Food Reviews
A Lovely Little Restaurant: Tea Rose Diner
What makes the Tea Rose Diner special is the pure ambition of the place—it is the biggest tiny restaurant I’ve ever been in love with. For dinner, they make a perfectly excellent and unique rendition of Thai food. They also have one of the most original breakfast menus I’ve ever seen. I was there for more than just the pleasure of the food: I was on a mission. … read more
Food Review: Sapa
I had been meaning to visit Sapa for quite some time. The restaurant spared no expense in making itself look nice. The interior is lush and sexy. Blown-glass chandeliers provide the perfect mood and the seating area is open enough that it never feels crowded—even when chatty diners occupy every table. I am no expert when it comes to sushi, but that didn’t stop me from sampling a few options from their list of specialties. … read more
Which Came First, the Kitchen or the Keg?
Beer and food pairings have become increasingly common in Utah as more and more interesting beers have come to the marketplace. RedRock Brewing Company brews some of the best beer in the state, and given the state of beer in Utah, that is no small feat. A reliably good restaurant is associated with the brewery and feeds the yawning dining room, which fills the deep, cellar-inspired restaurant space. … read more
Korean For Beginners
I asked several of my foodie friends to take me to Korean restaurants, and, independently, each ordered exactly the same thing for our meal: Beef Bul Go Gi and Dol Sot Bop along with the customary bowl of rice and various kimchee and vegetable side dishes. The meals were delicious and easy. Bul Go Gi is a Korean style beef barbecue; it is salty-sweet and not too spicy. It is sold everywhere in Korea, even at the 7-Eleven.
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Food Review: Da Hotdog King
Troy King is called Da Hotdog King––as are his fleet of hotdog carts. As Salt Lake’s only genuine Chicago hotdog cart, this newest soon-to-be Utah legend sits on the corner of 400 South and Main Street on weekday afternoons. The proud owner of two carts in Chicago and two in Atlanta, King is the friendliest high-powered executive you’re ever likely to chat with over a steam table. … read more
Johnny Kolache: Friends Wanted Here
Johnny Kolache is a little coffee shop-sized pastry joint serving Czechoslovakian pastries in a number of fine and tasty ways. The white walls of the joint are covered with the enthusiastic autographs and mementos of many happy customers. Johnny Kolache might be the most intentionally unpretentious place in Salt Lake, and yet everything about the eats and the friendly help says that there’s a lot of pride behind this family and their homestyle food. … read more
Fuckin’ Nuts for Doughnuts!
I spent a decade of my life working in a grocery store, which allowed me to see just how bad the state of the American doughnut had become. In the old days, bakeries would mix the yeast dough from scratch and would use hot oil for frying. Recently though, it has become difficult to find a good doughnut. They’re often dry, overly sweet and too bready. Even when they’re fresh they taste like failure. I wanted something that would leave a more lasting impression. … read more
Meditrina
To Jennifer Gilroy and Amy Britt, the couple responsible for the award-winning wine and small plate restaurant, Meditrina, it’s the personal touches that matter. After coming from backgrounds in nightclub management and the corporate sector, they started the foodie heaven in 2008 without investors, so little things are constantly improving. Having followed their own passions for food and excellent wine, they say it’s the energy of the place that makes it unique. … read more
Food Review: Vertical Diner – January 2011
Set in the Meat Packing District a mile or so south of downtown, the Vertical Diner is a recycled space with a comfortable retro-post-punk vibe and uncompromising vegan diner-style food. A large part of the success of this place, for me, is that it doesn’t feel preachy about its do-gooder agenda. Being vegan requires a strict set of principles, but Vertical Diner doesn’t radiate any angry or groovy moral attitude. It’s like an artsy diner from the ‘80s in a big city like Kansas City or San Francisco. … read more
Grove Market & Deli: Tasty Two Pound Sandwich
Given the glut of superstores and convenience markets that litter the landscape these days, it is easy to forget that American towns were once built on the backs of family-run food markets. As family businesses have focused on adapting their enterprises to the needs of their clientele, some have managed to stay relevant and keep a solid customer base. One of these success stories is Grove Market & Deli. … read more