Saturday, September 27, 2014

Best Restaurants in Annapolis

Best Restaurants in Annapolis

Restaurants' individual food items are graded. (best ice cream is at bottom)

Revised 25 March 2019

Also see our website, "Best Crabcakes in Annapolis," at:
tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/best-crabcakes-in-annapolis-best-crab.html

See all our sites about Annapolis food:
1. Best Restaurants in Annapolis (this site)
2. Best Crabcakes in Annapolis
3. Best Cream of Crab Soup in Annapolis
4. Best Key Lime Pie in Annapolis
5. Best Ice Cream in Annapolis


Note that all crab cakes use crab from a can, except the very few places where noted below as "FRESH." Ironically, some not fresh are better due to far better recipes.

Adam's Ribs - best ribs and chicken 
2019, dinner time (note: ribs are best when freshly cooked at 11 A.M.!)
ribs, not hot B+
chicken, hot A
pulled pork C
rolls C-
pork tacos B
refried beans on tacos B+
extra crispy fries B+
baked beans B
mash B-/B
gravy B/B+
combo mash and gravy B/B+
onion rings B+

2008, lunch time
a. ribs. A+
b. chicken. A+
c. crab cakes. B
d. fried rib with buffalo sauce. B++
e. gator (hot) wings C-
f. brisket sandwich (lean brisket only here) B+
g. rolls, if hot A
h. cornbread C-, with butter B-
i. slaw B/B+
j. bbq sauced shrimp with bacon wrapped and grilled B-

Abert Yau's East-West Bistro, Pasadena, MD
a. soup: crab and fresh asparagus A
b. soup: hot and sour (best ever hot and sour) A
c. crispy hot duck (cooking oil flavor) B
d. grouper with black bean sauce A-
e. veges with grouper B+

Amish Restaurant (see Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market below)

Annapolis Smokehuse - best pulled pork
a. pulled pork. B+
b. brisket. dry: B-/B. wet: B
c. ribs. C+/B-
d. smoked chicken, whole pieces. leg: B. thigh: B-
d. hushpuppies. C+
e. slaw. B/B+
f. brussel sprouts. B-
g. kale. A-
h. fried corn. B+

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse (across bridge from Annapolis, on Eastern shore)
a. crab imperial: first time: A; second time by one of our group: D/C
b. best coffee (according to one in group)

Bay Woods Bistro (private retirement community cafe)
a. beef and vege soup, without beef C
b. same soup with beef D+/C-
c. cheeseburger (bun B/B+, beef B, but add salt and pepper, pak (as a package all together): B, but with salt and pepper: B+
d. hot fries B
e. slaw (too much mayo) C/C+
f. reuben sandwich (pastrami, thin deli sliced B-/B; sour kraut is very sour C-; thousand island dressing, buttered grilled marble bread B/B+, white, prob. swiss cheese) total: B-/B
g. chicken salad C+
h. chicken salad sandwich B-
Holiday menu - Memorial Day:
i. bbq chicken, grilled C+
j. grilled dogs C+/B-
k. corn on cob C+
Desserts: they serve mostly Main Ingredient's; specifically:
1. key lime pie (from Sysco distributor) slilghtly pudding like with cheap fake cream on top. B/B+
2. soft serve vanilla ice cream C+/B-
3. (dry) chocolate swirl cheesecake B
4. carrot cake (alone: B, frosting with nuts alone B+) combined: B+
5. chocolate chip cookie C/C+
6. fudge brownie with big choc chunks B++

Annapolis Yacht Club:
MARCH 2019:
arctic char, with sauce of lemon peppercorn vinagret: B/B+, but with 2018 white cream A
cast iron chocolate chip cookie B/B+, with vanilla ice cream B+
bok choy C/C+
cous cous C
carrots, sliced B/B+
cream of crab soup: B/B+ top liquid; with crab at bottom: B+/A-, with 2/3T of sherry: liquid alone B+, with 2/3 T of sherry including crab at bottom: B+/A-. Note: any more sherry than 2/3 T per 10 oz soup is too strong!

NOTE ON SHERRY MEASUREMENTS:
1. .67T per 10 oz = 3.3% sherry in soup x 20% max ABV (alcohol by volume) = .66% ABV (note that most sherry is 17-19% ABV).
2. Tested with sherry at 1.8% ABV: far too strong!
3. Tested with brandy at same volume per #1 above (3.3% brandy in soup) x 40% max ABV = 1.3% ABV (far too strong! and flavor even worse; so, with less brandy than sherry, it's clear that brandy is not as good a mix as sherry with crab soup).
4. In future, do legal "non-alcoholic" volume of .5% ABV. This equates to about 55-61% of a T (tablespoon) of sherry per 10 oz soup (at 17-20% ABV sherry). Thus, the serving size would be slightly over 1/2 T = .5% ABV.
5. If making non-alcoholic hard liquor flavored ice cream, add 1/4 T per 10 oz of ice cream for .5% ABV. If using sherry, use 1/2 T per 10 oz of ice cream. (Sherry has about 1/2 the ABV of liquor like bourbon and vodka: 17-20% vs 35-40%.)

2018:
rockfish, charbroiled B/B+
halibut C-
2015-2016 
waffle (about 1 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter, made on  cast iron Rugged XI waffle maker, using Sysco waffle batter; cook at 250 for 90 seconds). A+
sausage patty. B+
bacon A-
french toast with white Texas Toast, if moist inside: (request that!) B/B+, with  berry compote and chantilly cream A-
french toast with wheat bread (it was also not moist inside, thus it was overcooked) C+
cherry breakfast pastry C
crab cake. (strong canned flavor) B-
crab cake sandwich with brioche bun. B
citrus black grouper B+
smoked salmon. C
omelette. B+ (It's made to order: We recommend this egg mix for the omelette, with clarified butter: with tomato, onion, mixed cubed peppers. Request no cheese inside - as waiting for it to cook destroys the needed moistness for the eggs.) After flipping omelette, sprinkle grated cheese on top and within seconds lift it out so the egg doesn't overcook inside. The grated cheese will continue melting on your plate).
porterhouse steak: New York strip part, closer to bone B,  outer portion C; fillet mignon portion B/B+
crab omelette (strong canned crab flavor) B-
crab imperial. B
flounder francais. B+
veges that come with flounder. A
cream of crab soup, with crab meat on bottom (can flavor). B++; with sherry: B++/A-
raw oysters B-
salmon. total: B/B+ 
cream sauce with salmon: A-
salmon alone: B-
lobster seafood pot pie C+
filet mignon (not chargrilled) B/B+
risoto with mushrooms B++
baked potato, old D-
side salad C+, with creamy raspberry vinegrette B+
key lime tart (pie) (among best in town) B
nutty buddy ice cream cone C
chilean sea bass B/B+
cous cous (like cram corn) C+/B-
fresh green beans B-
roasted tomato B
white bread roll C
nutty brown bread D

