Finca

We decided to finally check out Scott Evans' new venture down the street from our house.  I was pretty hesitant about this place for a few reasons.  First, I'm not a huge Pago fan.  Second, Finca has been getting brutalized amongst the reviewers that I've read in its first couple of months.  But then I heard friends say that they'd been in late May and it was great, so we decided to give it a go.  I also noticed that they redid the menu just a few days before our visit, so I thought maybe they had retooled and ironed out the kinks (I was right in thinking this).

The ONLY way to eat small plates is with as large of a group as possible.  Of the tapas menu, our crew sampled most of the menu.  Unfortunately, with a large group, I only captured about half of those items before they looked too eaten to be shot.  But, I feel like we got a great feel for the menu and I highly recommend ordering the whole thing, just make sure you bring enough friends to make that happen.

I'm going to group things into what we could take or leave (first), and then I'm going to tell you what you should absolutely not leave without trying.  Since I'm going through the less positive part of this review first, I'll give you a preview of the verdict: we had a fantastic night at Finca and will be going back often.  I also need to caveat my grouping by saying that if you asked everyone at our table what was great and what had room for improvement, everyone would answer differently.  There was only one dish that was universally disliked, and several that were universally loved. 

Food is served at Finca as it comes out of the kitchen, so you begin to receive plates almost immediately after your order goes into the computers.  The Albondigas came out first and were good, not great.  This is a lamb meatball with tomato sauce and manchego cheese.  It tasted like a good meatball but didn't keep me super interested.  One person in our group, however, thought these were the best things she'd ever tried.

We ordered the Almendras - a combo plate of almonds including house smoked honey roasted, marcona and espelette pepper.  No complaints at all, but I might have skipped these.  If you feel like some good almonds, these are good almonds, just wasn't anything beyond that.

The only item that we were all really disappointed with was the empanada.  Look how beautiful it is!  But alas, it was near flavorless braised beef plated with near flavorless sauce.  The good news is that the empanada changes on a nightly basis, so I'm sure they'll scrap this guy and do something delicious soon.  

Finally, we had mixed opinions on the Tortilla Espanola.  My thought was that it wasn't bad but I wouldn't order it next time, but a couple people at the table really loved it.  I did enjoy the greens and would say that if the picture below calls out to you, give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ok now on to the good stuff - one of the specials that our server mentioned was going to be making its way onto the menu permanently was the ceviche.  It is not an orthodox ceviche, but the flavors are all there - sushi grade hamachi, fresh greens, mint, onion, and a few other items that I can't remember.  The fish was awesome and the presentation is very cool.  Came off more like sushi, but tasted like really good ceviche as long as you made sure to include a bit of everything in each bite.

I thought the Tosta Setas was one of the better items on the menu.  It is a toasted thick slice of country bread topped with smoked ricotta then mushrooms and pine nuts.  I really liked this one and will order it every time we go back if it's on the menu.

Calabacin a la Plancha - this was another huge winner for me - zucchini, olive, salsa verde and toasted garlic.

Papas y Aioli: local potatoes, paprika and garlic aioli.  Reviews on this dish within our group ranged from "really good" to "best thing on the menu".  They are super heavy on the paprika but really good and a great addition for anyone who might be worried about needing some filling items to balance out the small plates.

Ensalada de Remolacha - funky little local beets make the presentation on this salad that also includes house made cheese, pickled strawberries, walnuts and honey wine vinegar.  I love beets, so I loved this salad.  It is on my must-order list.

Will I ever go to a restaurant that has pork bellies on the menu without ordering?  No.  These are served over a minted pea puree and "mojo rojo sauce".  What is a "mojo rojo sauce" you might ask?  No clue, but the pork bellies were cooked very nicely and the minted puree was a great accouterment.

The kale (Verdes Estofado) was so good that my wife ate about half of it.  This is a big deal, because when she was pregnant I got onto a soup kick and made a bunch of kale-focused soups.  Given that this was the the nauseated time in her pregnancy, she's ever since avoided kale like the plague.  So, when she turned to me and said, "Mark - I just ate most of a plate of kale, and I think I might want some more", we were both surprised.  Let it be a testament to how good this plate was.

Zanahoria de Asador - the grilled multicolor carrots, cumin honey and saffron butter were great - almost a dessert-like sweetness thanks to the honey and some perfectly cooked young carrots.  The greens are left on the carrots and the sauces were so good that everyone at every single thing on this plate: greens, carrots, sauces and herbs.

