Imagine walking into a person’s dream. A stretch, maybe, but think about it: a space they’d painstakingly designed in their mind’s eye over and over…mulling through each detail, inspired by the possibilities, driven by what they would serve. This is kind of what it feels like to enter the small, perfectly appointed spot that is Brass Smoothies. For those unawares, Brass is a new (and wee) enriched-smoothie shop wrapped in the warm embrace of the glorious 9th & 9th neighborhood. We’ve been known to shower the area with love on plenty of occasions, but with some recent additions (including Pizza Nono, Mabo, and Publik Kitchen…stories coming soon) it’s fast becoming the coolest of all the ‘hoods.
Think “blended bliss”…
The dreamer behind Brass is Erin Miller, and she’s as welcoming as the cute shop’s interior….as are her business partners, Shalyn Huetter and Mike Coker (they “come in a set”). She credits her hubby, too (Jake Miller of Cathedral and Yellow Rose Tattoo) for the collaborative effort that has landed them in such a sweet spot. The four of them are not so unlike the perfect smoothie…every ingredient integral in making sure that the others shine. Says Erin, “I’m so humbled by the support I’ve received, so grateful.”
FRESHNESS waftS through the air, and you can feel your health improving before you even order.
Every smoothie is a discovery, each flavor tailor-made to stand in perfect harmony with the rest of the blended sublimity. Mango peaks through your taste buds just after you taste a hint of coconut. Peanut butter melts in your mouth, then boom…there’s banana. Hints of cinnamon, dashes of turmeric, the zing of ginger…it’s a well-timed symphony in this place. “We don’t sweeten our smoothies with anything other than the sweetness of the fruit, and we aren’t putting a tiny handful of greens in–we are putting a serious amount of nutrition in every single one.” Erin says proudly. Every ingredient sourced locally or from a whole-food supplier, they’re serving up drinks that are “yummy, diverse and healthy as possible.” Their process is unique to them. And their business? Blended to ripe perfection.
BRASS SMOOTHIES | 925 E. 900 S. | 801.208.6542
Those even remotely familiar with the Park City food scene know the merits of Handle. The “carefully constructed domain of a top, national chef,” Handle consistently serves in every sense of the word, thanks to owners Melissa Gray, Briar Handly, and Meagan Nash. It stands to reason, then, that when the three of them asked us to collaborate on the design of another restaurant, our answer was something to the tune of “a thousand times yes!” A Salt Lake City sister restaurant to Park City’s perfection would mean potential daily access to the impeccable service and incomparable menu we’ve come to expect from Handle. HSL (or, Handle Salt Lake) would be a second endeavor, yes…but entirely independent in her own right. We would be tasked with creating a unique, atmospheric experience–a restaurant that would complement everything we love about Handle, while maintaining its own identity, mood, and feel.
The design of HSL was, in its entirety, a collaborative effort with Melissa Gray (who designed the original in Park City). We each had ideas in mind–differing aesthetic preferences and competing concepts–but there were a couple of things that we agreed on from the start: 1) Our design should be a direct reflection of the food and dining experience created by Briar. Fresh, organic, fluid. The interior needed to enhance the menu, rather than compete with it. And 2) HSL needed to serve as something of a refuge. We drew inspiration from trips to Tulum and our own absurdly-stunning Utah landscape, and took cues from Melissa’s design in the original. What began as two very different visions for the space became unified throughout the process, and ultimately, we landed on something richer and more authentic than if either party had created it alone.
We wanted to create a little escape, right inside our salty city
So we decided to utilize a monochromatic palette in order to quiet the noise of varied surfaces and finishes remaining from the previous occupants, but we also wanted to employ some real color. Walls, shelves, and trim were assigned a muted green and became the still canvas on which everything else could be layered. Chairs were reupholstered in varying green velvets and prints, and we added accent lighting throughout (again, in hues of green). The two, large booths at the back of the space were wallpapered–palm leaves and pops of bright flowers, set off by brass lotus pendants–with the excess setting the same, artful tone in the restrooms. And while we kept the original bar, we reinvented it by adding a geometric, patterned tile to the facade and lining it with minimal but warm, woven-seat bar stools. For the exterior, we took an understated approach–deep, rich green and subtle signage.
