Originally created in upper Millcreek Canyon as a log hideaway anniversary gift for his wife in 1920 by steel baron L.F. Rains, today Log Haven is a breathtaking, one-of-a-kind restaurant with cuisine that hits the high notes of the restaurant’s superb ambiance, service, and the natural beauty that surrounds it. In November Chef Dave Jones launched his new winter menu and Log … [Read more...]
What to Do this Weekend in Heber and Ogden Utah
Afterword’s Winter House Reopens Following a brief closure to winterize the restaurant, Afterword by Tupelo in Heber has reopened its Winter House dining area for the winter season. Tempting dishes from Chef Matt Harris’s inspired current menu include Roasted Spanish Octopus; Butternut Squash “Cacio e Pepe” Pasta; Roasted Duck Breast with rosemary polenta; Fried Green Tomatoes … [Read more...]
Oaxacan Pollo en Barbacoa
When I was in college and then later in graduate school, I spent long stretches of time in Oaxaca, Mexico, including a full summer there. Oaxaca is well known for its marvelous moles, but I also like barbacoa, which is meat and other foods slow-cooked until very tender. This recipe for pollo en barbacoa is a delicious one that I found in a cookbook called Oaxaca: Home Cooking … [Read more...]
A Telleira Godello: A Bright, Refreshing, and a Vibrant White Wine
My wife often enjoys purchasing wines that she knows little or nothing about, based on interesting wine bottle labels. That’s how she came to bring home a Spanish Godello wine called A Telleira last week. She loved the quirky label. As it turned out, we both loved the wine, as well. Godello is a white grape variety grown in Spain’s northwest, particularly in Galicia. Wines … [Read more...]
The Story of Wasatch Brewery: The Pioneers of the Craft Beer Brewing in Utah
In post-prohibition Utah, there had not been a brewery since the original Fisher Brewing Co. closed in the 1960s. That is, until Greg Schirf came to the Beehive State. After graduating from Wisconsin’s Marquette University with philosophy and journalism majors and minors, respectively, and still only 21 years old, Greg Schirf hit the road, literally. He hitchhiked from … [Read more...]
Inside the Mind of One of Utah’s Most Successful Real Estate Investors
Those TV shows make it look so easy. Buy an old house, make some renovations, and sell it for a pile of money! But in the real world, investing in real estate is a speculative venture that requires a thorough knowledge of the housing market, access to capital (known as hard money), and a willingness to take a calculated risk. Real estate investors, known in the industry as … [Read more...]
An Alternative Salt Lake Homeless Solution: Switchpoint May Be the Answer
The ongoing homeless problem in Salt Lake is a tough one to solve. Homeless shelters are running at capacity and the Tiny Home Village is still in the planning stages. So Carol Hollowell came up with an alternative solution that could get people out of the cold and off the streets. Hollowell says her original background had nothing to do with homlessness. Born and raised in … [Read more...]
MAIN STREET SALT LAKE: Open Drug Use is Hurting Local Businesses
Downtown Salt Lake City: Main Street — Three homeless men sit in the former business entrance to the Off-Broadway Theater and distribute rations of spice or possibly weed. In broad daylight on the busy thoroughfare, they roll joints and watch the passers-by. Around the corner, acrid plumes of blue smoke fill the air. The SLCPD, like most metro Police departments, have … [Read more...]
ESCAPE TO NOLA: Exploring the Bold Flavors of New Orleans
Having not left Utah for nearly two years thanks to the pandemic, my wife and I finally escaped the Beehive State recently for a much-needed change of scenery. Specifically, we flew to New Orleans for R&R and some outstanding food and drink in that one-of-a-kind American city. So, in this week’s Utah Bites we’re leaving Utah to appreciate and explore NOLA, with the hope … [Read more...]
Salt Lake’s New Restaurants, Chefs, Menus and Truffle Season
Laurel Restaurant Opening at Grand America Laurel Brasserie & Bar is scheduled to open at The Grand America on December 1, 2021, in the space that was previously home to the Garden Cafe. I was given a couple of recent sneak previews of the new space and, well, it’s quite a change! The new restaurant and bar are beautifully designed - gone are the gaudy furnishings and … [Read more...]