A Weekend in Utah

A couple weeks ago, the Hubby surprised me with a weekend getaway for an early 5th anniversary celebration. I had some guesses as to where he was taking me, but none of them included Salt Lake City, Utah! Little did I know we were headed eastbound until minutes prior to boarding. Then it clicked: he was taking me Forage, a restaurant one of my friends opened with his business partner in Salt Lake City. I had been wanting to eat there since hearing about the restaurant and how successful they have been. They have been featured several times in Food and Wine, as well as many other publications locally and nationally. It's always amazing for me to see my friends pursue what they're passionate about and become successful doing so -- such a blessing that is!

So here we are, Utah in a day in a half...

*Warning - Photo overload!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{ | Recommendations for Salt Lake City, Utah | }

Forage - Highly recommended, and I'm not speaking on bias terms just because I'm friends with the chef. The unique flavors in each creative dish takes your taste buds on an adventure. This restaurant has automatically placed itself in a top category of my favorites. The name was created in honor of the chefs, who enjoy foraging in nature and discovering new herbs and items to place in their ever-changing menu, which changes daily to feature what's fresh and in season. Be sure to check out their little greenhouse and herb garden in the back! 

Bruges Waffles & Frites - I thought I had the best Belgian waffle in NYC, but boy was I wrong! This place makes legit liege waffles that will send you begging for more. I'm still dreaming about them weeks later (or my belly is). Sadly, we only had one because we were saving our appetites for dinner. The Hubby even stated that it was comparable to the actual Belgian waffles he had in Belgium. Oh, and their frites are pretty darn good too (with a variety of aiolis to choose from!)...

The Copper Onion - This place was recommended to us by several people, as it is known as one of the better brunch joints in SLC. The restaurant features local fresh farm produce and dairy. The lady claimed that the eggs were plucked fresh from their farm that morning, but unfortunately I still had to have my eggs done medium well just to be safe. I recommend any of their dishes with an egg in it (I can never get enough of my eggs!). 

Jack Mormon Coffee - Alright kids, a quick lesson on Mormons...my friend who lives in SLC told us the name "Jack Mormon" has been used to describe rebellious Mormons who have been lax in their faith and make it known through piercings, tats and oh yes, drinking coffee (caffeine is not allowed in their religion). Soo, hence the name of this little cafe. We were craving coffee (okay, I was) and ended up finding this place which roasts their own beans fresh each day. I stuck with decaf, but they have a variety of international beans. 

Tea Grotto - Go inside for a zen-like environment, reminiscent of a spa-meets-cafe. They have a variety of loose leaf teas from around the world and they even offer quick workshops on the art of tea drinking. 

Hiking - We didn't have enough time to thoroughly explore the trails, but we did visit Mill Creek Canyon, which was about 10-15 minutes from the main city. There are many beautiful canyons, lakes and waterfalls to be discovered - next time, Utah.