We ordered the mussels, but that evening they were out of Mussels so we were offered the same preparation with clams.  This was another must-order.  The sauce is killer - and the chorizo added some body to the really tender and giant clams in the dish.  After the clams were gone, the cava lemon sauce was the perfect excuse to ask for another hunk of bread.

The last picture I have to show off is the croquetas - serrano ham, marcona almond pistou, greens and radish.  I thought this was really good - opinions were slightly mixed but nobody disliked the plate.  We ordered this during our second round so we were just about ready to be done when it arrived, and that might have colored our enjoyment a bit, but I'd order again.

The only item that I didn't photograph that I have to mention is the aspargus.  It was my personal favorite. A nice sized bunch of asparagus topped with a little cornucopia of serrano ham that contains a poached local egg.  Salsa verde and breadcrumbs finished the dish off nicely.  I thought this was a fantastic take on the classic ham or proscuitto and asparagus dish.  The egg yolk that mixed into everything turned a nice veggie dish into a much richer plate.  I'd go back just to eat this one.

The evening was made even better by a $10 corkage fee that is offered at Finca.  So, we all ate until full and drank plenty of wine and the bill came out under $55 per couple.  This felt like fantastic value and was about 1/2 of what I was expecting when I opened up the check.

The Verdict?  I might not go here on a date for two, but Finca will probably be my first thought from now on when I have a larger group.  I was really blown away (in a good way) by the consistency and pricing at Finca - we tried most of the menu and found almost nothing that wasn't good.  Finca would be a great option at twice the price, but the fact that you can go crazy without giving too much thought to the bill pushes Finca over the top for me. 

Pallet's Epic Summer Tasting Mini-Review

Amelia and I really enjoyed the event last night at Pallet where Chef Buzz Willey teamed up with the guys from Epic Brewing to put together a meal to mark Pallet's first change of season since opening up here in SLC.  I'm pressed for time a bit these days so this will be a bit truncated.  As you know if you read this blog, I'm a fan of Pallet.  Last night, they did not disappoint.  Although I try my hand at brewing, my knowledge is pretty limited, so head over to Epic for a more complete picture of their beer offerings.

We started with a banana and avocado salad, which was a caramelized banana on top of avocado puree with  corn nuts, mint leaves and grapes.  The pairing here was the Straight Up Saison - a beer we both really like for being drinkable with just enough complexity (sour finish) to keep things interesting.

Next course was probably the best: seared scallops, black rice, fresh cherries, salted caramel, citrus and smoked sea salt.  The pairing here was a Wit Beer - flavor profile is dominated for me by coriander and this is also a highly drinkable beer.  This was a great choice for the scallops as it didn't overpower the dish so I got to focus on the entree while enjoying a great beer.

Third we got a bison tri-tip salad which was built out of corn, asparagus, almonds and topped with balsamic.  The beer pairing was the Hop Syndrome Lager - a beer I had never tried.  This was a super interesting brew - think of a Pilsner Urquell infused with a healthy dose of American hops (bittering and aroma).  I would definitely drink this one again!

Fourth course (I dug in before it struck me to snap a photo) was a sea bass with green apple, fennel blossoms, snap peas and topped with a creme fraiche and caviar.  The beer pairing was the Brainless on Peaches.  I was really blown away by this beer - I would never usually touch a beer with fruit, but that is probably because I've only tried out wheat beers that are heavy on the fruit.  The Brainless has a ton of peaches in there, but it is a really complex flavor that doesn't make you think peach at first.  Almost drank like a wine.  I'll be buying this one for sure - my favorite beer of the night.

Dessert was a toasted marshmallow with a rhubarb espuma, graham cracker crumbles and lemon ash.  This dish was paired with the Epic Smoked and Oaked - a favorite of mine.  I have to admit that I've done exactly what the brewmasters said "you don't really want to do with this beer".  That is, to pour it into a pint glass and drink it down.  Instead, the recommendation is that this one be enjoyed in smaller portions (it is about 13% ABV) and with a good cigar or pipe.  Adding that to the bucket list.

The verdict?  Another great evening at Pallet, made greater by the truly astounding knowledge of the Epic guys.  I learned a lot about their beers and the passion that goes into sourcing yeasts and ingredients that most breweries don't bother with, regardless of size.

