11 new concepts and one venerable outlet hits pause

BY JOSHUA JONES

Thismonth, we plan to check out French-themed ADELAIDE AT LE MERIDIEN and HOMECOMING SOUTHERN KITCHEN on 200 and West Temple. Follow our social media for our reports! In the meantime, here are some exciting openings to look forward to: We begin where we left off in our last On The Street column: a mysterious bar on 400 South that is promising authentic tiki drinks and animatronics in a whimsically-themed world. Well, we now have a name and date: NEPTUNE’S PALACE is working towards an early summer opening (DABS-dependent). The name truly lives up to the Willy Wonka-meets-Hunter S. Thompson vibes that we’ve heard about through the rumor mill.

Highly-anticipated, THE LOCAL MARKET AND BAR opened. We got a sneak peek of the casual corner food hall with eight concepts on 200 East and University Blvd (400 S.) and will be back soon. Highlights? Well, the bar of course, staffed with mixologists that made a fine Moscow Mule. POP’S BURGER served a deliciously moist cheesy burger on a spongy bun, and THE CEREAL KILLERZ KITCHEN has over 100 cereal styles from around the world, generously served over ice cream.

We’re excited that the 48-year-old JUNIOR’S TAVERN , a venerable drinking hole where denizens of all salaries rub shoulders with one another, has been purchased by Bob McCarthy from longtime owner, Greg Arata. Bob owns two of our other favorite places in town: GARAGE ON BECK and STONEGROUND. We’ve heard he wants to polish the place but leave the best vestiges like the beer can collection, pool table, and even the film encyclo- pedia (it’s a great way to strike up a conversation).

HOTEL MONACO opened in 1999 and it remains near the top in our rolodex of recommendations: consistent quality at BAMBARA , considerate cocktails at THE VAULT, quirky and cozy rooms. But nearby competition from newly-opened Hyatt Regency, ELEMENT, and LE MERIDIEN have convinced the brass that a full polish is due. Scheduled to begin in April and completed by late summer, the rehaul includes all 225 rooms, Bambara gets a facelift, and (we’re most excited about this) a dramatic and moody update and expansion to The Vault.

At City Creek Center, Ogden-founded PEARL

MILK TEA CLUB has opened. Located near VRX Pharmacy. They will serve boba smoothies, pearl milk teas, and coffees. Also, another Utah company, THREAD, who makes slim wallets, will open soon next to Donovan Mitchell’s STANCE

BRICK AND MORTAR , a fine establishment on Edison Street, has decided to cash in its chips and rebrand itself as MAYOR VOSS. Between the 1880’s and the 1920’s Edison Street was the heart of the Black community. Horace Voss was a influential Republican and served in the state capitol in 1903, his picture still hangs inside the senate chambers. After claiming domestic abuse and filing for divorce, Mayor Voss was murdered and the killer was caught (not his wife). For the full story, check out historian Rachel Quist’s and KUTV’s Jamie McGriff story. Finally, late-breaking news that City Creek Center’s Chick-fil-a will be closed for renovations for a couple weeks. On the day we noticed it boarded up, mourners were discovering other food stalls at the food court, including BOCATA , the pizza oven sandwich shop, as well as the venerable TASTE OF RED IGUANA offering a daily special: mango enchiladas with rice and beans for the absurd price of $6.75. Two great local options to explore while the Chick is breaking those eggs. Q