It’s A Wrap April: DABC Updates, Mother’s Day

DABC Licenses

Enough ink has been spilled as a result of the April DABC meeting that you’d think the apocalypse was upon us; some might say it is of course, as the issue at hand was Heart And Soul’s failure to secure a license to serve beer at their downtown karaoke spot; if you’ve ever had the misfortune to endure karaoke, you’ll understand alcohol is a basic human right. Personally I don’t think beer comes close to easing the pain, but that’s me. Anyway, the real cause of all outrage (heck even international outlets decided to report the story, mostly incorrectly I should add) was recent legislative changes affecting recreational beer licenses – those commonly found at bowling alleys and golf clubs.

The crux of the matter at hand was a change to HB453 (section 32B-6-702) after the recent legislative session which altered the way recreational beer licenses should be granted. The previous version of the law allowed the DABC to grant a recreational beer license to any business which was deemed substantially similar to a list of 14. The recent update removed those two key words, and in turn any creative interpretation of the law; making it clear recreation beer licenses are to be given only to specifically named businesses (scroll to line 2394).

Despite further impassioned (and understandably frustrated) arguments from Heart And Souls’ Brody Horton, reprising his logic from March’s meeting, the commission was completely unmoved and denied the license. Horton’s argument was that the new language doesn’t come into effect until mid-May, allowing the commission leeway to issue the license under the sunsetting language for a few more weeks; for their part, the commission felt uneasy about issuing any such technically valid license, citing the legislatures clear intent under HB453.

Horton will surely side step the issue in short order. I’d expect him back at a future meeting sooner than later, applying for a slightly different license type. Places like Squatters already operate a ‘Fuzz Busters’ menu of $1 bar bites, that allow patrons to sit at the bar and drink beer, while making the most casual of (one time) food purchases like nuts, olives or chips. A similar limited service restaurant license would be a cinch to secure with just the purchase of a microwave and some Lynn Wilson burritos…just sayin.

In similar news Social Axe out of Ogden also were refused a recreational beer license for similar reasoning. Meanwhile over in Richmond, the local package agency found their license terminated (and to cease operations by May 15th) after the ostensible manager was found drinking on the premises.

Bar licenses

Two full bar licenses (which can be used happily for karaoke folks) were up for grabs at the April shindig, both were awarded to new bars. Alpine Distilling up in Park City won the first for their pie shop concept that will offer sweet and savory pies, seat 32 and be kind of a speakeasy setup. No I didn’t make that up.

The second license went to ETC. Fun Bar in downtown SLC. Owner Bentley Williams (who also runs a bunch of trampoline parks and Alcatraz Escape Games fact fans) purchased the former downtown Lumpy’s spot recently and seeks to re-open the business ASAP. Expect the new ETC. Fun Bar to maintain Lumpy’s sports bar atmosphere with a splash of new paint and rebranding.

Three other bars were on the docket but all expect opening dates further down the line, these include:

Redemption, Herriman, projected August 1st
Bout Time Pub & Grub, West Valley City, projected Pioneer Day
Punch Bowl Social, Salt Lake City, projected July 22nd

Moving forward staff noted that only one full license is expect to become available due to population increases in June. Two Summer Seasonal licenses are also available, that allow temporary operations through to October 31st as well.

Full service licenses (beer, wine liquor)

Moab Garage Company, Moab
Mai Sushi Restaurant, Salt Lake City
Ginger Street, Salt Lake City, conditional
Silver Reef Brewing Company, Washington, conditional

Limited service license (beer and wine)

Lola’s Street Kitchen, Midway
Creek Tea, Salt Lake City, conditional

Mother’s Day

Here’s a quick roundup of all the joints we know offering something special next weekend. Menu descriptions below provided directly the restaurants in question:

Bambara

Brunch buffet
$55 for adults, $50 for seniors, children 12 and under $20, kids under 6 free

Guests can look forward to a variety of specials including smoked pork or spinach benedict, grilled Scottish salmon with basil butter, Puget Sound oysters with horseradish mignonette, house made pastries among other offerings.

Brass Tag

Brunch buffet
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
$49 for adults, $15 for children 12 and younger

Enjoy breakfast selections such as shirred eggs with toast points and avocado, scrambled tofu with baby spinach, maple peppered and applewood smoked bacon, oven roasted potatoes, and a selection of pastries, breads and coffee cakes, plus a waffle station with all the fixings. Forest ham and Gold Creek Farms cheddar cheese puff pastry, bloody mary flank steak with chimichurri sauce, roasted cauliflower and broccolini with garlic butter and house-made pepperoni pizza will also be on offer..

Cafe Trio

Brunch buffet – menu
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$36.99 adults, $15.99 Kids 7–12

Dinner buffet – menu
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
$42.99 adults, $18.99 kids 7 – 12

680 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 533-8746
triodining.com

Deer Valley Grocery Cafe

Special menu items. For those celebrating Mother’s Day at home or as a guest, Park City’s gourmet takeout is serving a crab cake special, featuring sliced avocado, grapefruit segments, Copper Moose Farm greens, honey Dijon vinaigrette and purple potato haystack.

