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"The review on Franck's was spot on we had an excellent meal, and my wife was so excited to go there for our 20 th anniversary."

 

Bruce - Brentwood, California

 

"I enjoyed reading your reviews. It was only a few weeks ago that I saw the (restaurant) sign and have wondered how it is. We will go there soon based on your review."

 

Peter - Eden, Utah

 

Find out what your favorite chefs recipe are - Recipes 

*              Northern Utah Restaurant Review

  

        "In search of good food in Northern Utah"                              

                                                                Sister Link:


      The restaurants are ranked by four categories:  Ambience, Food, Service and Price. The ambience, food and service categories are ranked from 10-1;                                           

      10 being the best and 1 being the worst (8 is something worth returning to) and finally a small paragraph describing the restaurant and its food.                                                

      Price is determined as follows:

$ - Cheap (Entrees $5 - $7)

$$ - Moderate (Entrees $7 - $13)

$$$- Expensive (Entrees $13 - $17)

$$$$- Very Expensive (Entrees $17 - $25+)                                                                                           

**Alphabetical Listings       - Alpha                        *Sign up     Updates

Sponsored by:  SnowbasinDirect.com

 

The Review   -   This is a non-biased review of the Northern Utah Restaurants by Franco Mortarotti . We always appreciate any feedback!

 

Date & Meal                      Restaurant                                                       Ambi.  Food    Serv. Price. 

 

     7/19/09    Dinner            Texas Pride                           6          5          3        $

 

     Well Yeeeha! And blow me down! This place sucks harder than Texas blue grass in autumn. Sorry; can’t give

     this one any high marks. Especially when they serve your salad in a Styrofoam cup, and Kraft blue cheese dressing

     in a packet on the side. And the ribs are smoked, but there is no unusual flavoring to suggest that they are anything

     special. Same goes for their BBQ beef sandwiches. I was also disappointed, when they ran out of items on the menu

     when I got there. I would have expected they had learned from their predecessors, who had odd hours and limited

     items on their menu. And how can you have a Texas BBQ place without beer? It’s unconscionable. I will have to say

     one good thing, about Texas Pride, it’s inexpensive. So if you are just trying to get out from doing dishes, this might be

     the right place, but don’t expect much. It’s going to be a long five years...  Maybe the Harley bikers will appreciate it

     more… http://www.texaspridebarbecue.com/  - Huntsville – Tel. (801) 745-2745

 

 

 

     4/3/09     Lunch             Foundry Grill at Sundance     8          7          7        $$$

   

     Uniquely situated in the resort at Sundance, the Foundry Grill is a wonderful and enchanted place, and well

     worth the drive. Along with the décor of an old miner’s home, and 2 fireplaces, this eatery has a wood burning

     pizza oven, which turns out excellent pizzas. They strive to have all natural and organic foods on their menu.

     We started with their Tortilla Soup, Foundry Salad and Roasted Pork Egg Roll, all were quite good. As was

     the Buffalo Burger, Organic Beef Patty Melt and Meat Loaf Sandwich. With such an expansive menu this is

     one place I’ll have to visit over and over. Next time I’ll try out their legendary and romantic Tree Room. 

     (http://www.sundanceresort.com/dine/foundry_grill.html) - Sundance – Tel. (866) 932- 2295

 

     3/20/09   Dinner              Moochie’s                            6          5          7        $   

 

     Just a quick mention, I have been in search of a good Philly Cheesesteak here in Utah. Many people have mentioned

     to me, to give Moochie’s a try. I did, and I have to report back to you that, I’m still looking… While the bread they

     use is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The way a true Philly Cheesesteak bun should be, the content of

     the cheesesteak was mediocre. (http://www.moochiesmeatballs.com) – Salt Lake City - Tel.(801) 596-1350

 

 

     2/26/2009    **Update       Rickenbacker's                            8          8          8        $$$$

     5/19/2007    *Update

     3/26/2007    Dinner

 

     ** We were invited back to review the new Executive Chef at Rickenbacker's Bistro, Chef Ryan Sleeter. I was pleasantly

     surprised, and my views have drastically changed from the previous times I had eaten at the Bistro. First off, the menu

     seems more in line with peoples taste, but not without a bit of flair. We especially enjoyed the Gorgonzola mashers with

