Peng's Palate

A comfort meal with a comfortable drive

http://www.ruthsdiner.com/

2100 Emigration Cyn
Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1516
(801) 582-5807

Price: $$

I’ve heard about Ruth for years yet  have never had an opportunity to try this long standing dining establishment.  Originally opened in 1930 in downtown Salt Lake, Ruth’s later moved to it’s current haven in Emigration Canyon in 1949 as a dining car restaurant.  Anyone aware of Utah’s culinary treasures has heard of Ruth. Their breakfast is highly regarded as one of the best in the state.   For this review, I visited them during dinner hours.

I’ve driven down Emigration many times, mostly to cut through towards East Canyon and some excellent sledding spots. However, I never noticed how beautiful the canyon is with it’s fall foliage, cool mountain breeze and quiet refuge from city sounds. Best of all, it’s only 10 minutes away from the U. The drive to Ruth’s itself was the perfect introduction to the warm and comforting meal and experience I would have. Walking up to the front steps, I was reminded of my favorite dining car spots in Massachusetts at such places as the Owl Diner and diner in Spaghettiville.

It was a slow early dinner hour but I was happily greeted by the host “Michael” who actually made me feel just at home.  The menu was impressive but standard with American food. I opted to choose a traditional dinner with the notion that if a restaurant can do simple and traditoinal right, it’s a winner in my book.

I ordered the Hot Turkey Dinner with Artichoke soup,  and an herbal ice tea. The definite highlight of the meal was the soup. It was a rich, creamy meal in itself that had wonderful artichoke hearts and tomatoes.  There was a perfect balance of sweet and salty that was even more delicious when dipping in the rolls to sop up the flavor.  I could have eaten a whole bowl of this and still wanted more!

Also, on a side note, the iced tea was a nice mint flavor and I regret not asking what brand of herbal teas they use. If anyone knows, please let me know!

The main course was delicious but nothing spectacular.  It was a decent sized portion considering the costs.  The dressing for the turkey was exquisite and was the perfect blend of saltiness to compliment the tart cranberry sauce. The turkey on the other hand was not as impressive as some of the sides and nowhere near the soup. It was a thick slice of white turkey but re-grilled to give it a crusted and reheated taste.  I enjoyed the meal but have had better turkey dinners where the turkey tastes just like it does on Thanksgiving day.

Overall, the meal was delicious and the restaurant, particularly the outside terrace was beautiful. I could imagine hosting a nice summer dinner party under tea lights with mint tea and tasty turkey sandwiches. I was happy with the meal but know that to best experience Ruth’s, I’ll need to go during breakfast . Expect a follow up visit.

Friend Meter: Britton

Restaurant: Indochine Vietnamese Bistro

Website: http://indochineutah.com/ 

Location: 230 S 1300 E
Salt Lake City, UT

Price: $$

Pho is a national icon of Vietnamese cuisine. At it’s base it consists of a beef broth with rice noodles and various assortments of meat which include beef meatballs, tripe, tendon, flank steak, fatty flank, and brisket.  It is garnished with various herbs and vegetables such as Thai basil, cilantro, thai chili peppers and bean sprouts.  For any Asian who has had this delectable and tasty dish, it is like our own version of comfort food.  Most places around the valley (particularly in West Valley) offer large bowls between 5.50 and 7.50. The closer you get in proximity to the east bench, the more likely the price increases. Recent establishments such as Cafe Trang and Indochine offer the flair and distinctiveness of Vietnamese culture but emphasized the ambience and clientel.  Having seen Indochine each day as I drive up to the U, I knew they served the usual fare but for a larger fare. The question was, how was the price?

I ordered the Pho Dac Biet or basically the “House Special Pho.” Going into the restaurant I knew to focus on the flavor of Chef Tuan Duc Vu and not the 10$ a bowl I was paying for. I ordered the dish with a Thai ice tea (a must with any meal) and to my surprise enjoyed the dish.

The broth was balanced and mildly sweet but not overpowering as some other Pho houses are.  It was a calmer broth but still with the familiar beef broth robustness you can expect with most Pho. My only complaint (not being the size of the bowl) is the sparse garnishes they provide. I only had a half a hand full of bean sprouts a few leaves of basil and two or three slices of jalapeno. I understand that this is a higher classed restaurant being on the east bench but one part of Pho cuisine is the freshness and abundance of vegetables and garnishes to accentuate the meal. I enjoyed the Pho even in the smaller bowl but would have liked more selection in my vegetables. The Thai Ice Tea on the other hand, which in most restaurants is from a powder mix or can was very strong and to my liking.

Overall, Indochine was a suprising mix of solid food.  The target clientel is not likely someone such as myself who is familiar with other Pho noodles houses.  But even with its proximity to the U, I would easily drive down to Shanghai Cafe or Asia Pho for cheaper, larger, and fresher ingredients.

 Friend Meter: Tony

For more information on the History of Pho, visit this awesome feature piece from the San Francisco Gate:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/11/05/FD48543.DTL