13 minute read
DINE
Arthurian Legend
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Kevin and Alexa Finch rock the house with Arthur, their new restaurant pop-up.
Before becoming City Weekly’s resident food dude, I spent a lot of time writing music reviews and providing local concert coverage for our beloved alt weekly. As I’ve shifted to the local food beat, I am always surprised at the parallels between the music and food worlds. Albums become menus, singles become signature dishes and sous chefs step into the spotlight to launch solo careers.
The one area in which food differs from music, however, is the concert. Sure, when a chef opens a restaurant, the show must go on, but it’s rare to see a chef go from city-to-city and venue-to-venue to show off their talents to a legion of screaming fans. This, I feel, is where the pop-up comes in.
For example, let’s take Arthur, the summer pop-up event hosted by Chef Kevin Finch and his partner, hospitality marketing expert Alexa Finch. This finely-curated setlist of European-inspired cuisine, presented with sustainability in mind, is a delectable clarion call that will attract the most discerning of diners. I had the chance to attend Arthur’s inaugural event, complete with a backstage pass to visit with Kevin and Alexa, and I think it’s safe to say we can expect some great things from this local power couple.
Chef Finch is a Sugar House native whose international walkabout has taken him from an internship at The Grand America when he was 15 years old to Chef de Cuisine at the renowned Atelier Crenn. He met Alexa while working at Betony in New York, and the two have been traveling the world together ever since. “The original plan was to travel the world, gain a bunch of knowledge and come home and share that with everyone,” Kevin Finch says. “When I was a young chef, I was told not to open a restaurant until I turned 45, but COVID rapidly sped that up.”
With a stellar pedigree of restaurants in Chef Finch’s resume, the quest to open a spot of his own begins and ends with Arthur. “Arthur is a pseudonym my dad uses to make reservations at restaurants,” Kevin Finch says. “The concept is named after this fictional character who is a well-traveled man and likes to entertain and pour wine for others. So, the concept has some refinement, but is also accessible.”
Refinement with a healthy dose of accessibility was exactly what I found the menu to be at Arthur’s inaugural event. Nestled within the sleek space of Nohm (165 W. 900 South), Central Ninth’s coolest Japaneseinspired nightspot, a menu of lovingly prepared dishes that exemplify Chef Kevin Finch’s career danced across our tables. Alexa Finch was on hand to provide the wine pairings for the evening, each of which were primo complements to the seven luscious courses we received.
The menu kicked off with a dish called Best of Utah, a collection of locally grown root veggies presented with a tasty, mustardy sauce gribiche. The white radishes with a little kiss of smoke from the grill were the highlights here. Next up was some Monterey Bay squid with English peas set atop a savory, buttery custard. The squid was perfect, and that silky custard made this dish the perfect way to kick off a summer evening.
By the third course, it was clear Chef Finch wasn’t messing around. It was a grilled maitake mushroom topped with a healthy dollop of bearnaise sauce and sprinkled with marigold petals. Its appearance reminds you of everything you love about autumn, and the rich flavors were immaculately balanced. It’s a testament to the power mushrooms have to replace steak without any fuss, and this was easily one of the best things I have ever eaten.
Course four was a complete shift on the flavor spectrum—in all the best ways. It was a black cod fillet drenched in a sauce of roasted bones and pureed garlic. Where the maitake went all in with rich, umami flavors that left no tastebud unloved, the acidity of the sauce and sharpness of the garlic cut its way to the opposite end of the flavor spectrum. It was an incredible blend of flavors that came together over one of the flakiest, most delicate cuts of fish I have ever experienced.
The fifth course consisted of tender beef slices served with sorrel, roasted potatoes and a sauce known only as Very Good Sauce. It’s somewhere between a jus and a gravy—and it is indeed very good. This dish was Sunday pot roast turned up to 11, and each element contributed to a satisfying wrap to the savory section of the menu.
Our last two courses were on the sweet side—a yogurt served with tangy rhubarb and honey, and a slice of chocolatey tarte ambrose with raspberries and vanilla cream. Both courses were stunning in their own way, and once again nailed Chef Finch’s ability to play with richness and acidity.
Arthur will be in full swing during the month of July with events taking place on July 9 - 10 and July 16 - 17. If tickets are still available, you can find them by checking out Chef Kevin Finch’s website, kevingfinch.com. CW
ALEX SPRINGER
PATIO IS OPEN! OPEN!
