This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter, compiled by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. To get the full newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters!
The Harmons grocery store in West Valley City had its grand reopening on Tuesday, but I got to take a tour of the store with other members of the media last week, with none other than chairman Bob Harmon.
Harmon took us on a tour of the bright, renovated store, and told us about some of its history and new amenities. While he talked, we sampled Harmons restaurant-style salsa and pico de gallo — the recipe for which took two years to perfect, he said.
The Harmons location in West Valley City is actually the company’s original store; it opened in 1971 as the first Harmons super center, according to a news release.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bob Harmon talks about the newly renovated Harmons Neighborhood Grocery store in West Valley City, on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.
Bob Harmon told us that there wasn’t any part of the store that didn’t get a tweak or an upgrade in the renovations, which took about a year.
If you’re a foodie (which, of course you are, because you’re reading this), there are lots of aspects of this new store that should get you excited, including a seafood case, a larger salad bar, an expanded kitchen, an expanded dining area and a remodeled produce area.
Even the aisles are easier to navigate, with breaks at the halfway point that start at produce and go all the way across the store to the dairy section.
The ready food section has been beefed up, and now features freshly made pasta along with from-scratch salads, sandwiches, sushi, deli salads, quiche, burritos and plenty of other options for a quick meal.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Becca Ledesma Certified Cheese Professional talks about the cheese selection at the newly renovated Harmons Neighborhood Grocery store in West Valley City, on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.
The feature I was most excited about was the expanded cheese area, which comes with a knowledgeable cheesemonger named Becca Ledesma. In my opinion, food shouldn’t be snobby, and Ledesma seems to share that ethos, willing to impart cheese knowledge to everyone. She also said she can help you put together a charcuterie board to match your budget and taste, which I thought was very cool.
At the end of the tour, we got to sample some Harmons cheesecake, which was so good it sent me.
Mr. Harmon said that West Valley City is “reinventing” itself, and with the renovated Harmons store, “we want to really be a part of that as well.”
Now if we could only get a Harmons on the west side of Salt Lake City.
Live deliciously,
Kolbie
Food News
• Scion Cider Bar and Salt Lake magazine are throwing a celebration featuring artisan food makers on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. at Scion Cider (916 S. Jefferson St., Salt Lake City), to coincide with the Utah Cheese Awards. The event will feature a 12-foot-long cheese and charcuterie board with dozens of cheeses submitted to this year’s competition, a news release stated. To go with all that cheese will be meats, breads, jams, spreads, fruits, nuts, pickles, olives and sauces — plus, of course, lots of cider. An “all-you-can-graze” ticket is $35, and optional cider pairings are available for another $35. Tickets to this 21+ event must be purchased in advance.
Openings:
• Vessel Kitchen is building a new location in American Fork at 197 NW State St., and it’s slated to open in September, according to a news release. Vessel Kitchen has seven other locations throughout the Wasatch Front and Park City.
Booze (and Drink!) News
• Believe it or not, it’s already time for Snowbasin Resort’s annual SnowWiesn Oktoberfest, which begins Saturday and goes until Oct. 6. The festival will take place every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., according to a news release. Oktoberfest will feature Bavarian-inspired food, live music, a market, lots of beer and plenty of activities, including a traditional stein-holding competition and a Bavarian costume contest, the release said. Visit Snowbasin.com for ticket information and a full music lineup.
• Snowbird’s Oktoberfest is also underway, and it’s happening every Saturday and Sunday (along with Labor Day) through Oct. 13, from noon to 6 p.m. Admission to Oktoberfest is free, but parking is $12. For more information, visit Snowbird.com.
Dish of the Week
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The spicy chicken samba bowl from Harmons, pictured on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.
Feeling hungry after my tour of the Harmons West Valley City location, I picked up this spicy chicken samba bowl ($8) at the deli counter. It was made with organic purple rice, organic brown rice, organic red quinoa, organic white quinoa, cubed chicken breast, green bell pepper, red onion, roasted tomatoes, oregano, red bell pepper, capers, cumin, roasted garlic, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce and seasonings, according to the label on the back of the bowl. I thought this was a nice combination of colors and flavors, it just needed a little more spice and a little more umami flavor, maybe from more soy sauce.
But the combination of grains was really satisfying and filling, and it was nice to have something for lunch that was filled with lean protein, fiber and veggies. This bowl kept me full for the rest of the day.
