Tasting menu review

Throughout my years of writing for Gastronomic SLC, people have always asked me why I have never written about some of my more interesting meals, outside of Salt Lake City. I’ve often shied away from such a path for fear of distracting from the focus of the website. All that said, a recent meal at SAAM in Los Angeles prompted me to rethink that. After an excellent meal I really wanted to write ‘something’ but had no outlet as such, and with so many people asking me so many questions, I decided to review the meal here. Hope you enjoy.

SAAM is the work of Jose Andres. who is probably most noted for his Washingon D.C restaurant, Minibar. Seating is notoriously hard to come by at Minibar, with only 12 diners seated per evening. For a chef who counts Ferran Adrian as his mentor you would expect to see plenty of creative twists and flair, which Andres serves up in spades. When an opportunity to dine at one of his restaurants recently came up, I jumped at the chance.

SAAM is actually a restaurant within a restaurant. Located within SLS hotel in Beverly Hills you will find ‘The Bazaar’, a mixture of tapas restaurant (Rojo Y Blanca), bar (Bar Centro), patisserie, shop and tucked out back away from chaotic crowds, the private tasting room, SAAM. The tasting room is a quiet oasis and offers up a single 22 course tasting menu, a few select nights of the week.

The following is a recap of my meal there a few weeks ago. Some of the pictures aren’t fantastic, as I was trying to avoid flash photography, in what is a fairly upscale setting.

The Golden Boy, Lotus Root Chips: The meal commenced with this house signature cocktail – a small shot of sherry, cava, bitters and gold dust. A clean, crisp, refreshing hit to the system, and really, its kinda neat when you can relay that you began your meal with gold dust. The lotus root chips were served alongside, coated with star anise – delicious.

Tuna Handroll: The first of the appetizer courses was a play on the traditional hand roll. Only enough for one bite, but what a delicious bite. Ahi tuna is encased in a crisp outer shell with a wonderfully rich avocado cream and liquified nori. The whole thing is topped with a dab of wasabi cream. The presentation and taste made this a hit of our table, we all wanted to take a bag full of these home.

(Note: our party was a group of three, hence three of the same thing in some photographs)

Oyster and Jamón: This spoon sized dish was like taking a bite straight from the ocean. It was a single bite affair, focused around a locally sourced Carlsbad oyster.

Black Olives Ferran Adria: This was the first of several dishes on the menu to utilize the infamous ‘shpherification’ process – and also an obvious nod to Andres’ early tutor, Ferran Adria. Originally pioneered at El Bulli in Barcelona, the technique involves taking a liquid and mixing with sodium alginate before dropping or dripping into a bath of calcium chloride/calcium carbonate. The resulting chemical reaction creates an encapsulation of the original liquid. The exterior is solid while the interior remains liquid. The process can be used to great effect, to re-imagine dishes and ingredients. Plus, its kinda cool.

In this dish, the essence of kalamata olives is mixed with an excellent olive oil and also squid ink for color, before undergoing spherification. Its a one time affair, you pop the olive into your mouth, bite down and keep your mouth closed. The subsequent explosion in your mouth is like tasting the most olive-y olive you ever tried. By the way, if you forgot to close your mouth, you will also be likely looking a messy table cloth right now too

Jose’s Combination: Making a complete u-turn from the laboratory, the next dish was the ultra-simple pairing of Jamón Ibérico with a dollop of caviar. Our waiter explained this to be one of Andres’ most beloved combinations and who were we to argue. It was fun to see such excellent ingredients, treated so simply, immediately after the previous wizardry.

Patatas Bravas: Back to the the world of the avant garde we have this re-interpretation of the classic tapas dish, Patatas Bravas. Where once you had fried potato rounds and a spicy sauce you now have this more elegant presentation. The outside is crispy and the inside is soft and fluffy.

Buffalo Wing: This dish was one of evenings low notes for myself personally. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted great, but I wasn’t quite sure what the point of this course was to be frank. Was it an excellent boneless buffalo wing, topped with the classic mix of celery, hot sauce and blue cheese? Yes. Did it really bring anything extra to the party? Not really. It felt out of place, like it had wandered onto the menu of its own accord, and for me the blue cheese flavor was too dominant.

Not Your Everyday Caprese: This dish was subject of much debate, but I thought it was the perfect example of what new techniques can bring to old dishes. Here, a caprese salad is given a new story with a little help from spherification. The dish contains a sphere of tomato, spheres of mozzarella, a tomato ‘heart’, air bread croutons, pesto and a dash of balsamic. This took a completely pedestrian salad, and made it into something exciting, something I was giddy to eat. It helped of course that all the ingredients were first rate too.

Crispy Nigiri: I’m ashamed to say I can’t recall too many details about this dish. Sadly that often translates to – “Um, what’s the next course?”. What I do recall is this was a micro piece of Aji balanced on puffed rice. I don’t think anything really stood out here.

Spring Foie Gras Soup: This dish was spectacular, both in terms of flavor and presentation, that I suspect it might have been partially to blame for forgetting the precise details of its predecessor.

The dish arrived as three pieces of slightly under cooked foie gras, topped with picture perfect edible flowers. Our waiter then proceeded to pour over a piping hot broth of dashi and bergamot to complete the cooking of the foie gras. Our table fell silent while we each enjoyed this one, a unanimous thumbs up all around.

