Monte is Utah’s newest entrant in the fine dining space

Restaurants that commit exclusively to tasting menus are something of a rarified air in the restaurant world. Chef-driven restaurants that produce a rigorous, multi-course onslaught for the senses. They’re not for everyone, requiring diners to agree to a fixed procession of plates, typically smaller bites illustrating a diversity of flavor and technique. No, sir, I’m sorry, we do not have ketchup.

Here in Utah, options are limited. Ephemeral pop-ups (examples include Kevin Finch’s Arthur, and Ben Steiger’s Wisteria) are the more common vehicle for the format, with Table X the only full-time flag bearer that I am aware of. You need to go back to 2009 and Viet Pham/Bowman Brown’s almost mythical Forage, to find a similarly minded effort.

So here’s a new name for you – Monte. The work of Martin and Karen Babio, the former of whom runs the kitchen, and the latter, working as front of house overseer. The Uruguayan-born Babio’s journey began at Montevideo’s Instituto de Alta Cocina before embarking on a culinary journey that spans South and North America. Curious foodies will be glad he chose Utah as the landscape for his passion.

Hosted within Beehive Distillery in South Salt Lake (2245 S W Temple St), the barrels of gin and burnished stills remain, but the dining space has been gently re-imagined. The room is notably littered with Babio’s extensive collection of cookbooks. Names like Redzepi, Ottolenghi, and Bastianich are emblazoned on tomes offering deep dives spanning fermentation to salumi. Nathan Myhrvold’s (tech CTO made modern-day molecular Escoffier) Modernist Cooking bookends one arrangement. The quintet of imposing books is a clear statement of intent.

Monte - reimagined Beehive space (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – reimagined Beehive space (Gastronomic SLC)

Monte - cookbooks on display (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – cookbooks on display (Gastronomic SLC)

Monte - Modernist Cuisine (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – Modernist Cuisine (Gastronomic SLC)

Monte’s concept is unabashedly ambitious. A set menu guided by seasonality, modernist technique, and flashes of flair, performed tableside.

Starting from the top, Babio takes local product seriously. “Around 80% of what we use comes from Utah”, the chef tells me. “From produce and wild herbs to proteins, dairy, and honey. More than just sourcing locally, we see it as our responsibility to support and uplift the small farmers, ranchers, and foragers who make this possible.” The approach goes beyond flinging a pile of local microgeens at the plate and calling it a day. This fidelity shapes a menu that sees multiple refreshes over the month. “No two weeks look the same, and that’s exactly how we like it”, adds Babio.

As is par for the course with tasting menus, concise descriptions belie meticulous complexity. A modestly titled “ravioli, lemongrass sauce” course begins three days before the bowl hits the table. Chicken is aged with koji to enhance the natural umami. From there, it’s delicately confit’ed in a blend of clarified butter (made in-house, of course), orange zest, and fresh herbs. The result of that low and slow cooking makes for the filling for house-made dough. A trio of ravioli is served in a sauce that’s made from roasted chicken bones, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and ginger. A flurry of assertively contrasting greens and herbs is tumbled on top. For the “but we can cook at home” crowd, I guarantee you’re never making this.

Monte - ravioli, lemongrass sauce (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – ravioli, lemongrass sauce (Gastronomic SLC)

I *only* stop by for the five-course menu (Monte also offers a seven and twelve plater), but the menu sprawls well beyond with small plates and bites. The pacing is stellar, with each presentation building excitement for the next.

Summery fresh corn and peas come served in a brittle tartlet as an early snack, creamy lamb croquettes arrive next in a pile of lightly smoking hay, while foam-topped trout ceviche is enriched with a generous dollop of beluga. A house brioche appears around the mid point – a hefty bronzed bloom, happily avoiding excessive enrichment or sweetening. The sturdy exterior of the pull-apart bears more than a passing resemblance to a Yorkshire pudding; so much so, I suspect some animal tallow in the mix. The handsome bake gets dipped and daubed as the meal progresses.

The evening is interspersed with theatrics, which are deployed with more utility than simple Instagram filler. A liquid-nitrogen-gassed marshmallow implodes on first crunch, puckering the taste buds. Used as part of the intermezzo course, it’s equal parts spectacle and canny palate cleanser. The meal proper concludes with embering wood, kissing the dessert finale, diffusing campfire aromatics, and delivering carbonized branding.

Monte - Ignacio Cittadini uses liquid nitrogen(Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – Ignacio Cittadini uses liquid nitrogen(Gastronomic SLC)

Monte - Ignacio Cittadini prepares intermezzo (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – Ignacio Cittadini prepares intermezzo (Gastronomic SLC)

Monte - wood seared dessert (Gastronomic SLC) — Monte – wood seared dessert (Gastronomic SLC)

“Each dish is designed around a specific technique and built with intention”, Babio tells me. “We spend days — sometimes weeks — developing flavors, fermenting, curing, aging, extracting. It’s a slow and deliberate process, because we believe every detail matters.” A recent dish saw sweetbreads brined, poached, pressed, and seared, before a citrus gastrique glaze wrapped things up.

The experience – because that’s what all of this amounts to – is orchestrated by a talented crew; evidently one that has been around the block professionally and also, as patrons themselves. Ignacio Cittadini (spotted at Osteria Amore most recently) doubles as sommelier and show-runner, overseeing much of the tableside sparkle. I pester my lead server, Michelle, incessantly, peppering her with any number of culinary queries. Unfazed in the slightest, it comes as no surprise to discover she’d previously worked at HSL.

There’s much I haven’t touched on, but for my part, that’s as intentional as the dishes. The fun of Monte is best experienced first-hand. As I write, the Summer menu has arrived, available until September. Reservations for Monte can be found on Tock with seatings on Wednesdays offering five courses ($95) and Thursdays-Saturdays, seven courses ($115), and twelve courses ($175). Optional wine pairings are priced extra. With the local farmer’s markets now hitting their bountiful stride, I can think of no better table to book for those who enjoy this form of dining.