Boatyard Grill
a. crab cakes FRESH (one of very few places using fresh crab). spices rather bland B/B+
b-1. crab cake sandwich, with tartar sauce (thick brioche bun alone C+): B+/A-
b-2. same sandwich Without tartar sauce: B/B+
c. cream of crab soup. (uses too little crab), strong parm cheese flavor: B
d. slaw B-/B
e. sweet potato fries. B+
f. house tartar sauce. A
f. key lime pie (too mild of lime flavor and pudding texture) B-
g. Smiths, Maryland cake (layers of chocolate). B/B+
h. flounder BLT (fried flounder D+, seasoned in breaded crust, too little fish, too crispy, yet fresh fish). total sandwich: B/B+
i. dessert nachos (raspberry and chocolate syrups with ice cream: A (if no ice cream: C-)
j. burger: (meat alone: B+, flavor: A). total package: A-
k. fried oysters (best in town we've had): A-
l-1. Grand Mariner french toast alone B/B+
l-2. with syrup B+
l-3. with mandarin orange slices B/B+
l-4 with mandarin orange slice and dry cranberry pieces B++
m. fish and chips (fresh cod but super crisp panko coating has bad texture C- and B flavor; total: C+
n. fries B-
NEXT TRY: 
1. open faced crab dip "samwich" (artichoke, spinach, onion, parm cheese dip, open on ciabatta bread) with melted cheddar and tomatos.
2. key west fish sandwich - mahi, onion kaiser roll, lemon aioli, sauteeed peppers, onion, mushroom, havarti cheese
3. Rastafarian porch chop with Jamacain rub topped with mango chutney, and crab mac & cheese
4. baby back ribs with mango bbq sauce
5. Annapolitan (omelette): 3 eggs, lump crab, chopped tomato, scallion, mornay sauce
6. big fat scallop with black pepper, sugar, salt, pan seared with balsamic reduction
7. Halibut love point, tossed with lump crab and citrus butter
8. "a nice fish sandwich" fresh fillet of day. with lemon pepper, brioche roll, red pepper aioli, lettuce
9. grits
10. reuben: delic corned beef, slaw or kraut, 1k dressing, swiss cheese,  panini fried, thick rye
11. shrimp and grits
12. crab benedict with asparagus and tomatoes
13. pepperjack grits (same as grits above?)


Cafe Normandie
a. duck mousse (duck liver) B+/A
b. sliced bagette A-
c. mini bread loaf. B
d. trout almondine B
e. frog legs with garlic (best non-fried legs ever) B+
f. pistachio cheesecake B
g. roast duck with raspberry sauce: meat: C- to B-; with skin A-, with sauce B+
h. fried sweet potato B-
i. green beans and carrots B
j. cherry clafoutis (baked dessert with fruit (cherries today) B/B+
k. gapaschio : cold tomato soup with cilantro and garlic, celery, and jalapenos. B/B+
l. chocolate eclair C+/B-

NEXT TIME: lamb rack with rosemary

Cake and Cream (Main St.)
a. chocolate ice cream b - -

Cantlers, Riverside
a. grilled rockfish. B+
b. burger (the meat is B-). overall: B+
c. crab cakes FRESH (too cooked on outside, dry, when we had it). B
d. slaw. C-
e. crab (too salty).D
f. shrimp (too salty). D

Carrol's Creek - best cream of crab soup
2019:
a. cream of crab soup: BEST WE'VE FOUND: A+ (best with 1/2 T of sherry per 10 oz soup = .5% ABV (alcohol by volume, also considered max amount to be "non-alcoholic"). Any more sherry tastes too strong.
b. shrimp stuffed with crab, bacon-wrapped. 50% crab meat. A-
c. sirloin, marinated, red wine reduction, said menu, but server said it came with classic demiglaze: caternet, dijon, shallot. BEST SIRLOIN EVER HAD. A -
d. fruit cobbler B
e. coffee chocolate chip ice cream with glazed donut in a pudding: B/B+
f. caramel bourbon sauce for pudding: A, BEST DESSERT SAUCE EVER.
g. bread C-
TRY: 
tenderloin sandwich $13
jumbo lump sandwich $14
TRY DINNER STARTERS:
cumin lamb rack $15
crab artichoke dip and bread 12
TRY ENTREE:
Filet mignon 36
TRY DESSERTS:
creme brulee 8.50
decadent cake 8.50
cheesecake 8.50
choc and peanut butter banana 8.50

2014:
a. cream of crab soup. BEST WE'VE FOUND A+ 
b. crab cakes (from can, but still very good). A-
c. rockfish (best we've found, perfect, buttery crust for it, but rockfish isn't our favorite as it's like a cross between halibut and mahi - a bit too dense for our likes. If you like denser fish, this is great. B+/A-

Checkerburgers (in Crofton, 11 miles away)
a. Champ (meat is D). overall: B+
b. Checkerburger with cheese. B-
c. fries. B
d. choc shake. B-
e. strawberry shake. D

Chick and Ruth's, Main St., breakfasts: Bs and Cs

a. crab cake. C-
b. sausage. C
c. scrapple, egg, with swiss cheese. D

Deep Creek, Arnold, MD
a. crab cake (from Venezuela, on Ice, like Jerry's Seafood in Bowie - better than all other local places) A+
b. crab imperial (crab with mayo) B+
c. panko fried fresh flounder B-/B
d. key lime pie B-/B
e. bread A-
f. twice baked potato (mixed with cheese inside) A-
g. vege medley (a strong spice) C
h. salad with flounder B

Dock Street Pub
a. crabcakes B-/B


Edgewater Restaurant
a. rockfish, fresh, broiled. B/B+
b. soft shell crab. B-/B
c. crab cakes (mild spice flavor, very faint canned flavor) B/B+
d. slaw (mayo flavor) B-
e. Okra. B+
f. green beans. B-
g. tartar sauce. B+
h. clam chowder B+, with sherry B+/A-
i. cream of crab soup (right amount of crab) A-, with sherry A
j. coctail sauce for shrimp B+
k. orange colored cheese balls with crackers B/B+, with roll C
l. fries B+
m. fresh, broiled orange roughy B
n. green beans B
o. crab imperial (strong canned flavor, needs mayo) B-
p. rolls, dark wheat A
q. rolls, white, soft B+
r. baked potato B
s. fried chicken (like grocery store made) B-
t. house apple sauce B+
u. candied beets B
v. potato salad (best) A
w. stewed tomato B/B+


Famous Dave's (we've tested it elsewhere, but not in MD; it's a national chain)
a. roast chicken. B
b. bbq chicken. B
c. ribs. C+

G & M (in Lithicum, MD)
a. scallops (best ever) A
b. broiled fresh flounder (best ever). A 
c. crab cakes, can flavor, as nearly all have. B
d. cream of crab soup, medium spicy for heat B+
e. shrimp (in combo plate) C-
f. slaw C

g. roll (stale in Feb 2015: C, fresh in July 2015:) B-
h. mashed potato: D
i. gravy C-
j. steak fries, if hot A-
k. fried haddock (thick batter D+, fish alone C). total: C
l. house apple sauce A
m. house potato salad C
n. house key lime pie (like pudding and with bad, artifical lime flavor) D-
o. fresh red snapper, lemon sauce with pomegranite seeds: grade B. (dry on one side - overcooked fish alone: C. Flavor grade B. overall with sauce C+
p. corn fiesta (onions, peppers, corn) B-



Gioletti's Italian Market
2019:
Suppli (fried roll with cheese and rice) B, with marinara B
Aronciti (same with meat): still to try
marinara alone B
Porchetta: pork, broc, Oniion, cheese on bagette: still to try
Vege sub: panini with eggplant, lettuce, mozz, and tomato on focacia: still to try
Zapp's potato chips - jalapeno kettle chips B