Chipirones: Do you enjoy the taste and texture of squid, with some of its own ink thrown in for good measure? If so, this dish would completely rock your world. For me, I can take or leave squid no matter how well prepared (and this was good), so it didn’t leave too much of an impression for me personally.

Banh Mi: My favorite dish of the evening was this spin on the French-Vietnamese sandwich, Banh Mi. The sandwich was created with a wonderfully greasy fried brioche bun, pickled carrots, dehydrated and then re-hydrated (with dashi) tofu, wagyu beef and cilantro.

The oily bread and rich fatty beef could have all too easily overwhelmed the palate, but they were wonderfully tempered by the acidic pickled carrots and assertive cilantro. A thoroughly fabulous mini sandwich, one I could eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Well, apart from the fact my cholesterol would shoot through the roof and I’d last about three months.

Carrot ‘Gnocchi’: More spherification, albeit leaning more tubular than spherical. Here we have a creamy carrot ‘gnocchi’ in a lightly curried soup. An enjoyably delicate course following the richness of the preceding sandwich.

Mirugai: This was introduced to us as Geoduck (pronounced ‘gooey-duck’), I’d never realized this was the same as mirugai, seen on sushi restaurant across the land – you learn something new every day huh! Anyway, this dish was another less than memorable moment for me personally. The mild clam was dominated by the garnish (of what I think, if memory serves) of shaved radish and water cress. It didn’t leave much of an impression in my memory at any rate.

Kurobuta Pork Belly: After spotting this on the menu before our meal, I was excitedly looking forward to this dish. It came served with micro turnips and an artichoke puree. After a few bites I found myself lusting for some of chef Ryan Lowder’s pork belly creations from The Copper Onion, back here in SLC. Don’t get me wrong, SAAM’s dish was excellent, but it really does go to show how lucky we are to have such a great restaurant like The Copper Onion here in Salt Lake City.

Philly Cheesesteak: One of Andres’ signature dishes. This modernization of the East coast favorite uses ‘air’ bread. In practice this is a thin, crispy hollow tube filled with gooey, oozy, cheddar cheese. The whole thing is layered with wagyu beef. I had to skip this one, as melted cheddar really doesn’t float my boat – but my dining partners were all too eager to lay claim to my offering. They rated this dish exceptionally highly.

Japanese Baby Peaches: As we segued from savory to sweet we had this combination of Japanese baby peaches, hazelnuts, Burratta cheese and croutons. Sweet, creamy, cruncy and soft – the ingredients made for quite the unusual, but enjoyable mix.

Dragons Breath Popcorn: You might have already seen this on TV. The server brings a metal bowl to the table, filled with liquid nitrogen. Into this maelstrom bites of caramel popcorn are dropped, which ‘cook’ in the bowl. They are then served up one at a time for each diner to taste. The idea is to keep your mouth closed while chewing, this creates an explosion of smoke, which I found remarkably hard to contain truth be told. You can then breath out the smoke through your nose, to the amusement of your fellow diners, hence the dishes name. Of course it is completely gimmicky, but its also pretty fun nonetheless; although we did note we were left with slightly freeze-burnt tongues afterwards as a result of this one.

SAAM-Buca: This was the first of our two desserts proper. It comprised a very vibrant contrast of both sweet and tart using sambuca gelee, strawberry and fennel. I hope it was by design, and I will give the chefs the benefit of the doubt, but this dish was the perfect wake up call for my numbed palate after the freezing treatment from the dragon’s breath.

Chocolate Rock: The final course proper was the chocolate rock, which first started life as a chocolate foam, before meeting liquid nitrogen and creating the unique textural effect. If I recall correctly there was also a couple of excellent pralines mixed in, with a greek yogurt at the base too. I think there was also a citrusy foam to the side too, but after 20+ dishes details get a little hazy! A great dish I thought.

Sexy Little Sweets: We finished the tasting menu with a plate of petit fours to share over coffee (an additional $5 per cup). While we recounted our meal, we realized nearly three hours had passed in what seemed like only the blink of an eye. I thought that spoke volumes to the excellent pacing of the meal. We always seemed to have ample time between courses to chat and discuss the food, while never seemingly waiting at any point.

Our main server and host, Daniel, led a great service throughout the evening. While the service was continually efficient and well schooled, eager to provide more detail when asked, they were only too happy to join in with our joking and fun when the time was apt. The service team managed to deftly balance professional and accessible for the duration of our meal.

As we left the restaurant, and went back into the noisy bustle of the Bazaar, we were handed a copy of the menu rolled up in a little scroll, plus a boxed, bite size chocolate. Those of us who also selected the wine pairing received menus for that too.

The 22 course tasting menu is priced at $120 with the optional 6 drink pairing, a further $100. Gratuity is added at a mandatory 20% too. I personally felt the tasting menu represented a good value, given the ingredients, creativity and overall experience. I’d perhaps wait 6 to 12 months before visiting again, just to allow the menu to change, but I’d happily visit again.

Saam @ The Bazaar
SLS Hotel Beverly Hills
465 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048.
(310) 246-5567
www.thebazaar.com

When I first heard the term sous-vide, I heard the French meaning: under vacuum. Sous-Vide is a way of cooking where you vacuum seal whatever food you want inside of a plastic bag and place it underwater. The water is kept at a certain temp, and circulated throughout the cooking process. This allows the food to be cooked on, or rather, cooked around a uniform, constant cooking surface and, if done correctly, results in precise, uniform, and juicy food. Kind of like deep frying, but without the fat and fire hazard and at much, much lower temps (it’s water after all). Seasonings and fats can be included inside of the plastic bag prior to cooking.

