Faustina

Faustina may be the upscale dining experience most representative of Utah in existence. That is to say, they are trying, and on some fronts doing OK, but Faustina falls short of the mark. I didn't have my camera so all the pretty food shots come straight from faustinaslc.com.

The good:
1. The stuffed beef tenderloin medallions were top notch. They don't use a strong stuffing to get by - the treat here was the beef (as it should be).
2. The decor. The restaurant has its own feel, which is different but ultimately pretty fun.
3. $7 corkage fee - reasonable and particularly necessary given the wine list. Do not head to Faustina without a bottle of wine if you're planning to partake.
4. Blueberry souffle dessert - he or she who reads my reviews knows that I do not believe dessert can save the chef, but it did help us take a deep breath and leave without being upset about the evening. Really interesting dessert done well - and probably worth stopping in for this alone.

The bad:
1. The service was horrendous. We counted 12 minutes before our server (or anyone else) came by for the first time, and then it was to tell us that he'd be by just after opening a few bottles of wine for another table. If it hadn't been a special occasion we would have up and left but I was trying to stay mellow given the circumstance.
2. The signature rabbit appetizer was not good. Overcooked and served lukewarm. Nice presentation but overcooked rabbit is not delicious.
3. The seabass was below average. If you're going to pan saute a whitefish, you need to sauce with something interesting, and they did not. This dish was very light on flavor and this is me warning you off of the seabass.

The Verdict? If you had ordered the tenderloin, a salad and the blueberry souffle, you'd come away thinking Faustina was a top 10 SLC option. Unfortunately everything else we tried fell flat, so I'd say there are much better options for similar or less coin. Thumbs down.