HAND
DIPPED SHAKES HAND CRAFTED BURGERS
ALL NATURAL AND HOMEMADE PRODUCTS FROM PROTEINS TO SODAS
30 E BROADWAY, SLC UT 801-355-0667
OUTDOOR SEATING ON THE PATIO TUESDAY TRIVIA! 7-9 PM LIVE JAZZ Thursdays 8-11 PM
1048 East 2100 South | (385) 528-3275 | HopkinsBrewingCompany.com
A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week
2 Row Brewing
6856 S. 300 West, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com On Tap: Feelin’ Hazy
Avenues Proper
376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com On Tap: Duncan Hills Lager
Bewilder Brewing
445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com On Tap: Haze Hugs - Hazy Pale Ale
Bohemian Brewery
94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com
Bonneville Brewery
1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com On Tap: Peaches & Cream Ale
Craft by Proper
1053 E. 2100 So., SLC craftbyproper.com On Tap: Blizzard Wizard Pale Ale
Desert Edge Brewery
273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com On Tap: British Mild
Epic Brewing Co.
825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com On Tap: Pineapple Creamsicle IPA
Fisher Brewing Co.
320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com On Tap: Fisher Beer
Grid City Beer Works 333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com On Tap: Extra Pale Ale
Hopkins Brewing Co.
1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com On Tap: Strawberry Sorghum
Kiitos Brewing
608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com
Level Crossing Brewing Co.
2496 S. West Temple, S. Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com On Tap: Vienna-style lager. Bronze medal winner! New outdoor patio open!
Moab Brewing
686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com On Tap: Bougie Johnny’s Rose
Mountain West Cider
425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com On Tap: Desolation Prickly Pear & Cottonwood Hopped Ciders
Ogden River Brewing
358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA
Policy Kings Brewery
223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com
Proper Brewing
857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com On Tap: East Side Paradise - Rice Lager
Red Rock Brewing
254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com On Tap: Red Headed Stranger - Red Ale w/ Coffee on Nitro
Red Rock Fashion Place
6227 So State / Redrockbrewing.com
Red Rock Kimball Junction
Redrockbrewing.com 1640 Redstone Center
RoHa Brewing Project
30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com On Tap: Fancy Fence IPA
Roosters Brewing
Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com On Tap: Cosmic Autumn Rebellion
SaltFire Brewing
2199 S. West Temple, S. Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com On Tap: Franky Mr Shankly NEIPA, Dirty Chai Stout
Salt Flats Brewing
2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com On Tap: Hazy Pale Ale 5%
Shades Brewing
154 W. Utopia Ave, S. Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer On Tap: 4th of July Hoppy Pilsner
Silver Reef
4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George | StGeorgeBev.com
Squatters
147 W. Broadway, SLC Squatters.com
Strap Tank Brewery
Multiple Locations StrapTankBrewery.com Springville On Tap: PB Rider, Peanut Butter Stout Lehi On Tap: 2-Stroke, Vanilla Mocha Porter
Stratford Proper
1588 Stratford Ave., SLC stratfordproper.com On Tap: Lake Effect Gose
TF Brewing
936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com On Tap: Edel Pils
Talisman Brewing Co.
1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com On Tap: Kingslayer
Uinta Brewing
1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer
UTOG
2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com On Tap: Love Punch Hefe (proceeds to Project Rainbow)
Vernal Brewing
55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com
Wasatch
2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC WasatchBeers.com
Zion Brewery
95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com
Zolupez
205 W. 29th Street #2, Ogden Zolupez.com
Complex Effects
MIKE RIEDEL
Creating flavors that assault the senses
BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer
We here in the palatial offices of City Weekly’s Beer Nerd division pride ourselves on our cutting-edge analysis and reporting of the hottest trends and flavors. This week, we were lucky to encounter a beer/wine hybrid and an IPA that manage to pull off fruit salad quantities of flavor, relying only on hops and malt. We love our job.
Proper - Mega Yacht Rock Juice Box: This big brother to Proper Brewing’s Yacht Rock Juice Box dials in at 7.6 percent ABV instead of the more sessionable 5.0 percent. It pours a murky orange, slightly amber color, with a moderate head that fades quickly. Strong aromas showcase ripe tangerine, strawberry, melon, berry and black tea, with some tropical fruit and strawberry support—a nice balance of citrus and tropical. It’s like if you mixed orange and pink Starburst, but with some herbal notes.
