‘mina debuts new tasting menu celebrating Sicilian flavors

If you missed my original preview of ‘mina back in April, here’s your reminder to do some homework this weekend. Caught up? Perfect.

This month, the restaurant has begun offering a new tasting experience, “a five-course progression of landscapes, flavors, and memories that shaped chef Leonardo Li Mura”. Born in Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily, his earliest lessons came alongside his grandfather, tending vegetable gardens. There he developed a lifelong respect for the land and an understanding that exceptional cuisine begins with exceptional ingredients. After graduating from culinary school in Sicily, Leonardo went on to lead some of Catania’s most celebrated restaurants. He’s now the driving force behind ‘mina’s excellent kitchen.

Available Sunday through Thursday, Li Mura’s menu is offered with an optional wine pairing curated by co-owner and sommelier Giro Messeri. I can’t think of a better way to get acquainted with the restaurant. The tasting menu is as follows:

• Pane Di Casa, 48-hour sourdough focaccia, blood orange butter, duo of monocultivar olive oil from Etna
• Crudo Di Ricciola, citrus-cured amberjack, blood orange and tomato consommé, marinated strawberry, Castelvetrano olives, pistacchio
• Pistacchio E Speck, gemellini pasta, Sicilian pistacchio, smoked mountain speck, mascarpone, 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon zest
• Involtini Di Pesce Spada, grilled rolled swordfish, Sicilian caponata, tomatoes, breadcrumbs, golden raisins, pine nuts
• Olive Oil Cake, a tender olive oil cake scented with citrus, served with zabaglione and olive oil gelato

The experience is priced at $85 per person with optional wine pairings starting at $50 (a reserve pairing focusing on specially imported wines from the Etna region is priced at $100). Reservations can be made directly on OpenTable.

RIME

A Sunday brunch special is currently running at the Deer Valley resort. Available both indoors at RIME or al fresco alongside Summer slopes. The brunch is offered on Sundays, 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., priced at $85 for adults and $30 for kids.

Executive chef Matthew Fradera’s buffet menu includes a seafood station with jumbo shrimp, king crab legs, West Coast oysters and snow crab claws as well as meat carving, salad, and pastry stations.

Alongside that help-yourself line, a range of small plates are offered too; these include Chicken and Waffles, Eggs Benedict, Avocado Toast, St. Regis Poke Bowl, Banana French Toast, and Omelets

Urban Hill

Updates have landed on the dinner menu at this Post District favorite. New dishes you can expect to find include:

• Spring Conundrum, baby spring vegetables, avocado, lemon, pistachio, puffed grains $17
• Grilled Asparagus, fried egg, hatch chile aioli, olive & lemon hot honey, pecorino, $19
• Barbacoa Pork Cheek, blue corn grits, sweet rhubarb chile relish, nduja butter, tortilla-pepita crumb, $17
• Caputo’s Burrata, roasted beets, smoked cherries, hazelnut praline, vincotto, sourdough, $24
• Iberian “tomahawk” Pork Chop, Niman Ranch pork, creamy polenta, sautéed kale, spring pea salsa verde, $62

Franklin Ave

Likewise, Summer is showing on the menu at Franklin too. Newer dishes you can find include:

• Roasted Summer Vegetables, whipped tahini, pepitas, mint, chermoula, lemon zest, $17
• Red Crab Agnolotti, ricotta corn filling, roasted corn, tomato, red onion, chipotle-lime cream, cilantro, $34
• Wagyu Steak, potato pave, demi-glace, shishito peppers, creamed corn, $42

Repeal

Lunch is now being served at the downtown Repeal. The 21+ jazz-focused bar had previously only offered dinner service. Available Tuesday through Friday, 11.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m, a condensed menu features entrees such as:

• Chicken Leg Confit, heritage beans, baby broccoli, polenta, arrabiata sauce, $29
• Barbecue Pork Sliders, slow-roasted pork belly with house barbecue, jalapeño slaw, and aioli on toasted brioche, $18
• Cardamom Ahi Tuna, baby red oak, carrot ginger vinaigrette, edamame, sesame, scallion, creamy cilantro tofu, $20
• Seasonal House Pasta, house-made garlic tagliatelle, bolognese, $33

Asher Adams

The Gateway Hotel is offering two different specials this Summer.

