Comfort Food for Trying Times 

• Alex Springer
• Mapo Tofu at Beijing Restaurant

Believe it or not, we all made it through February. Even in a year that doesn't seem as doomed as 2025, February is a difficult month to navigate. Winter tends to leave the Wasatch Front with all the bluster and toxicity of a right-wing podcaster, and it can get rough out there.

Most of the time I can power through the dread, but there are some days and even weeks when I am in dire need of a serious pick-me-up. It's times like these when I really lean on our local restaurants to provide some much-needed comfort food to keep me going until spring.

We're fortunate to have a great restaurant scene here in Utah, and I hope the people who operate these eateries know how much they lift our collective spirits when things get hard. If you're in need of comfort food in these trying times, here's a list of the dishes that have kept some much-needed fuel in my engine as of late.

Mapo Tofu at Beijing Restaurant (777 E. 2100 South, Ste. A): This classic Sichuan dish has gotten me through more than a few tough times. Its vibrant crimson sauce is packed full of numbing spicy goodness, the silken tofu has a glorious texture, and you just can't beat a scoop of this over a pile of rice. Lately I have been digging the mapo tofu at Beijing Restaurant, a new Chinese food spot that has been treating South Salt Lake diners extremely well since it opened. I've been gravitating toward this particular preparation because it has a nice balance between the numbing Sichuan peppercorn and the savory flavors imparted by the ground pork. This is the kind of purifying meal that can really take a day from crappy to not-so-crappy in a hurry, and I've greatly appreciated it during this long, gray winter.

Tacos al Pastor at El Morelense (Multiple locations, elmorelense.com): I can't tell you how many tacos I've consumed in my life, but I do know it's enough to make me feel reasonably ashamed of myself. That said, when I try a taco that gives me pause—like the al pastor tacos at El Morelense—I have to take note. El Morelense has been making excellent tacos al pastor in West Valley for years, but I have been a regular at the South Jordan location ever since it opened, as it's only a few minutes from my house. There is something therapeutic about seeing that enormous rotating trompo carrying massive amounts of marinated pork, because if the trompo can keep spinning, maybe I can too. On a particularly rough day, I'll get five or six of these diminutive bursts of flavor and hit them with some salsa verde. With a cold bottle of Coke to drink, this is a meal that has pulled me back from the abyss several times.

The Oh Schnitzel! at Deadpan Sandwich (545 W. 700 South, deadpansandwich.com): Sandwiches have been one of my comfort foods ever since I first learned how to make peanut butter and jelly for myself as a kid. As my tastes have evolved over the years, I think the Oh Schnitzel! at Deadpan Sandwich is truly the closest a sandwich will ever come to perfection. The protein is a thin, crispy pork schnitzel without an ounce of rubberiness; it simply melts in your mouth. On top of that, you get Deadpan's signature ranch kraut, which is an incredibly flavorful pickled cabbage mix that imparts a good hit of acid to the sandwich. A bit of dill and parsley, a lot of mayo and some perfectly-toasted bread finish everything off. With all this good stuff happening between two slices of bread, you'd think it would be a pain to eat. But, everything maintains enough texture to remain interesting while its construction keeps everything together. Nothing quite restores my faith in humanity like something simple done exceedingly well, which happens to be Deadpan's specialty.

The Bar Nohm Boiler Maker at Bar Nohm (165 W. 900 South, barnohm.com): In these trying times, it's not uncommon to find a bit of comfort in a favorite drink. As I've gotten a bit more familiar with Utah's bar scene, I was surprised to find solace in the simplicity of Bar Nohm's boiler maker. It's a glass of Sapporo served with a shot of IWAI 45 Japanese whiskey, and it was one of the most delightful ways to kick off a few hours of ordering small plates in an accessible but cool environment. Of course, the most comforting aspect of getting a drink and a bite at Bar Nohm is the izakaya method of a long-form culinary chill-out. Once you're seated, the service staff and bartenders take excellent care of you. I think the main reason why I take comfort in this particular boiler maker is because it hints at good things to come—and a little extra hope is always welcome.