We (somewhat selfishly) designed with how we like to dine in mind
Dining experiences take many forms. Sometimes, it’s with a group of colleagues or family. Sometimes it’s an intimate evening for two, and sometimes it’s just you, a glass of wine, and a book. We tried to create a space that would accommodate each experience perfectly. What was once a dining room full of circular booths became a multifunctional space with a lounge area, a custom high-top communal table (by Project Sunday), re-arrangeable two-tops, and a few cozy booths. We simplified. We enhanced. At night, the structure fades into the dark and the large windows light up with the warmth inside. And without any loud announcements, HSL makes a powerful statement.
Call us smitten, kittens, ‘cause we are COLLECTIVELY gone over Rye. Think a punk-ass urban diner vibe, but with a little less edgy lip snarl and a lot more polish. As if the be-mulletted headbangers of our misspent youth went to rehab, got a better tattoo artist to finish that sleeve, and are now kickass grownups with kids of their own. No need to smash any metaphoric culinary guitars: the folks at Rye just keep pumping out deceptively simple and delectable eats paired with truly superlative cocktails. A recipe for success all ‘round. The term “elevated bar food” gets thrown around a lot in the industry; but at Rye, that’s exactly what they’re doing. And they’re doing it really goddamn well.
No surprise when you have the phenomenal food chops of Chef Tommy Nguyen [formerly at Takashi] running the show from the open galley kitchen. And we are all up in the hell effing yeah praise for bar man extraordinaire, Ryan Manning, shaking things up behind Rye’s frosted glass Zion Curtain [attention, Utah liquor board, we’d really like to be able to see him do his stuff]. Ringers like Rose Estb. pastry chef, Alexa Norlin, and brew provided by our fuzzy friends at Charming Beard Coffee just gild that already glitter-ifically delicious lily on the daily.
‘Cause the suppertime slurps and nosh at Rye are worthy of some revisits, with or without the progeny in tow
The food and bev brainchild of legendary SLC live music venue Urban Lounge owners Chris Wright, Lance Saunders and Will Sartain, Rye is unabashedly all about context and concept. Rather than soundproof the hell out of the shared wall between the concert hall and restaurant space [formerly Al Forno], the three guys at Rye actively celebrate and collaborate with the live shows. At night, the large prints on Rye’s walls flip back to reveal flat screen video monitors streaming feed shot directly from the Urban Lounge stage. They’re piping in continuous audio from the gigs next door during shows. Let’s be honest here: it’s live music at a 21+ venue, and they’re pulling from a wildly diverse talent and genre pool of acts. One person’s yum is another guy’s yuck; chill and appreciate the great diversity of our world, y’all. It makes Rye a huge weekend draw for music fans craving some great food and drink while they’re waiting for their favorite headliner to go onstage [or to see their favorite artists hanging out at Rye pre-show]. And, it’s a boon for music fans that can’t legally groove at the venue next door. As Rye’s stellar manager, Samantha Starr, reminisced, “I would have been that 16 or 17 year old girl who couldn’t get in to the Urban Lounge, totally hugging the wall.” Eyes locked on the video feed, wanting so badly to be next door watching the show live if they could transport there by force of will or osmosis, they would. We get it.
