Salt Lake City Dinner Recs?

I am looking for a couple nice places to have dinner in SLC, next Thursday and Saturday.
If it has great vodka based cocktails, that would be even better (for the gf).
Or different places that have great cocktails before going to dinner.

It’s my gf’s birthday, and not sure why but we are headed to SLC (actually I know why, I have business in SLC, then California; didn’t realize how hot it was in Utah, we could have spent weekend in Southern or Northern CA).

My girlfriend is not all that adventurous (no sushi, no tasting menus - we went to Grace in Chicago and it was totally lost on her, other than the pinky sized piece of miyazaki beef). She will definitely want several vodka based cocktails before dinner, and would love Italian, seafood, or steak.
Is Utah famous for anything?

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Went to Whiskey Street last night.
I had Melvin IPA, and a couple Uinta IPA’s, gf had some really good cocktails.
Decent bar food, maybe a little better then bar food.

I really wanted to try Pallet, but we went to Whiskey Street for drinks and just stayed there.

The Copper Onion is the go to place for me when I’m in SLC. If you want amazing Mexican food, Red Iguana is the place to go!

I’ll add to the discussion for some recent food and beverage experiences in SLC:


Sushi - Takashi on Market Street - downtown SLC was very good. Fresh ingredients, nice selection of sake (reasonably priced) and a fun and lively atmosphere. No reservations so had about a 2 hour wait for a table. We were able to head elsewhere while waiting as they call when the table is ready.

Pago, which was mentioned in another thread, was good but not great. Wine list was a bit weak. Service was mediocre.
They try hard to be inventive with a few hits a miss here and there.
Of our group, it seemed like the burger was the best meal.
Brew Pubs:

Fisher Brewing on West 800 Street, recently opened, was fun. Lively and offering a wide variety of style of different beers. Sadly, all near beers at 4.0% abv. $1 a small pour. They have food trucks outside and you can bring food in. Beer was good (for near beer).

Wasatch Brewery in the Sugar House area was good. Wasatch is one of the oldest breweries in Utah. Nice selection of beers on draft (all at 4% abv.) You can buy the full strength beers for take away.

I heard Proper Brewing was good and next door is Proper Burger. Didn’t get a chance to visit, however, on this trip.

The Utah State wine store on S 300 East was a surprise. They have a fairly broad selection and prices were reasonable.

On my last two visits to SLC I had a good meal at Pallet, and another at Eva. I thought I posted abut the Eva meal here, but I guess not.
Pork Cabbage Roll, Shrimp & Hominy, and Grilled Asparagus w/ egg were all great at Eva.

Also, had a Proper IPA at Whiskey Street last month that was a pretty good beer - 5 of us rang up a large bill that night - was sorta surprised to see GI BCBS for $25, but it was a nice treat.

+1 on Pallet.

Copper Onion seems a bit tired compared to he past (and sounds like the same for Pago!).

Stomeground Kitchen was pretty tasty pasta, pizza, and charcuterie.

Whiskey Street is the place that people recommend you go to if you are waiting on a table at Takashi. It is a block away.
Didn’t go to Whiskey Street this time as the group all wanted to check out Fisher Brewery.

Is Squatters Pub any good?

Utah is famous for Fry Sauce. (amongst things already mentioned)

I don’t know about the pub, but the beers were good.
I bought a few at the Wasatch Brewery Brewpub in Sugar Hill area.
You could buy the full beers for “take away.”
Bought a Polygamy Porter and Hop Rising Double IPA, and a few others.
The beers were all good but nothing particularly memorable.