Tin Angel Cafe

We headed to Tin Angel the other night and were kindly greeted at the door by Maya Angelou and entire original Broadway cast of RENT when we stepped inside.  Not really.  But it would have felt about right.  Think Bohemian chic decor, live blues music and haute comfort food.  Really interesting mix but it worked well.

Cocktails, not wine, were the order of the night for us.  I had a dirty martini (meh) and amelia had a couple of pomegranate infused medium-sweet cocktails.  They were all pretty good.  The wine list at Tin Angel is also very reasonable if you're looking for table wines at a great price ($28-36), so the need to BYOB is less pressing here.

We started out with a tapas plate and everything that came out was spectacular.  These were the highlights of the night for sure -  Moroccan spiced shrimp skewers on a bed of sprouts, the artichoke risotto cake with pea shoot pesto and (best for last) a sweet potato truffled timbal topped with wild mushrooms.  I'm not sure I've ever had a timbal - but think of a delicate souffle.  It was great. 

We split a green salad which was just spring greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, balsamic and a tarot chip topping.  

At this point I wasn't quite sure how to classify the style at Tin Angel.  Our entrees came out and were what pushed me to call the fare haute comfort food.  I had the wild boar agro dolce which is a wild boar braised with apricots, onions, carrots and currants then slow cooked in white wine, chicken broth and tomatoes.  It was served with a massive portion of soft polenta and topped with manchego cheese.  The entree was a touch sweet, and given that wild boar tends to be a bit of a sweeter meat, I think they could roll down on some of the fruit in the slow cooker, but overall this dish was fantastic and I would order again in a heartbeat.

Amelia ordered the wagyu short ribs.  Despite the fact that Wagyu beef is a big, big lie just like Kobe beef, her dish was fantastic.  While the wild boar had been dominated by (a delicious) medley of flavors from the slow cooker, the short ribs are sauced with a burgundy gravy that lets the flavor of the beef come out, and the beef was plenty flavorful in this case to stand mostly on its own.  The short ribs are served with blue cheese rosemary mashed potatoes and baby vegetables.

We finished off the night with a chocolate-espresso bread pudding (one order = two big slices) which was good, not great.  Overall I had no complaints about anything we had at Tin Angel and the food ranged from good to near mind-blowing.  This place is now on my short list.

The Verdict?  Tin Angel is equally suited to drinks and tapas, a quick bite with friends or a five course meal that will provide you with enough calories for several days.  They are not pretentious at all, just executing on some great ideas in a laid back setting that will make your inner hipster feel right at home.

SLC Mixers: Whiskey and Cheese Tasting

Becky Rosenthal, the SLC Foodie, is doing so many great things for the Salt Lake City food community that I wanted to be sure and highlight a great event that I attended last Friday.  SLC Mixers put together a whiskey and cheese tasting with a selection of whiskeys and Beehive cheeses.  The pairings were thoughtful and the crowd was a great mix of foodies, friends of foodies and interesting people of all stripes.  The event was interesting enough to keep the most knowledgeable cheese and whiskey aficionado entertained, but totally accessible to someone who has zero knowledge or experience with either.

I'll share one story to illuminate the mood of the evening.  Our whiskey expert asked the crowd, "who is Mark?" at one point, and then proceeded to ask me if I enjoyed my whiskey sour aperitif during the pre-event mingle.  I said sure, and then he told me that while the rest of the crowd had been drinking a delicious Sazerac Rye, my cocktail was made with a $6 (plastic) bottle of Canadian Hunter.  So much for my highly trained palate, but they gave me the booze as a consolation prize.

You SHOULD attend future SLC Mixer events by going here: SLC Mixers

You should also visit the SLC Foodie Blog: The SLC Foodie 

If you check out that video on the SLC Foodie blog, you can see the tail end of my whiskey switcheroo fiasco.

Pallet

I got a text from my boss a few weeks ago.  He was at Pallet a night or two after opening night and the text said "by far the hippest place I have been to in SLC".  Coming from a guy who walked out of a local Italian establishment because his waiter was unfamiliar with Burrata, I respect his opinion (and I'm still trying to get him to guest blog that one...).  Along with said text, I got a photo of the menu.  Truffle fries, sweet beats with almonds and prosciutto... so onto the short list it went for the WFR blog.