After coming to understand the actual cooking method that it is, I became intrigued, especially since I kept hearing this term, sous-vide this, sous-vide that, around the high-end restaurant circles. It seemed to be a trend. It also seemed to be something generally unattainable for the home cook. A sous-vide machine, a good one, can cost upwards of $800. Most of these myths and misconceptions of mine were dispelled last night.

T’was my honor and privilege to pay $45 to be instructed by the humble yet knowledgeable Viet Pham of Forage restaurant, and not to beat a dead horse, but he was just featured on the cover of Food and Wine magazine as one of the best new chefs in America.

There were a few mishaps like the noise level and Viet’s soft-spoken voice not mixing well, but overall, he made himself extremely accessible for any and all questions. The demonstration was slow (maybe a little too slow with the case of the carrots) but well paced. The food was fantastic. For his first time teaching the class in the Caputo kitchen, he and his lovely assistant Vanessa Chang, did an excellent job.

I hope Viet comes back to do many more classes.

A little information that I learned about sous-vide cooking.

1. There’s a big misconception that it’s only capable of one texture.

2. It’s entirely possible to successfully sous-vide with just a big pot of water, a timer, and a good thermometer.

3. It can be used in conjunction with other cooking techniques, as you’ll see with the steak

The texture of the meat was incredible. Almost filet-like. The color was marvelous and so was the taste. The fibers in the meat were barely there. It was served with an excellent, quick sauce of garlic, arugula, lemon zest, and olive oil.

We also had sous-vide salmon that I thought was cooked perfectly, but Viet thought it was slightly overdone, much to my surprise. He torched some cedar planks for addition flavor and brushed them with a Slide Ridge honey-vinegar sauce that took back seat to the salmon’s own natural flavor even though the honey-vinegar is a very assertive taste. Carrots where also on the menu, but they took longer than expected so only the hardcore folks in the crowd stuck around for a taste.

It was an awesome class, even despite the constant complaining of the people next to us that Viet was “adding too much salt” or “too much butter.” My wife even heard them say, “I know one thing this class is teaching me: too stay home and cook more.” Oh well, maybe they should lock themselves in their house and eat applesauce…wait, that probably has too much sugar, what’s something more bland than applesauce?

(This post was written by guest blogger Mike H. Mike writes for the fantastic SLC blog Foodie From Scratch on all things gustatory – from exploring local restaurants, through to delicious recipes and more).

Tony Caputo’s Market & Deli
314 W. 300 S. Salt Lake City, Utah
(801) 531-TONY
Website: www.caputosdeli.com

Lunch review

It has been approximately three years, not to mention many a repeat visit, since we last reviewed Elizabeth’s Bakery & Tea Shop back in 2008. Recently, spurred on by some great Groupon deals for the eatery (signup if you haven’t already), I took note of the many changes since that first review. Time for an update then!

The biggest single change to occur since that initial write up is the new ownership. Originally the restaurant was the work of the adjacent London Market’s Robin and Elizabeth Grey – the restaurant changed hands and is now a completely separate business venture – owned and operated by Ronni Matthews.

With the change in ownership has come a few tweaks to the overall dining experience too. Thankfully, its more evolution than revolution, and the slight modifications are largely agreeable. On entering the restaurant you no longer need to order up at the counter. While there is no menu as such (except for a list of teas) – one is guided to browse the chiller cabinets of both the savory and sweet treats, before seating themselves.

Once sat, a waiter will quickly be table side to take your order. Brit tip #1: for the full English experience get the biggest teapot of PG tips you can muster (strong black UK tea). Also you might think me crazy for suggesting ordering tea in the heat of summer, don’t worry, the aircon at Elizabeth’s is generally at max, keeping the whole place cool as a cucumber sandwich. Indeed it gets almost too chilly for me by the windows facing Trolley Square.

If you haven’t been in a while you might also notice the space feels slightly less chintzy. A lot of the ornamental clutter seems to have been simplified. Mind you, the space is still a very feminine one, as you would expect for a tea shop; the main banquette seating being a great example, now revamped with a million pillows:

Much of the menu remains the same despite a few additions here and there. Favorites like quiche, sausage rolls, pies and pastys all remain. A specials board now adorns the wall behind the counter, so keep your eyes peeled. The Beef & Mango Chutney Pasty ($6.35) was one new item I found recently, a fun twist on the standard cornish pasty (root veggies, potato and ground beef in a flaky pastry shell):

Subtle highlights of curry powder and the sweetness of mango added an enjoyable new dimension to this traditional English snack food. Also, where once redundant parsley twigs adorned the plate, a simply dressed salad now takes its place. The salad added a welcome brightness to the dish and helped alleviate some of the dryness, inherent with a menu of baked goods. One tiny gripe was it could have been a smidgeon larger.

Brit tip #2, a sausage roll ($3.25) is probably the most quintessential of UK snack foods:

Seasoned pork sausage wrapped in flaky pastry, perfect for grabbing and eating on the go. Always a favorite of mine, and a decent rendition at Elizabeth’s – yet it did feel overpriced at three bucks.