     Pancetta.  We started our meal with a few appetizers, the sweet & spicy Hoisin baby back ribs and the black mussels

     and Linguia sausage. Both the ribs and the mussels were an explosion of taste, and a fantastic way to start off the meal,

     though I would recommend that they cook the ribs a little less. Then we proceed to have the pear Gorgonzola salad,

     which cleaned our pallets perfectly. Next we had one of their nightly specials, a bone-in rib eye steak with those Gorgonzola

     mashed potatoes. And an item on the menu, the Utah rack of lamb with truffled polenta. The rib eye was huge, and mouth

     watering. And the lamb was succulent and cooked to perfection. We were down in Dallas, Texas a few months ago, and

     we ate similar portions and quality of food, and the restaurant in Dallas charged $125 for each Entrée, Rickenbacker's is

     quite a bargain. One of the nicer amenities Rickenbacker's has is a soon to be certified sommelier, Randi Westen. We ended

     the meal with dessert and an espresso. All in all, the evening was excellent, the food and ambience is definitely one of the

     finest in Ogden. Keep up the good work Chef Sleeter! One recommendation I would make is to bring the lighting of the

     restaurant more up-to-date, so that it may compliment the more modern food and kitchen.

 

    

     * Update - We went to Rickenbacker's for a wine tasting event, granted it was event type food, but I'd rather eat at

     a Marriott......Still needs work.

 

     So many people had recommended Rickenbacker's Bistro that I was really looking forward to eating at this establishment.

     Unfortunately, I have to report back, that I was not impressed. It is imperative when you visit a restaurant to make sure the

     executive chef is cooking that evening.  The difference in the meal could be night and day, and it was quite evident in the meal

     we had. The waitress recommended that I try the macaroni with truffle oil, as well as the filet mignon. Most of my meal was

     over salted. My friends tried the salmon; which was dry, and the flat iron steak; which wasn’t bad. The good thing is I

     complained about the meal, which I don’t do that often, but it brought me many rewards. As a matter a fact I received $75

     in coupons for a future visit, and the dinner was only $150. I will write an update, and let you know how it goes. Maybe I’ll

     have better luck next time. One good thing, they certainly have a good view of the Wasatch Mountains.

     (www.rickenbackersbistro.com) - Ogden - Tel. (801) 627.4100

 

    1/28/2009    *Update                Jasoh Wood Oven & Grill         7          7          8        $$$

     1/19/2007   Dinner

   

   

    * Jasoh's has shown quite an improvement from the last location. Now you get 2 choices of restaurants, one a high

     end and much pricier side to the restaurant. With all the high end items such as duck, filet mignon, king salmon

     and even yak. The other, a brew pub, with also great food, and less expensive items, such as pizza, pasta, meatloaf

     and roasted chicken. Truly a much broader selection of choices. I will say, everything we ordered was very good.

     If you haven't been to the new location, it's worth the trip. I would especially recommend it for business lunches.

 

     Jasoh is one of your better restaurants in Ogden. I guess it's the décor or the friendly host that makes it score

     so highly. The food on the other hand needs a little upgrading. I came with an appetite, and ordered the Osso

     Buco. I was surprised when I received these small bones with hardly any meat on them. Others ordered the

     lamb, which was ordered medium rare, and showed up a bit well done. The Chicken Clay Pot was everyone's

     favorite, but do you really want to go to a nice restaurant and order chicken pot pie? For such a great venue

     and such great personalities, I just wish the menu was a little broader and more to match the décor, nouvelle.

     (www.jasoh.com) - Ogden - Tel. (801) 399-0088

   

      12/08/08   Dinner               Au Naturale                            6          6          7        $$

 

      New and innovative, normally I don't include a fast food restaurant in my list, but when I heard that the executive chef

      Clark Norris of Mariposa opened a fast food eatery with healthy food. It had my name written all over it. I was expecting

      vibrant healthy foods at reasonable prices. But I was disappointed to find that the foods were bland, not low in fat, and

      relatively expensive. I can say, that I really enjoyed the sweet potato French fries. They tasted heavenly and they were

      low in fat. The Cheeseburgers are good too, but nothing to alert the media about. I guess my search for a healthy McDonalds

      must still go on, Au Naturale is a one time visit. (http://www.goaunaturale.com) - Sugar house - Tel.(801) 466-8888

 

      11/18/08     Dinner              Tuscany                                  9         6           7       $$$$

 

      With the woodsiness of a Tuscan cottage and the warmth of a fireplace, I'd give this Northern Utah restaurant a number

      one rating for ambiance. But unfortunately the food does not live up to the ambiance. Which is surprising, because this     

      restaurant is from the same owners as Franck's (next door). We started out with their pear and walnut salad and some

      "hearthbread" for the table. The salad was probably made that morning, most of the leaves were wilted, and the dressing

      was overpowering. I was quite surprised at their "hearthbread" which is Tuscany's informal pizza, which was not cooked enough

      and drenched in tomato sauce. For our entree we had the smoked salmon encrusted with bread crumbs and the New York

      Steak in a port reduction with polenta. The salmon must have had almost an inch of bread crumbs, killing any taste of the fish.

