a wise move. Hernandez has chops. Originally from Puerto Rico, Hernandez’s career has spanned high-level roles working and learning alongside prestigious chefs, including a Chef de Cuisine role at Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver, where he cooked alongside James Beard award-winning Chef Alex Seidel and Chef de Cuisine at The Joule Hotel in Dallas where he was mentored by Chef Junior Borges, a James Beard Semi-Finalist for Outstanding Chef. Most recently, JV was Culinary Director at Rear View Mirror Concepts where he oversaw kitchen operations for Community Supper Club’s upscale casual French-American dining and Birdhouse’s casual dining concept in Lafayette, Colorado. He’s a very articulate and outgoing guy and one of the things I like most about him is his dog’s name: Truffle. 

Roasted Beets

With the exception of a longtime favorite dish or two – such as the popular Blue Cheese Potato Chips ($11) – Chef Hernandez has pretty much reworked the entire Bambara menu, and it’s a very creative retooling. For example, Roasted Beets ($13) on the Starters portion of the menu gets a special treatment of sesame vinaigrette with black sesame puree, and inventive, tangy horseradish yogurt, plus a schmear of salsa verde made with sunflower beet greens. The beets are topped with edible flowers, a garnish that shows up in a number of Chef Hernandez’ dishes. I’m not usually a fan of beets, but this dish is a keeper. 

Kohlrabi Caesar

Another unique veggie dish from the new menu is the Kohlrabi Caesar ($13), which is bathed in shaved parmesan cheese with cured egg yolk, seasoned “crispy bits” and herbs such as fresh dill. It’s delicious. There is also an Apple Greens Salad ($16) on the menu with Lucy apples, charred apple vinaigrette, Beehive Cheese Co. smoked cheddar, and pumpkin seed gremolata. 

Tuna Crudo

The Tuna Crudo ($21) comes to the table with a glass cover over the crudo helping to keep in the “smoke.” The tuna is cold-smoked and served with kumquats (a creative touch), chili citrus, fresh fennel, Marcona almonds, and citrus supremes – segments of citrus fruit with the pith, peel, and membranes removed. It’s a bright and flavorful crudo. 

Puffy Potatoes w/Truffles

You could compose a hearty meal at Bambara just from the unique starters, as there are some 14 of them ranging from House Milk Rolls ($10) and a Local Cheese Board ($21), to Duck Confit Croquettes ($16), Smoked Trout Dip ($17), and Intermountain Gourmet Mushrooms Tartine ($17). A truly unique starter is what the kitchen calls Puffy Potatoes ($12). They are tater tot-like spuddy rectangles dusted with parmesan and minced chives with fried egg aioli and optional add-ons of caviar and/or shaved winter truffles. It’s a killer appetizer or could serve as a great side dish. 

Prime Utah Beef Tartare

One more inventive starter on the new menu is Beef Tartare ($19). Steak/beef tartare can be pretty routine, but as with many of his dishes, Chef Hernandez comes at the classic from a unique, modern perspective. The current Bambara menu is littered with local artisan ingredients since Hernandez is serious about supporting local producers and featuring their products in his dishes. The Beef Tartare is no exception, as the main ingredient is Prime Utah Beef. To that superior beef he blends in house ricotta, pickled mustard seeds, cured egg yolk, and Calabrian kumquat jam, garnishes the beef with edible flowers, and serves the tartare with crispy house-made potato chips. It looks and tastes unlike any beef tartare I’ve ever encountered, and is just another example of how Chef Hernandez and his Bambara culinary team are hitting it out of the park at present. 

Elk Loin

My wife and I always consider ourselves lucky when we dine at Bambara and our server is Jake Bowers. He is simply THE BEST. He brought us another fab dish, which was tender Elk Loin ($45) with a cardamom port reduction, perfectly cooked carrots, microgreens and an innovative scallion-pepita agrodolce – more evidence of Chef Hernandez’ seemingly boundless creativity. Meat lovers might also be interested in the 24hr Wagyu Short Ribs ($49) with fregola, charred greens, sofrito, piquillo peppers, and black garlic demi glace. 

Scallops

Fish and seafood aficionados can enjoy Idaho Trout Schnitzel ($36), Halibut with fennel broth ($42), or a dish we savored: Scallops ($41). A quartet of beautifully seared sea scallops are served with Romanesco, parsley-lemongrass broth, Calabrian kumquat marmalade, charred broccolini, and edible flowers. It’s a gorgeous presentation that tastes as great as it looks on the plate. 

Duck

Like pretty much everything that comes out of Chef Hernandez’ kitchen, the Duck ($39) is anything but ordinary. Lightly seared boneless duck breast is served with rich duck foie jus, burnt honey, coriander dust, and figs, with brown butter celery root puree alongside. It’s delicious, delightful duck. 

Parmesan Ice Cream & Caviar

Having sampled so many great dishes at Bambara, we weren’t exactly begging for dessert, but gave a couple of them a whirl anyway. The dessert menu ranges from sweet offerings like Chocolate Lava Cake ($12), Salted Caramel Pudding ($9), and Sticky Toffee Cake, to decidedly not sweet, but savory desserts such as Parmesan Ice Cream topped with Osetra Caviar ($15) or with Espresso and Affogato ($10). We found the caviar-topped parmesan ice cream to be very interesting, but probably a bit of a challenge for many palates. 

As we put a wrap on 2024, I’m thrilled that we ended it with one of the best meals of the year. Chef JV Hernandez and his crew are operating at the top of their game and his new menu is scattered with deliciously innovative culinary gems. Frankly, I was floored by the quality and uniqueness of the dishes and flavors on Bambara’s new menu and can’t wait to see what 2025 brings. It’s edible magic at The Monaco. 

Photos by Ted Scheffler

Culinary quote of the week: “Licorice is the liver of candy.” – Michael O’Donoghue