The Cheese and Onion Pie ($6.95) is as full as goodness as ever, and a good option for vegetarians:

Thick, rich, crusty pastry is filled with gooey melted cheddar cheese, and soft onions. With the calorie overload afoot, you might want to pretend the side salad offsets the indulgence (especially with dessert looking). Much like the pasty and sausage roll, I thought the pie was markedly better than I previously remembered. The pastry had a better crunch for sure. I’m not sure precisely what has changed, maybe the baking or the recipe, but the savory goods seemed improved to me.

In the back of above the picture you will also spy a Trifle ($3.95), a dessert we order more often than not. Trifle is composed of several layers – ladyfingers, strawberry jello, custard, cream and a sprinkling of crumbled chocolate on top. It is just one of a bounty of sweet treats you can end your meal with. I could go into detail over the array of selections, but you would be best advised to simply head on down and sample a few over a pot of tea (Brit tip #3 – any opportunity for a pot of tea should be seized at once).

Three years on its great to see Elizabeth’s evolving and trying new things. I did once muse that the menu might not have sufficient depth to entice a regular following, but on every trip back, I see ladies lunching sharing sweet treats, families enjoying a meal and couples hanging out, relaxing. My only one gripe is still the price of some of the items, being marginally higher than you would encounter over the pond.

Elizabeth’s Bakery & Tea Shop
575 South 700 East Salt Lake City, UT 84102-2814
(801) 433-1170
Website: http://www.elizabethsteashop.com

It’s funny how sometimes you forget about a restaurant. For some reason, it stops being in your “so where do you want to go tonight” list, and pretty soon it slides to the back of your consciousness. I find this to be a strange phenomenon in Salt Lake though, since not too long ago we had about four decent places to eat (yep, I remember those days). But now there are so many downright delicious restaurants here that sometimes a good one falls of my radar. Recently, I was reminded about a very good one; Faustina.

I’ve always liked Faustina, and we actually did a review in August of 2008 shortly after they opened, but for some reason I haven’t been there in quite a while. However, a couple of weeks ago GastronomicSLC was invited to a summer menu preview and I got to go see what Executive Chef Billy Sotelo and General Manager Hillary Merrill are up to. And let me just cut to the chase, they are up to YUM.

From the first bite of the Lamb Chop appetizer to the last sip of the Dow Tawny Port (served with a perfectly made Panna Cotta) my taste buds were rapidly replacing about half of the other restaurants on my “regular” list with Faustina’s name.

Served with parmesan polenta and stewed peppers, the lamb was tender and delicious (Hillary paired this with a Crios Rose of Malbec – divine!).

Next was a wonderful summer salad of watermelon, arugula, pink peppercorns, cashews, and goat cheese with a watermelon vinaigrette. So light and fresh, and the watermelon was perfectly ripe. I might have left off the cashews, but then I’m not big on cashews. Paired with a lovely Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc this lasted about two minutes.

The next course was an asiago crusted scallop dish with cappellini in a saffron broth. This has been on the menu since we reviewed Faustina last time and I can see why. Very tasty.

Next came a really interesting stuffed chicken breast (I bet you weren’t expecting interesting and chicken to be in the same breath there). Served in a chorizo broth with polenta and asparagus, that broth made the dish unique and very satisfying. p.s. they really know polenta at Faustina. Soooo good.

Finally we had that vanilla bean panna cotta I mentioned earlier. Like a dope, I ate mine before remembering to get a picture, but seriously folks, panna cotta is hard to make right. It walks the razor’s edge between scrambled eggs and a weird jell-o concoction, but this baby was perfect. Just the right amount of jiggle, and a full rich creaminess you’ll crave. Delicious with balsamic strawberries and toasted pistachios. Oh, and don’t forget that port. Just right.

Everything we were served was excellent (and all of the dishes we tried are on the menu – they range from $6.00 for the watermelon salad to $23.00 for the scallops), and the servers were friendly, efficient, and very knowledgeable. And although we didn’t sit out on the patio, I was reminded of how nice it is as we walked inside. I’m seriously annoyed with myself for letting Faustina slide off my go-to list, and after the warm reception we received (even when they didn’t know we were there for the media dinner), it’s will definitely be in heavy rotation from now on.

Disclaimer: Gastronomic SLC was invited by Faustina to sample their summer menu, and did not pay for this meal.

Website: www.faustinaslc.com

Evening dinner review

Aristo’s Greek Restaurant & Cafe is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Salt Lake City. I have been there countless times but am usually overwhelmed by the amazingly delicious food to remember to take pictures to blog about it. The white table cloth restaurant is fancy without a stiff vibe. It has a relaxing neighborhood charm, a wonderful patio, and a friendly owner who always makes his way over to say hello.

Danny and I went to Aristo’s a few weeks ago, as both of us crave the food nearly constantly. We started with skordalia ($6.95). Skordalia is a potato-based garlic dip, similar to hummus but without the nutty tahini flavor and much, much more garlicky. This dish is an absolute favorite of ours. We don’t just order it every time we go to Aristo’s, we order it as soon as we sit down, before we even order wine. It’s that good. (And so good that I forgot to take a picture of it!)

