Favorite Utah Eats

TJ and I really love spending time cooking and eating.  Like several of you, we often go out on the weekend.  Over time, we have come to simply enjoy eating out as our activity: taking our time to sit and savor the food and talk.  We've tried a number of restaurants and have found we typically prefer standalone restaurants that focus on fresh foods, as opposed to large chains (but we are still devoted to Cafe Rio!).  Here are a few of our favorites - if you're looking for somewhere new, try one of these!

1. Red Iguana  - this authentic Mexican restaurant is downtown, on 600 N. and west of I-15.  I would not go there alone after dark.  :)  The food, however, is fantastic.  They specialize in a number of different moles (pronounced mo-lay), which are traditional Mexican sauces.  (M-er, they do contain chocolate).  My favorite dish is enchiladas suizas.  TJ loves their carnitas.  You will always have a wait, so just plan to enjoy the time!  There is a Taste of Red Iguana at City Creek, which is good, but I like the restaurant better.
2. Settebello - this is an authentic Italian pizzeria in the heart of Salt Lake.  They have a big brick oven that takes up a whole corner of the restaurant and their pizzas have extremely thin crusts.  We always get the margherita, which is tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.  Sometimes we get the appetizer "mixta" that is meats and cheeses - it's pretty European, which we love.  Delicious food.
3. The Dodo - this is a bustling restaurant in Sugarhouse.  If you are looking for a quiet, romantic evening this is not your place.  If you are looking for great food and a changing menu, this is a fun option.  They do have their standard dishes, but they also have a number of specials on any given day (ie a half dozen).  We have had everything from pasta to fish to curry here and have really enjoyed it!  For those that are up for it, their desserts are great: their tollhouse pie would be over the top for me if it just didn't have those darn walnuts.  :)
4. Porcupine Pub and Grille - this delicious restaurant is at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, which means it's a zoo in the winter and much slower in the summer.  They also have a very diverse menu: their house salad is always worth getting (the dressing is fantastic) and we really enjoy their food.  I ordered my first restaurant hamburger here - the Big Cottonwood - and ate the entire thing.  It was unreal.  Burritos are also good.
5. New Thai Cafe - this hole-in-the-wall restaurant is right off 2700 W. and 7800 S.  While I do not love all Asian food (definitely not a fan of Chinese), I LOVE Thai food.  It is so fresh!  (Shout out to Chuckie - Thai food is gluten free!)  I love the combination of flavors that I've never experienced before - so fun to enjoy a new kind of food.  I always get the chicken pad thai (it is enough for dinner and lunch the next day for less than $10 - does contain peanuts) and TJ almost always gets the yellow curry (also large and cheap).  When we feel like splurging we get the coconut chicken soup that is a wild combination of great flavors.
6. The Painted Pony - a great place to stop down south, this one is in St. George.  We only ever eat there for lunch due to the prices.  It is a southwestern restaurant with a relatively high end menu.  Their appetizer bread is delicious and when I asked TJ what he loves most he said their house salad.  :)  It's that memorable.  Their food is very seasonal (a great sign if you're looking for the freshest flavors!) and we've had a few different menus.  I did have a great sandwich with red peppers last time we went.  And if it's warm enough, I suggest the balcony: it's a beautiful, quaint spot to sit.


Where do you like to eat?  We love finding new places!