Eat & Drink

Hey, it’s the autumnal equinox, the first official day of fall. A nip in the air, a bite of an apple.

Maybe I read too much Robert Frost at an impressionable age, but the fruit and the season are linked in my brain. The only thing is, I am hardly ever inclined to eat a whole apple out of hand. It’s not that we’re confined to Granny Smith and Red Delicious anymore—you can choose from an ever-expanding menu of apple varieties, from heirloom to recently hybridized. But like so many foods in America, most apples have gotten too large. You can’t really commit to an apple the size of a grapefruit either. I was afraid I was done with apple-eating now.

So I was pleased to receive a gift of apples called Lil Snappers this week—apples grown to be right size for a snack or a child’s lunch sack. An apple you can eat right down to the core.

Is this the beginning of right-sizing American food? Probably not. But it made my day.

Enjoy Park City’s high life at affordable prices during this year’s “Dine About.” Featuring over 20 restaurants, the cost is just $10 or $15 per person for lunch and $20 or $40 per person for dinner. Each lunch will have two courses and each dinner will have three courses, which can be added to regular menu choices. This is The Park City Area Restaurant Association’s fourth annual “Dine About,” running from Saturday, October 1 to Sunday, October 9.

“No coupons, no punch cards, no strings attached – simply walk in, ask your server for a Dine About menu and enjoy,” PCARA executive director Ginger Ries said. “It’s such a great way for diners to check out new restaurants or revisit old favorites, and an excellent chance for restaurants to recruit a whole host of new fans.”

This year’s locations include Bistro 412, Grappa, Handle, Riverhorse on Main, Sushi Blue, Tupelo and many more. Providing more savings this year, “Dine About” has partnered with Stay Park City to provide special offers on hand-picked accommodations. With a selection varying from mountain cabins to Main Street condos to cozy Park City neighborhoods, visitors can comfortably stay and eat in Park City without breaking the bank.

The Park City Area Restaurant Association is a non-profit organization comprised of over 70 Park City restaurants. Focusing on getting the community to experience local cuisine, the association hosts a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the unique and award-winning dining scene in Park City.

For more information on Park City’s “Dine About,” click here. For more information on Stay Park City, click here.

-Brieanna Olds

Stopped by Stoneground Italian Kitchen last night to check out their Farm-to-Glass cocktail entry and as usual, found a a lot of other stuff going on.

First of all, the entrance from the parking lot, which was always a bit awkward and unlovely, has been restyled into a charming lounge area. Unfortunately, you can’t eat or drink out there—pesky laws!—but it’s a comfortable place to sit and wait for your table in the upstairs restaurant which is increasingly booked up.

The Lavender Buzz, a shake of rum, lavender and lemon served in a stemmed glass, is a delicious drink—a touch of sweetness and fragrance rounding out the rum.

My companion ordered the Kale Caesar, a familiar favorite spiked with bottarga, and I noshed on the braciolo crudo, a gorgeous rose of super-thin Wagyu beef, centered with arugula and drizzled with oil.

We split an order of foccacino, a big bubble of thin bread like a giant pita only better, with pomodoro for dipping. The server brings it on a slate, then pops the bubble and slashes it into strips.

This Italian kitchen, headed by Justin Shifflet, just gets better and better.

Speaking of eats, there will be LOTS at this year’s Cocktail Contest Finale,—Creminelli, cupcakes, crudites—along with 24 different drinks to try. Tickets are only $25.00!!