Aristo’s entrees are phenomenal. Some favorites are the mousaka ($14.95), a rich lamb, beef, and eggplant casserole-like dish with heavy cumin and mint flavors; kotopoulo yemisto ($16.95), breaded chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta with a mushroom scallion sauce; and paidaka ($24.95), garlic-marinated lamb chops and roasted vegetables. I would order these over the solomos ($17.95), the salmon with tabouleh; and the yemista ($15.95), rice-stuffed bell peppers and zucchini. While these entrees weren’t necessarily bad, they lacked the oomph that the others are full of.
But our new standard for dinner (with leftovers for lunch the next day) is choosing several small plates to share instead of an entree each. Half of the menu is small plates so there are plenty of options to play with. We usually order the pikilia ($19.95), a massive plate of marinated chicken, pork, gyro meat, and keftethes (spiced lamb and beef meatballs). The dish comes with pita, tomatoes, feta, and tzatziki sauce, so it’s a build-your-own mini gyro with each bite a different type of meat.

To accompany our meat plate, we ordered dolmathes, spiced lamb, beef, and rice wrapped in grape leaves. This classic Greek dish is packed full of flavor and not simply just a side like many other Greek places.

Somehow we managed to save enough room for dessert and it was well worth it! We ordered the galaktoboureko, a lemon and vanilla custard layered in phyllo dough drizzled with lemony syrup. Overall it was really light, perfect after a heavy meal. The custard was incredibly refreshing, and the lemon flavor was perfect for a warm evening.

Aristo’s is one restaurant that I know I’ll walk away full and satisfied. Plus, I don’t have to wait for a special occasion to go there. I’ve been there for the meet-the-boyfriend’s-mom dinner, after a long day of Utah football tailgating, and for girls’ night out. Because, let’s face it, a glass of wine and skordalia makes any meal amazing.

(This guest post was written by guest poster Kelli. Kelli blogs on food, living downtown, and random things at RandomActsOfKelliness.blogspot.com)

Aristo’s Greek Restaurant
224 South 1300 East Salt Lake City, UT 84102-2609
(801) 581-0888
Website: www.aristosrestaurant.com

This article was written by contributor Ryan Kendrick. Ryan is the Cofounder of Chocolot Artisan Chocolates www.sweetchocolot.com and also blogs about all things food at www.slceats.com

I was recently invited to attend a tasting event for Log Haven’s new Spring menu. From what I have heard about award-winning Log Haven, I went in with pretty high expectations. And my expectations were exceeded on every level.

Chef David Jones set out to develop a lighter menu for Spring, yet one that maintains the basic heartiness that diners expect in a canyon resort high in the cool mountain air.

I won’t run you through the entire menu (you can view their entire menu at log-haven.com), but I want to highlight a few of my favorite dishes. The Furikake Agedashi soft shell crab was delectable. Perfectly crisp and accompanied by a deliciously rich wasabi yuzu sauce.

My favorite dish of the night was a plate of pan-seared scallops resting on a bed of tomato-corn risotto, Beehive Cheese Uintah jack cheese, and green chile sauce. I’ve had many scallops before, but none have tasted as amazing as this dish. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and I wanted to pour the remaining sauce in my pocket and take it home with me.

The saba-grilled duck breast, sitting on beautifully charred polenta, grilled treviso, freeze dried concord grapes, all brought together with a lovely port reduction, was another incredible dish. This was perfection on a plate. Perfectly cooked duck and the best polenta I’ve tasted made this dish an instant favorite of mine. The fruity port reduction sauce and freeze dried grapes provided a nice balance to the rich duck.

I would encourage you to try out Log Haven’s new menu. The restaurant is situated in a beautiful part of the canyon, and makes for a very welcoming, intimate experience. They really take supporting local food purveyors to heart, as they try to purchase most of their products from local producers such as Beehive Cheese, Amano Chocolate, Creminelli salumi, Bell Organics, Morgan Valley Lamb, Kiler Grove Wine and Drake Farms.

Ian Campbell, one of the owners, took a moment to tell us about the small amphitheater that they have behind the restaurant. Tuesdays through Thursdays, they open up the outside dining to pet owners who can bring their pets up with them to eat outside and enjoy the scenery. I can’t remember what they’re calling it. Dine with your dog? Munch with your mutt? Something like that. Ian also mentioned that they are putting together a “dinner and a movie” package. You can eat an amazing dinner, then enjoy a movie in their amphitheater. Sounds like a fun time!

Wild Arugula Salad

Saba Grilled Duck Breast with Polenta

Seared Grouper with Arugula Salad

Disclaimer: Gastronomic SLC was invited by Log Haven to sample their spring menu, and did not pay for this meal.

Log Haven
6451 East Millcreek Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, UT 84109-3814
(801) 272-8255
Website: www.log-haven.com

Evening dinner review

(Stuart’s note: This review of one of SLC’s most buzz worthy restaurant comes courtesy of our newest guest reviewer Kellie, from the blog randomactsofkelliness.blogspot.com. Take it away Kelli…)

Another sushi restaurant has opened in Salt Lake City: Dojo. But this one is not like all the other trendy, over-priced sushi joints in the city. Thanks to Ted Scheffler’s recent review in City Weekly, last weekend Danny and I thought we’d give Dojo a try. After all, it was Ted’s review that made us give Naked Fish a second chance, and we ended up falling in love.

