Good food is very often, even most often, simple food,” wrote Anthony Bourdain, praising the “nowhere to hide” confidence of preparing excellent ingredients with respect.
At Harbor Seafood & Steak Co. in Utah, owner/operator Randall Curtis and his team have had this sentiment of simplicity dialed in for over a decade. “We’re here to give people their seafood fix,” said Curtis of the concept origin story, adding that great steaks and crushable cocktails fill the trinity of their popularity. I’d add that their superb service rounds out the exceptional experience all around.
When Curtis purchased what was then Rino’s Italian restaurant in 2014, naysayers warned him that the neighborhood locals wouldn’t be willing to pay for seafood’s notoriously pricey margins. But therein lies the secret of Harbor’s success. There’s a reliable restraint to this steakhouse-style menu that keeps customers coming back.
“We only bring in two cuts of the absolute freshest fish. It varies by season—usually some kind of white fish, salmon or tuna—so we focus on that day-to-day,” said Curtis. The scallops are dependably superlative here, plump and seared to perfection. They source only a few select Colorado Wagyu and USDA Prime beef cuts at any time, which can be ordered with surf accompaniments like lobster tail or a rotating selection of at-its-best crab. Starters shine here, such as comforting seafood chowder and crab-stuffed squash blossoms (two dishes that together make a meal, in my book). There’s a terrific burger, and customer favorite decadent seafood pasta. And the lush patio garden is more than decorative, growing herbs, tomatoes and vegetables harvested at the peak of freshness for the seasonally changing sides.
“Less is really more,” affirms Curtis of their minimalist approach. “The product is more consistent when you have a smaller menu.” Great ingredients, executed flawlessly. Simple measures that go a long way.
When You Go
Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.
2302 E. Parleys Way, SLC
harborslc.com
See more stories like this and all of our Food and Drink coverage. And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues ofSalt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best life in Utah?
