13 minute read
DINE
I Like Duck Buns and I Cannot Lie
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Grab a bowl of duck confit ramen at West Jordan’s One Noodle Bar.
Fall is officially here, and that can only mean one thing: Soup season, bitches! I was going to make some crack about how I love soup because I’m getting old, but let’s be real people—soup is universally amazing no matter what age you are. I am merely excited that I can enjoy my soups in a reasonable climate—you know, one that no longer spikes into triple digits. To make soup season official, I decided to visit One Noodle Bar (1793 W. 7800 South, 385-3138448, onbwestjordan.com) in West Jordan. It’s a new ramen and sushi joint that mixes things up ever so slightly with their crispy duck confit and tamaki sushi rolls.
Even when the summer heat makes eating ramen an exercise in self-destruction, I haven’t been able to help myself when it comes to ramen bars. I think Utah has always had a solid ramen game, but it seems like that foundation has made room for some up and coming restaurants to craft menus that give them a competitive edge. This is where One Noodle Bar—not to be confused with One More Noodle House in South Salt Lake, also excellent—comes in.
For starters, they’re one of the few places that incorporates duck into the menu. Duck is a versatile staple in Asian cooking, and it’s awesome when prepared properly. A quick stroll down the menu at One Noodle Bar reveals the Yummy Duck Ramen ($14.50) that is made with crispy duck confit. When you order up some ramen here, you get to select your broth of choice—I like the spicy tonkotsu, but they also have shoyu and miso broths available.
Duck confit is an excellent complement to a traditional ramen no matter what broth you go with. The added heat from the spicy chilis always hits home for me, but the duck is rich enough to cut through that heat and let you know it’s there. Noodle-wise, this place is as good as you can get, and the familiar additions of a boiled egg and scallions along with fresh corn, spinach and fried garlic are also present for the party. Whether you’re a diehard ramen fan or just trying it out for the first time, the Yummy Duck Ramen isn’t just a clever name.
If you want to double down on duck, the duck buns ($9) are a great way to start—or finish a meal. The soft, steamed dough is among the most heavenly textures you can get as a mere mortal, and the crispy duck gets topped with small slivers of onion and sliced cucumber. Though they are small in stature, the flavor packed within each bite is insane. The cucumber, onion and hoisin sauce impart flavors you might encounter in a tasty banh mi, but that crispy duck confit once again makes sure you know that it’s the star of the show. Plus, “duck buns” is fun to say. Go ahead. Give it a try.
Even though they are incorrect, I know people who don’t like duck exist. If that profile sounds familiar, One Noodle Bar has plenty of excellent options. Obviously, you can go traditional with the Pork Chashu Ramen ($14) or even the Black Garlic Bomb Ramen ($14.50) for some excellent ramen within familiar territory.
When I’m not craving duck confit, I really like their Wonton Ramen ($14.50). I grew up on Campbell’s chicken and dumpling soup, and this connects with a lot of the same synapses I developed as a kid. The wontons have hung out in the broth for long enough to absorb that delicious flavor and become slippery enough to really test your chopstick skills. The interior of the wonton is made from chicken and pork, and would definitely be able to stand on their own as far as flavor and texture goes. I can see myself not wanting to branch out from the Yummy Duck Ramen whenever I come back, but this is a fun alternative for those who are in the mood for something different.
Like most ramen joints that are worth a visit, One Noodle Bar also has a menu of poke bowls and tamaki, or sushi that is assembled and presented in a folded piece of nori like unto a tiny taco. Sushi can do no wrong in my book, especially when it joins some ramen at my table, but something about the tamaki variation really lands here. The process of picking up a goodsized tamaki that takes two or three bites to finish off just lands right after polishing off a giant bowl of ramen. It provides a satisfying feeling of excess while skipping the post-dining regret since all the food is so light and fresh.
