Much is made of authenticity in the food world. Every month, I’ll receive a slew of eager press releases promising authentic this or that. Rather than go down the abstruse rabbit hole of what authenticity even means, I think it’s more important to talk about tradition.
Time-honored techniques passed down through the generations. The rituals, customs, and deep heritages that underpin a culture’s culinary roots. Which is where I’ll segue to the newly opened ’mina, which seeks to bring the traditions of Sicily to the streets of Salt Lake City.
Sicilian talent surges through the whole concept, from the artists tasked with designing the eye-catching space through to the savvy behind the menus. Co-owner and sommelier Giro Messeri hails from Taormina, while Executive Chef Leonardo Li Mura calls neighboring Catania home. Daniele La Corte, a childhood friend of Messeri, embarked on a month-long sojourn at the restaurant to create the cocktail menu.
The wine, too, is an intentional collection – a celebration of the vineyards that flourish on the volcanic soil of the famous island. Oenophiles should note that many are completely new to Utah and still en route due to the special ordering process required by the DABS. Messeri counsels that the process should be a smooth one, though, “these are farms and growers I personally know, vineyards I’ve walked through myself”. Hopefully, they’ll land in the Beehive sooner rather than later. It’s just one of the thoughtful pillars that ’mina is built around. This wasn’t just thrown together over an ill-advised bottle of Fernet.
The restaurant itself is located in the former Matteo space (439 E 900 S), which has been completely transformed. The room was gutted and rebuilt from the ground up, and radiates with a colorful refresh. Coral pinks are mixed with azure blues, evocative of the lapping beaches of the Med. The room is split into two, with a mix of tables, banquettes, and cozy booths. The aesthetic is a warm, embracing hug, a visual reflection of ’mina’s commitment to hospitality. Pull up a seat with your nearest and dearest, and settle in for the evening. There are no table time limits. Relax. Slow down.
With that in mind, the menu follows the traditional Italian format – primi before secondi and contorni. Antipasti and sfizi (smaller snacks) before that. And be sure to leave room for dolce. Mediterranean flavors sparkle throughout: seafood, citrus, capers, and pistachios, while neighboring North African influence can be seen in dishes like the Tartare di Tonno Rosso Ducati ($28) – tart sumac spikes watermelon radish alongside yellowfin tuna tartar.
So, where to begin? Those with a passing knowledge of Sicilian cuisine will expect arancini to feature prominently. Li Mura tells me it’s not uncommon to find Arancineria in Sicily with dozens of different flavors vying for attention. The chef’s nod to the tradition at ’mina is a unique trio of the stuffed deep-fried rice balls.
The lineup includes a classic ragú bolognese filling, a shrimp, squid ink, and ricotta varietal, as well as a yellow-hued saffron, mushroom, and truffle oil construction. The conical form might differ from the golden orbs many are more familiar with – the profile suggestive of the towering Etna. An order ($18) features one of each, though Li Mura assures me guests with particular tastes can tailor the threesome as they please.
Many will be eyeing up pasta at this point, where ’mina offers nine different selections, all made in-house. Pesto Trapanese ($26) sees lengthy squiggles of Busiate pasta coated with Sicilian pesto, while Pesce Spada ($34) pairs eggplant and swordfish with mezzi rigatoni.
I opt for one of the region’s most recognizable names, Pasta Norma ($26). House-made rigatoni arrives lightly sauced with a beautifully bright, tomato sugo. The pasta is interleaved with sweet golden eggplant and flecked with hard ricotta and charred green onion. “The cheese is the snow, the onion the ash”, Messeri comments, the dish, another nod to Catania’s imposing landmark.
Before we move on from pasta, it’s worth noting that ’mina pays serious attention to those seeking gluten-free options. “Many people assume an Italian restaurant would be hard to navigate in that regard”, says co-owner Adam Rosh. “But at ’mina, chef Leonardo designed the menu so that nearly every dish can be prepared gluten-free. We also offer gluten-free pasta and follow procedures specifically designed for guests with gluten-free requirements.”
For Li Mura, threading the narrative needle meant stitching together two worlds: the strong Sicilian back story retold here in the mountain West. While many core ingredients are imported, you’ll see sensible local sourcing employed when appropriate. Filetto al Pistacchio ($62), for example, features well-regarded UT47 beef, bejewelled in an arresting jade green pistacchio crust. It’s cooked to a perfectly medium rare finish, and served modestly with charred asparagus and soubise. It’s both well executed and restrained. Again, remember we’re ordering for the table, sharing a collection of plates and clink after clink. A little of this, a bit more of that.
In time, once the dust has settled from an undoubtedly bustling opening, Li Mura tells me he’s keen to deliver specials regularly; I’ll be excited to see how he leans into more Utah product as the seasons pass.
I finish my first meal with a technically impressive slice of Setteveli ($22). Created by Palermo-born pastry chef Francesco Biondo, it’s a decadent seven-layered composition of chocolate génoise, pistachio mousse, hazelnut mousse, and crunchy praline. I told you to save space, remember.
I’ll confess that I don’t always follow my own advice here, but I try my hardest when a restaurant stars its own dedicated pasticcere. Other items to keep an eye on are the tableside cannoli service (built on specially imported sweet sheep’s milk), Sicilian olive oil cake, and house-made gelato.
Piacere, Mina. It’s easy to imagine you becoming woven into the traditions of Utah families for years to come. A setting for celebrations both grand and simple, where familiar faces return and new memories take root. The start of something enduring.
This post is sponsored content
Our sponsors keep our stories free of automated advertising.
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.
This article may contain content provided by one of our paid partners. These are some of the best businesses in Utah. For a list of all our current and past relationships see our partnership history page.