And we absolutely want to be those cool-ass parents who’re blithely enjoying a burger with roasted jalapeños and a kickass cocktail at the next table, toe-tapping through the set while their improbably-coiffed offspring lip-synch and bop along to the show. ‘Cause the suppertime slurps and nosh at Rye are worthy of some revisits, with or without the progeny in tow. Chef Nguyen changes up the menu quarterly, but it looks like some regulars’ favorites are still on rotation this fall, including the Shoyu Fried Chicken, Truffled Mac n’ Cheese, and Pork Belly Lettuce wraps. And those Street Dumplings, riffing on Nguyen’s mother’s recipe? Day-um, yes. Pillowy shrimp and pork bundles of goodness with the perfect Vietnamese-inspired salty-sour-savory-sweet balance. Absolutely fucking sublime, especially when paired up with one of Nguyen’s bright shaved veggie salads.
he’s nailing the shit out of classic cocktails with some serious gumption and spot-on seasonal spin
Barman Ryan has put together one of our fair city’s most creative drinks menus, which thoughtfully includes interesting booze-free selections like Mexican Coke, Blenheim Ginger Ale, and Coconut water. But he’s nailing the shit out of classic cocktails with some serious gumption and spot-on seasonal spin. There’s damn fine attention to component detail, like house-made stone fruit shrubs and artisanal bitters that make Rye’s drinks something special. Most are gorgeously straightforward; some with an occasional hit of whimsy. A Wes Anderson homage that any film geek will appreciate, The Life Aquatic-themed gin-based “Jacqueline Deep Search” is garnished with what Manning claims is “the most ridiculous gimmick I’ve ever used;” a gummy shark. And for fuck’s sake, don’t miss his autumnal take on the Old-Fashioned aptly named “Fireside on a Bearskin Rug.” This cocktail captures the unabashed masculine sensuality of fall in a lowball glass. Think hirsute beefcake in the form of Buffalo Trace bourbon. The cheeky grin of allspice. The randy warmth of orange bitters. We COLLECTIVELY dig it, in all its revamped 1970’s iconographic style, and love the hell out of Manning for reigniting that particularly inspiring and evocative pop culture moment. #bearskinBurt Make it a thing.
Serving breakfast, lunch, and a rave-worthy Sunday brunch, you can get your Rye fix as early as eight in the am. The daytime menu sports protein-and-potato forward soft egg scramble variations, as well as sassy versions of carb loading classics like Brioche French Toast and lemon curd or, hello there, Waffles with whiskey syrup. Our fave? The international breakfast of hungover champions: rice bowl with an over-easy egg, house-made kimchi and [fuck yeah!] three generous chunks of gloriously crispy-melty pork belly. Your ridiculously chipper health-conscious friends will love the vegan hash, coconut quinoa, or one of their light and tasty salads [steak or pork belly optional additions]. Wait ‘til 11:30 and you can chase all that stomach-lining fortification with a cocktail off Rye’s “Day Drinks” menu, made with just the right balance of sweet, spice, and savory to get back on track. A recent remodel opened up 28 additional seats in the dining room, including more banquets and seating for larger parties, so you can bring the whole entourage. Hair of the dog never looked—or tasted—so good.
As the faithful syndicated television watchers that we Americans are, we know nothing if not the brotherly love-ly lyrics to the Cheers intro: “You wanna be where you can see/ Our troubles are all the same. /You wanna be where everybody knows your name”. And isn’t that all any of us really wants? To mauw down on some comfort food, shootin’ the shit with the Cliff to our Norm [yes, you’re the Norm].
Think this diner of dreams exists only in TV Land marathons? Think again. In fact, the notion of a cozy haunt with neat eats and a swell staff is alive and well in Salt Lake’s very own Blue Plate Diner [and has been since, like, forever]. Blue Plate is seated squarely at 21st and 21st, and it’s one of the few [coveted] places in our city that will get you a plate of really tasty grub on all seven days of the week. They’re not interested in changing up the menu with the seasons, nor does anyone want them to do so; according to City Weekly [and plenty of other sources] Blue Plate has consistently dished up SLC’s best breakfast for, like, the last 75 years or so.
Last week, we sashayed into the the diner for a touch of nostalgia, a cup of coffee, and some proper breakfast [documented beautifully by our pal, Renata Stone]. Then we sat down with Joe to hash out [ha!] all the greasy, delicious deets on America’s favorite Utah diner.
If Blue Plate is SLC’s proxy to Cheers, then manager Joe mandl is a regular Sam Malone…and we’ll be his Diane anyday.