I promise this ramen frenzy I am in will eventually die down, but I can’t help but get excited whenever a place like One Noodle Bar opens its doors. We’re in an interesting place with ramen—I’ve started to see ramen restaurants like this one get a bit bolder and deliberate with their menu options, and I am completely on board. CW
ALEX SPRINGER
AT A GLANCE Open: Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun., 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Best bet: The Pork Chashu Ramen Can’t miss: The Yummy Duck Ramen
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Restaurant and Beer Store Now Open 7 Days a Week!
on TAP on TAP 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
Avenues Proper
376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com On Tap: Less- West Coast IPA
Bewilder Brewing
445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com On Tap: Gluten Reduced Kolsch
Bohemian Brewery
94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com
Bonneville Brewery
1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale
Craft by Proper
1053 E. 2100 So., SLC craftbyproper.com On Tap: Do Less - West Coast IPA
Desert Edge Brewery
273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com On Tap: Red Butte Bitter on Nitro
Epic Brewing Co.
825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com On Tap: Barrel-Aged Imperial Pumpkin Porter
Fisher Brewing Co.
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: Old Merchant
Kiitos Brewing
608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com
Level Crossing Brewing Co.
2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com On Tap: Zappa Hops Philly Sour IPA Tuesday Nights = Game Night!
Mountain West Cider
425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com On Tap: Sweet Herbed Hard Cider
Offset Bier Co
1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/ On Tap: DOPO IPA
Ogden River Brewing
358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA
Policy Kings Brewery
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: Bamberg Rauch Bier
Red Rock Fashion Place
Red Rock Kimball Junction
Redrockbrewing.com 1640 Redstone Center On Tap: Black Bier
RoHa Brewing Project
30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com On Tap: FRESHIES IPA
Roosters Brewing
Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com On Tap: Cosmic Autumn Rebellion
SaltFire Brewing
2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com On Tap: Charlotte Sometimes Blonde Ale
Salt Flats Brewing
2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com On Tap: Oktoberfest Vienna Lager
Scion Cider Bar
916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com On Tap: Original Sin Pineapple Haze 6% ABV
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
Talisman Brewing Co.
1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com On Tap: Czech Pilsner
Uinta Brewing
1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer
UTOG
2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com On Tap: Trail Rye’d - Amber Rye Ale 5% abv
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
OPENING SOON!
Helper Beer 159 N Main Street Helper, UT 84526
Apex Brewing 2285 S Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Wet Dreams
These wet-hopped ales take freshness to a whole new level
BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer
In order for a beer to be considered a “wet hop” ale, the hops have to be plucked from the bine and in the wort (unfermented beer) in under 24 hours. Breweries that are not located in hop country—and Utah is not in hop country—often have to procure overnight deliveries to get these hops into their beers.
Proper Hop vs Hop (Strata/Centen-
nial): This wet-hopped IPA is super bright with aromas of cut grass, rose petals, grapefruit-led citrus notes, floral hops and bready, rich malt. Grassiness hits the tongue first, followed by a huge flower bouquet, then sharp citrus comes crashing in on the palate; rose and an awesome, doughy, bready malt base try to keep the hops tethered, though there’s a good, clean hop bite on the finish. This 8.0 percent IPA is full bodied but not chewy at all, and lighter than both the look and taste would lead me to believe. Medium-high carbonation, clean and mild dryness.
RoHa - Freshies: This Amarillo wet hop is very fresh, crisp and clean, showcasing a flavorful combination of citrus, flowers and herbs. It’s a little more lemony in flavor than the nose would suggest—lemon peel, red grapefruit and juicy blood oranges. However, it still mostly tastes like it has been brewed with noble hops and has crisp, pilsner-like floral and vegetal characteristics. On the aftertaste, you get some caramel malt and sweet biscuit, but it ends up being hopped up, mildly bitter and clean, with lingering orange peel. It is moderately bodied at 5.0 percent, mouthcoatingly smooth and slippery, and boasts robust carbonation that quenches thirst and makes it eminently drinkable.