This one really nails the west-coast flavor. I get lots of tangerine, strawberry, melon and black tea, but fewer tropical notes than the nose. There’s much more of a pine flavor, with a strong bitterness. A semi-strong syrupy sweetness emerges to battle the bitterness, but overall it finishes bitter as expected—not quite West Coast, with a strong candied-malt body. That body is medium, light and low carbonation. It’s very slightly resinous, but overall I was impressed with the relative crispness.
Overall: I would describe this as one of the best-balanced IPAs that leans West Coast, featuring some great grapefruit and tangerine flavors. Nothing stands out, but it definitely leans bitter while capturing citrus and tropical flavors well. It’s not on the bitterness level of a Sierra Nevada Torpedo or Stone IPA, but more drinkable, and allows the fruit flavors and sweetness to come through.
TF - Maxine Oenobeer: This new grissette features German pilsner and wheat malt that is rested in Chardonnay barrels for conditioning. The addition of Merlot grapes and oak add a complex yet refreshing aspect to the beer. It pours a mostly clear burnt fuschia color, with a head that withers quickly; there are tons of bubbles rising as seen on the side of the glass. I initially got a healthy dose of hops, with what seemed like American varieties in there mixed with some spicy Saaz. Interesting. I guess the grapes are giving the beer the dryness that you get with some red wines, as reflected in the color.
The flavor is also a mix of malt and hops, but the grapes are more noticeable here than in the aroma—of the cold beer, that is. The hops must all be in the last additions, as the grapes are adding a significant part of the bittering by themselves. The mouthfeel is medium, with high carbonation and a good bit of body to be elevated by this carbonation; it’s quite complex, and more than you get with more ordinary beers. The grapes add to the whole ensemble in a very well-blended way. The finish is toward the dry side, but there is a lot going on to challenge it.
Overall: I have been pretty impressed with this beer. To me, it is obvious that they learned something from their previous grissette to get the balance just right. I like how the hops are such a subtle player in the aroma and the initial parts of the taste, then they step aside and let the rest of the beer do its thing for the finish. The grapes seem to really work with this one, and I think that they have done it really well.
I like that Maxine is on drafty only; it gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you’re drinking, while enjoying the brewery’s atmosphere. Mega Yacht Rock Juice Box offers the benefits of being enjoyed at one of Proper’s many restaurants and pubs, or in the comfort of your personal space. As always, cheers! CW
MIKE RIEDEL
@captainspringer
Local Eateries Supporting Reproductive Rights
The SLC Veggie (@theslcveggie) recently added an Instagram post that features a fairly comprehensive list of local businesses that are featuring ways to support reproductive rights. Some of the dining luminaries are The Big O Doughnuts (248 W. 900 South, 385-770-7024, bigodoughnuts.square.site) who will be donating a portion of every anatomy doughnut purchase to the Utah Abortion Fund (utahabortionfund.org), Doki Doki Desserts (249 E. 400 South, dokidessert.com) who will be donating proceeds from their strawberry cheesecake crepe cake to the Utah Abortion Fund and SLC Eatery (1017 S. Main Street, 801-355-7952, slceatery.com) will be donating half of the proceeds from Pink Tetela purchases to the UAF as well. For a full list, check out The SLC Veggie on Instagram.
Dos Olas Cantina Opens
I recently heard about the grand opening of Park City’s Dos Olas Cantina (2417 High Mountain Road, Ste. 19) that will be a part of The Plaza at Canyons Village. From all early reports, Dos Olas Cantina seems like the kind of place fans of contemporary Mexican cuisine paired with plenty of great margaritas, tequila and mezcal to choose from. Dos Olas also looks to have some great patio seating from which diners can enjoy some small plates or family-style entrees. Based on the space, menu and cocktails, Dos Olas is going to be the perfect place to kick back on a balmy summer evening.
Spilled Milk Expands
Ninth and Ninth favorite Spilled Milk Ice Cream and Cereal Bar (907 E. 900 South, 801-556-1715, spilledmilkicecream.com) recently opened its second brick-and-mortar location in the sunny city of St. George. (1480 S. River Road). Fans of their cereal and ice cream creations are no stranger to Spilled Milk’s unique outlook on desserts. This comes on the heels of their expansion into Vivint Arena, where Utah Jazz fans can snag some of their tasty concoctions during home games. From its humble origins as a mobile eatery, it’s exciting to see the Spilled Milk team expand their dessert empire. With temperatures getting into the high 90s in Southern Utah, Spilled Milk will be most welcome.
Quote of the Week: “Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone.” –Jim Fiebig
HOME OF THE BEST PIZZA BENDER
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