You’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty all up in here, and it’s our understanding that a grip of them are gifts from fans far and wide. What’s the strangest thing you’ve been gifted from an admirer? We have had so many oddities come through that door–for instance, the pull-string Jesus doll that recites Bible verses. We used to have a Ralphy doll from A Christmas Story, and we once had a guy bring in 10 ft. long skis that he claimed were from the 1800′s. The best part: he was going to loan them to us for some free food. To his request, we politely declined. But I think the gift that left us all in wonderment would have to be an empty can of Nu-Nile hair slick dressing pomade.
Your site encourages visitors to send love via postcard–many of which are hanging up in the interior. What’s the farthest destination from which you’ve gotten props? The postcards come from anywhere and everywhere. The whole post card thing started when a few people who worked at the diner would send them while on vacation, then a couple regulars started sending them while they were traveling. Then folks that would stop by the diner traveling through would send them once they arrived home. But to answer your question, truly they are from everywhere: South Africa, all through Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Russia. We sometimes even get them from Salt Lake and Provo.
Your little operation is located smack dab in the middle of one of Salt Lake’s most coveted neighborhoods–Foothill. Is there anything you adore about your primo locale that we need to get hip to? Spedellis–it’s the homies spot. Their pizza is really killer. [Foothill] has some good stuff–there is a frozen yogurt shop up the road and a second hand shop across the street, but as far as our actual corner of 21st and 21st, Blue Plate and Great Harvest are about it–unless you really like gas stations.
“Breakfast cures hangovers, and it can be the start to best day ever…”
The interior of the diner–from the bar to the soda fountain–seems to be a hodgepodge of authentic something-or-others from years gone by. How’d you come by all these rad pieces? The bar came from Salina Drug in Salina, UT, on highway 89, which is a really cool drive. I highly suggest it. It has a lot of really cool towns along it that time totally forgot. The booths came from the old Cowboy Club, a lot of our chairs once lived in a Cafe Rio, and the rest was donated over the years. It’s not that we’re cheap, we just really like to recycle.
We love breakfast just about as much as we love Salt Lake City. What’s got you all enamored-like with two of our favorite things? Well, who doesn’t like breakfast? Not only is it the most important meal of the day, but it’s the cheapest. As for the old SLC–greatest place on earth. The city and surrounding areas literally have everything from camping and hiking and fishing in the summer to every kind of winter sport. We have the greatest snow on earth [I’m not lying, a license plate told me], and we even have a quasi ocean. How can you argue?
Y’all have been City Weekly’s “Best Breakfast” reigning champs for the better part of the last decade. What is it about Blue Plate’s gold-medal grub that so consistently hits the spot? It’s made with looooove. Fourteen years running we have been voted best breakfast by City Weekly, twice by Q Salt Lake and Salt Lake Magazine. We made KSL’s A List over four times, and we were given the title Local Favorite from Yelp. Over 75% of our menu is made from scratch. All of our recipes have been created in-house and run as specials until we perfect the recipe and add it to the menu. Plus, we treat the diner as a home. Everyone who works here cares about the place as if it were theirs. Most of our employees have been here a better part of a decade. I have personally seen half of my staff grow up, and we feel that is one of our biggest attractions. It’s kind of like going to grandma’s house or Cheers. Everyone knows your name.
Followers of @blueplatedinerslc’s Instagram will attest to your envy-worthy following of celebs. What do you attribute to your slew of star-studded supporters, and how do you keep on the radar of such distinguished luminaries as Charlie Murphy and Drew Carey? Oh, Instagram. You know, it’s such a bummer when you post what you think is the best photo ever and nobody likes it, and then @natgeo posts a picture of a crack in the sidewalk and it gets five million likes in less than a nanosecond. As far as our star-studded list of customers, I truly have no idea how these people hear of the diner. Sundance is always a fun time around here. We get a lot of people dressed in lowered baseball hats and sunglasses. A lot of Jazz players come by. Most of them have been very nice–they are always willing to take a photo with the some of the staff and chit chat for a while. My favorite is when teams of pro skateboard or snowboarders come through on their tours. It’s always funny to see the diner half filled with grimy skate rats trying to cure their hangover while being hounded by 12 year olds.
