The Great (but Close) Escape Seeking a respite from Salt Lake City’s heat and haze, my wife and I enjoyed a recent escape to Solitude Mountain Resort for some high altitude hiking, dining, drinking and relaxation. Put bluntly: It didn’t suck. It’s hard to believe that such a quick drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon from SLC can seem like a visit to another world, but it does. … [Read more...]
Sassy Sunday, Viva La DIVA Brunch @The Marriott
The Original SLC Divas This past Sunday I attended the most enjoyable brunch ever, and I’ve been to plenty of them. No, it wasn’t as opulent a brunch spread as you’d find at The Grand America, Stein Eriksen Lodge, or Tuscany. But this one had something no other does: The Viva La DIVA Show! Viva La DIVA is said to be Salt Lake City’s “first and only professional celebrity and … [Read more...]
Margherita & More @ MidiCi: An Oasis of Great Taste at The Gateway
Locally-owned Neapolitan Pizzeria Shane Barber knows a thing or two about restaurants. He opened Bandits Grill & Bar here and in California and was instrumental in helping to create MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company - founded in California - consulting on the restaurant’s food and drink menus. Now, in partnership with Marc Crossman and Kathryn Conroy, he has a l … [Read more...]
Bar Fare Extraordinaire: Takashi Opens Post Office Place
No Mail Pick-up at this Post Office It’s been a long time coming, but Post Office Place (16 W. Market St, SLC) - a new bar created by the owners and staff members of Takashi restaurant - is finally open. And boy, was it ever worth the wait! Takashi owners Tamara and Takashi Gibo took over the space adjacent to Takashi restaurant - former home to Kristauf’s Martini Bar - wel … [Read more...]
Rockin’ Ramen: Jinya’s Japanese Roots
Made in Japan I tend to shy away from writing about franchise and chain eateries, choosing normally to highlight independently-owned, truly local businesses. But now and then I come across a chain restaurant that doesn’t look or feel chain-like, and that is simply too good to ignore. Such is the case with Jinya Ramen Bar. There are currently 27 Jinya locations in the U.S. a … [Read more...]
Conscious Dining: A Visit to The Dispensary
Not Your Daddy’s Diner David Heiblim knows a thing or two about comfort food. He’s the founder of both Este Pizzeria - specializing in East Coast-style pizzas - and Este Deli, which offers East Coast-style sandwiches and other deli fare. So it might come as no surprise that the main attraction at his newest restaurant is one of the ultimate comfort foods: pot pie. It’s the type … [Read more...]
Eat Here Now: Five Outstanding Restaurants to Visit before They Explode
My stepsons and their friends recently waited an hour on a Saturday evening to be seated at the Red Iguana. Don’t get me wrong, like everybody else, I love Red Iguana. But I’ll be damned if I’ll wait an hour for a table anywhere. Not gonna happen. If, like me, you have a lot of hunger but very little patience, here are five outstanding restaurants that could explode any day. … [Read more...]
Sensational Celeste Ristorante
Decades of Delicious For more than two decades, one of my favorite chefs has been a fellow originally hailing from Forte Dei Marmi in Italy. His name is Paolo Celeste. He is owner/chef of his namesake restaurant, Celeste Ristorante, in Murray. I first encountered Paolo’s extraordinary cooking back when he was working in the kitchen of a small restaurant in Heber c … [Read more...]
Twisted Fern: Park City’s Twisted Cuisine
Twisted Fern is a Hidden Gem Every now and then I come across a restaurant that reminds me why I love my job. Such is the case with Twisted Fern, a hidden gem in Park City - a town with more than its fair share of excellent eateries. Don’t let the location dissuade. Twisted Fern is located in Park City’s Snow Creek Shopping Center, but this is far from your average strip mal … [Read more...]
Fireside: On Fire at Regent Street
Michael Richey’s Fireside on Regent is Hot In the past couples months, Viet Pham’s new Pretty Bird eatery has been garnering most of the foodie press in town, and deservedly so. However, there’s another excellent dining spot on Regent Street in downtown SLC - the one that owner/chef Michael Richey opened in winter of 2017, called Fireside on Regent. This downtown bistro spec … [Read more...]