Grumps
MARCH 2018:
blue berry pancakes, overcooked B+
sausage links, from Nick's Deli B--
hollandaise sauce B/B+
crabcakes and eggs B+
crabcake mixed with chopped tomato, no canned flavor B+
muffin C+
grits B/B+, with butter B
OCTOBER 2016:
a. french toast (cinnamon flavor) B
b. blueberry pancakes A-
c. banana nut pancake (needs more banana flavor, but at least it has natural flavor) B
d. sausage link (from Nick's Deli) A-
e. sausage patty B+
f. garlic fries, strong: first time: B/B+, second time: A-
g. malted waffle, large C
h. waffle with corned beef hash B-/B
i. corned beef hash C
j. malted waffle C
k. burger: angus burger meat B/B+, bun B+, total: B+
l. crab sandwich (spices don't work for sandwich). buttered bun: A-, lettuce and tomato. bistro sauce (which is peach colored) C-
overall grade for crab sandwich: B
m. crabcakes B/B+
n. Chicken fried steak (Vickie's) B-/B alone; with gravy B+
o. sausage gravy alone B
p. fried eggs (average) C
q. biscuits (margarine cooked with it, unfortunately) B
r. biscuits with gravy B+
s. grits (second best in town, after Iron Rooster; however, having less cream, some will like this one better) B+/A-
t. plain pancakes C+
u. pork chops (dark meat by bone: b/B+, white C-/C; overall C+
v. sauateed spinach B-
w. green beans, slightly cooked, fresh B
x. mash C
y. mash with gravy D+
DON'T GET FISH AND CHIPS - NOT OWN BATTER, PLUS MAHI (too dense)!
TRY NEXT TIME: 
Note made Oct 2016:
1. chicken pot pie
2. SALISBURY STEAK
3. potato pancakes
4. slaw
5. baked beans
6. Karla's mac and cheese
7. grilled mahi sandwich
Note made March 2018:
vegie lovers omelette (with sauteed fresh mushroom, tomato, onion, green pepper)
guacamole huevos (guac, spinach, egg on marble rye toast)
pork chop and eggs
bisquit and gravy
shepards pie - special

Hogs to go - (in D.C., not Annapolis; but we listed it here as we don't have a site for D.C. restaurants yet)
a. brisket D
b. brisket with sauce C
c. pulled pork C-
d. pulled pork with sauce B-
e. ribs D (like Annapolis Smokehouse)
f. ribs with sauce C+
g. chicken D
h. chicken with sauce C-
i. cornbread D+
j. sweet potato pie A-

House of Hunan
a. sweet and sour fish: fresh orange roughy in red sweet and sour sauce; light battered and fried, thin fish B+/A-
b. dumpling appetizer, with steamed chicken inside: C+
c. Tom's Special eggplant: light, batter fried shrimp in chef's special sauce B+/A-
FUTURE: 
all 3 ducks have no seasoning, but their own sauces:
1. Hunan duck: boned duck with brocolli, snow pea, mushroom, bamboo shoot in chef's special sauce. it's sweet, better than Hong Kong, chef says.
2. Peking Duck: well done, crispy skin, with hoisen sauce (shrimp sauce) and pancakes, whole duck.
3. Hong Kong duck (roasted)
4. tangy pheasant slices, hot spicy sauce.
5. seafood asparagus: shrimp, scallop, orange roughy, sauteed with asparagus, napa and snow peas in black bean sauce


Iron Rooster
MARCH 2018 (most of items in October 2016 below are gone!)
grits in 2019 (best ever had: made with cream and chicken stock plus a little salt) A
crab benedict in 2018: B (last time had it, in 2015, an A)
crab cake B (also an A in 2015)
pop tarts:
brown sugar B/B+
chocolate banana B/B+
mixed berry: still to try
2019: brioche french toast, light and fluffy, with batter of vanilla beans and apples: B with maple bourbon butter B+ total, with not real maple syrup B/B+ total
fried apple pie C-, with vanilla bean ice cram C+, with sauce B-
NEXT TIME:
grits again and always!!
mixed berry pop tart
COWBOY meatloaf (poached egg with it is gone, after 2016:)
cornbread waffle (A+ in 2016)

2015 and OCTOBER 2016: 
challah french toast B+
crab cake benny (seared jumbo lump crab cake, beefsteak tomatoes, hollandaise, micro greens, light dusting of old bay, english muffin) 2016: A+. 2018: B
chicken and dumpling soup B+
shrimp and grits B/B+
grits (best ever) A+ 
fried potato A-
warm monkey bread (light cinnemon bread alone: B-) B-/B
pancakes B+
BLT and egg (with pork belly, lettuce, fried green tomato, garlic aioli, egg, broche bun) C/B-
brioche bun A-
fried green tomato A-
ranchers benny (fried green tomato, boursin cheese, roasted corn salsa, roasted poblano sauce -- too strong of a verde sauce), poached egg, hollandaise, english muffin) C
roasted pork belly IN 2016: C
corned beef hash (1/4 inch cubes corned beef: A- in their regular hash browns alone: A-), total: B+/A-
house made country sausage links B-/B
scrapple (best ever) B
bacon B
hazlenut choco flourless cake A- (test again)
brown sugar pop tart A-
orange, mango pop tart C
brocolli B/B+
crab stuffed avocado appetizer (chipotle aioli in crab with side of roasted corn salsa and fresh cut parseley) A/A+
crab A
mixed veges: sauteed, white onion, shredded carrot, corn A
2016: meatloaf, with good spices B+  (jack pepper pan gravy B+, poached egg A, fried leeks, garlic smashed red bliss potatoes). total: A- (maybe different recipe now, as egg is now gone)
pork chop (root beer and honey glazed) B-, with a few bites near bone A-; overall: B
shrimp and grits (best grits ever, but needs more seasonings) B+

smoked brisket benny (jalapeno cornbread waffle, fresh tomato salsa, carm onions, poached egg, hollandaise) (brisket with seasoning B+/A-), cornbread waffle, no jalapeno flavor: A) total: A+
fried, sliced breakfast potato B
fries C
brussel sprouts B
pecan torte (pie) A-
pop tarts:
a. orange banna mango B-
UNFORTUNATELY GONE FROM MENU AFTER 2016: 
DINNER:
dinner benedict (grilled 8 oz. filet mignon, toasted brioche, poached egg, buttered asparagus, tarragon hollandaise)
BREAKFAST:
iron benny (grilled beef tenderloin, carmalized onion, roasted crimini mushrooms, poached egg, bernaise sauce, crispy  fried leeks, English muffin)

Jack's Chinese - tied for best crab cakes
a. crab cakes: A (the spices they use make this amazing)
b. Hong Kong roast duck (not Crispy Duck) B+
c. Orange chicken. B+
d. Crispy Duck. D+/C-

Jalapenos
MARCH 2019:
mild guac, same as below: A
jalapeno and cheese poppers B/B+
rolls B+
mole sauce: B+/A-
APPETIZERS:
Pato a la levantina: duck breast, sauteed and oven roasted with orange liquor reduction and cashews served medium rare: B-. With squeeze orange juice over it: B+
a. "chulatitas de cordero con mezcal:" lamb chops marinated with mezcal herbs, grilled, over roasted potatoes with jalapeno pesto sauce A-/A
b. appetizer: "chuletitos a la riojana:" lamb chops served over papas con rastas, topped with sauteed onion, tomato, and pimento: A

MARCH 2018:
Trout: "Trucha al  caldillo relleno:" resh trout with sweet guajillo pepper, tomto, onion, bay leaves, flavored with rum and seafood broth A-
lamb rack: Cordero de castilla: lamb rack chops marinated with olive oil, herbs and garlic, grilled, topped with piquillo butter (lamb rack with red colored sauce of Spanish herbs) B+
Rack of lamb, rubbed with rosemary and served over black mole A+
lamb alone A-
sourdough bread B/B+
paella rice B
mash potato B
mild guacamole (avocado, cilantro, onion, tomato) A
hot guacamole (same plus jalapeno peppers) B+
DESSERT: banana and whipped cream chimichanga B/B+
OCTOBER 2016
a. trout (sauteed with salsa and herbs on top). A+
b. seafood paella: B+ (rice with it: A)
c. sourdough roll alone B/B+
c-2 sourdough roll with butter A
d. rice C+
e. trucua compesina rellena (clear cut trout with serrano ham (thinly shaved ham sandwiched in middle of fish, with manghego cheese (not visible) and piquillo pepper, finished with white wine and lemon butter sauce) fish alone B-/B, total: B+
f. salmon a la Navarra: salmon sauted with lemon (small chunks), capers, and finished with white wine B+
g. marinated black olives B-/B
h. marinated green olives B-
i. paella:
scallops B
shrimp B+
clams C+
fish C/C+
rice B+; but if hot: perhaps A- 
j. lamb rack, special, marinated in beer, olive oil, and herbs, with tomato masa sauce (corn flour in the tomato sauce?) plus green "specs" A+
k. halibut chef's special: chargrilled B+/A-
l. polenta under halibut A
m. veges with halibut: carrot, zuch, croc, green peppers, slightly cooked, with seasoning C

