Kiler Wine introduces Whimsey
Kiler Grove Winegrowers, Salt Lake’s first urban winery, has introduced Whimsey, their new line of affordably priced, handcrafted wines. “Red Thriller”, the Whimsey Label’s first red, is a blend of varietals such as Zinfandel and Malbec, and is priced for everyday consumption. Master winemaker Mike Knight of Kiler Grove tells the story, “We made up our usual Kiler Grove blends and found we had just a bit of this, that, and the other left over in the barrels. Nothing left for us to do but put all the pieces together and work with it. So we did and that is how our Red Thriller came to be.” Red Thriller retails for $14 a bottle.
The first Whimsey white, a Riesling, is the result of a fortuitous meeting with a winegrower in Snake River Valley, Idaho, who found himself with more Riesling grapes than he could handle. Knight seized this opportunity and purchased the crop to produce Whimsey’s new “Noble Riesling” which gets its namesake from the “noble rot” Botrytis, a fungus that adds delicate flavors of honey and hazelnut to the underlying ripe pear flavors. Mike recommends it as an aperitif, a dessert wine, or paired with a favorite blue cheese. Noble Riesling retails for $16.75 a bottle.
The Whimsey line is here to stay, but these particular vintages are only available while they last. Both Red Thriller and Noble Riesling will be formally released in very limited quantities on National Wine Tourism Day, May 11, but locals can get a sneak peek tasting and stock up now. Both new Whimsey Wines are available for purchase only at Kiler Grove’s Tasting Room.
Kiler Grove Winegrowers
53 W Truman Ave South Salt Lake, UT 84115
(801) 746-0977
www.kilergrovewines.com
Log Haven’s dog days of sumer
Log Haven invites well-behaved canines and their human companions to escape the hot valley this summer and visit the restaurant for Dog Days of Summer, an al fresco dining event just for dogs and the humans who love them. Starting May 25th and continuing through September, take a hike in cool, green Millcreek Canyon and then enjoy a refreshing beverage and a delicious snack or meal from the new summer menu in Log Haven’s outdoor amphitheater while Fido relaxes with fresh water and doggie treats. Owners can reward especially good pups with menu items that Chef Dave Jones will prepare just for them, including K-9 game kabobs ($5.50). In honor of Dog Days, a special limited-time drink menu will be offered, featuring favorites such as the Melon Collie Mojito, the Sober Dober and the Salty Chihuahua, made from a blend of grapefruit juice, anejo tequila and agave nectar.
Log Haven will kick off this year’s Dog Days program with a photo contest starting on May 25th and running through the end of June, with Dinner for Two awarded to the best photo. To participate in the photo contest, dog owners of all ages should submit photos of themselves with their dogs enjoying Log Haven, Millcreek Canyon, and the Wasatch National Forest (contest details available at www.log-haven.com).
Log Haven
6451 E Millcreek Canyon Rd Salt Lake City, UT 84109
(801) 272-8255
www.log-haven.com
Oasis Cafe patio dinner specials
With spring in the air, Chef Effron Nicholas has created a weekly three-course specials – each for just $25 – that will help guests to herald the beginning of the growing season and the grand re-opening of Oasis’ refreshing courtyard patio.
“It’s time for dining al fresco,” said Will Keesen, general manager. “This month we’re all about fresh! Fresh seafood, fresh garden ingredients and fresh air on our beautiful patio. There’s no better way to spend a starlit evening.”
The Weekly Three Course $25 Menu features:
May 6th – May 12th:
Soup or Salad with Pan Roasted Mahi-Mahi (pictured left) over Sticky Purple Rice with Pineapple Chili-Plumb Sauce and Short Cake with Fresh Berries
May 13th – May 19th
Soup or Salad with Sautéed Tiger Prawns over Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto and Poached Saffron Pear with Banana Creme
May 20th- May 26th
Soup or Salad and Pan Seared Scallops with Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables with Roasted Garlic Dressing and Blackberry Cheesecake
Oasis Cafe
151 S 500 E Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 322-0404
www.oasiscafeslc.com
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”.
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I’ve been wanting to try Oasis Cafe – do you know if they will adapt their weekly three course menu for vegetarians?
That’s a great question, let me find out for you!
I asked the powers that be at Oasis and here’s what they said: “Yes we will adapt special for vegetarians when possible. It depends on the special. Sometimes it’s an easy switch. Other times there’s not much left of a dish if we try to convert it to a vegetarian dish.”
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