Your American History trivia-themed placemats must have given your entire staff a Rain Man-type knowledge of US Presidents and state capitols. Quick–what’s the capital of Rhode Island? Truly the place mat thing is a story within itself. For 6 years now I have been looking, waiting, trying to find a Utah or Salt Lake City placemat. There is just no such thing. [We used to have] a connect-the-dots placemat that would form the Blue Plate arrow. It had a breakfast word search and other games–those were the best. [We also had] these lame green ones that would stain your arm and our tables if they got wet. So we went the old Bill and Nada’s route with the presidents, and a couple years ago we found the capitals. The capitals one is the best–when we first got those in, it was like a race within the staff to be the first one who could fill it in all in one sitting. So yes, now we are all experts when it comes to third grade geography. And it’s Providence.
The Eva’s Bakery on Main Street has done more for connecting Salt Lake to Paris since the direct Delta flight became available a few years ago. Don’t have the cash to get to a boulangerie in the City of Light? Come here, we say. Once inside, you’ll forget you’re stateside anyhow. Owner, Charlie Perry, has quite simply nailed it. The simple breads [made, literally, from only organic flour, water, and salt] and delicious pastries, [made, literally, of every delicious thing you can imagine] are incredible. The concept here is simple: do like they do in ol’ Paname. Stop in for a quick baguette and ‘sweet’, head in to dine, have some lunch, or stop for a cup of coffee. Think of this as the neighborhood market that you frequent, but without the effort. It’s precisely what we’ve been waiting for in the neighborhood; a place to get comfy with a book and a treat, where you won’t be rushed out some hours and lattes later. Come in for all three meals, then come back…Ms. Ruby runs the joint, and her smile is well worth the 4th visit.
Items at the top of our list: the Annelle [a portable baked crème brûlée bit of heaven, baked with bees wax and buttered rum]; the Tart [ a fancy pistaccio cobler baked in tart with red wine]; and seriously…shut up about the bakers pies. I’m moving my office to the table in the corner. It’s where I belong.
Eva’s Bakery on Main Street has done more for connecting Salt Lake to Paris since the direct Delta flight became available a few years ago.
While our Great Salty Lake is a thing of stark and buoyant beauty, this land-locked locale’s not exactly known for producing a bounty of edible aquatic cuisine. As much as we love our snowy mountains, red rock canyons and trout-rich streams, we still get that tug of longing for beach sand between our toes, the invigorating crash of waves, and of course, coastal eats. Those bright, briny flavors get us every time: the unique balance of crisp bite and voluptuous sweetness that only comes from wicked-fresh seafood. But since the last time Utah had oceanfront real estate dated roughly to the Late Cretaceous period, we’ll count our asses lucky that Current Fish & Oyster is right downtown.
they’re all about satisfying our shaky jones for maritime munchies.
Pulling from a world of subtle flavors balanced with straightforward preparations, Chef Logen Crew (formerly at Fresco, Log Haven) and team are creating a lively menu of pelagic plentitude, one delightful plate at a time. Want oysters? Oh, they’ve got ‘em. From both coasts and half a world away, cracked open fresh-to-order and accompanied with a choice of traditional cocktail sauce, spicy ponzu, or a dreamy cucumber mignonette. Chef Crew’s also got the invertebrate scene dialed in for those who prefer a little sear on their shellfish. Some of our favorites from the open kitchen’s lively grill section include West Coast oysters grilled with a kickass garlic-caper-herb butter. And what’s already become an automatic order: luscious chunks of flash-grilled calamari tossed with slivers of charred jalapeño, tumbled over a bliss-inducing lemon aioli sauce (we’d love if they’d start selling it to-go by the quart). Addictive Smoked Clam Dip with crispy potato chips; a fresh chip & dip combo that’s unlike anything your Aunt Myrtle ever brought to a family potluck, bless her heart.