TRY LATER:
all bold faced above, plus:
a. Carne Asada: rib eye steak, basted with lemon juice and butter, toped with roasted poblano pepper, Onion, and Tomato
b. Cituleta de cendo: grilled center cut pork chop (not as good as rib cut in general, not served here): marinated with vege and sesame oil, garlic, shallots, peppercorn, honey, and thyme
c. (poblano) chile relleno - get cheese only, at night only (still made as cheese only vs option with chicken and cheese)
d. pescado indio (tilapia - too strong of a freshwater fish): flash fried, crusted with plantain, grilled and served over rice and black bean sauce
e. pescado veracruz (tilapia) sauteed with tomato, pepper and white whine, and something else

Jerry's (outside Annapolis) - tied for best crab cakes
a. crab "bomb." A+
b. fried crab cakes. B+
c. beer battered halibut. C-

Kevin and Mike's at Market Place
a. fried chicken. when freshly cooked. B-/B, but C- if only warm.  Adding: sweet chili sauce: B+/A-.
Adding bourbon sauce (their second best sauce): B/B+

b. fries. B-
c. gelato. C+
d. crab cake C-
e. crabcake sandwich (with mayo, lettuce, cheap bun) B-
f. fried oyster (worst in town, but they try, using fresh oysters): C-/D+
g. cream of crab soup (worst in town). D+
h. fish and chips - don't get: distributor breaded, using frozen floundera.


Ledo Pizza
a. supreme. (crust only a C+). overall: B+
b. kids'spaghetti with marinara sauce, sauce only: C++
c. goatcheese/jalapenos/anchovies pizza. B

Lobster Rolls (Main St.)
a. lobster roll (on mayo with bun) C++
TRY LATER:
clam chowder 

Les Folies
French bagette and butter A-
duck confit (nice crust, very little if any seasoning flavor) B+
lentils B/B+
field greens B-
escargo butter (with green specs and butter) A-/A
Denver sole B
crab cake (canned flavor, no seasoning flavor, dry) B
green beans, thin, buttered B+
carrots B-
mash potatoes B/B+
DESSERTS:
begnet C, with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce B-
chocolate mousse cake with mint and raspberries A - -
pican pie A (BEST EVER, MADE BY A FRENCH GUY IN BALTIMORE).
pecan pie crust C -

Main and Market
all grades 2016 and earlier, except where indicated:
2019: bread (big roll). B+
2019: fish and chips (cod in 2019 is an upgrade to last couple years of swai, which was a rather mushy fish compared to cod; the smooth batter is beaten too long; for better batter see Sam's Waterfront.). (used to be A with cape capensis fish and perhaps different batter pre-2016). Now:  Total grade here: B/B+ 
2019: chocolate mousse pie A-/A
2019: decadent cake: B+

2016:
bisquit. A
salmon, herb-crusted. A
h. crab cake (strong canned flavor) B-
i. crab cake sandwich. B+
j. fried chicken. D
k. meatloaf with pork and beef, and Hungarian gravy. C++
l. mashed potatos, lumpy. C++/B-
m. citrus scallops. B+ (best are at G&M, Lithicum)
n-p. n/a
q. clam chowder B++
r. Hungarian mushroom soup A, dipped in bread A+
s. blackened salmon B/B+, with tomato and avocado B+
t. mash potatoes (creamy and much garlic) B/B+
u. filet mignon B/B+
v. crab sauce (strong canned flavor) with filet mignon C+
w. bread B
x. grilled asparagus A
y. rice with peas, carrots and corn C
DESSERTS: 
1. Kentucky Derby pie (nuts and choc; like big choc chip cookie) B-
2. strawberry/blueberry pie. B-
3. chocolate custard. B- -
4. chocolate mousse pie. A
5. decadent chocolate cake. B/B+
6. choc swirl cheesecake D+
7. raspberry mousse pie D+ (but choc crust is A-)
8. key lime pie (like pudding, with only a little condensed milk: C, crust C. Total: C
9.chocolate cannoli cake (cake alone B-/B), with canoli: B+, frosting alone A, canoli alone B, crust B+
10. carrot cake (alone: B, frosting with nuts alone B+) combined: B+
AT BAY WOODS ON MEMORIAL DAY 2016, LIKELY FROM MAIN INGREDIENT:
11. chocolate chip cookie C/C+
12. fudge brownie with big choc chunks B++


Mission BBQ
MARCH 2018:
brownie C-/C
stuffed jalapeno B/B+
carrot cake (not fresh, too moist when not fresh) C-
OCTOBER 2016:
whole chicken B-/B
spare ribs B-/B
baby back ribs B+
baked beans C+
pulled pork alone B
with 4 of the 6 sauces very good: 
(best sauces:
honey heat A
bay bbq B+/A-
smoky mountain A
KC B+
Memphis Belle B
Texas C

fries B
cornbread B-/B
seasonal peach cobbler B++ SERVED MAY AND JUNE
wet end brisket (too dry) C+
lean brisket C+
slaw B+
potato salad B+
mash B+
mac and cheese (5 cheese) B/B+
wet brisket sandwich (bun C-) total grade, with tupelo honey heat sauce: B

LATER GET:
caramel bread pudding A SERVED THANKSGIVING TO LATE DECEMBER
seasonal strawberry shortcake
later try:
pulled chicken (marinated thighs)
sausage #1
sausage #2
turkey slices

Miss Shirley's Cafe
MARCH 2018:
grits with diced bacon, mascarpone and heavy cream, chives and tomato B
cornbread with cajun spices, alone B/B+, pepper butter alone A-, combo A-
hash browns A-
SLIDERS: 
ciabatto rolls, alone B+
a. pork and egg B/B+ (pork alone B/B+, scrambled egg B+
b. bacon, cheese, and egg B
c. pepper, egg, spinach, and goat cheese A-
CRABCAKE BENNY: (needs an English muffin - next time order that as a side and add items below to it!)
crabcake alone A
fried green tomato alone B/B+
has no muffin
greens A
poached egg, dusted A
combo B+
combo with bad hollandaise sauce B+

OCTOBER 2016:
a. coconut challah french toast (with coconut cream cheese inside and coconut flakes; challah bread [too thick] dipped in almond scented egg mix, stuffed with coconut cream cheese, and flaked coconut, with strawberries and bruleed bananas; ask for on side: cinnamon and powdered sugar, not on it, which is standard) (if thinner bread it would be higher grade) B+/A-
b. hashbrowns A-
c. apple smoked bacon B+/A-
d. n/a
e. jalapenio peach jam (tasted like apricot) C
f. omellete of the month: crab cake, asparagus, cherry tomato, fried green tomato, corn relish, old bay hollandaise sauce - same as crab cake benny with fried green tomato, but as an omellete (needs cheese but the sauce replaces it somewhat): B+
g. cornbread (with peach jalapeno jam) A
h. cornbread alone A-/A
i. grits with diced bacon, marscapone, chives, tomato, and heavy cream B+/A- (best grits however are at Iron Rooster)
j. grits with no bacon B
k. pancake B/B+
l. bisquits with benne seed, corn, and jalapeno peach jam (similar to apricot) B-, and with peppadew butter C
m. Nana's grilled cheese: white cheddar and havarti (thick slices, not melted enough), bacon, yellow and red tomato, sourdough bread cooked in too much butter for 2 of the 3 of us (1 liked that) B
n. fried green tomato B
o. crab cake A