      The steak was over-cooked and the polenta under-cooked, and made for a very mealy dish. The best part of the evening was

      probably the desserts, Tiramisu, banana cream pie and creme brulee. I do have to say the service was also very attentive.

      All-in-all I can't really give this restaurant high marks, it might have just been a bad night. I'll have to check it out another time to

      give the final word on this Italian eatery. One last thing, they do have a very nice bar area , great place for meeting up with friends

      or a romantic interest. (http://www.tuscanyslc.com) - Holladay - Tel.(801) 277-9919

 

     9/20/08       Dinner                      Harley & Bucks                       7         7           8        $$$$

   

     I have to hand it to Craig Bonham, the owner of Harley and Bucks, and soon to be Harley and Carlos. He has

     raised the bar for the restaurants in Ogden Valley. Everyone has been asking me to review this local eatery, with

     their specialty in barbeque ribs and smoked beefs. And I’m glad I did. Located in the Old General Store in Eden,

     it has a log cabin feel, with wood beams and log walls. It's hard not to want to order some of his specialties with

     the intoxicating aroma as you enter the door. The group that I was with ordered Ahi tuna, N Y strip, Ribs and Crab

     cakes. The Ahi tuna was the nightly special on the menu. The tuna was blended with just the right seasonings which

     made for a wonderful taste. And the world famous crab cakes lived up to their name, which was complimented by a

     garlic aioli. Delicious! The New York strip was prepared well and served exactly medium rare as I had ordered it

     I would like to see him add some warmth to the place, maybe a fireplace or a large bouquet of flowers at the entrance.  

     Speaking of which, the entrance and host station need to be reconfigured, it is very awkward.  I was surprised to see

     table cloths with butcher paper on the tables. Kudos! The service is very friendly and attentive. It would be nice if

     they expanded their menu and wine list. I would suggest a couple more choices on the rib eye.  Not necessarily with the

     Kona sauce, which I tried to order without, and couldn’t. Also, I would recommend some combination platters, chicken

     and ribs, or lobster and steak. All in all, I will return to the quaint little place with big flavor in Eden.

     (http://www.harleyandbucks.com) - Ogden Valley – Tel. (801) 745-2060

 

    8/24/08        Dinner                      Sonora Grill                              7         7           8        $$$

 

    This one surprised me, I was expecting your typical southwestern type of food and ambiance. But when I entered

    the restaurant, I was completely removed from the outside environment, and was whisked off to a little restaurant

    in Mexico. Steve Ballard, the owner, greeted us at the door, and suggested to our group if we would like to sit in

    the private sitting room. Of course, we took him up on his suggestion. He also had some other recommendations.

    One I would highly suggest, is their famous guacamole, which is prepared in front of you. And it's truly out of this world;

    nothing I have ever had before. All the ingredients were so subtle and fresh, not one was over powering. We had a

    salmon that was very well prepared, and a baseball cut filet that was excellent. Just don't ask for the filet to be too rare,

    it just might get up from the table and walk off on you. Our kids really enjoyed two of their items on the kids menu,

    surprisingly their favorites were, corn on the cob, which had an interesting sauce on it, and the bean and cheese burrito.

    While I found most of the dishes fresh and lively, I felt the prices were a little much for Downtown Ogden. I also noticed

    a neat little bar area, I'll have to give it a try next time I go in.  Overall, the Sonora Grill is a great little addition to the

    Downtown Ogden repertoire of restaurants. (http://www.thesonoragrill.com) - Downtown Ogden - Tel. (801) 393-1999

 

    6/8/08         Dinner                       Piccolo Pizza                        5          6          6         $$

 

    I'm trying them all. While Piccolo Pizza is not on "the must do" in Ogden, it's character and friendly service is not bad.

