This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter, compiled this week by Kolbie Peterson, Tribune’s food and drink reporter, and Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune’s enterprise editor. To get the full newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters:
Word travels fast when a new restaurant opens in Salt Lake City. The line at Flower Child — a new fast-casual place in Foothill Village — was long and constant last Saturday evening. (A lot of folks there were wearing Utah Utes’ gear, apparently getting dinner before going to watch the Utes football team at Rice-Eccles Stadium.)
Launched by James Beard-nominated restaurateur Sam Fox as a healthy alternative to fast food, Flower Child now has 35 locations in 12 states. The new location at 1414 Foothill Blvd. is the first in Utah.
Flower Child boasts a menu for any type of eater — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, omnivore — and features salads, bowls, wraps and entrees. The menu samples cuisines that include Mediterranean, Japanese, Mexican and more.
My wife and I got in line and were quickly greeted by an employee who walked us through the menu — which was transitioning from summer to fall offerings — and found us a table. We got up to the counter, ordered our food, then went to get our drinks. (There are no Coke or Pepsi products, as one might find at most fast-casual places. The dispensers offer lemonade and iced tea. There’s also beer and wine on the menu for those 21 and older.)
(Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune) The avocado hummus at Flower Child, a healthy fast-casual restaurant, at Foothill Village, 1414 Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake City.
We started with an appetizer of avocado hummus ($8.25). The mix of avocado and chickpea had a brightness that ensured the avocado didn’t overwhelm. My only complaint is that the pita bread was too thin to carry the weight of the hummus and the toppings (sweet corn, radish, pumpkin seed and a couple of pieces of clementine) that came with it.
(Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune) The yuzu Brussels sprouts at Flower Child, a healthy fast-casual restaurant, at Foothill Village, 1414 Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake City.
My wife ordered the entree, which consisted of a protein and two sides. She chose the tofu ($12.95), though chicken ($14.75), steak ($15.75), shrimp ($16.25) or salmon ($16.95) are also available. Her sides were the sweet potato fries, which had a welcome crispiness and saltiness we usually don’t get when we’ve ordered them elsewhere, and yuzu Brussels sprouts (pictured above), which were amazing — the lemony tang of the yuzu (helped by golden miso and Thai basil) nicely accented the charred sprout leaves, which had an almost bacon-like taste and texture.
Read further down to see my order, in the Dish of the Week portion of the newsletter.
Cheers,
Sean
Food News
• Last week, we mentioned CandyStore.com’s annual listing of popular Halloween candies, which said that the online store sold more candy corn in Utah than any other type of candy. We asked for your opinion on the stuff — and of the 32 people who filled out our poll, exactly half (16) said they hated candy corn, while 10 people said they loved it and six people said they could take or leave it. “It’s too sweet and flavorless,” said one Eater. “It’s like eating wax,” another said. Among those who enjoy candy corn, one said, “it actually has a buttery corn flavor under the sweetness.”
• The Mandarin restaurant at 348 E. 900 North in Bountiful is celebrating an event it’s calling Woktoberfest, which started Monday and is happening weekdays through Oct. 31, according to a news release. During this promotion, more than 16 menu items (like tangy spicy beef, Mongolian pork and zesty orange sesame shrimp) will be available in small plate portions with prices ranging from $1.50 to $9. Craft beer will also be on tap.
• Log Haven, at 6451 Mill Creek Canyon Road in Salt Lake City, is holding its annual Halloween celebration, Haunted Haven, on Oct. 29 through Halloween, according to a news release. The restaurant will be decked out with spooky decor, and diners are encouraged to wear costumes. The menu will feature Halloween-themed food and cocktails, and complimentary tarot readings will be available to all guests, the release said. Make a reservation at Opentable.
Openings:
• Ramen Hero recently opened at 4095 E. Pony Express Parkway, Suite 8A, in Eagle Mountain. As it says in its name, this restaurant serves ramen, along with sushi, sashimi, fried rice and more.
• National drive-thru coffee chain 7 Brew just opened its first Utah location, at 2342 N. University Parkway in Provo, according to a news release. This coffee stand offers more than 20,000 unique drink combinations, the release said.
• Wayback Burgers is now open in Pleasant Grove at 863 S. North County Blvd., according to a news release. Based in Connecticut, this national chain focuses on made-to-order burgers and thick milkshakes.
Closings:
• Bix Bakery & Cafe, at 479 E. 2100 South in Salt Lake City, closed in September, according to an Instagram post. The space will be transformed into a catering facility and commercial kitchen, said the post, which also mentioned that Bix Cafe, inside Kiln in The Gateway, remains open.
Dish of the Week
(Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune) The "forbidden" rice with grilled tofu at Flower Child, a healthy fast-casual restaurant, at Foothill Village, 1414 Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake City.
At Flower Child, I ate one of the better vegan dishes I’ve had in a while: The “forbidden” rice ($11.75) with grilled tofu ($3.95); you also can order it with chicken, steak, shrimp or salmon, at prices ranging from $5.25 to $6.95). The two varieties of rice — black pearl and red japonica — had a firm bite. (Traditional forbidden rice is made with black rice.) The rice was nicely complemented by the crunch of snap peas, broccoli, onion and multi-colored carrots. The red chili hoisin sauce brought it all together with a sweet and smoky finish.