Try: crabcake benedict 
crab cake sandwich

TRY: CRAB cake and egg and muffin
Try: crab cake sandwich


Osteria 
call for daily entrees: 410-267-7700 
a. sea bass. A+
b. dessert: citrus panna cotta A-
TRY LATER:
a. duck breast with blueberries, mint, port wine reduction
b. lamb chops with rosemary and white wine reduction
c. chocolate hazelnut cake

Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market
FOOD ITEMS RATING B+ OR ABOVE ARE RATED FIRST, HERE:
a. meatloaf. with only ketchup sauce A- 
b-1. meatloaf alone. B-/B
b-2 gravy alone D
b-3 gravy over meatloaf with tomato sauce C
c. strawberry preserves (they also sell it to take home!) A+
d. dinner rolls. fresh: A-/A; if stale (such as 26 May 2016) C-
e. stuffing and gravy B+
f.  grits B

At Beiler's Bakery outside the restaurant itself: B+ and A's:
h. glazed donut (second best we've had in the U.S., after Krispy Kreme). B++
i. apple fritter (2nd best we've found in the U.S. after Moore's Donuts, now closed in Payson, Utah). A -
j. blueberry fritter (best we've found in the U.S.) A-
k. peach fritter B+

FOOD INSIDE restaurant: BELOW B+ GRADE ARE LISTED HERE:
a. french toast B-
b. scrapple. B-
c. what toast. C
d. blueberry pancakes. C
e. chicken pot pie (actually chicken and dumplings - with no crust) B 
f. chicken pot pie, chicken alone. C+. dumplings alone B
g. peas C
h. mashed potatoes C-
i. gravy D/D+
j. cinemon twist. C

At Beiler's Bakery, items that rated below B+:
k. cake donut. C
l. raspberry-glazed donut C++
m. all other donuts. C
n. chocolates. C
o. strawberry shortcake. D+/C-.

Red Hot and Blue
older, 2003 test
a. ribs A
b. chicken B
c. brisket (wet end not requested) C+
d. pulled pork B+
e. hushpuppies A+
f. catfish B
g. slaw A-
h. baked beans B-
i. cornbread muffins A-

Royal Farms (convenience store)
a. fried chicken. B

Sam's on the Waterfront
new chef January 2018, so all items below are different or discontinued, except where updated 2019:
2019: 
a. fish and chips - cod A+, batter B+ (best on East coast we've had!) total: A 
b. lobster roll: B. (Notes: buttered and grilled Texas toast with it: B++, lobster and sauce of lemon juice, lemon rine, and mayo) B-.) Best lobster roll of the 2 we've had in Annapolis.
c. cream of crab soup B-
d. key lime pie (from distributor): C+/B-
e. salad C- (slightly withered greens but not good taste anyway in the combo of items)
NEXT TIME TRY:
a. crab cakes $29
b. crab cake sandwich 15
c. brulee 8
Sunday: 1/2 price wings and 1/2 price Kobe burger
2017, but most of these are gone as of 2018:
b. slaw, best in Annapolis A
c. fries, thin B/B+
d. teriyaki salmon C, sauce C
e. tartar sauce too much pickle flavor C+
f. mash with yellow curry sauce B+
g. sauteed spinach with curry sauce B+/A-
h. lamb "strips" (chops) with yellow curry sauce A-
i. moon pie, house made, flourless choc cake, layered A-

TRY: CRAB CAKES

Severn Inn
about 2015:
Cream of crab soup A+
bread and butter A
fried oyster (too much breading) C
crab cake (canned flavor, weak spices) B-/B
corn peppers with crab cake C+
fried green tomato with crab cake C+
lobster stew B-/B
fries B+
rockfish, sauteed B- (top 2, with Carols Creek, but rockfish is dense and fishy everywhere. They prep it well here with onion and cilantro)
TRY LATER HERE:
1. tomato bisque with amber 16 cheddar in multi grain bread
2. fried flounder

Shake Shack (nearest one: in D.C.)
burger A- (meat B/B+, bun A-/A, plus cucumbers, T, O, shake sauce and mayo)
fries, crinkle B+/A-

Stan and Joe's Saloon
a. reuben (bread-buttered rye toast A, pastrami: strips and chunks A, white slaw, yellow (Swiss) cheese, total: A
b. fish and chips (frozen cod C-/C) batter B/B+ total: B
c. tartar (mayo-y) C
d. fries alone B-B, with old bay B
e. slaw (mayo-y) C/C+
f. chipotle mayo (hot) C+
g. onion rings B+
h. crabcake alone B/B+
i. crabcake sandwich (bun B) B/B+
try: 
1. Thurs-Fri-Sat Prime rib
2. 3 sliders with angus, bacon, cheese, and potato buns
3. maybe try: cheese steak stogie (egg rolls with thin steak and onion and cheese)
4. stan's big dipper sandwich - thin prime rib, with sauteed onion, mushrooms and provolone

Stony River
DESSERTS:
2019: key lime pie (best in Annapolis) A-/A (2nd best now is at Adams Taphouse Grill).
2018: chocolate fudge cake B/B+, with mediocre syrup, combo B
2019: carrot cake B/B+
TRY THERE: 
ribeye
prime rib
mushroom meatloaf
BBQ ribs
trout

Vin's 909
2019:
bread A
olive oil (brand: Antiqua Italia): A
OG arugala salad (fried shallots, goat cheese, arugala, white valsamic vinagrete) A
Pizzas:
family allium Chive oil, whole roasted garlic, fontina, mozzarella, Parmagiano Reggiano, buttered leeks, applewood smoked bacon, tellicherry pepper crème fraiche B+
charcooterie B
spotted pig Soppressata, wild boar meatballs, tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and provolone C+ (with boar meatballs: C+/B-
favorite of one tester in past: "envious pig:" tomato, pesto vinagrette, ricotta cheese, spec? shallots
try in future: spatzel with pork belly
DESSERTS:
creme de pot, chocolate (pudding, too dense, dark) B
butterscotch pudding: good texture, no flavor of butterscotch C+

RESTAURANTS STILL TO TRY:
Chesapeake Seafood in Edgewater (call: is this a fish market only? 410-956-8956)
Cafe Bretton, Severna Park
Chris's Charcoal Pitt (Greek plus American)
Newnes Steakhouse (best steak in the city)
Ruths Chris
O'Leery's
Nordstram's Cafe - salmon, etc.
Mehzanoda (2nd best Italian after Osteria: seafood, and pastas, on Richie Highway, in Arnold, MD)
House Bar and Grill


Voted as non-favorites:
Ice cream:
Jo-Jo
a. chocolate ice cream: B - -
b. strawberry: C
c. black raspberry C+
d. mint choc chip C+
e. butter pecan B - - /C+
f. pistachio C+

Restaurants:
Grace Garden, Odenton, MD (outside Annapolis)

a. flounder battered in wok with sauce and veges. C+/B-
c. egg drop soup. C 
d. orange chicken. D+
e pork belly seshuan. D
f. fried rice. D

Philips Seafood. C+/D

Continued, voted as C's and Below:

McGarvey's
OB's Prime
Middleton Tavern
O'Brians
Mike's Restaurant and Crab House
The Italian Market Restaurant
Castlebay Pub
Abertos Italian in Glyn Byrnie


Ice cream shops:
(worth testing again are bold faced - buy single scoop:)

Annapolis Ice Cream Co.(our fave ice cream place in Annapolis)
MARCH 2018:
Chocolate B-/B
Chocolate banana B/B+
Chocolate orange B+
2015-2016:
a.banana B+
b. mint choc chip C++
c. strawberry B
d. strawberry oreo (their best ice cream) A-
e. blueberry C
f. chocolate B-
g. raspberry B
h. chocolate coconut B
i. butter pecan D
j. maple walnut (too little maple flavor) C-
k. raspberry chocolate chip C+?
l. coconut B-
m. coffee chip (strong) B-
n. nutella strawberry B

Brewster's Ice Cream
a. mint chip B+
b. cherry vanilla D -
c. chocolate C
d. strawberry C-
e. maple walnut C
f. peach C-
g. Hershey's special dark chocolate B
h. chocolate butter pecan C-
i. Orange sherbet B+
j. butter pecan (ice cream alone C+, with nuts:) B+
k. black cherry B+

l. coconut pineapple B+

Hershey's Ice Cream (Storm Brothers in March 2018)
a. chocolate B-
b. butter pecan C-
c. black cherry C-
d. maple walnut C-
(in 2015 Hershey's ice cream was tested at Hard Bean Coffee Cafe with following results:)
a. chocolate C+
b. coffee (mild) A-

c. butter pecan C+
e. strawberry C?

Kilby (cake and cream)
a. chocolate B - -
b. butter pecan B-
c. black raspberry C
d. coffee ice cream B-?

Kilwins
butter pecan (better ice cream than Brusters, but Bruster's has much better pecans - Kilwins are soft). butter pecan with nuts B+
butter pecan ice cream alone B/B+
chocolate B+
coffee B- -
Peruvian chocolate C-
maple B- (in March 2018, voted C+)
mint choc chip B
pistachio C
strawberry B-
swiss chocolate C-

Vanderweiss? from Delaware dairy at 188 Main St.
maple nut C-
chocolate C+
butter pecan C - - - 



Best chocolate ice cream in town:
MARCH 2018 test:
Kilwins B
Hershey's B-
Annapolis Ice Cream Co. B-/B
Vanderweiss? from Delaware, at Mason's Lobster rolls on Main C+
2015:
1. Haagen Dazs (grocery store) A
2. Trader Joes (Double Rainbow brand) A -
3. Kilwins (regular chocolate) B+
Jack and Jill (at Hard Bean Coffee Cafe) choc brownie B/B+
(Note: this brand replaces their Hershey's creamery they used till spring 2015, which rated B-/B)
4. Kilby's B
5. Firenzes (gelato stand in market place) regular chocolate B
6. Storm Bros now has Hershey's Creamery Ice cream; when test was done in 201 we had it at Hard Bean Coffee Cafe) B-/B
7. Annapolis Ice Cream Company B-
8. Turkey Hill All Natural (grocery store) B-
9. Brusters Hershey's special dark Choc B- (tested separately from most of the others on this test)
Annapolis Ice Cream Co. chocolate orange (B- (tested separately from this list)
10. Brusters regular choc C+ (tested separately from most of the others)
11. Kilwin's Swiss C
12. Frenzes (gelato stand in Market Place). Choc hazlenut C
13. Friendly's (grocery store) C
14. Kilwin's Peruvian C-/C
15. Turkey Hill regular (grocery store) C- 

BUTTER PECAN TEST:
MARCH 2018:
Kilwins C+
Hershey's C-
Annapolis Ice Cream Co. C - -
Vanderweiss (at Mason's Lobster Roll) C - - -

BEST ANNAPOLIS FOODS TO GET AGAIN PLUS NEW ONES TO TRY:

Cream of crab soups to try:
grumps
boatyard
federal pub
McGarvey's pub
other downtown pubs

Carrol's Creek
Cream of Crab Soup A+
TRY: 
tenderloin sandwich $13
jumbo lump sandwich $14
TRY DINNER STARTERS:
cumin lamb rack $15
crab artichoke dip and bread 12
TRY ENTREE:
Filet mignon 36
TRY DESSERTS:
creme brulee 8.50
decadent cake 8.50
cheesecake 8.50
choc and peanut butter banana 8.50

Adam's Ribs
ONLY GO 11 A.M.! for ribs: A 
chicken A
key lime pie B++

Vin 909
bread (best in Annapolis) A
olive oil (Antiqua Italia) A
arugla salad A+
(try other 2 salads!)

Le Folie 
2018 and 2019: pecan pie - best in Annapolis, made by French guy in Baltimore.
2018: chocolate mousse cake with mint and raspberries A - - 

Severn Inn
Cream of Crab soup A+
bread and butter A

Normandie Cafe
Lunch, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. try:
Cream of crab soup
basquaise omel.
eggs florentine omel.
crab benedict
apple and cheddar omel
seafood omel
crabcake sandw
veal francais
roast chicken with rosemary au jus (dark?)
Dinner:
quail $28
rack of lamb with rosemary rub $32
crabcakes $32

Grumps
cream of crab soup
crab cake platter (I've only had it in sandwich - too little)
bacon cheese anus burger
make a Grump burger at 5 Guys: sauteed O and M, dijon, swiss, L, T, mayo)

Sam's on the Waterfront
fish and chips (fish A+, chips B+/A-: thin, excellent fries)
TRY:
a. crab cake
b. crab cake sandwich 15
c. brulee 8
d and e: Sunday: 1/2 price wings and 1/2 price Kobe burger

AYC:
arctic char only if white cream sauce
cream of crab soup maybe again

Shake Shack (nearest one: in D.C.)
burger A- (meat B/B+, bun A-/A, plus cucumbers, T, O, shake sauce and mayo)
fries, crinkle B+/A-

Jalapeno
again:
rack of lamb, rubbed with rosemary, over black mole A+
trout sauteed with salsa and herbs on top A+
TRY:
a. Carne Asada: rib eye steak, basted with lemon juice and butter, toped with roasted poblano pepper, Onion, and Tomato
b. Cituleta de cendo: grilled center cut pork chop (not as good as rib cut in general, not served here): marinated with vege and sesame oil, garlic, shallots, peppercorn, honey, and thyme
c. (poblano) chile relleno - get cheese only, at night only (still made as cheese only vs option with chicken and cheese)
d. pescado indio (tilapia - too strong of a freshwater fish): flash fried, crusted with plantain, grilled and served over rice and black bean sauce
e. pescado veracruz (tilapia) sauteed with tomato, pepper and white whine, and something else

Boatyard
TRY: 
1. open faced crab dip samich (artichoke, spinach, onion, parm cheese dip, open on ciabatta bread) with melted cheddar and tomatos.
2. key west fish sandwich - mahi, onion kaiser roll, lemon aioli, sauteeed peppers, onion, mushroom, havarti cheese
3. Rastafarian porch chop with Jamacain rub topped with mango chutney, and crab mac & cheese
4. baby back ribs with mango bbq sauce
5. Annapolitan (omelette): 3 eggs, lump crab, chopped tomato, scallion, mornay sauce
6. big fat scallop with black pepper, sugar, salt, pan seared with balsamic reduction
7. Halibut love point, tossed with lump crab and citrus butter
8. "a nice fish sandwich" fresh fillet of day. with lemon pepper, brioche roll, red pepper aioli, lettuce
9. grits
10. reuben: delic corned beef, slaw or kraut, 1k dressing, swiss cheese,  panini fried, thick rye
11. shrimp and grits
12. crab benedict with asparagus and tomatoes

13. pepperjack grits (same as grits above?)
14. ribs
15. crab benedict
16. cream of crab soup

Lobster Rolls, Main St.
clam chowder

Annapolis Ice Cream Co.
orange chocolate i.c.