    The pizzas are your typical all American style pizza, medium crust, and lots of cheese. Your average pizza. One thing that

    really stands out though are the size of the portions, and the friendly service. For this little hole in the wall, the character

    and service make up for the food. It’s not a bad little pizza place. (No web site) (801) 399-0618

 

    4/24/08        Dinner                      Chez Betty                              7         6           7        $$$$

 

    It is not often when I leave a restaurant feeling I’ve been ripped off and bamboozled, but that was exactly how I felt

    after I left Chez Betty. I guess those high prices are in part, to pay off Salt Lake City Magazines high recommendation

    of the restaurant. Granted the service is pleasant and prompt, and the 70’s style décor is quaint and a little tacky, but

    aside from that I can not recommend this overpriced restaurant for the food we received. My friends and I started with

    the salads and escargot first course. The salads were not much more than some leaves and a light sprinkling of dressing.

    The escargot was overcooked, and masked by a heavy burgundy sauce with chunks of ham. Either one hardly dictated

    the $13+ price tag. For our main courses, we had a filet mignon ($38), which was simple, and oversalted and the New

    Zealand rack of lamb ($42- this isn’t lobster….) was very fatty. As I said before, I can not recommend this restaurant to

    anyone, except maybe to some of my enemies, which I have very few of, but might pick up one after this review. P.S.

    The cheaper prices on your web site don’t match what’s on the menu. (http://www.chezbetty.com) - Park City -

    Tel. (435) 649-8181

 

    4/11/08        Dinner                Mazza                                    7         7           8        $$

   

    Mazza was one of the first restaurants I was suggested to review, and was continuously prompted to do so. Before

    I begin with this review, I'd like to point out that all my reviews are unannounced and never compensated for. We

    visited the newest Mazza’s at 912 East 900 South in Salt Lake City. It was a pleasant experience and I was gleefully

    surprised to see table linens on the tables. When we arrived we were fortunate to meet the Lebanese owner Ali

    Sabbah, who showed us his favorite dishes, and suggested some wonderful Lebanese wines. We had some of the

    typical Middle Eastern dishes, beef and chicken kebab, and lamb and rice Dolaas. All the dishes were very well

    prepared, and very well priced. The few comments I do have are, one, the dishes were fairly Americanized and I wish

    they were more traditional. And two, the square box, café style layout didn’t leave room for any quiet conversation with

    our friends. The décor was interesting but simple, with photos of Lebanon in the 40’s and 50’s decorating the walls.

    Overall the place is very clean, and the dishes are fairly authentic and simple, but for Salt Lake City Magazine to

    place this as the best middle eastern restaurant, they obviously are not comparing it to much, though still worth a visit.

    (http://www.mazzacafe.com) - Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 521-4572

 

    2/29/08         Dinner                Cucina Toscana                      8         9           9        $$$$

 

    "An oddity", is all I can say. Cucina Toscana far out paces its closest competitor. An iconic example of how restaurants

    should be. This relatively small Italian restaurant, tucked away in an old Firestone tire store building has some of the best service

    I have ever seen. Truly an oddity for the area. It starts as you enter the place, from the Maître D', who makes you feel as

    though you own the restaurant, all the way down to the water boy, who'll go out of his way to make sure there is a full bottle of

    San Pellegrino on the table. Full attention to detail.  And the food is truly remarkable, and extremely authentic. There wasn't a

    single item on the menu, that didn't make my mouth water. Whether it was the Asparagus Ravioli with 4 cheeses or the Veal

    Scaloppini with lemon/caper sauce, all cooked to perfection. The open kitchen adds to the extravaganza, which is perfect for any

    occasion. This restaurants earns my highest honor, and I recommend this restaurant not only to my local friends, but my

    international ones as well. (http://www.cucina-toscana.com) - Downtown Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 328-3463

 

  

    2/14/08         Dinner                  Bombay Grill                             6         6           8        $$$

 

    I am very happy to have new restaurants' here in Ogden. That being said, The Bombay grill is OK. I am very pleased to see they

    have chosen to use tablecloths,  rather than the standard bare table. The food is authentic, but very small portions, especially

    for the price. Best of all is their excellent Nan. Beggars can't be choosers, and considering they are one of the only Indian

    restaurants in town, you might want to give it a shot. (No web site) - Downtown Ogden - Tel. (801) 393-4828

 

    12/14/2007    Lunch                Acme Burger Co.                       7         7          8        $$

 

