On a stretch of 5600 West in West Valley City filled with shiny new (mostly) franchise restaurants and shopping centers, there is a marvelous family owned Mexican eatery that has shot close to the top of my favorite Mexican restaurants list. It is called La Casa Del Tamal and this, my friends, is the real deal. Not surprisingly, a specialty of La Casa Del Tamal is tamales; … [Read more...]
Al Fresco Eats: 10 Perfect Patios for Outdoor Dining
With the exception of a few picnic tables scattered here and there outside of shrimp and chicken shacks, I don’t really remember outdoor dining being “a thing” when I was young. Today, however, al fresco seating can be found in restaurants ranging from fast food franchise eateries to Michelin 3-Star fine dining restaurants, and everywhere in between. That is a good thing. And, … [Read more...]
Fido-Friendly: Sunday Brunch at One-0-Eight
I have to admit that when restaurant One-0-Eight opened in the space that was formerly occupied by Sea Salt in SLC, I was puzzled by the name. Was the street address 108? Nope, the address is 1709 E. 1300 S. Ultimately, I learned that 108 is the last three digits of the Yalecrest neighborhood zip code where One-0-Eight is located: 84108. First opened by Chef/Owner James Dumas … [Read more...]
Authentically Italian: A Visit to Veneto Ristorante Italiano
For my birthday a couple of weeks ago my loving wife, Faith, offered to treat me to a birthday dinner at the restaurant of my choosing. I didn’t have to think very long about my choice. In my opinion, Veneto Ristorante Italiano is the best genuinely Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City and the perfect spot for a birthday celebration. The restaurant is named for Veneto, … [Read more...]
A SUSHI STORM—Park City’s Yuki Yama Sushi
One of my very favorite Park City restaurants isn’t one of the new kids on the block. In fact, my first rave review of it happened back in 2008, when the eatery in question was called Yuki Arashi. Since then, new owners have taken over and changed the name to Yuki Yama Sushi, but the food, service, and ambiance is every bit as stellar as it was some 13 years ago. Yuki means … [Read more...]
The Freshness Factor: 8 Utah Farm to Table Restaurants You Will Love
Although the term “farm to table” might be a tad overworked these days, there really is a bevy of discerning local chefs and restaurateurs who place a high value on freshness and do their damndest to source produce locally whenever possible. That means that you really can get a fresh, healthy meal with a smallish carbon footprint in many of our best Utah eateries. Here are a … [Read more...]
TALES OF TAKEOUT #12—Villaggio Pizzeria
This week’s Utah Bites restaurant review is a bit slimmer than most - without as many pretty pictures. That’s because I’m writing about takeout from a terrific pizzeria as opposed to a full-service restaurant dining experience with appetizers, entrees, desserts, wine list, etc. But although the review might be shorter, rest assured that this place is absolutely packed with … [Read more...]
TALES OF TAKEOUT #11—Sandy Sensation: Sobe Eats
A few years ago, during a Made in Utah festival hosted by Utah Stories, I met the three brothers behind a unique culinary concept called Sobe Eats. The brothers are Salvador Soberanis, Fernando Soberanis, and Victor Soberanis - hence “Sobe.” Maybe they thought Soberanis Eats was a little too clunky sounding. The Soberanis’ are all professional chefs who have worked at high … [Read more...]
Springtime in the Canyon: A First Look at Log Haven’s New Menu
It had been well over a year - before the pandemic landed - since I had dined at Log Haven restaurant in Millcreek Canyon. So, this week I journeyed up that beautiful canyon to sample some of the new dishes on Chef Dave Jones’ recently launched spring/summer menu. It’s easy to forget how gorgeous Log Haven and its surroundings are: streams, waterfalls, mountain views, a … [Read more...]
HOPELESS RAMENTIC: 8 Rad Ramen Restaurants in Salt Lake
There is no sign that the recent craze for ramen is going away. And, as a rabid ramen lover, I’m fine with that. The more ramen restaurants, the better. If you need assistance sorting through the plethora of ramen eateries in and around SLC, I’m here to help. These are a few of my favorites. Toshio “Tosh” Sekikawa has been making ramen in Utah for as long as anyone - … [Read more...]