Federal Pub - new for us
cream of crab soup
fish and chips
pecan pie

McGarvey's Pub - new for us
cream of crab soup
key lime pie
fish and chips
pecan pie

at least 2 other downtown pubs, including Dockside:
get same items as above, if have them 

Iron Rooster
a. grits again and always!! Gilster Maryland Stoneground is on package. boil with cream and chicken stock and little salt)
b. mixed berry pop tart
c. after 3 pm: COWBOY meatloaf (poached egg with it is gone, after 2016:)
4. cornbread waffle (A+ in 2016)
5. french toast again, this time with brie inside plus bacon candy with it
6. country fried steak (ribeye), after 3 pm
7. bourbon marinated pork belly after 3 pm
8. BLT and E with garlic aioli
9. shrimp and grits again: poached, white wine,T, O, chipotle butter - may be different than before when had it at B+
10. crab hash
11. Run rooster run: bacon, egg, cheddar, brie on bagette

Osteria
had in  2015, and called in 2019 - they still have these:
Chilean sea bass again A (or similar Corvina with orange infused olive oil carmalized into it! plus escarole (with an "a" in Italy - a wilted green, like kale and cabbage)
citrus panna cotta A-

Main and Market
Hungarian mushroom soup with bread A+
herb crusted salmon A
grilled asparagus A
ask for soup of day, normally not cream of crab
choc mousse pie A-
decadant cake B+

Amish Cafe
meatloaf with only ketchup sauce (no gravy) A-
stuffing and gravy B+
dinner rolls (if fresh:) A-/A

Beiler's Bakery
glazed donut A-
blueberry fritter A
apple fritter A

Mission BBQ
Caramel bread pudding (Thanksgiving to end of Dec)
Peach cobbler (May-June)

Stony River
Key Lime pie A-
try:
mushroom meatloaf
ribeye
ribs
trout

Miss Shirley's
crabcake
crabcake benedict (B+ with no muffin; add muffin to make better!)
slider: get only the version with pepper, egg, cheese, spinach A-
coconut challah french toast: leave off cinamon and powdered sugar or put on side!: B+/A-
Crabcake sandwich

Stan and Joe's Saloon
reuben with slaw A


Sunday, September 21, 2014

Best Restaurants in Park City / Best food Park City restaurants and cafes

Best Restaurants in Park City - mostly Main Street

rev 7 Oct 2016

(AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ARE THE FOLLOWING REVIEWS: "BEST RIBS IN PARK CITY," BEST DUCK IN PARK CITY, "BEST TROUT IN PARK CITY," "BEST OTHER SEAFOOD IN PARK CITY," and BEST DESSERTS IN PARK CITY)


Overall we rate 10 restaurants the highest - based mainly on testing the following 7 dishes: duck, trout, other seafood, fish and chips, ribs, fried chicken, and flourless chocolate cake.

Note that our test mostly covers Main Street. Only 7 places we have tested off Main Street so far: Daily's and Burgers and Bourbon at The Montage, The Farm at The Canyons, Bird and Barleys, O'Shucks (west location), Miner's Bar and Grill, and Boneyard. We tried every place on Main Street that offers at least one of the above 7 dishes. A number of restaurants we tried are not listed because we did not find any excellent items there.

31 Restaurants with excellent items worth getting. Our overall favorite places are bold-faced and larger type. (ALPHABETICAL ORDER). 

1. Bangkok Thai (Great sea bass but Riverhorse has the best in the state we've found. What we like about Bangkok Thai's sea bass especially is their 3 flavor - sweet, sour, and spicy - sauce, with the central Thailand emphasis on sweetness, a perfect compliment to the sea bass. Also they have the best coconut soup we've found and very good molten chocolate cake.) Their coconut ice cream is the best we've found in the state. For details of our "Best Ice Cream in Utah" tests, see: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2013/05/best-ice-cream-in-utah.html

2. Billy Blanco's. Best hushpuppies (cornbread) in the state. Best chocolate cake in the state. Best ribs in Park City if sauce added afterward (Carolina sauce). Best rice and beans in Park City.
DETAILS:
orange colordip with chips A
mash B/B+
mash with gravy B++
chips A+
lime cream sauce B+
refried black beans A-
rice A-
ribs B-
ribs with carolina sauce A-
fried chicken: breast B/B+
thigh B/B+
thigh with honey sauce B+
slaw B+
trout A-
trout without rosemary A


3. Bird and Barley. (broccoli slaw is great there; we tried everything. If you love rosemary, you'll love their fried chicken.)

4.. Bistro 412. Chef: Adam Ross (amazing cumin and lime-dusted trout, duck two ways, scallops, and baked brie in puff pastry shell with blackberry compote). For "Best Seafood in Utah," see: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2014/06/best-seafood-in-utah.html

5. Burgers and Bourbon Restaurant at The Montage. (Best raspberry-chocolate cake we've found - but only when raspberries are in season. Outside of summer they serve jam - bad idea.)

6. Cafe Terigo. (great trout, duck with grapes and greens giving it a perfect touch, chocolate creme brulee, and sauteed brussel sprouts). Chef: Ed Aster and Carly

7. Chimayo. Ribs are 2nd best on Main Street after Eating Establishment. Elk skewers with green sauce is excellent. The same green sauce comes with herbed focacia bread as their house bread, and the combo is also excellent.

8. Collie's Sports Bar and Grill. (very good green chile with cheddar/jack blend covered fries, using imported New Mexico green chile)

9. Daly's at The Montage. (One of top two places in town for fries, along with Flannigans, below.)

10. Eating Establishment. (best clam chowder we've found in Utah and great grilled cheese and vege sandwich. Top 3 for ribs in the city - non-smoked.)  

11. Farm at the Canyons. (great sturgeon and smoked chicken with grits)

12. Flannigan's Pub (one of our top two places for fries in town, along with Daly's, above.) 

13. Handle. Very good fried chicken with white gravy. Best ribs, although non-smoked, in Park City. Great caramel pudding if cream is added.

14. The Lift Grill at Jupiter Bowling Alley. Pork Belly is excellent. Fried chicken is better with dark meat, although white is very good also. The white meat - breast - with white gravy is especially good, even for mostly dark meat lovers like us.

14a. Loco Lizzard Mexican. green sauce for chips B+/A-, red sauce A-

15. O'Shucks Pub (the one on the west side of town - not the Main St, pub, which does not serve it: best fish and chips in town. We've had it every place that serves it, that we've hunted down. See our website for Best Fish and Chips in Utah: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-fish-and-chips-in-utah.html (as well as Los Angeles and Las Vegas on separate sub-sites of our website. Note that Wasatch Brew and Pub is our fave on Main St. and second fave in town.)

16. Park City Chinese and Thai (walnut shrimp, pneapple and shrimp fried rice, and fried shrimp are very good.)

17. Purple Sage. (Great snap peas, grilled asparagus, and mashed potaotes. Lavender creme brulee with berries is excellent.)

18. Riverhorse (great duck, best sea bass in the state!) 

19. Sammy's Bistro. Tied for Best fish sandwich in the state - with chargrilled mahi. (the other first place fish sandwich is the salmon sandwich at The Harvest, in Thanksgiving Point). 