    What a surprise, I walked into this place after seeing it across the street from Settebello's, while I was doing a little last minute

    Christmas shopping. I thought it was going to be your average burger joint, but to my surprise it was anything but average. Don't

    let the name fool you, only a fifth of the menu is dedicated to burgers, the other four-fifths is a composition of mouth watering,

    delectable food. Everything from Ahi spring rolls to salmon and creme fraiche covered potato pancakes. The hamburgers are

    also just as exciting, with choices of cheese toppings, such as blue cheese or cheddar, and other toppings such as mushrooms

    and bacon. And one of the best things  is, the hamburgers are cooked to order. If you ask for rare, you'll get it rare,

    not easy to find in this day and age when lawsuit are a dime a dozen. This 3 month old "burger joint" gets my thumbs up. Though,

    maybe they should lose the "burger" in their name, it just doesn't do them justice. (http://www.acmeburgercompany.com) -

    Downtown Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 257-5700

 

    12/07/2007  Dinner             Bistro 258                                 6         6          7        $$$

 

    Bistro 258 is under new management, and I thought I might check it out. As I have been there many times, I thought

    the new management might make a few adjustments to the menu and the décor. But unfortunately not much has changed. 

    You will still get the same food and decor for the same expensive price. We arrived there on a Friday evening at 7:00 pm,

    and the most annoying thing was trying to order items from the menu. The waiter kept telling us they were out of prime rib, peach

    cobbler, and other items. (on a Friday night???). Though I must say my filet mignon was cooked to my request, and was excellent.

    If you've been to Bistro 258, and you didn't like it then, you probably won't like it now. But, as we live here in Northern Utah,

    I must count my blessings, and am glad they are still around. (No web site) - Downtown Ogden - Tel. (801) 394-1595

 

    11/18/2007  Dinner                   Settebello                                   7         8          8       $$

 

    It's hard to call most foreign restaurants authentic, but Settebello is truly as authentic as you can get to Napolitano pizza.

    And in my book, by far one of the best pizzas in Utah. It is so authentic they've even shipped the cook (Matteo Schiavone)

    and the tiled pizza oven all the way over from Napoli, Italy. And the thin crust pizzas are made to order, with only the finest

    ingredients and cooked in as little as 2-3 minutes. Though they could warm up the place with the décor; don't let that

    hamper you from going to try the best pizza in Utah. And make sure you try the gelato, also just as authentic.

    (http://www.settebello.net/) - Downtown Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 322-3556

 

     8/11/2007  Dinner               Francks                                    8         8           7       $$$$

 

     A true breath of fresh air, Franck's is a fabulous place with wonderful food. We had a group which tried almost everything

     on the menu, from the duck and ginger peach sauce to the southern fried chicken. All very delicately made, and all very

     scrumptious. The appetizer are good as well, make sure you try the trio of French cheeses and, if it's on the menu, the corn

     puree with a hint of crab is excellent. And the desserts are fantastic, must haves, are the lemon trio and the Dolce de Leche,

     a type of Cream Brulle, which must be ordered in advance of your arrival. I also highly recommend bringing your own bottle

     of wine. The selection of international and domestic wines are good, but for the price, I'd recommend brining your own

     ($10 corkage fee). When the weather is mild, I'll bet sitting out side under the stars, with the hanging lanterns would be quite
     a treat. Frank's might be a little pricey, but well worth it. A must! (http://www.francksfood.com) - Holladay - Tel. (801) 274-6264

    

     8/2/2007    Dinner                   The Rusty Cactus                       5         5           1       $$$

 

     I know this is supposed to be a review, but I am so fed up with restaurants that don't live up to there potential. In saying that,

     I want to put out to the management of Wolf Creek Resorts, a public challenge.  You have one of the best locations

     in the Ogden Valley for a restaurant, but as of yet, I have not received the food nor the service, that is indicative of such

     a wonderful location. I challenge Wolf Creek to up the anti, or get out of town. It took them a while to come around to

     our table to take our order, but that wasn't the real wait, it took them forever to serve us our food. The waiters and

     waitresses were all chatting it up with each other, around the bar, and not doing what they were suppose to be doing,

     looking after their guests. The food was typical hotel Mexican food, nothing authentic about it. I know there is little to

     be had here in the Ogden Valley, and I should count my blessings that there is at least another restaurant, but I can't say

     I can really consider The Rusty Cactus a restaurant. It's Really not worth the trouble.