Boss was right on the hip factor.  Mojitos in mason jars, fine wines served alongside PBR tallboys wrapped in the requisite brown bag, and enough mustache wax to waterproof the Santa Maria.  Seating is family style, which could pose a bit of an issue, but the prices are high enough to keep the no-shower hipsters away so what you get is probably more like tier-2+ hipsters.  And good food.  Mostly.

That night we were presented with some granny smith apples drizzled in salted caramel and chives.  So hip.  But in all seriousness, this was a fun starter and I always appreciate something that I didn't order that isn't a basket of bread.

We started out with a few appetizers.  Gnoccis had come recommended in a review I read, so we ordered them.  Very good, but different.  These were almost like little mashed potato dumplings seared on two sides - not at all trending to the pasta side of the gnocci spectrum.  Still, sauced in a sage, parmesan and amaretto sauce, they were very good.

Next app was the crispy chicken wings with stone fruit, chili, mustard seed and jalapenos (I'm pretty sure ours also had citrus). Most of us were feeling like we could take or leave these - even my chicken wing loving wife.  They have some kick, so be prepared for heat.

Final app was the truffle fries.  If I were trying to explain this dish, I'd say they were fries - topped with truffles.  Not too much to it, but the generous portion of truffle shavings and parmesan were delicious.  My only complaint was that I either got tons of truffle or none with each bite, so I kept reaching into the dish and finding a truffle fleck for each fry.  The accompanying aioli serves as good truffle adhesive if you're trying this in the future.

We did a mixed greens salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts.  It tasted exactly like what that last sentence described.  I would order it again!

On to the main courses.  We ordered venison with mushroom risotto, the seared scallops with cauliflower and wild mushrooms, braised bison short ribs and the pan seared salmon.  My take is that the venison was the only fail - it was dry and based on some googling this is a common theme for this dish at Pallet.  Time to move that one off the menu.  The scallops were near perfect.  The other two entrees get a ten for presentation and a seven for deliciousness factor.  Well done, not perfect (the salmon was a touch overcooked), but I would be happy to eat either entree again.  The bison was particularly beautiful on the plate.

We did a couple of desserts: the toasted marshmallow with graham crackers, chocolate and pop rocks (don't say these kids can't have fun), and the epic stout chocolate cake.  The cake was my favorite as I'm a fan of semi-sweet desserts and anything that features epic beers.

Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention the decor.  This is probably one of the most well-designed spaces in Salt Lake City.  Really cool use of wood and new mixed with vintage decor.  That right there is my best shot at talking about interior spaces - but really you should just go look at pictures.  Good job to the Cityhome Collective - head over to their site for more eye candy. Patrick Davis Design worked on the interior and Nash Martinez - a friend of mine - was the man on the lighting.

The Verdict?  We had a great meal at Pallet.  It stands out because they are doing creative things at reasonable prices and seem to not take themselves too seriously - a rare mix in the SLC.  Pallet has room to grow on the execution front, but we will likely add it to our regular rotation and give it a thumbs up.

The Last Meal of Winter - Tom Call

I had the privilege to attend one of Tom Call's pop up dinners again last week and wanted to provide the details here.  The dinner was set downtown in the new city creek area.  Overall it was a great time and I would highly recommend that you try to get on Tom's list for these dinners.  Mostly photos for you here:

Herb Rolls and Handmade Butter

Winter Soup prior to the addition of the soup - squash, spiced pumpkin seeds, "snow" (parmesean) and sprouts

...and now with a bit of squash soup...

Frisee and arugula with hazelnut, plumped fruit, robiola and a smoked citrus vinaigrette

Ricotta dumplings with spinach, roasted vegetables and a lemon emulsion.  This was one of the most interesting and controversial courses of the night.  I loved it mostly because it was so different - others said they coul dhave done without it.

Roasted Utah trout with an almondine sauce, cauliflower and butter croûton.  Best dish of the night by a large margin - the sauce was excellent.

Red-wine braised beef with a truffle puree

House made feta bruschetta with caper berries and black olive oil

  
There was also a dessert, but it wasn't much to write home about - just a berry crisp with lemon ice cream.


The Verdict?  This was another great meal from Tom Call.  I ate way too much but also got to try really interesting combos throughout the meal - Tom has always managed to come up with just the right blend of comfort and creativity in his cooking.