City Guide 2015: Nightlife & Eats 

Page 7 of 8

• John Taylor
• Even Stevens Sandwiches

Even Stevens Sandwiches
This little sandwich shop oozes good karma. That's because for every Even Stevens sandwich sold, another is donated to someone in our community who is underfed. So, with every sandwich purchase, you're really buying sammiches: one for you, and one for someone who is hungry and in need. Top pick: The Sloppy Tina, a spot-on vegetarian version of a sloppy Joe, made with mushrooms and chickpeas in a zippy tomato-based sauce.414 E. 200 South, 385-355-9105, EvenStevens.com

From Scratch
From Scratch is aptly named, since virtually everything is made in-house, from scratch, including breads, buns and pizza dough made from flour milled on the premises, along with mustard, pastas, and even ketchup—all housemade. The wood-fired pizzas are irresistible, but don't overlook the bodacious burgers and sensational salads. 62 E. Gallivan Ave., 801-538-5090, FromScratchSLC.com

Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.
A welcoming lounge area and communal table invite patrons into the Harbor experience, where you'll find top-notch seafood and steaks at prices that won't destroy your dining budget. Begin with the generously portioned tuna carpaccio with light citrus vinaigrette, then move on to tempting entrees like seared black cod with citrus butter, or hanger steak with peppercorn sauce. Like the food, service at Harbor is A-1 as well. 2302 Parley's Way, 801-466-9827, HarborSLC.com

Ho Mei BBQ
At Ho Mei BBQ, you'll find a dizzying array of dishes—more than 200 menu items—with a focus on Cantonese-style barbecue. That means Peking duck with a glistening sheen, barbecued pork belly and ribs, whole spiced cuttlefish, and non-barbecue treats like the luscious rice rolls and free-range soy-sauce chicken. Friendly servers help decode the sometimes mysterious menu for gringos. 3370 S. State, 801-486-8800, HoMeiBBQSaltLakeCity.com

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• John Taylor
• Karma Indian Cuisine

Karma Indian Cuisine
Breaking the standard Indian eatery mold, Karma Indian Cuisine is an eye-popping restaurant that would be as at home in Las Vegas as in Sandy. The interior is stylish and fashionable and the food is fab. Try coconut-cream-based korma, in any of its Karma iterations, and you'll swoon. The tangy vindaloo is top-notch, too. 863 E. 9400 South, Sandy, 801-566-1134, EatGoodKarma.com

Kimi's Chop & Oyster House
Sugar House's main fine-dining venue features luxurious décor combined with excellent steaks and seafood. Kick things off with oysters on the half-shell before diving into dishes like the sliced bavette steak with a rich port reduction, or perhaps delicious cashew-crusted sea bass with leek-butter sauce. Decadent desserts round out the Kimi's dining experience. 2155 S. Highland Drive, 801-946-2079, KimisHouse.com

Pho Thin Famous Vietnamese Noodle House
Bringing contemporary styling and Vietnamese cuisine to Sugar House, Pho Thin offers a wide range of delectable Southeast Asian dishes ranging from classic phoand stir-fry options to assemble-at-the-table rice rolls. And don't miss the five-spice chicken or the tender beef with yellow curry. 2121 E. McClelland St. (1050 East), 801-485-2323

Luna Blanca Taqueria
Opting for a "less-is-more" approach, Luna Blanca's menu consists of a handful of appetizers, a soup of the day, a couple of salads, three quesadillas, a selection of tacos and burritos, side dishes and desserts. The taco is delicious: a freshly made corn tortilla topped simply with chile-braised pork morsels, roasted pineapple pieces and cilantro. But be sure to save room for the housemade frozen treats. 3158 E. 6200 South, 801-944-5862, LunaBlancaTaco.com

Provisions
Self-described as "an American craft kitchen," Provisons offers innovative modern American cuisine in a small-plate/large-plate format. Tempting small plates include roasted meatballs with Rockhill Creamery Gruyere, barbecue Niman Ranch pork ribs and spiced fried quail. On the large-plate side, there's with braised rabbit, seared diver scallops with celery-root puree, caramelized black cod with Meyer lemon confit and more. 3364 S. 2300 East, 801-410-4046, SLCProvisions.com