Dojo Restaurant & Lounge is located on 423 West and 300 South, practically hidden behind the Homewood Suites Hotel (Stuart’s note: I also heard from an employee that Dojo provides room service to the hotel too). The space is small and cozy, dark and intimate, with a good vibe that isn’t too hip. We sat at the sushi bar and were taken care of by the incredibly talented sushi chef, Cedric. We started off with pork belly sliders, flavorful slices of pork belly in a dumpling-like bun, with carrots, daikon, cilantro and a sweet chili pepper sauce. The mixture of textures–soft and chewy bun, crunchy veggies, and tender pork–was a delicious way to start the meal.

We started with scallops (hotategai). Scallops are one of my sushi favorites. They arrived garnished with slivered lemon and a light garlic ponzu sauce. The lemon added a different punch, but I prefer the scallops solo. They were buttery and delicious, although not the best I’ve ever had. Next we had sea trout (umi masu), which the chef compared to salmon. This was like salmon on steroids: it was intensely flavorful while maintaining the melty quality.

After the chef scored with his umi masu recommendation, we took his word on the mackerel (aji), one of the night’s specials. We were given the entire fish–including the bones, deep fried and edible–slices of fish, a tartar, and a cilantro soy sauce with green onions for dipping. I anticipated that it would be chewy with a tough skin, but I was completely wrong. It was lightly flavored, with a melty texture similar to the umi masu. The dipping sauce added a unique dimension to the fish’s flavor. And the deep friend skeleton was incredible: crunchy, almost like fried chicken skin. The chef suggested we dig into the head, which contained little pockets of meat. We even ate the eyeballs. It was all surprisingly delicious.

Next we went for another favorite, sea urchin (uni). The chef prepared the pieces of uni topped with seaweed strips and relish. I liked the papery texture and salty flavor of the seaweed mixed with the richness of the uni. The taste of uni is hard to describe; it’s more of a texture than a flavor. It is rich and melts in your mouth like butter. I think people either love uni or they hate it, and if you are one that loves it, definitely try it like this.

Last but definitely not least, we had the halibut sashimi (hirame). This fish was on the tougher side, and lacked a lot of independent flavor. However, the tiny lime slices and cilantro soy sauce added a kick to the flavor, making the dish quite enjoyable. The chef had also lightly flavored the fish with sea salt, which added a tasty twist.

By the end of the meal, I was convinced that Dojo is anything but another sushi joint. Their dishes are close enough to tradition that they are full of the familiar flavor I crave, yet they stray away enough so that it stands out with a punch. They also have some Japanese staples on their dinner menu, like ramen and katsu curry, that I can’t wait to try. I will definitely be back there soon.

Dojo
423 West 300 South #150, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 328-3333
Website: www.dojoslc.com

Evening dinner review

(Stuart’s note: Please welcome David, a new guest reviewer to Gastronomic Salt Lake City, and his first review, Tuscany. Take it away David…)

Have you ever walked out of a restaurant feeling perfectly content after a decadent meal, surrounded by the comforts of an Italian manor only to be surprised by the fact that you’re still in Salt Lake City, next to a business park, traffic roaring. That’s what Tuscany’s like, an hour or two of blissful transcendental escape from the world.

Tuscany has long been a favorite of mine. The service is always exceptional, the staff friendly, and the food is always local, fresh, and indulgent. In order to give a fair review however, I have disregarded my previous experiences and outlined my most recent visit.

The experience started out with valet parking, which is not necessary given the small, easy to navigate parking lot, but can be nice on cold days, or for novelty’s sake. Upon entering Tuscany, the ambiance is warm, inviting, and a bit of a hodgepodge of Classic, Modern, and Americanized Italian Decor. Pieces of note include the old fashioned bar, the blown glass chandelier (glass grapes and vines included), and the open kitchen, showcasing the Chef’s handiwork.

The hostess greeted me by name, promptly seated me, and I was almost immediately greeted by the server, who provided us with the Seasonal Menu, and made suggestions to me based on what I’d enjoyed at Tuscany in the past.

I decided to start out with a salad and ended up choosing the Seasonal Insalata : Seasonal Pears, Arugula, Radicchio, Endive, Pine Nuts, and Gorgonzola Cheese in a Champagne Vinaigrette ($9). It was light and refreshing, but also had some strong earthy tones between the Gorgonzola and pine nuts. The combination of flavors was very complimentary, and definitely worth the $9 cost.

For my entrée, I ordered the Ravioli special: House made local goat cheese and beet ravioli with organic arugula, olive oil, and a balsamic reduction ($20). I’ve had (and made) many a salads based on these ingredients/flavor combinations, but this is the first time I’ve seen them in a ravioli dish. The pasta is made fresh each day in the restaurant and is thin and delicate, the goat cheese is local, and the arugula is organic. Overall a very healthy and eco friendly dish that leaves your taste buds delighted and your conscious clear. I will say that this is a very light dish and should be considered an appetizer by most.

My guest had the Wood-Oven Roasted Half Chicken with Garlic-Dijon Butter, Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes, and Natural Chicken Jus ($20). This is my go to dish for comfort food, and has long been my favorite chicken dish. Like the salad, this chicken is organic and local and gives you the type of flavor you never knew you were missing (trust me, there’s a difference). The oven roasted chicken is a prime example of how good a simple but expertly executed entrée can taste.

