This article is reprinted from the Utah Eats newsletter, compiled by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters!
Last weekend, I checked out the newly opened Felt Bar & Eatery, at 341 S. Main St. in the Historic Felt Building. Located next door to Bodega, Felt is part of that single block in downtown Salt Lake City — between 300 South and 400 South, between Main and State streets — that has at least 15 bars.
Felt had its grand opening on March 9. It’s owned by Richard Romney (yes, a distant relative of Sen. Mitt Romney), and although Felt is Romney’s first endeavor as the owner of a bar or restaurant, he told me he’s been in the industry his entire career. For the past 15 years, he’s been the general manager at my favorite sushi place, Takashi.
My dining companion and I went on a Friday night and got there about 6 p.m. We didn’t have a reservation (and Felt doesn’t have a reservation system at the moment), but there was plenty of seating available.
We cozied up in one of the comfortable olive leather booths and enjoyed our view of the bar, which is situated like a large island in the center of the space.
To drink, I chose the Oaxacan old fashioned, which was made with Wahaka mezcal, reposado tequila, ancho chile syrup and chocolate bitters. I tasted prominent smokiness.
For an appetizer, I enjoyed the sweet potato croquettes ($12, pictured above), which were soft on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. They were drizzled with a tangy goat cheese crème and sprinkled with bits of burnt rosemary, and I loved the combination of earthy flavors.
We chose the Korean barbecue baby back ribs for an entree, and munched on the toasted Marcona almonds as a snack (more on both below).
As a side note, the service was great. Our server, Aidan, was kind and attentive.
Live deliciously,
Kolbie
Food News
• Level Crossing Brewing Company is throwing a party for its fifth anniversary on Saturday, at its South Salt Lake location, at 2496 S. West Temple. That day, Level Crossing will be releasing its Space Oddity Hazy Double IPA, and holding a contest for the best space-themed costume. There will also be live music, cornhole and a 15% discount on all food and merchandise purchases (dine-in only). (Note: Level Crossing’s head brewer, Chris Detrick, is a former photographer for The Salt Lake Tribune.)
• Thank you to the Eaters and Tribune readers who submitted suggestions for this story, for which we asked: “If someone you know was moving to Utah, which restaurants, coffee shops and bars would you take them to, and why?” We ended up with dozens of recommendations, which capture the breadth and variety in the Salt Lake County dining and drinking scenes. Here’s a taste for you: Restaurant: Mazza • 1515 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City; 801-484-9259; MazzaCafe.com. Bar: Bar X • 155 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City; 801-355-2287; BarXSLC.com. Coffee shop: Loki Coffee • 325 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City; 213-440-1507; LokiCoffeeCo.com.
• Want to learn more about sushi, wine, macarons, pork chops, how to butcher a pig, or create seasonal drinks? Here is a roundup of local food education classes that can help you gain more skills in the kitchen or just get you more comfortable with your own palate.
• Aqua Terra Steak + Sushi, at 50 S. Main St. inside City Creek in downtown Salt Lake City, is introducing a new lunch special called “Better with Burgers.” From now through the end of May, diners can choose between the Tavern Bison Burger and the Spicy Grilled Chicken Burger, which is paired with the eye-catching Lavender Lemonade and the Spring Greens salad, all for $24. Take a photo of your lunch and share it to social media with the hashtag #betterwithburgers to be entered into a drawing to win a lunch for two.
• Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House’s new Holladay location, at 4699 S. Highland Drive, is open for dinner on Sundays, according to an email from the restaurant. Kimi’s is now taking dinner reservations from 5 to 7:45 p.m. on April 7, 14, 21 and 28, as well as May 5 via OpenTable and by calling 385-602-3177. Reserve soon: Spots are filling up fast, the email said.
• Several restaurants in Park City are changing their hours as they prepare for the busy summer season, or closing down for a few weeks altogether as the seasons shift, a news release said. Deer Valley is also slowly closing down its many restaurants for the season, depending on snow levels. Go to ParkCityRestaurants.com for more information.
• According to an Instagram post, Mondays are #C9Burger night at Central 9th Market, at 161 W. 900 South, Salt Lake City. Starting at 6 p.m., Central 9th Market will be making burgers, which attendees are invited to eat at Scion Cider Bar just down the street, along with a side of fries from Laziz Kitchen next door.
• If you’re looking for a festive meal out on Easter, this list of buffets and special menus has you covered.
Booze (and Drink!) News
• ICYMI, here is why a pyramid is keeping a bakery on Salt Lake City’s west side from obtaining a liquor license. Forty Three Bakery is “not in a great spot financially,” said owner Andrew Correo, and being able to host special events and serve alcohol would help with that. And here is why that pyramid is licensed to make wine.
• The Sun Trapp is closed again, and has surrendered its liquor license. The iconic LGBTQ bar has dealt with ownership drama in the last two years.
Dish (and Bar Snack!) of the Week
Wow, these ribs at Felt were good. They were tender pork ribs ($18, pictured above), coated in “sticky-icky” sauce, and the meat just fell off the bone. Flavor-wise, they packed a punch, with sweet, tangy and savory notes combining for a bite that kept me coming back for more.
(An important note: These ribs are a special on the menu, so they may not be available for long.)
And then the toasted Marcona almonds ($5) were surprisingly flavorful and satisfying. With just a few simple touches of spices, citrus and local honey, these almonds — which also came with pecans and dried figs — were transformed into something special.