1375 Deer Valley Dr, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 615-2400
deervalley.com/Dining/WhereToEat/GroceryCafe

Edge Steakhouse

Special menu items. Treat mom to one of the most comprehensive wine lists in Park City, with an in-house sommelier to help select a bottle, and a brunch menu featuring Snake River Farms domestic wagyu steaks, plus selections like Miyachiku award-winning Miyazaki A5 Wagyu from Japan. À la carte steaks can be accompanied by sides such as black-and-white truffle mac and cheese or classic wagyu tartare.

3000 Canyons Resort Dr, Park City, UT 84098
(435) 655-2260
westgateresorts.com/hotels/utah/park-city/westgate-park-city-resort/dining/edge-steakhouse/

Element Park City

Special menu items and BOGO special
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Through May buy on entrée, get the second (of equal or lesser value) for half off.

1400 Snow Creek Dr L, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 731-8383
elementparkcity.com

Franck’s

Three course prix fixe
5.00 p.m.
$68 adults, $30 kids 12 and younger

The Gateway

The Gateway is the place to be for Mother’s Day with endless dining, entertainment and specialty shopping options. There are so many ways to treat mom, including a three-course Brunch at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, spa treatments, tickets for a show at Wiseguys or The Depot and a delicious array of other dining and shopping options.

A prize package awaits one lucky mom with more than $900 worth of goodies including a $500 Tresor Jewelers Necklace, $200 Sanctuary Day Spa gift basket, $100 California Pizza Kitchen card, $70 The Depot by Live Nation Concert Tickets to Elle King and a $50 Victoria’s Secret gift card. Enter here http://shopthegateway.com/mothersdayentertowin/ through May 6, 2019

Flemings is offering a special three-course Mother’s Day menu on May 12, starting at 10 a.m. including entrée selections of their signature eggs Benedict, steak and spring vegetable quiche with filet mignon, barbecue Scottish salmon filet, or a filet and lobster offering. All entrees cost between $48 and $60 and include starter course options, sides to share and dessert offerings of Key lime pie or carrot cake. Berry Mimosas and butcher’s Bloody Mary are also available for an extra charge.

Families can visit one of The Gateway’s many restaurant options inducing ‘Bout Time Pub & Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Costa Vida, Dave & Buster’s, La Barba, Midici Neopolitan Pizza, Panda Express and Tucanos.

Entertainment options at The Gateway are great ways to celebrate the day.  Start mom off with a visit to Clark Planetarium, Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum or enjoy Dreamscapes, Megaplex Theatres, Mystery Escape Room, The Depot by Live Nation, Urban Arts Gallery, Virtualities, Wasatch Theatre Company and Wiseguys Comedy Club.

There are many options for gift shopping as well including, Bastile, Apothica, Bath & Body Works, Buckle, G-Star Raw, Game Stop, Rocket Fizz, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Salt & Honey Market, Sprint and The Walking Company.

George

Brunch buffet – menu
9.30 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
$45 adults $19 kids 5-12, under 4 free

327 W 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 487-0699
georgeslc.com

Hearth And Hill

Brunch buffet
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
$39 adults, $19 kids 5-12

Enjoy live music and selections like cedar plank salmon, grilled tri-tip steak, house-made pastries, truffle mac and cheese, smoked salmon and bagels, seasonal salads and much more. Special beverages will also be on offer.

1153 Center Dr, Park City, UT 84098
(435) 200-8840
hearth-hill.com

Hub And Spoke

Brunch buffet
9 a.m. – 2.30 p.m.
$29.99 adults, $12.99 kids 5-12, under 4 free  

Featuring Hub & Spoke favorites like the Kentucky hot brown, eggs benedict, omelets made to order, chicken and waffles, a dessert table and much more.

1291 1100 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
(801) 487-0698
hubandspokediner.com

La Caille

Brunch buffet – menu
Adults $94, $45 kids 5-12, four and under free

9565 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092
(801) 942-1751
lacaille.com

Meditrina

Brunch buffet – menu
10.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.
$25 per person

165 W 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 485-2055
meditrinaslc.com

Oasis Cafe

Brunch buffet – menu
9.30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m.
$35 adults, $18 kids 13 and under, under three free

151 500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 322-0404
oasiscafeslc.com

Pago

Three course prix fixe – menu
10 a.m. – 2.30 p.m.
$34 adults

878 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 532-0777
www.pagoslc.com

Porch

Brunch buffet
$27 adults, $12 kids 5-10

Menu includes famous chicken & biscuits, mac & cheese through to traditional breakfast foods, platters of artisan cheese, fruit, charcuterie, smoked Utah trout, deviled eggs & pickled beets, famous banana puddin’, pastries, mini desserts, and more.