R&R Barbecue
The twin brothers behind R&R—Rod and Roger—have garnered first-place awards at various barbecue competitions, including SLC's Rock 'n' Ribs contest, and invitations to cook at the Jack Daniel's World Barbecue Championship. So, this is barbecue. The brisket is as great as any you'll find in Texas, and even side dishes such as hushpuppies and fried okra are gold-medal winners. 307 W. 600 South, 801-364-0443, RAndRBBQ.net

Rye Diner & Drinks
Operated by the same folks who flood the town with live music at The Urban Lounge, Rye Diner & Drinks is a casual, hipster eatery with food that'll bowl you over. Chef Tommy Nguyen's shoyu fried chicken is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and his Asian-style "street dumplings" are a delicious slam-dunk. steak frites are absolutely killer, especially with a side of spicy seasoned french fries. Rye rocks. 239 S. 500 East, 801-364-4655, RyeSLC.com

Saffron Valley East India Cafe
Cooking up some of the most savory cuisine in The Avenues, Lavanya Mahate's Saffron Valley East India Cafe specializes in Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisines, particularly street foods such as samosaspakoraskebabsand such. Highlights include fiery chicken madras curry and the triple-delightful , a trio of Swiss chard, spinach and mustard greens bathed in a light, creamy, cheese-curd sauce. Excellent service and beautiful décor provide extra added appeal. 26 E St., 801-203-3325, SaffronValley.com

Skewered Thai
Situated in a cozy brick house across the street from Trolley Square, this one-off Thai eatery is a veritable gold mine of bold flavors. Fresh spring rolls or skewered beef and chicken satayare excellent starting points, and pad thai, of course, is a must-have. Be sure to order the (drunken noodle), a platter of wide, pan-fried rice noodles and a distinctively spicy mélange of tender shrimp, red bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, carrot, tomato, fresh chili, egg, onion and fragrant Thai basil. 575 S. 700 East, 801-364-1144, SkeweredThai.com

Sole Mio Ristorante
If you're looking for family-friendly ambiance and hearty Sicilian fare, Sandy's Sole Mio Ristorante has your number. It's a family affair, with Chef Franco at the helm in the kitchen and relatives cooking, serving and greeting patrons like they, too, were family members. The pizzas are great, and so are the pasta dishes, especially the housemade gnocchi and ravioli. 8657 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, 801-942-2623

Spitz
Spitz is the self-proclaimed "home of the kebab," which is very similar to what, in other locales, might be called , or gyro. It's sandwiches and wraps filled (mostly) with rotisserie-cooked meats like beef and lamb. But don't pass up the addictive fried chickpeas with olives, which are a nice nosh with a Spitz craft cocktail, beer, sangria or glass of wine to sip alongside. 35 E. 300 South, 801-364-0286, SpitzSLC.com

Taqueria 27
Taking the classic Mexican street taco and elevating it to gourmand quality is the M.O. at Todd Gardiner's Taqueria 27. The innovative tacos come with varying toppings: The, for example, is slow-roasted pork with pickled red onion, and charred tomatillo salsa. There's also a wild-mushroom taco made with an assortment of roasted mushrooms,queso fresco, chimichurri and garnished with crispy fried leek strips. Bonus: an excellent tequila selection. 1615 S. Foothill Drive, 385-259-0712; 4670 Holladay Village Plaza, 801-676-9706, Taqueria27.com

Tosh's Ramen
Named for owner/chef Toshio Sekikawa, Tosh's Ramen has quickly become Salt Lake City's ramen mecca. Tosh makes his ramen from scratch, simmering meat bones overnight, and the best way to experience the rich-yet-subtle ramen is to order ramen. It's glistening broth served in a huge ramen bowl with a very generous helping of excellent wheat and egg noodles and adorned with crunchy bean sprouts, thin-sliced pork belly, half a hard-cooked egg, and minced scallions. 1465 S. State, 801-466-7000, ToshsRamen.com

Valter's Osteria
Although Valter Nassi has been pleasing Utah customers for decades at restaurants such as Cucina Toscana and Il Sansovino, his most recent venture—Valter's Osteria—is fairly fresh and new. As always, Valter serves as maestroof his domain, warmly greeting patrons old and new like family. And classic Italian fare such as Nassi's signature chicken , and luscious housemade gnocchi with mushroom-cream sauce, combined with über-professional table service, make Valter's a can't-miss downtown dining destination. 173 W. 300 South, 801-521-4563, ValtersOsteria.com