Fisher - Oso Fresco: This one boasts 100 pounds of Strata hops. In the glass, the beer has a beautiful orange glow. The Strata hops produce a subtle pineapple aroma, but rather than big tropical fruit juice character, a soft, grassy finish dominates the pallet. Despite the piney smell, tropical fruits are abundant here, ending on a loud, dry papaya note mixed with herb and day-old biscuit/cracker. There’s a high hop oil presence here as well, with lots of resin. Substantial, oily, dense and slightly creamy at 5.0 ABV, it leaves a coating of oil and dry malt on the finish. A pretty balanced and solid feel for a pale ale.
Fisher - When the Hops Forget Your
Name: This West Coast-style pale ale was hopped with 100 pounds of fresh Amarillo hops. The aroma was very light, with hints of light hops, pine and citrus mixed in, but it was primarily dominated by a faint grainy aroma. A beautiful, light pale ale flavor comes in perfectly balanced; immediately following the initial surge of hops on the palate, a very smooth and well-balanced malt flavor took over. The way it all came together so well truly impressed me. It was moderately carbonated and quite sessionable, preventing it from feeling overdone.
TF - Mr. Hand Fresh Hop: Now we get 400 pounds of fresh Amarillio in this draft ale. The barley fragrance is complemented by fig and orange esters, which enhance the nose’s overall richness. The flavor is similar; it has firm malt tastes of thin caramel, honey-soaked biscuit, cashews, fig, orange and peach that give off a sweet and fruity undertone, which melds well with the complex hop flavor. At this point, the drier fruit flavors of orange zest, white grapefruit and citrus pith start to emerge from the sweeter flavors. It seems that the chlorophyll of the moisture-rich hops is significantly contributing to the overall flavor of the beer, as it finishes with the resinous bitterness of aromatic grasses, leaves and stem.
These are not the only wet hop beers to be made locally, and more have undoubtedly hit tap handles since the time of this writing. Get out there and try them now, because this is the only time of the year that these harvest ales will occur. As always, cheers! CW
MIKE RIEDEL
BEER + PIZZA = <3
SUN-THU: 11am - 10pm • FRI-SAT: 11am - 11pm
@captainspringer
Rachel Farnsworth Book Signing
Perhaps better known as the “Stay at Home Chef,” Rachel Farnsworth has created an online culinary presence that has accrued over 4 million followers. She’ll be visiting the King’s English Bookshop (1511 S. 1500 East, 801-484-9100, kingsenglish.com) for an inperson book signing to promote her new cookbook, The Stay at Home Chef Family Favorites Cookbook. Farnsworth has made a name for herself by teaching others how to make restaurant-quality meals at home, and this cookbook compiles more than 200 recipes that run the gamut from breakfast, lunch and dinner to quick snacks and tasty desserts. Tickets for the event can be purchased on the King’s English website.
Mr. Rice Opens
Salt Lake Chinatown recently welcomed a takeout-only operation called Mr. Rice. Its menu primarily consists of rice bowls featuring crispy pork belly, tofu, curry chicken, salmon and beef. If the dishes look nearly as inviting as the photos online, this could mean big trouble for my wallet. For a bit of variation, Mr. Rice also offers a sushi plate and a lunch box that features a few smaller plates assembled bento-style. It’s also looking like diners can snag a heaping pile of braised beef ribs if they’re feeling especially peckish. I’ll keep an eye on this one, as takeout-only Asian food is one of my love languages.
Bodega and The Rest Closure
Downtown favorites Bodega and The Rest have announced a temporary closure to make repairs due to a fire that broke out in their building. From the sound of things, the blaze was kept under control, and the closure will ensure that proper cleaning, maintenance and safety adherence can take place. According to the restaurant and cocktail bar’s Instagram page, they have cancelled all reservations through Oct. 31, and are hoping to reopen on Nov. 1. While we’re glad that this establishment is planning on reopening, it’s a stark reminder to check out every restaurant on your local bucket list. Here’s hoping this team gets back on its feet soon—we’re drastically short on speakeasies as it is.
Quote of the Week: “The oldest form of theater is the dinner table.” –Michael J. Fox
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