For Dessert we shared the Amaretto panna Cotta with Caramel and Sauteed Apples ($6). As you can see from the picture there’s essentially three layers, the caramel at the bottom, the panna cotta in the middle, and the fruit on top. Personally I think they could have benefited by layering it a bit more, almost as a trifle, but there’s no denying it was delicious, regardless.

The panna cotta was smooth and creamy, the caramel was sticky but not too thick, and the fruit was fresh. They garnished with a dried apple chip, which was fun, and appealing, but just a dried apple chip and not really to my taste.

In case you’ve already forgotten while reading my review, We’re still in Salt lake But whenever you feel like escaping to Italy for an hour or two, choose Tuscany.

Tuscany
2832 E 6200 S, Holladay, UT 84121
(801) 277-9919
Website: www.tuscanyslc.com

Evening dinner review

Okay okay, I know what you might be thinking. Yet another new sushi restaurant in Salt Lake City? Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? I understand the sentiment, believe me I do. At times it seems like Utah has the highest number of sushi dining options of any landlocked state! There’s also the all-too-real possibility that such ubiquity could spawn mediocrity and all the poor imitators of the original greats could blur together into a sea of blandness.

Yep, I’m as jaded as the next person, but the opening of Sushi Groove gave me pause for further investigation. The restaurant is the proud work of former Oh Sushi employees, Dave and Jeff. My initial reaction upon discovering the construction occurring in the small space next to the V.F.W., which had once housed an Inkley’s, was going to be a sushi place basically consisted of “Whoo Hoo! I hope it’s good.” This reaction was based on the fact that Sushi Groove is located literally steps from home and I could visualize myself happily partaking of serious amounts of seafood and sake before safely hoofing it home on a regular basis. As luck would have it, my vision became a reality. Since my first visit, I’ve been back to Sushi Groove again and again. I freely admit that, due to the restaurant’s limited space, I was tempted to keep it’s greatness a secret. But I trust that you’ll keep it just between us.

As I mentioned before, Sushi Groove isn’t the biggest restaurant in the world, but I’ve found the close quarters help cement the neighborhood hangout vibe they seem to be happily cultivating. The space holds a smattering of tables, and a sushi bar which seats around 10-12 people. Thankfully the sushi bar isn’t one of those towering affairs, its a comfortable height, which allows you to enjoy an eye to eye chat with the friendly and enthusiastic chefs.

The artwork and decor couldn’t be more different than so many other local sushi restaurants. You won’t find traditional Japanese minimalism here, it certainly isn’t a formal or uber chic operation. I would describe Sushi Groove as casual, cool and fun. That theme is played out again and again, whether it’s the graffiti-rendered menu or the huge artsy specials board hanging up behind the sushi bar. The music volume also creeps up as the evening progresses (some evenings after 9 p.m., the restaurant features a DJ, although I have yet to experience this event, being an old man/early diner). Regardless of my status, I have found the vibe at Sushi Groove to feel like “you should be here to relax and have fun”, which is refreshing to say the least.

But what about the food? I have to admit to harboring some worries that the restaurant could be all style and no substance as I watched it being built and decorated from the outside. Thankfully, that couldn’t be further from the truth, and this becomes quite obvious as soon as you step inside. Taking a look at the daily specials board and speaking with the owner/chef Dave, his ambition, talent, creativity, and enthusiasm for only the best and freshest ingredients quickly become apparent. An aspect of the specials board that I have found especially intriguing are the “Dessert Rolls”, which I haven’t tried yet, but definitely demonstrate the creativity and willingness to experiment which can be found at Sushi Groove. I’m certain there are going to be plenty more intriguing creations from Sushi Groove over the coming months and years (photos below: mixed nigiri $varies; rainbow roll $10.95).

The menu also features all the classic and traditional Japanese elements you’ve come to expect. Miso, edamame, seaweed/squid salads, through to Nigiri and Maki sushi. In addition to those standards, the kitchen also offers up some hot selections such as rice bowls, Gyoza and Coconut Shrimp. Personally, I’ve almost always exclusively stuck to the sushi, but it’s good to know you have the options if you dine in a large group with that one (clearly not right) friend who simply refuses to eat sushi. There are also several vegetarian rolls on the menu, so that same friend can pretend to fit in (photos below: Mixed Nigiri $varies).

Of all the items I’ve sampled so far, nothing has been less than good; and more often than not, things are down right fantastic. I’ve never been a huge fan of scallops in their raw form, but the dry-packed scallops that I’ve been devouring lately at Sushi Groove have been nothing short of a meltingly soft and rich revelation.

In fact, I’m a huge fan of their Nigiri full stop. They cut a slightly oversized piece of fish that envelops the rice rather than sitting daintily on top. I’ve never seen such a large cut and I’ve no clue if it is traditional or not, although I do know it is uncommon. The quality and freshness of the fish is consistently great, and on Tuesdays they offer a $2.50 per two piece order of Nigiri special. Its a bargain you would be crazy not to take advantage of. I almost feel guilty for ordering at those prices…almost (photos below: groovealicious roll $12.95).

As well as the countless amounts of Nigiri I’ve devoured over the past few weeks, there have been plenty of scrumptious rolls I now crave constantly as well. The Sriracha and jalapeno powered Jersey Devil ($10.50) certainly doesn’t hold back on the heat punch; and the Rainbow Roll is generous and filling ($10.95). Moreover, everything is well constructed with obvious care. No self destructing rolls here. Also, if you are such inclined, just ask and you can get fresh Wasabi.

