Salt Lake City, Utah 2016 (various eateries)

A single-lane highway flanked on both sides by rock formations and blue sky was the scenery of my drive through Utah. I took a little road trip and found some delicious eats in a city that may have a reputation of being very conservative. The strict liquor laws made me raise an eyebrow, so I can't say I would live in Utah, but some of the friendly people and tasty food I had made my brief stay quite enjoyable.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Lucky 13
135 W 1300 S, Salt Lake City, Utah
http://www.lucky13slc.com/
I'm not typically that crazy about burgers, but these burgers were pretty darn tasty. The atmosphere was very down to earth, with an outside patio, where one can bring a canine or two, and a bustling inside with grease in the air and tatooed and bearded staff wearing trucker hats serving heaping piles of food. This was a good place to get a messy meal and a good beer.


Onion Rings. Thick cut, beer battered and fried, these onion rings were almost a meal by themselves. Served with fry sauce, which is a mixture of mayo and ketchup (a very Utah condiment), these had a nice crunchy shell with a warm steamy fresh cut of onion inside.

The Pigpen. A drippy, juicy, monster of a burger, this had house-smoked bacon, grilled black forest ham, sauteed onions, cheddar, lettuce and tomato all between a thick but soft bun to soak up meat juices and served as an excellent vessel for full-face shoving.

Bacon Stinky Cheeseburger. With Stella blue cheese and house-smoked bacon, this burger was umami overload. I opted for the cajun fries, which had an excellent mix of spices.

High West Distillery
703 Park Avenue, Old Town Park City, Utah
http://www.highwest.com/
This distillery has been producing some of my favorite whiskeys since 2009 and they are still evolving and expanding to meet the demand. Being the first legal distillery in Utah since 1870, High West has set in stone their place in history. The look and feel of the Park City location is more like an old west saloon, but the internal feel was a mix of new and old with comfort and sophistication.


Brown Derby. With American Prairie Bourbon, fresh grapefruit and honey, this was a very refreshing cocktail. The mix of sweet and tart danced on my tongue and kept my palate interested with every tasty sip.

High West Lemonade. With Double Rye! Bourbon and spiced lemonade, this was another refreshing and well-balanced drink.

Dead Man's Boots. To throw in a non-bourbon honorable mention, this cocktail had El Jimador Reposado Tequila along with Rendezvous Rye, fresh lime juice and Fever Tree ginger beer. Zesty and thirst quenching.

Whiskey Street
323 S. Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
http://www.whiskeystreet.com/
This bar was named after the former name of the street it was located on, which was later changed to Main Street. Right in the center of downtown, this establishment serves the 9-5ers, locals and tourists alike. It can also probably accommodate all of them at the same time with their 72-feet long cherry wood bar. The small storefront was a nice facade for the deep interior with high ceilings and library-style display of spirits. The food was also surprisingly fancy; definitely not typical bar food.


Pikesville Rye. A rye whiskey I haven't tried before, this was rich with roasted caramel and vanilla notes and had a long, sweet and nutty finish.

Gold and Stormy. Made with Sugarhouse Gold Rum, muddled lime and ginger beer, this cocktail was like an island in a glass. Fizzy, spicy and nicely boozy, this drink went down very easy.

Bourbon Bacon Caramel Popcorn. I'm not normally a popcorn fan, but this was popcorn that was highly crave-able and worth every bite. Each cluster had every flavor sensation one craves from sweet to salty and boozy. If they served this at movie theaters, they would probably sell a lot more movie tickets.

Short Rib Polenta Poutine. This appetizer was stacked, literally, as well as with phenomenal flavors. The bottom was a creamy cheese curd sauce and demi glace, then the crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside polenta "fries" were geometrically placed on top. Those were loaded with tender, flavorful, braised-for-hours shredded short rib, and a lightly breaded and perfectly soft-boiled egg was nestled on top of that. The crowning glory of cave-ripened taleggio gave this fantastic tower of wonderment a salty, creamy, cheesy finish.

Rosemary Lamb Chops. This excellently prepared lamb was full flavored, melted-in-your-mouth tender and was quite a generous portion. Served with roasted fingerling potatoes, creamed spinach, charred rosemary and a mint pesto, this was a hearty and delicious entree.

Pork Tenderloin. Well seasoned and well prepared, this pork was juicy, succulent, drizzled with a sorghum glaze and brown butter apples. Served with bacon-topped spaetzle, roasted brussels sprouts, and topped with a poached egg, this was another hearty meal with eye-popping flavors.

After a couple days of walking around a really clean city and enjoying the sunshine and well-groomed gardens, I was off to Colorado for more beautiful scenery and to continue my tasty travels.