Thali at Saffron Bistro (Saffron Bistro)
This month saw the rebranding of Lavanya Mahate’s local group of Saffron Valley businesses. With each location striving to offer a unique dining experience, the rebranding seeks to better define each location. The businesses now have fresh branding, a new website and new menus. The trio of fantastic Indian restaurants now read as follows:
Saffron Canteen – South Jordan
Indian street food style restaurant, great for a fast, casual bite
Saffron Bistro – Sugar House
Modern Indian food, an elevated take on the traditional Indian culinary experience
Saffron Colonial – Avenues
Colonial style old world Indian cafe, with a traditional feel and flavor
I’m looking forward to seeing how the group explores each of those concepts over the coming months – showcasing the depth and diversity of a complex culinary tradition. You know there’s more to life than chicken tikka masala right? I’ve been personally enjoying the Sugar House location quite extensively the past few months; you can’t find dishes like the fiery Laal Maas lamb curry at other Indian restaurants in town. Watch this space.
Speaking of which, we’ll have a celebratory giveaway from Saffron over on our Instagram page shortly. Go ahead and follow us over there if you haven’t already.
Colonial | 26 E St E, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Bistro | 79 E 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Canteen | 1098 S Jordan Pkwy, South Jordan, UT 84095
saffronvalley.com
Taste Of The Wasatch 2017 – Park City Culinary Institute
Taste Of The Wasatch
Reserved tickets are almost gone for this weekends culinary event of the year. If you’re planning to head to this years Taste Of The Wasatch – act fast – reserved tickets will likely be gone before the weekend’s start. Remember, reserved ticket holders get early access (an extra hour of tasting without the GA crowds), shaded reserved seating and more often than not a few extra secret treats and surprises.
Here’s the full and final menu for this Sunday’s (August 5th) smorgasbord – feel free to print that off too and mark off the dishes as you taste them. I guarantee you’ll lose track of them once you’re on the ground sampling.
Tickets for the big day can be bought online at: https://tasteofthewasatch.org/attend-the-event
UDPATE: Just confirmed is the Lucky 52 “opportunity drawing” coming back for the second year in 2018. ToTW sells 52 playing cards at $75 per card. There are no limits on how many cards can be purchased by one person. Each card represents one “opportunity” to draw (pick/choose) one bottle of wine from a very special selection. Each bottle is bagged so the label cannot be seen until bag is open after purchase. You might get a $14 bottle of wine (only 1 of those) or a bottle worth almost $200! Some of the wines you might be lucky enough to snag and their retail prices are as follows:
1991 Beringer Napa Valley Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $146
1993 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $140
1994 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $140
1990 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon $162
1992 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon $190
1992 Dalla Valle $161
1994 Ferrari-Carano Tre’sor Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $97
1992 Hess Collection Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon $125
1996 Pahlmeyer Blend Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot $99
1993 Silverado Limited Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $117
1993 Turley Hayne Vineyard Petit Syrah $95
Once all 52 cards are gone, that’s it. Card payments preferred.
Element Bistro – firebird chicken sandwich with ghost pepper jam (Heather L. King)
Closures
Element Bistro
Disappointing news to report, mentioned on Facebook earlier in the month – the shuttering of Cottonwood Height’s Element Bistro. This from their FB page:
Hello everyone, chef Brett DeHart here. I just wanted everyone to know that I have left the partnership of Element. In lieu of my departure they have closed their doors temporarily and plan as I understand to reopen a concept in August. Stay tuned to find out. Figured it should be announced so you guys don’t make the trip to find a note on the door. Cheers to all and thanks for supporting my food.
Hopefully the business manages to successfully reboot soon – the restaurant had been receiving great reviews and press for their wine bar concept in a part of the valley sorely missing that offering.
Al’s Cafe
Also closing shop via a FB post, this Farmington based Filipino restaurant:
To all my customers. My deepest apologies for the lack of communication. Al’s Cafe will close permanently. Soon will have my mobile kitchen going and Mexipino Al’s Cafe will go mobile. It was a pleasure operating this restaurant but unfortunately I need to go a on a different direction at this time. I met some wonderful people along the way and I will miss you guys
I prayed over this decision and I’m a firm believer that God will guide me on my journey.
Salt Lake Magazine’s Best Cookie In Utah
Best Of The Beehive
If you haven’t picked up the August edition of Salt Lake Magazine, this month’s bonus reason is to hear some of my babbling on Utah’s best chocolate chip cookies. Those up for judging included:
Ruby Snap
The Rose Establishment
Suss Cookie Co
Cassie’s Cookie
Chip Cookies
The Koekie Co
Goodly Cookies
Buds
Along with four other foodies, I filled my belly helped run the rule over each to get to the bottom of the best chocolate chip cookie in Utah. Pick up a copy to see who ended up winning. The cookies were tasted in a blind taste test, even I was surprised by the winner…
The bumper edition of the magazine is also more broadly titled The Best Of The Beehive, highlighting lots of unmissable places to shop, eat, drink, hike and play.
Other items
Freshies defends worlds best lobster roll
http://www.kpcw.org/post/freshies-lobster-defend-worlds-best-lobster-roll-title
Bohemien Brewery gets new owners
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/07/26/midvales-bohemian-brewery/
Food talk
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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.
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