All the bar and restaurant licenses awarded at August DABS meeting

A practically record-setting DABS meeting went by in barely more than thirty minutes. That is mostly in part to the streamlined setup of meetings these days, most of the agenda is signed off on before proceedings start. Couple that with a surprisingly quiet roster of applicants for August, and even commissioners joked about the unusually short meeting length. Here’s who grabbed what this month:

Full-service restaurant license

• Kin Sen Thai Tapas, Holladay
• Fogo De Chao, Midvale

Pictured top is the Kao Kha Moo from Kin Sen in Millcreek. Expect more of the wonderful cuisine of owner Pornpimon Prathummas when it debuts in a few weeks time. She tells me the new business will focus on “small tapas and craft Thai cocktails.” Plan for a September 6th soft opening.

Bar licenses

With an improbable 28 bar licenses available in Utah this month, only one applicant was on the list.

• Neighbors Bar, Salt Lake City

Digging around, it seems this one will be located next to the Wasatch Cooperative Building (430 E. 900 S.) and be part of the Milk Block development. Expect an early October opening and a Taiwanese/American inspiration, reflecting the owners’ backgrounds. Kolbie Peterson of the Trib reported the owners as Danielle Petek, and Chase Worthen (The Pearl).

Limited-service restaurant license

Four new licenses of this type were handed out to:

• Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee and Social, West Jordan
• Tabeyo Sushi, Spanish Fork
• Mexi-Tacos, West Valley City
• La Vaca Steak House

Beer-only restaurant

And lastly, two sudsy certs given to the following duo:

• Sinaloa Town, Lehi
• El Gallo Giro, Provo

Gov. Cox appoints Christopher Conabee to Utah’s Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission

Via press release

. . .

Governor Spencer Cox appointed Christopher Conabee to serve on the Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission for a term of four years. Conabee joins the commission bringing with him extensive experience in Utah’s business and tourism industries. His first meeting as commissioner is this Thursday, August 29, 2025.

“Chris brings valuable perspective to the Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission, which is tasked with ensuring Utah’s alcohol policies are followed while balancing the needs of businesses licensed to sell alcohol and maintaining standards of safety. His background working in Utah’s private sector and coordinating with state and local governments makes him uniquely qualified for the job,” said Gov. Spencer Cox.

Christopher Conabee says he’s approaching the commission with a service mindset and a commitment to informed decision making that always considers fairness and public safety.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to begin my next chapter of public service by joining the Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission. I’ve seen how Utah alcohol policy impacts business owners, Utah residents, and visitors to our state. I plan to take what I understand about Utah and the great people who live, work, and do business here to make sound decisions that are fair, lawful, and support Utah’s economy,” said Conabee.

Conabee has over 25 years of experience in creating, developing and managing alpine resorts destinations in Summit County and the intermountain west. He currently works as a founding partner in Salt Lake City-based Utah Development and Construction. Conabee has also served on several public boards and commissions, including the Governor’s Office of Economic Development board, co-chair of the Point of the Mountain Development Commission, and most recently as chair of the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission.

Christopher Conabee has a bachelor’s degree in International Economics from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. He enjoys skiing, golfing, and fly fishing with his wife Vanessa and their three children.

Mr. Conabee was appointed by Gov. Cox and confirmed by the Utah State Senate. His brief biography and headshot are attached.

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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.