I had to go back in and shake his hand. It was an odd thing to do because of a sandwich. Has anyone shaken another person’s hand (a la Paul Hollywood) because of a sandwich before, or am I a trailblazer? Who knows. Who cares. But I had to let Carlos, the owner of Salt Egg City, know just how good the breakfast sandwich was.
Restaurants run in Carlos’ family pedigree, and he got his start studying at La Escuela de Los Chefs in Ecuador, and later at the Hudson Culinary Institute. He founded NUR Kitchen, a meal prep business focused on health and wellness.
Carlos started Salt Egg City [salteggcity.com] as a way to continue exploring his love for food while balancing the demands of working in the food industry with raising a young family. Instead of supplementing his income with an afternoon or evening job working in a restaurant, Carlos decided that opening a breakfast sandwich place would allow him to spend his evenings and weekends with his family.
The Salt Egg City mission is simple: create the ultimate breakfast sandwich in Salt Lake City. Simple does not always equal easy, however, and there is certainly stiff competition. I’m sort of over the whole “best of” lists since tastes are so subjective; however, I will say that this sandwich checks all of the boxes for me in a way that no other sandwich in the valley does.
The sandwich is not a complicated affair. The best executed dishes rarely are. But the way it was cooked and prepped and the thoughtfully-sourced ingredients, were all that are needed to make what could be an ordinary dish, extraordinary.
Let’s start with the buns. Fresh brioche, made daily by local bakery Forty Three Bakery. Forty Three and Salt Egg City once shared a commissary space before Forty Three branched out to their own beautiful spot in Glendale. Carlos credits much of his success to Andrew at Forty Three. The buns are beautifully made, with just the right amount of sweet, with a structure that perfectly walks the line between melt-in-your-mouth and hold-everything-together.
Next come the eggs, which are organic. His bacon is locally-produced Berkshire pork, cut ridiculously thick in-house. If you’re not a bacon fan, have no fear; you can also opt for locally-made sausage from Gerome’s Market which are also incredibly tasty.
All of the ingredients play off of each other perfectly. The delicate sweetness of the brioche complements the rich proteins, while all being bound together beautifully with a slice of American cheese. The eggs are always perfectly cooked and runny (if you’re runny-yolk averse Carlos is more than happy to cook them through or scramble instead), and the bacon is the thickest, crunchiest bacon I think I’ve eaten. The edges are shatteringly crispy. In my opinion it’s the star of the show, and while the sausage sandwiches are great, I find myself generally gravitating to the bacon, egg, and cheese rendition instead.
If you’re looking for a bit more of a kick, make sure you get some of the house-made sauce made from red bell and fresno peppers. If you’re a spicelord this won’t do anything for you, but for those of us who enjoy tasting our food more than feeling it, it adds a really nice element to the sandwich.
Since SEC is located in a commissary, you’re best off ordering your breakfast to-go, although there are a few small tables located outside of the shop for those who prefer dining al-fresco, as there is no inside seating.
The menu keeps things simple, with bacon, egg, and cheese or sausage egg and cheese sandwiches as the headliners (also available in double portions). You can also find avocado toast, turmeric granola, fresh orange juice and chocolate chip cookies rounding out the menu. When you see the tiny space Carlos works in, and realize it’s a one-man shop, you’ll quickly realize the importance of a simple menu. And there’s something truly endearing to me about a shop that focuses on one thing, and does that one thing exceptionally well. Which is exactly the case at Salt Egg City.
One thing to beware of are the operating days: SEC is open Friday through Sunday only, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The kitchen is located at ComCom Kitchen (67 W 1700 S), next to El Meno’s Restaurant and across the street from Sweet Lake Biscuits on 17th South. The next time you’re out and about, give SEC a try. I usually stop by as a coping mechanism after a Saturday morning shopping session at Costco.
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I love featuring the best of the best of Salt Lake City. I live and work downtown, and enjoy showcasing all of the amazing things SLC has to offer. Winner, 2015 Utah Society of Professional Journalists, photo essay category. When I’m not writing about food, I am usually found on my bike, headed up one of the canyons.
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Great sandwich yet not as good as a simple Taylor ham egg and cheese you can pick up at almost any deli or gas station convenient store in New Jersey.