     (http://wolfcreekresort.com/dining.html) - Eden - Tel. (801) 745-3737

 

     7/3/2007    Dinner                 Chanon Thai Cafe                      6         7          7        $$

 

     Every so often you get a chance to eat at a little, family run, and undiscovered place with great food. Chanon Thai is that

     type of place. They have all of your typical Thai dishes, and some special ones as well. Make sure you try all of their appetizers,

     everyone is good. Main dishes I would recommend is the Beef Larb, Num Tok and the Yum Talay, all fixed very well.

     We didn't get a chance to have any of the duck, but I will definitely try it next time. Surprisingly, one of my favorite items was

     the green tea ice tea; excellent. And don't forget their dessert, the fried bananas and coconut ice cream is superb. Overall this

     is a great little Thai restaurant, that should be sampled. (No website) - Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 532-1177

 

     5/4/2007     Dinner               The Huntington Room                8          8          9        $$$$

                                                                           At Snowbasin

 

     Up for REVIEW Chef Elio has left and opened up Zucca in South Ogden

 

     Here is where Salt Lake City Magazine got it right! Elio Scanu, the executive chef at Snowbasin resorts, is one of the best

     chefs in the region, if not one of the best chefs West of the Mississippi. It's a shame such talent is wasted on a venue that

     doesn't have that much traffic, but that'll be our little secret. Elio's excellent compilations of food at the Huntington Room,

     and his ability to retrieve such quality merchandise, makes for a truly great meal at such a relatively inexpensive price. Every

     item on the menu is craftily made and is changed at every seating; it makes it hard to recommend any one item. Most

     importantly, with such a small venue, they are able to maintain a staff that rivals that of The French Laundry, and service

     is constant. Though they, as of yet don't have a sommelier, Elio does a pretty good job at wine pairing. The Huntington Room

     at Snowbasin is a must do in anyone's book. And check out the Sunday brunch, it's also a great value. Keep up the great

     work. (www.snowbasin.com) - Snowbasin - Tel. (801) 620-1021

 

     4/27/2007    Dinner              Lugano                                       6          7          7        $$$

 

     Lugano's is a good restaurant, more for an afternoon supper or a lazy lunch. Though as I've said before, I really can't give a

     high mark to a restaurant that does not serve dinners with table linen. Even the restaurants in Lugano, Switzerland have table

     linen on their tables during lunch. And if you are looking for authentic Ticino food, I can't say much on the menu is from the

     Ticino region. A side from that I have to give them high marks on their wood burning oven "clay pot" mussels, something you

     can't find too often around here, and their desserts are pretty good too. All in all Lugano's is worth a visit, but keep your

     expectations low. (http://luganorestaurant.com) - Holladay - Tel. (801) 412-9994

 

 

 

     3/25/2007    Dinner                  Shooting Star Saloon                   7          6          7        $

    

     While I should really disqualify myself from reviewing our local pub, I should still review it considering Ski Magazine

     keeps ranking this pub as a historic land mark. The Star Burger is the "must have" of all the food that's offered. If you've

     ever been to Tommy Burgers in L.A., the Star Burger is quite similar. They go one step further and add a sausage

     to the mix. Though you really shouldn't be going to the Shooting Star for the food but for the ambiance. This 128 year

     old bar, has memorabilia that transcends those years. And if your lucky, you might even be asked to autograph a one

     dollar bill and stick it up on the ceiling. Overall, it's a great "bar". (No web site) - Huntsville - (801) 745-2002

 

     3/24/2007    Dinner                   Heber Valley Rail Road               4          3          5        $$$$

 

     Don't bother. We attended the Moonlight 'n Fire, and the cost was $40 per person. For that price I would have expected a

     little more than what we received. The food, which consisted of pulled pork and beans, and the drink, Country Time Lemonade,

     was terrible. Further, they had no dining car, which lead us to eating off our laps. The passenger cars needed work, even chipped

     paint was coming off the ceilings. But what upset me the most was the sing-a-long, the singer sang songs that only a 70 year

     old would know. I think they forgot it was a sing-a-long. This program needs WORK! I would not recommend this to

     anyone, unless they do a heap of changes. (www.hebervalleyrr.org) - Heber - Tel. (435) 654-5601

 

     3/23/2007     Dinner              The Pine                                      6          7          6        $$$S

 

    This restaurant is CLOSED

 

     The Pine restaurant, located in Murray is OK, and really doesn't live up to Salt Lake City Magazine's "Best New Restaurant".

