POSTED // Jan 28,2009 - Driving up to Zermatt Resort in Midway, you get the peculiar feeling, despite the mountains of snow along the roadside, that you’ve been mysteriously transported to Florida: Epcot Theme Park at Disney World, to be specific. Zermatt’s exterior façade is faux-Swiss to the hilt, in keeping with the Swiss theme that dominates Midway itself. Pulling into the Hotel der Baer’s ci...

POSTED // Jan 21,2009 - Seeing a chef schlepping cases of beer from her car into her restaurant through the front door during dinner service is the sort of thing a critic like The New York Times’ Frank Bruni would probably be up in arms about. But to me, it just shows that at a small, independently owned establishment like Meditrina, business is often a matter of all hands on deck. nMeditrina Small Plates & Win...

POSTED // Dec 31,2008 - It’s a no-no when reviewing movies to give away the ending. It may also be an unwritten rule about restaurant reviews: Keep the readers hanging on and give the thumbs-up or down near the end. Well, screw that. I’m thrilled to usher in 2009 with a restaurant recommendation that I feel pretty damned secure about: The Wild Grape New West Bistro. About the only negative comment I can think...

POSTED // Sep 24,2008 - His soul patch and the hair on his head are blondish-turning-to-gray, but Frody Volgger has the Jagger/Richards look of a rock star. I think it’s the endless hours he spends on his feet at his restaurant, Vienna Bistro, that keep him so slim and...

POSTED // Sep 24,2008 - You’re about to read the details of a wine dinner that hasn’t even happened yet. How do I do it? Well it’s not some Penn & Teller trick, nor am I a time traveler. Last week, I had the rare opportunity to preview a wine dinner that...

POSTED // Sep 17,2008 - In the waning days of summer, there are few places I’d rather be than dining al fresco in the beautiful patio courtyard of Fresco Italian Café. So, why did I wait until so late in the summer do to so? Well, life has a way of leaving you in...

POSTED // Sep 17,2008 - One of the factors that make dining at Fresco Italian Café (see Dining) so pleasing—and there are many—is the restaurant’s wine list. If you’re a restaurateur putting together your own wine list, or just someone who appreciates...

POSTED // Sep 10,2008 - If you order a Coca-Cola at Pizzeria Seven Twelve in Orem, you’ll get your Coke in a glass bottle from Mexico. The reason is that Mexican Coke is still made with cane sugar, while Coca-Cola in the USA contains corn syrup, because it’s cheaper....

POSTED // Sep 10,2008 - At the Sundance Food & Wine Festival over Labor Day weekend, I met new friends and got reacquainted with some old ones. I even developed a crush or two. I’m speaking of wines, of course. There were plenty of old favorites and some new surprises,...

POSTED // Sep 3,2008 - I have a kitchenful of cool cooking gadgets and accoutrements. The collection has grown through the years and threatens to run me out of the house. I’d guess I use maybe 2 percent of them. My best purchase—the one kitchen tool I use the most,...