Salt Lake Magazine 2011 dining awards

Its that time of year again, yep, award season. Salt Lake magazine presented its 12th Annual Dining Awards to Utah restaurants this Tuesday evening. The annual ceremony honors chefs and restaurateurs from throughout the state. Salt Lake magazine executive and dining editor Mary Brown Malouf and her panel of judges honored 34 chefs, restaurants and food professionals. The panel of judges included Malouf, local food critic Virginia Rainey, executive director of the Downtown Alliance Jason Mathis and wine expert and sommelier James Santangelo.

“This year was somewhat of a culinary revolution in Utah,” said Salt Lake magazine executive and dining editor Mary Brown Malouf. “We are seeing a whole new way of eating—dining in Utah has changed for the better.” Awards included the induction of Squatters Pub Brewery into the Salt Lake magazine Dining Hall of Fame, which includes Mazza, Red Iguana, Log Haven, Cucina Toscana and Takashi.

Best Ambiance
Martine Café

Best Brunch, Park City
Easy Street Restaurant

Best Brunch, Salt Lake City
Sego Lily Café

Best Lunch
Bambara

Best Quick Eats
Chow Truck

Best Southeast Asian
Ekamai Thai

Best Chinese Restaurant
J. Wong’s Asian Bistro

Best Indian
The Kathmandu

Best Mexican
Frida Bistro

Best Italian
Sea Salt

Best Japanese
Kyoto Japanese Restaurant

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
Aristo’s Greek Restaurant

Best Comfort Food
Left Fork Grill

Best Breakfast
Finn’s Café

Best Neighborhood Restaurant
Caffe Niche

Best Bakery
Tulie Bakery

Best Wine List
Shallow Shaft Restaurant

Best Bar
Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Best Steakhouse
Prime Steakhouse and Piano Bar

Best Design
High West Distillery and Saloon

Best Chef
John Murcko, Talikser on Main

Best New Restaurant
Copper Onion

Best Restaurant, Central Utah
Communal Restaurant

Best Restaurant, Salt Lake City
Forage Restaurant

Best Restaurant, Ogden and Northern Utah
Zucca Trattoria

Best Restaurant, Park City
Talisker on Main

Best Restaurant, St. George and Southwestern Utah
Parallel 88

Best Restaurant, Moab and Southeastern Utah
Hell’s Backbone Grill

Green Fork Sustainability Award
Summit County Food Coalition

Lifetime Achievement Award
Takashi Gibo, Takashi

Community Service Award
Utahns Against Hunger

Salt Lake magazine Hall of Fame
Squatters Pub Brewery

Food and Wine Education Award
Lifelong Learning Program at the University of Utah

Golden Spoon Award
Ian Campbell, Log Haven

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.