Still hungry? Not for long.
Broiled and served whole, Current’s Branzino (best shared with a friend) is truly a thing of crusty-skinned beauty, worth each moment of bone-picking effort to get every last succulent bite. Folks love scallops, and Chef Crew’s sending his popular seared version out on a delicate carrot-ginger broth with spring veggies. They’ve got some of loveliest fish & chips in town, with both the fish and a crunchy shoshito pepper crisped in ale batter, plated alongside zesty coleslaw and a generous platter of hand-cut, skin-on fries just made for dunking in the tangy house remoulade or caper-happy tarter sauce. We’re sure the non-aquatic offerings are stellar given Chef Crew’s talent (burger, chicken, steak, vegetarian pasta selections, salads), but we were too busy slurping down oysters to get to them. #sorrynotsorry You’ll also want to leave room for dessert, thanks to the pastry genius of Alexa Norlin (you’ve had her killer stuff at Café Trio and Rye). Our editor could not step off the nads of the cinnamon gelato (highly unflattering image below for proof), and we had dueling spoons over the paradoxically luxurious and light yuzu posset, a velvety citrus custard zapped with whimsical notes of rosemary and dusted with an ethereal olive oil powder cloud.
We COLLECTIVELY dig it when SLC businesses support adaptive re-use and historic preservation, and Current’s owners (a joint venture with Mikel Trapp of Trio and the La Salle Group restaurants) have done a bang-up job of restoring the exposed brick walls and glorious barrel ceiling of the old Ford auto dealership while making the joint sing a decidedly modern tune. It’s got a glam-meets-gritty upscale urban vibe, and nails the details that make a meal a reason to linger at Current: comfy banquets and booths, heavy linens, great lighting, a big bank of south-facing windows muted by custom frosted-glass panels. Chef Crew has taken the same level of precise dedication to sourcing the menu, even with seafood being one of the most notoriously shit-tastic environmental nightmare sources to procure. He’s using a handful of seafood purveyors who adhere to strict standards emphasizing sustainability and well-managed fishery practices. Says Crew, “one of our distributors even provides a guide for the shipment that lists where each fish comes from, right down to which boat it was caught on and where they caught it.” We’re looking forward to sampling what Logen can get his hot paws on for specials season by season.
and lest we forget the drink.
Naturally, we made it a point to enjoy the superbly curated beverage menu collaboration of wine/spirits guru, Jimmy Santangelo, and SLC’s own doyenne of drinks, Amy Eldredge (formerly at Bar X). Globally-sourced wines by the bottle or glass, thoughtfully selected to complement the variety of Current’s menu, with four wines available on tap in either 10 or 22 oz. carafes. Amy E.’s keeping the booze ship tight and tasty with a slew of refreshing cocktails. At lunch, the day drinking begins with snazzy options like blackberry-bourbon lemonade. Nighttime sippers do not disappoint (like Jimmy and Amy would ever let us down? Not fucking likely). Dainty miniature “oyster back” cocktails are available for four bucks, specially concocted to go with, duh, oysters. The grapefruit and honey-hued Brown Derby is all about making bourbon-lovers happy. For a lighter drink profile try the rum and mint-forward Ponce de Leon served with an effervescent sparkling wine floater, or a spin on the James Bond classic, a Vesper (gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and likely stirred with tears of joy). We’re looking forward to sampling more of their superlative selections when the attached full-service bar, the Under Current Club, will open to much anticipation later this spring.
Current Fish & Oyster recently opened for lunch service, to the praise and rejoicing of many a downtown office dweller come noontime. They’re planning to dip their toes in the weekend brunch pool soon, too, and we’ll believe there’s a benevolent deity involved if we see their fab Crab Cakes served eggs Benedict-style with lemon aioli. Amen. Until we can get our toes in the seawater and our ass in the sand, you’ll find us regularly on Current’s sunny patio with a bottle of rosé, gleefully annihilating an assortment of raw oysters and grilled cephalopods. But get your own damn posset; we’re not sharing.