Powder

Brunch Buffet
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$69 adults

Serving a selection of breakfast breads, danishes, croissants and muffins, charcuterie & cheese, made to order eggs, fresh toast, a selection of salads, a carving station including herb roasted leg of lamb and salmon to name a few.

Frostwood Dr, Park City, UT 84098
(435) 647-5566
waldorfastoriaparkcity.com

Rib And Chop House

8-10 oz. lobster tail for $19.95 and other specials

140 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 619-7009
ribandchophouse.com/locations/salt-lake-city/

Riverhorse On Main

Brunch buffet
$65
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

540 Main St, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 649-3536
riverhorseparkcity.com

SLC Eatery

Brunch
10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Mother’s Day weekend sees the launch of this restaurants brunch service. Their popular dim sum stye cart will be available through the dining room as well as ala carte options.

1017 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 355-7952
slceatery.com

Stanza

Offering the regular dinner menu, featuring a few new spring menu items such as burlee melon burrata salad and crab agnolotti.

Texas De Brazil

Each full meal purchased will also include complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and dessert.

50 Main St Ste 168, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(385) 232-8070
texasdebrazil.com

Tuscany

Brunch buffet – menu
10.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
$58 adults, $28 kids 12 and under

Three course prix fixe dinner – menu
5.00 – 7.00 p.m.
$58 adults, $35 kids two course menu

2832 6200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
(801) 277-9919
tuscanyslc.com

Versante Hearth And Bar

Three course prix fixe
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
$45 adults, children’s menu available

Start with your choice of soup of the day, beet salad or deviled eggs with candied bacon, followed by a main of smoked-pork eggs benedict, zucchini-cake eggs benedict, a classic continental breakfast, French toast with blackberry compote, or a smoked salmon plate. Dessert features zeppola or a ginger pear crostata.

2346 Park Ave, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 604-4012
parkcitypeaks.com/versante

Closures

Iggy’s over in Centerville closed without warning according to ABC4. Employees were left stunned to be greeted by a note on the door when turning up for work.

Reported via Facebook and generating a whopping deluge of 2,000+ comments, Kowloon Cafe looks set to bring its 60 year run to and end. Subsequent posts describe some hefty wait times and nightly series running out of food, as long term patrons look set to get one last bite. No word on why the seemingly much loved and patronized business is closing down.

Lastly, Five Alls also look set to shutter the doors after five decades of thematic hell/heaven (take your pick). The SLC curiosity might yet hold on though, an end of business fire sale was put on hold as possible new owners might yet take the reigns.

Misc

Indochine Vietnamese Bistro for sale (Harvest Park Group)

How the Spice Kitchen Gives Refugees New Opportunities (Daily Utah Chronicle)

Shooting Star Saloon in Atlas Obscura (Atlas Obscura)

3 more states debate lowering DUI threshold to .05 percent (KSL)

Squatters Introduces Grandeur Peak Spiked Sparkling Water

Via press release: Squatters Craft Beers expands on their 30-year history of innovation with the introduction of Grandeur Peak Spiked Sparkling Water – the first offering of its kind in Utah.

Nestled in the Wasatch Range, Grandeur Peak rises 8,299 feet above sea level. The summit offers unobstructed views of the Salt Lake Valley and Oquirrh Mountains. This unspoiled playground calls to seasoned explorers and weekend warriors alike to choose their own adventure. As the tagline implies, Grandeur Peak is along for the ascent, whatever your summit.

Grandeur Peak (4% ABV) speaks to the active lifestyle consumer seeking a craft alternative to beer, wine and spirits that showcases natural flavors at an impressive 80 calories. With clean and refreshing flavors – Ruby Red Grapefruit and Utah Cherry as an initial offering – Grandeur Peak also boasts zero gluten, zero calories from sugar and only one gram of carbs. Both flavors will be featured in grocery stores in a mixed 12-pack. Additionally, Grandeur Peak will be offered in sleek 12-ounce cans, and on draft at bars.

“As a huge fan of flavored sparkling water, I have been eagerly awaiting this release. I’m looking forward to drinking these straight, and experimenting with different cocktail combinations this summer,” said Squatters and Wasatch Co-Chief Operating Officer, Adam Curfew.

“Grandeur Peak is fresh and inspired, crafted with adventure in mind,” said Senior Marketing Manager for the breweries, Amy Tangaro. “Our spiked sparkling water goes poolside to mountainside, and we’re so excited to see the reaction from our fans.”

Alongside Grandeur Peak, Squatters Craft Beers is also debuting a New England Style IPA clocking in at 4% ABV – Squatters Juicy IPA. Available as both a packaged and draft product, Juicy presents the trademark haziness of a traditional NEIPA, with a bold flavor profile that is smooth and easy drinking. 

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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.