Best of Utah 2007 | Food & Drink 

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BEST PLACE TO GET SAUCED
Rock Canyon Dipping Grill
It happens all the time: You’ve got your eye on the restaurant’s grilled chicken, but it only comes with a cilantro pesto that you loathe. No problemo, just head north to Rock Canyon Dipping Grill in Clearfield where you can mix and match your food with any of 20-or-so unique dipping sauces: maple-cranberry, jalapeno-mustard, spicy orange, red pepper & cheese, teriyaki, peanut, barbecue, and many more. The Rock Canyon chicken skewers are dee-lish with honey-mustard sauce and the New York strip steak rocks with the berry-chipotle sauce. Got your eye on the green-chili burger? Then you’ll want it lathered in Canyon ranch sauce, of course.1266 Legend Hills Dr., Clearfield, 779-1110, RockCanyonGrill.com

BEST TAYLORSVILLE LUAU
Moki’s Hawaiian Grill
Let’s face it: On a cloudy day when winter’s inversion has set in, you need to hear a warm “Aloha.” The casual family dining of Moki’s, with its authentic Hawaii cuisine such as mainland paniolo (New York strip with gravy), the outrigger (seared fish with yams and rice), Katsu chicken (breaded breast of chicken) and Kalua burger (slow roasted pork) is the perfect pick-me-up for dreary gray days. The freshly made macaroni salad is another surprising island favorite. Located in a strip mall, the impeccably clean island-themed interior and Hawaiian music make you feel as though you’ve just gone on a mini-vacation for the price of meal.4820 S. Redwood Road, 965-6654, Mokis.com

BEST VEGETARIAN Readers’ Choice
Sage’s Café
There are a precious handful of thoroughly vegetarian restaurants in Salt Lake City, and Sage’s has rightfully and duly grown its way to the top of the organic heap. With a faux Philly cheesesteak sandwich as savory as Sage’s, and vegetable ingredients so fresh you can practically taste the day they were picked, who can possibly doubt it? The recent return of pizza night, extended hours of operation, and the ever-popular breakfast menu keep the bounty coming. 473 E. Broadway, 322-3790, SagesCafé.com
2. Oasis
3. Evergreen

BEST CYBER COFFEESHOP
Espresso Connection & Cyber Café
This sunny café across from Salt Lake Community College has much to recommend: It’s LavAzza Italian coffee (No. 1 in Europe), made-from-scratch soups and sandwiches, moist home-style carrot cake, patio tables with umbrellas, free wireless hub and stationary computers to rent ($3 per hour). A best-kept secret is its conference room that seats 16, which can be reserved at no cost when you purchase food and drink. A private reading room with comfy chairs even allows a book exchange. The vibes are especially good here for gamers and college students needing to cram. Everyone else can eat, sip and be merry.4465 S. Redwood Road, 268-1944, EspressoConnectionCafé.com

BEST FRENCH Readers’ Choice
Paris Bistro
French cuisine is sometimes as difficult to navigate and decipher as the French themselves—at least where the Anglo mind’s concerned. It’s often infuriatingly rich, complex in execution and gets nowhere near the publicity of Italian and Mexican offerings. Thank God, then, that one local restaurant knows how to deliver the true spirit of the food with fresh ingredients and style to spare. Paris Bistro’s offerings are hearty enough to make an impression, yet light enough to hit scores of bright notes on the palate. One sample of this bistro’s mussels, and you’ll know you’re in expert hands. One of the indisputable anchors of Salt Lake City dining, and rightly so.1500 S. 1500 East, 486-5585, TheParis.net
2. La Caille
3. Franck’s

BEST HOT CIDER
Salt Lake Roasting Company
Cider, for some, is simply apple juice with a kick—nice, but nothing to write home about. And, while we all know coffee is what the Roasting Company is known for, its apple cider is a particular standout. The coffeehouse treats its seasonal beverage as nectar of the gods, or at least a very fine wine. Nutmeg and cinnamon tango with sweet, fruity accents warmed just this side of scalding under a soft cloud of foam. One sip of this cider, and you’ll be saying, “Cocoa schmocoa!”320 E. 400 South, 363-7572, Roasting.com

BEST BBQ & RIBS Readers’ Choice
SugarHouse Barbecue Co.
According to our BOU BBQ archives, SugarHouse Barbecue Co. (then Redbones) was the first restaurant to bring real Memphis-style barbecue (i.e., rubbed and cherry-wood smoked) to Salt Lake City back in 1996—it was easy to find, because SugarHouse has been winning this one sauce-splattered hands-down every year since. And please note that the sauce is always served on the side. “Best Ribs” is likewise always inseparable from “BBQ,” so excuse us for consolidating a bit of space here—they’re good, trust history.2207 S. 700 East, 463-4800, SugarHouseBBQ.com
2. Q4U
3. Pat’s BBQ

BEST BODACIOUS BUNS
Sensuous Sandwiches
Tucked away on Provo’s leafy Center Street is this sandwich-bar gem. Sensuous has been around since 1980. Current owner and manager Almond Bethers took over from her father, Bill Cox. Sandwiches are sold by the inch and go with such pornographically promising names as the Tantalizer (pastrami, roast beef, turkey with jack cheese) and the Super Saucy (roast beef smothered in barbecue sauce). Almond says she has the coolest customers ever. Locals return the compliment, calling her “the sensuous girl,” a title guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s lips.163 W. Center, Provo, 801-377-9244; Northeast corner of Burlington Coat Factory, Orem, 801-225-9475, SensuousSandwich.com

BEST COMEBACK
Finn’s
As they say at Finn’s, “It’s been 10 years. Some of you must be really, really hungry.” It’s been 10 years since the historic restaurant at the top of Parley’s Way closed its doors. And now the Finn Gurholt family has re-created the magic in Sugar House with the new Finn’s Café. Naturally, the reincarnated eatery sports the Swedish and Norwegian faves of Finn’s v1.0, like Norwegian waffles, pyttipanna, Scandinavian breakfasts, roast turkey with lingonberries and Finn’s superb Wiener schnitzel. But, at the old Finn’s, you couldn’t get a macchiato; now you can. No wine or beer, though (there’s a church across the way).1624 S. 1100 E., 467-4000, FinnsCafé.net