Pago

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I now present to the world, a new culinary champion, a palate-pleasing powerhouse, a king among peasants! Pago had been on my radar for quite sometime but it sat idle on a list of places to visit that totaled almost 50 plus. There were two reasons it took so long; the first reason was that it is a bit pricier than my usual spots and secondly, I don’t prefer going to expensive places by myself so it took a while to find the right guest and time. I want to thank my awesome friend and co-worker Angie H. for finally building me up to go; Sam L. and his GF for helping me celebrate the occasion; And my best friend Rachel, for accompanying me as well.

Pago is very unassuming. It’s hidden right off 9th and 9th (or what I consider the epicenter of East-siders with its hip store and the Tower Theatre).  If you are looking for the location, it’s literally right behind the Smiths and next to the Children’s Hour store. It’s a small L-shaped interior restaurant. For my palate adventure, I went to Pago both for lunch and dinner so the taste selections were quite numerous.  The restaurant is among a new breed of hip, New American spots which cater to locally produced ingredients while offering fine dining. It’s similar to the Communal and Tin Angel style of food: fresh, fresh, fresh, and a fusion of familiar foods such as burgers, steaks, and potatoes but elevated to a higher art form; particularly for those unaccustomed to dining at places other than Chuck-o-Rama, TGIF and many other cookie cutter chains and American-style restaurants (I’m looking at you Jim’s Family Restaurant).

What made the food so enjoyable was the attention that seemed to have been placed on each meal. It wasn’t too fancy a la a Log Haven or La Caille, but not so low brow as to take away from it’s uniqueness. Here’s a breakdown of each dish:

Lunch:

Pago Burger – (Niman Ranch Beef, Brown Sugar Bacon, Caramelized Onion, Aioli, House Made Chips). I only had a small taste of the burger but it was executed without error. It wasn’t anything extraordinary for a burger; there were no special sauces but the presentation of local meat and the brown sugar bacon gave it a more up-scale flavor.  I’m a basic burger guy so restaurant burgers seldom wow me. Good burger nonetheless.

Wagyu Steak  Sandwich -(Fried Shallots, Pago Chili Aioli, Arugula, Beehive Cheddar, House Made Chips) – This was where quality meets presentation and price. Wagyu meat is a type of beef from cattle specially bred and fed so that their meat had extra marbling adding to flavor, tenderness and juiciness.  When you consider that level of beef with a classic presentation similar to a Philly cheesesteak, you get a mouth-watering, dripping and flowing river of flavor from the sandwich, to your mouth, and to your plate or shirt.  Moochies is down the street but if Pago marketed this as a competitor, it might give the Philly down the road, a run for its money.

Anchovies with Avocado, Candied Pancetta, Sweet Vinaigrette on Bruschetta – I love anchovies. I prefer it on my pizza, in pastas and also stir fried. However, this appetizer didn’t satisfy me. It was cleanly prepared but the flavor of the anchovy was overshadowed  by the Pancetta and vinaigrette.  I have to admit it was a bit tough to eat without having everything fall off. Beautiful presentation, sub-par execution.

Dinner:

Caviar Pillows -(Caviar, Potato Pillows, Creme Fraiche). I’m a big fan of caviar. I’ve had it on limited occasion but each time I have, I’ve enjoyed the saltiness and fresh flavor. Seafood is one of my favorite types of cuisines and there is a comfort to having foods that taste like the best treasures of the sea. The flavor can be found in things such as sushi (sashimi), crab roe, oysters on the half shell, little neck clams, and caviar. Much in the same way that good steak has a heartiness that you associate with red meat, caviar has a flavor that identifies it with seafood.  It can be hit or miss though since there are different levels of caviar and I’m definitely not qualified to explain them. I am not certain what type of caviar Pago used but the dish was a good start to my meal. The potato pillows melted away in my mouth with a warm texture that was half potato chip and half-fried mashed potatoes. This was quickly followed by the coolness of creme Fraiche and the final caviar explosion. It’s a bit pricey for such small bites but when ordering anything with caviar it’s best to not go in with an expectation that you’re at an all-you-can eat.

Roasted Marrow – I was looking forward to this dish the most. For anyone who has watched Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations or read any of his books, one of his inclusions for his last meal would be God’s Butter, better known as marrow. I’ve had marrow cooked at home in braised ox tail or beef bone soup; I’ve had it in roasted lamb shanks and grilled T-bone steaks. Marrow may sound unappetizing but Bourdain’s description of it being God’s Butter, with rich, full bodied flavor from the source of all red meat flavor (blood) is to die for. It goes perfect  as a spread on toast or best of all, a last treasure in a beef broth served atop white rice with a lime-garlic fish sauce.  Sadly, Pago failed in this regard. There was one piece of marrow/bone for this dish and the marrow was oily, missing flavor and almost non-existent. I had to ration my marrow to have enough to spread on the copious pile of croquettes that attempted to mask the obvious failure.  Sad indeed.

Pan Seared Scallops – (Sundried Tomatoes, Roasted Eggplant, Curried Beurre fondue). Scallops are a difficult thing for me to order since they offer little in terms of meat and often are lacking in flavor and overcooked.  Pago succeeded in providing a flavorful, tomato-based sauce but the dish was a bit lacking even considering the type of price and restaurant Pago is.  The scallops were a bit overcooked.  However, my friend Rachel, who ordered this dish, loved it.

Free Range Chicken Paillard – (Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, citrus brown butter emulsion, farm greens). This dish was incredible. The whipped potatoes are among some of the best mashed potatoes I’ve had. The serving is ample and the flavor speaks to a familiar palate of grilled chicken breast, potatoes and vibrant gravy. This is a must order for any first visit. Paired with the Angel Hair Pasta that had a pad-thai type flavor, this dish is the most familiar.

Grilled lamb on a bed of lentils- I love lamb. Simply put, if they have this on their rotating menu get it. It was cooked to the perfect rareness, retaining the natural taste that lamb has when you don’t overcook it. It’s a combination of the flavor of pork and sweetness of a great cut beef steak.  I enjoyed each bite of this meal more than I’ve ever enjoyed a “single” bite. In fact, this was so tasty that I took about a minute for each nibble and minutes for each full piece of lamb. The bed of lentils were awesome especially with the carrots. I usually have lentils in Asian dessert but the heartiness and almost nutttiness of the lentils added to the full-bodied, slightly gamey lamb flavor. Delicious. Just look at the picture!

Lastly, for dessert a chocolate torte made with Amano chocolate infused with raspberry and served with chocolate sauce and expresso ice cream. There was hardly a smear of chocolate on the plate when we were done with this dish.

Overall, Pago was the best place I’ve eaten at because I went in with the expectation that price would not determine flavor. This was evident in the marrow and to a degree the caviar.  Pago stressed fresh, localized products and the reason is that it makes a tremendous amount of difference in taste. Things taste as they should fresh from the vine, farm, or ground in which they are taken. I’ve already begun looking at reasons to go back to Pago more often since my policy usually dictates “try a new place” It’s just too hard to stay away from this great representation of Utah dining class.

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