     While the decor is new and modern and the food is better than average, the service was mediocre. Our group had the salmon,

     which was a little dry, and the lamb shank, which wasn't as large as we expected. I do recommend the beef carpaccio as an

     appetizer and as well the coulette steak for the main course. The food was good, but the service and decor just didn't add up

     in my book. (www.pinerestaurant.com) - Murray - Tel. (801) 288-2211

     3/21/2007     Dinner               Mandarin                                     8          6          7        $$$

 

    Mandarin, located in the old orchard part of Bountiful, is a great little Chinese restaurant. I have found most of the

     good restaurants in Northern Utah are in little neighborhoods, and off the beaten path. If you want to be whisked away

     to another part of the world, the decor helps you to do just that. Gregory, the owner, told us that the woodwork of the

     interior was hand crafted by European carpenters. The woodwork really adds to the attraction of this restaurant. We started

     by ordering Tsingtao beer, pot stickers, and BBQ pork ribs. After the appetizers we had the crispy duck, Mongolian beef,

     and orange peel chicken. The food, aside from the duck, was just as expected, typical Chinese food. Had I known that I

     had to order the Peking duck a few days in advance, I would have ordered it.. But what was unusual for this restaurant, was

     their desserts. I highly recommend the homemade ice creams, especially the pineapple sorbet. And even more unusual was

     the raspberry crème brulee, one of the best I've ever had, even after a full stomach. One complaint I had, was the restaurant is

     not as cheap as most Chinese restaurants, I wish they would use some table linens to cover the table so they might distinguish

     themselves above all the other Chinese restaurants in the Salt Lake basin. Overall the food was good, the decor was great and

     worth the trek over to Bountiful. And if you need help on ordering, ask for Jessika with a "K", she was a big help.

     (www.mandarinutah.com) - Bountiful - Tel. (801) 298-2406

 

    3/10/2007    Dinner                Bambara                                      7          7          6        $$$$

 

     In the Hotel Monaco in downtown Salt Lake City, Bambara is a great place to have a business lunch or
     a pre-theater dinner. It is well situated close to The Capitol Theatre. The decor is vibrant, and leads the way to just

     as vibrant a dinner. The appetizers sounded fantastic, especially the home made potato chips with blue cheese

     dressing. I highly recommend the Boston lettuce wedge with smoked bacon, and further recommend the Ahi tuna

     with Udon noodles and peanut sauce. Unfortunately, while we were there the fire alarm went off for about 10 minutes.

     According to the restaurant manager, someone burned a grill cheese sandwich in the hotel room service kitchen, and he

     eventually apologized for the inconvenience. Though I think he should have gone the extra mile, and maybe comped

     us either a dessert or a glass of wine. Overall the Bambara does live up to its accolade of awards, and had the service

     not been overwhelmed by the alarm and the theatre crowd I would have given them higher marks.

     (http://www.bambara-slc.com) - Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 363-5454

 

    2/10/2007    Dinner                Metropolitan                                8          8          8        $$$$

 

     If you are looking for nouvelle cuisine, Metropolitan is your best bet in Northern Utah. We have taken friends and

     clients to Metropolitan, and everyone has enjoyed their meal every time we go. We would also recommend that you

     take advantage of the $15 wine corkage fee. While the selection of wines are good, the prices for the wines are

     expensive. Our server Mike is also worth asking for, he was a master at recommendations. If you eat foie gras, I would

     have to say it is some of the best I've had here in the United States. I would also highly recommend the scallops and the

     swordfish. Though the menu changes frequently, those recommendations may not appear all the time. The few

     complaints I do have are the prices, $40 for an aged New York Steak is truly on the high end, and that doesn't even

     include your side dishes. And the décor is modern, but part of having a good meal is the comfort, and the seat should

     be as well. Don't get me wrong, Metropolitan is worthy of spending a few good dollars for an excellent meal.

     (www.themetropolitan.com) - Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 364-3472

 

    2/07/2007   Dinner               Alpine Pizza                                 6          7          7        $$

 

     Jim and Ruthann are such gracious owners, and you'll find one of the best pizza's at their pizzeria. Make sure you take

     a good look over the menu, they have such a great selection of pizzas. We have ordered out from them many times, but

     we neglected ordering some of their gourmet specialty pizzas. Don't make the same mistake. We sampled 8 different pizzas

     for this review, and loved everyone of them. But some of my favorites are the Santa Fe Pizza and the Alpine Special. Jim

     won a pizza award at the IPE in Las Vegas, and is constantly pursuing new and innovative pizzas. Keep up the good work!