Sushi Groove offers a decent selection of beers (including $6 Sapporo and $2.50 PBR if you’re on a budget) and sake ($4/$8 small and big). A recent addition to the menu is a range of sake-centric cocktails.

Sushi Groove offers up a friendly creative team, great prices, and a fun venue. So, I’ll admit it, Salt Lake City definitely has room for another sushi restaurant after all. I truly believe we have a new gem of a restaurant in our midst. I’d recommend you get down there sooner rather than later, before the word gets out.

Sushi Groove
2910 Highland Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84106-3018
(801) 467-7420
Website: www.sushigroove.com

Evening dinner review

I don’t get to the Layton area nearly often enough, in fact, I can probably count the number of times I’ve been on one hand. I did have an opportunity to head up north recently though due to the lure of Black Island Farm’s corn maze and the too-good-to-pass-up promise of ‘pig racing’. Sadly the pigs weren’t up for racing that day, but while in the area, I did manage to check out a restaurant that has received heaps of praise: Taste Of India.

Taste Of India garners a raft of online support and has won City Weekly’s award for Best Tikka Massala. A little iPhone research revealed that the restaurant utilized iPads for their menus and ordering system. I don’t think I’ve ever seen, let alone heard, of anything similar in a restaurant. In my mind, iPad ordering ranked closely to the pig racing on the oddity meter and I required no more convincing that Taste of India would be our dining destination that evening.

Sadly and for an unknown reason, we didn’t receive an iPad from which to order. Every subsequent table did receive one. I was a tad puzzled, either we had arrived too early (5:00 p.m., and to an empty restaurant), or we looked like iPad thieves. I prefer to imagine it was the former, but after fighting our way out of a corn maze, it very well could have been the later. When we arrived, several of the staff were still involved with setup and cleaning tasks. Nonetheless, they were exceedingly friendly and we were quickly seated and given traditional low-tech menus (sigh).

Like many of Salt Lake’s Indian restaurants, Taste Of India is nestled in a strip mall. The interior was mostly booth seating and the decor included silken drapes and dimmed lighting to take the edge off the nature of the strip mall location. I actually wondered if the restaurant has previously been a Mexican eatery due to the faux terracotta tiling and arches circling the roof. Overall, it was a comfortable atmosphere and I settled into our booth ready to begin (as usual if it’s on the menu) with a cold Taj Mahal ($6.99):

A nice touch, that I haven’t encountered at any SLC Indian restaurants was a frosted glass for my beer. Indeed, when I ordered a second beer later in the meal they replaced my glass again, with a nice new ice cold one.

The appetizer selection was relatively limited, consisting mostly of deep fried fare. We decided to share the Assorted Fritters ($6.99) to enjoy a taste of everything:

The appetizers were competent enough, if not particularly amazing. My only gripe was the Chicken Pakora batter was a tad too thick. For the price though, it was a good way to start the meal. I was glad I had the crisp Taj Mahal to cut through some of the grease, as towards the end of the plate, it did start to overwhelm.

Our entrees arrived while we were still working our way through the appetizer plate, which meant for some quick re-arranging of the table. We decided to try the Paneer Tikka Masala ($10.99) to gauge the worthiness of their Masala accolades:

and also the Lamb Rogan Josh ($13.99):

The Rogan Josh was my personal favourite of the two. The curry had a satisfyingly deep flavour. Unlike some restaurants were it’s fairly obvious the difference in sauces is merely the use of cream and/or chillis, the Rogan Josh had a distinctly meaty undertone, completely unlike the Tikka Masala. The lamb itself was of excellent quality and obviously well-butchered (no off putting gristly pieces that sometimes spoil lamb dishes for me).

As for the Masala, it was indeed very very good, but not the best I’ve had in SLC and surrounding areas. Ok, so it might not be the most traditional of Indian dishes, but its undeniably one of the most popular, and when done well is thoroughly enjoyable. Taste Of India’s was less creamy than others, but much like the Rogan Josh, still possessed a complex and well developed flavour.

We ordered both dishes at the medium spice level, and were not disappointed. The medium had just enough spice to cause a little brow moistening for sure. I’d imagine dishes ordered hot would definitely have the bite heat lovers are looking for. In addition to the rice served with all entrees, for the sake of journalistic integrity (and even happier bellies), we also ordered the Plain Naan ($1.99):

This was certainly one of the better Naan breads I have had locally. Light, fluffy, and steaming hot right from the Tandoor; and finished off which a quick glaze of ghee. While I’m on the topic of the sides, I should also make a note of the rice which was of a superior quality. I’m somewhat of a rice snob, regardless of the cuisine, and the basmati and preparation at Taste of India were better than most.

We finished our dinner with a cup of Chai Tea ($2.59) and looked on enviously at everyone else ordering from their iPads. I almost went over to interrogate a few other diners and have a look at just how the restaurant uses the gadgets, but thought wiser of it (nightmares of having a Larry David moment dancing in my head). So, overall, the food was very tasty and definitely made up for the lack of technology at our table. I am, however, tempted to make the ride up to Layton again sometime very soon, for both the food and the iPad!

Taste Of India
1664 Woodland Park Dr #401 Layton, UT 84041
(801) 614-0107
Website: www.tasteofindialayton.com