First up is ‘Brunch In The Courtyard’. Offered as an extension of the hotel’s bar menu, the Courtyard menu “highlights the best summer produce, creative egg dishes and elevated menu items leaning into a more luxurious dining experience.” The special is in partnership with Chandon, which means guests can also enjoy a mimosa cart, specialty cocktails, or a selection of other juices and coffees. The Brunch is open every Saturday and Sunday (10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.), and reservations are not required.

A second update is their new chef’s Summer Series, a weekly outdoor dining experience beginning Friday, August 7th and running until Friday, September 4th. Each Friday will feature a different menu, including an entrée, side, and dessert, inspired by seasonal gatherings and summer traditions. Entrées will be cooked outdoors on both a Blackstone and a charcoal grill.

Brownstone 22

I briefly mentioned this one-off menu a little while ago, but with details of the final menu now released, I wanted to share again. The World Of BBQ styled dinner is a whirlwind tour of the globe through myriad BBQ styles. The menu will include:

• India – tandoori – lion’s mane mushrooms, vegetable pakora, mint raita, pineapple yuzu chutney, snap peas
• Japan – robata – grilled miso eggplant, smoked uni foam, mitarashi dango, blistered shishito
• Mozambique – peri peri – marinated shrimp, grilled corn salsa, roasted zucchini, cassava root puree
• Lebanon – shish tawook – lamb kafta, grilled tomatoes, tabbouleh, roasted garlic, basil labneh
• Jamaica – jerk – red snapper, banana leaf, callaloo, pineapple salsa
• USA – Texas BBQ – smoked brisket, sweet potato mash, burnt rosemary, goat cheese, espresso BBQ sauce
• Peru – anticuchos – suspiro de limeña, caramelized plantains, grilled pineapple

The one-night-only menu will also feature a series of cocktails to match the culinary lineup. Priced $140 per person, reservations can be made online via Toast.

Bambara / The Vault

An update to the beverage program over at the Hotel Monaco’s signature bar. Here are the details via press release from the business:

. . .

Anyone who has tried sourcing a bottle of Yellow Chartreuse lately knows the struggle is real. But at The Vault, rare spirits are just the starting line for a cocktail program built on house-made alchemy, hyper-local flavors, and wild flavor pairings. Here is what makes this menu worth a spot on your radar:

• Unicorn Bottles & Heritage Spirits: While monk-crafted Yellow Chartreuse (Huckleberry Smash) remains nearly impossible to find, The Vault is pouring it alongside rare gems like bergamot-infused Italicus Rosolio (Bergamot Spritz) and oak-aged Ransom Old Tom Gin.
• House-Made Alchemy: The Vault is ditching standard mixers for custom craft elements, like house-blended Infinity Bitters (Salt City Classic)—a hyper-local blend that can never be replicated—and house-infused Mint Vermouth (Twisted Tini).
• High-Risk, High-Reward Pairings: The menu features unexpected techniques, like floating peaty High West Campfire whiskey directly on top of tequila, elderflower, and honey (Sittin’ Round the Campfire), and pairing rich bourbon with wild huckleberries and fresh basil.
• Elevated Smoked Classics: The dedicated Smoked Old Fashioned menu pairs real woodsmoke with authentic elements like Giffard’s artisanal Banana du Brésil liqueur (Smoking Gun) and rich brandy with chocolate bitters (Cherries & Chocolate).

High West

A couple of seasonal updates from the HW team. The Refectory location in Wanship is offering a Sunday brunch buffet (10.30 a.m. – 2.30 p.m.) with dishes such as breakfast classics, charcuterie, house smoked trout, granola station, rojo pozole, 5 bean chili con carnitas, roasted salmon, carving station, dessert station, and seasonal cocktails.

Additionally, a lunch service (Wed – Sat, 11.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.) is now available with à la carte dishes that include smoked chicken nachos, loaded Brussels, bison dip sandwich, hazelnut crusted salmon, elk Reuben, and the Niman Ranch burger.

Meanwhile, The Nelson Cottage on Park City’s Park Avenue is offering a series of prix-fixe dinners. The set meals will be offered Wednesday – Saturday, with seatings at 5.00 and 8.00 p.m. The business writes that, “The Culinary Team at The Nelson Cottage presents a thoughtfully curated prix-fixe dinner menu, featuring seasonal flavors and creative pairings. Whiskey Ambassadors begin each meal with insights on whiskey tastings, pairings, and the history of whiskey in Park City. Seasonal cocktails, elevated wines, and a selection of craft beers are also available. Guests must be 21+”.

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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.