     If you're up in the Ogden Valley, and are looking for pizza, make sure you stop by Alpine Pizza. (www.alpinepizza.com)

     - Eden - Tel. (801) 745-1900

 

     2/1/2007     Dinner              The Timbermine                         8           7         7        $$$$

 

    The Timbermine is a pretty good steak house, but you really go there for the novelty of the gold mine interior. If

     you have young ones, this place is great, though the prices don't match. We have been to this restaurant a few times,

     and it's a real hit or miss with the steaks, some times too fatty or over cooked. It's the same with their famous Prime

     Rib. Though the service has always been good, they could really expand on their menu, updating it to meet the 21st

     century. Also, the waiting area and entry way needs to be renovated. Still it's a novel place and if you want steak, this is

     one of the places to go. (www.timberminerestaurant.com) - Ogden - Tel. (801) 393-2155

 

    1/25/2007    Dinner                The Paris Bistro                          9          8         8        $$$$

   

     This Parisian style Bistro is tucked away in a quaint part of Sugarhouse. Paris Bistro stays true to its name,

     with its warm rustic décor, bistro attire and authentic menu. This restaurant is a winner in anyone’s book. We

     started out with a pear salad and the escargot, which was perfect. Then we had the filet and the New York

     steak, with of course pomme frites. Though, next time I think I will have to try the duck which looked astonishing;

     crispy and cooked just rare enough. And to finish off dinner we had the warm chocolate cake, mmm! I recommend

     this restaurant to everyone. The only thing missing is the Parisian attitude. And make sure you visit the Zinc Bar next

     door; Kevin is one of the best bartenders in Salt Lake City and he makes and excellent Kir Royal. (www.theparis.net)

     - Sugarhouse - Tel. (801) 486-5585

 

    1/16/2007     Dinner                   Tona Sushi Bar & Grill               7          7          8        $$

 

    Tona Sushi Bar is a great restaurant, it's hard to find fresh clean crisp sushi, but they do a pretty bang up job.

     While it's not Matsuhisa, for as remote a location as it is from the sea, it's as fresh as it gets. We also had the

     beef and chicken teriyaki, the beef was too fatty, but the chicken was very good. The tempura is some of the

     best I've had, especially here in Ogden. One must have, as odd as it is, the salad, such a zesty dressing A+.

     (No Website) - Ogden - Tel. (801) 622-TONA (8662)

 

1/9/2007    Dinner                  Bavarian Chalet                         8          7          6        $$$

 

This restaurant is CLOSED

 

Bavarian Chalet of Ogden  has a true Bavarian décor, and authentic fare. It actually is one of the better

themed restaurants I've been to in a while, especially in Ogden. The food is truly authentic and worth

the visit. My favorites are the Weiner Schnitzel, Spaetzel, and the potatoes and parsley. Though the veggie-

burgers are little to be desired, but who goes to "Bavaria" for veggie-burgers. Everything we had was authentic

and I give this restaurant pretty good marks, if you haven't been there in a while, it's probably worth a revisit.

(No Website) - Ogden - Tel. (801) 479-7561

 

12/29/2006 Dinner                 Fresco Italian Cafe                    8          7         8        $$$$

 

Fresco Italian Café situated in a little neighborhood section of Sugarhouse was a great little restaurant.

Our table sampled most everything on the menu, and few were disappointed. They’re known for their

Polenta, but unfortunately it was little to be desired, undercooked and over sauced was my biggest issue.

Don’t get me wrong this establishment is a great little find, away from the busy streets of downtown

Salt Lake City this is a true quaint restaurant that should not be missed. And the service was better than

anything I have seen in Salt Lake City. (www.frescoitaliancafe.com) - Sugarhouse - Tel. (801) 486-1300

 

12/28/2006 Lunch                  Caffé Molise                            5          6         7        $$

 

Café Molise is a good restaurant for lunch, but does not have the ambience nor the sophistication

for the evening crowd. The food is well prepared and has mostly pastas and chicken dishes. All the

sauces are excellent, and I would recommend their tomato cream sauce on any of their dishes. I also

would highly recommend this place for lunch, though not for a power lunch. (www.caffemolise.com)

- Salt Lake City - Tel. (801) 364-8833


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