20. Silver (best heavier fish we've had - Cobia - and great dinner bread with chive oil and goose fat fingerling potatoes.). Chef: Serg Smith

21. Shabu (very good black miso cod, great watermellon salad, cornbread with sauce, flourless chocolate cake gets an A-, although not as good as Zoom's. Our favorite dessert at Shabu however is their ginger-peach pie: grade A

22. Spur Bar and Grill. (Catfish strips are very good, almost as a good fish and chips item.

23. Talisker (great fried chicken that also offers dark meat with white - not many places do; The white gravy with the breast makes it among the best white meat fried chicken in the state (See our website for Best Fried Chicken in Utah: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2013/04/be-st-fried-chicken-in-utah-28-april.html
We try it everywhere we find it.)

24. 350 Main. Third best trout in the state (after Bistro 412 and Cafe Terigo, which are tied for number 1). Good key lime pie but tastes like "half cheesecake."

25. Wahso Asian Grill (best black cod in the state and great coconut creme brulee). (2nd best black cod is at Pago in SLC.)

26. Wasatch Brew and Pub. 2nd best Fish and Chips in Park City (after O'Shucks in west Park City).

27. Windy Ridge Cafe. Best meat loaf in the state and 3rd best key lime pie. (For our "Best Pies in Utah" ratings, see: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2013/04/best-pies-in-utah-best-ever-were-at.html. For "Best Meatloaf in Utah Restaurants" see: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2013/05/best-meatloaf-in-utah-restaurants.html

28. Windy Ridge Bakery. Very good Chocolate orange torte (B+) and flourless chocolate cake - Top 5 in the state in fact: B+. And best mixed berry pie with raspbery sauce. (Sells very good full key lime pies as noted above, in the restaurant.). Pecan tart with chocolate: B++.

29. Yaki Yami (black cod with miso sauce is very good but not as good as Wahso's herb sprinkled and chargrilled black cod - it's an A- vs. an A+. The lamb lollipops are excellent, for a decent price ($20); We're not a big fan of teriyaki, but their's is the best teriyaki sauce we've had, and it's infused with chocolate.

30. Zoom (best flourless chocolate cake we've found in the state). Pastry chef: Callie Varner. For "Best Desserts in Utah," see: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2013/04/best-miscellaneous-desserts-in-utah-1.html

Best ribs in Park City
(in order:)
1. Handle
2. Eating Establishment
3. Chimaya
4. Billy Blanco
5. Bistro 412
6. Spencer

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Best Duck in Utah

Best Duck in Utah - not in order

revised 14 Jan 2020


Hong Kong Tea House, SLC
a. Peking duck A
b. roast duck: B-

Mandarin, Bountiful
a. roast BBQ duck A
b. Peking duck B- (A skin, D+ overcooked, dried meat)

Dim Sum Kitchen, Provo
a. Peking duck (very moist and tender, skin not crispy enough) B+
b. roast duck (same duck meat, but fat under skin) B-

J. Wong's, SLC
a. Peking duck B+
b. roast duck B

Bistro 412, Park City, Chef: Adam Ross
"Duck 2 Ways": (savory herbs). 
a. breast, sliced, pan roasted (order it medium) B
b. duck leg confit: A

Communal, Provo
a. (seasonal) duck A

Cafe Terago, Park City
a. crispy confit duck leg and thigh with grapes and liquor-infused plum? sauce. A - -
b. duck alone: B+
c. duck alone with greens B ++
d. duck alone with grapes B ++

Riverhorse, Park City
a. fried leg and thigh with buttermilk crust. A - 

Bangkok Thai, Park City
duck breast slices with ginger honey sauce. 
very thick sauce. B+ 
duck with sauce. B-/B 
duck breast alone. B-

Bangkok Grill, Orem
Note: duck here is roasted, then deep fried.
a. duck leg with ginger sauce (a much runnier, less sweet honey ginger sauce than the Bangkok Thai in Park City, yet is good. (Unfortunately you have to get a half duck). B+ 
b. duck leg alone: B
c. duck breast with ginger sauce: B-/B
d. duck breast alone (flavor B, texture C): C+
e. ditto with honey ginger sauce B

Park City Chinese and Thai, Park City
a. duck breast and leg. Roasted by another restaurant, then they deep fry it. Chewy, less than average flavor. C -
b. duck fried rice. Very little duck in it - which makes it tasteless compared to the fried rice.
grade C.


Purple Sage, Park City
a. duck breast, sugar and chili cured, sliced B -


OUT OF BUSINESS: Chef's Table, Orem
a. asian spiced duck A


Monday, June 23, 2014

Best Seafood in Utah

Best Seafood in Utah
Revised 15 May 2018

At the bottom of this list: Top 9 Fish and Chips places in Utah. For the full list see our site, "Best Fish and Chips in Utah:" http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-fish-and-chips-in-utah.html

Also at the bottom is "Best Catfish in Utah" (9 worth getting)

Also see our separate site, "Best Fish Sandwiches in Utah"

Below, places are in alphabetical order for decent seafood:

(where a question mark below, we have to double-check our original notes)

Archibald's, South Jordan
a. breaded tilapia. B+

Bistro 412, Park City, Chef: Adam Ross
a. trout, lime-dusted, with cummin, etc. (best trout in state) A+
b. scallops with bacon B+

Bona Vita, Lehi
a. salmon B-/B but the fettucini, etc with it brings the grade up a bit to B/B+, worth considering. Needs more seasoning.

Boudreaux's Bistro, Payson:
a. crawfish etoufee A-
b. smothered catfish A-

Black Sheep, Provo
a. Fire Shrimp and Polenta. A

Blue Boar Inn, Midway
a. shrimp and creamy polenta and soft-boiled, breaded egg. A

Butcher's Chop House, Park City
a. shrimp and grits (C grade grits, A- shrimp:with cajun spice)

Cafe Terigo, Park City
a. TIED FOR #1 TROUT IN UTAH (with Bistro 412): trout with hollandaise sauce A+
b. trout alone, very lightly breaded: A-/A
c. hollandaise sauce alone: A-

Carrabba's Grill, national chain
a.herb-crusted tilapia, B alone. with cream sauce: B/B+
b.tilapia with red pepper,olives,and green basil lentils B+
c. tilapia chargrilled with tomato and basil B++

Chiles, national chain
a. tilapia with mango sauce (less calories, choleterol, and fat of the 2) B+
b. tilapia, parmesan crusted B++

Farms at The Canyons, Park City
a. sturgeon (a bottom-dweller, like catfish, but tastes like a cross between catfish and trout). Grade A-

Harvest, Thanksgiving Point
a. salmon sandwich. A

La dolce vita, Provo
a. breaded, Italian seasoned orange roughy. A-/A
b. breaded, Italian seasoned halibut (best halibut in state we've had). A - -

MacCool's, SLC, Layton, Bountiful
a. red trout (with very good pesto sauce on top) B+

Madison Gastropub, Provo
a. blackened salmon sandwich A+
b. blackened, broiled salmon. B
c. chargrilled salmon. A
d. tied for #1 best fish and chips in Utah (see bottom of this list)

Maria Bonita, Orem
a. cedar plank salmon (overcooked but very nice grill flavor) B-

Mimi's Cafe, regional chain
a. sole meuniere B+/A-

O'Hana's, Springville
a. panko crusted, fried, breaded swai. B/B+ 

Olive Garden, national chain
a. breaded tilapia, Italian seasoned. B/B+

P.F. Chang, chain
a. Chilean sea bass (worst Chilean sea bass in Utah, but as our favorite fish it's hard to ruin completely). B/B+
b. hot fish, cod, breaded B/B+

Pago, Salt Lake City
a. Sable fish A-

Park City Chinese and Thai, Park City
a. walnut shrimp A
b. walnut sauce with it: C

Purple Sage, Park City
a. corn-battered trout B-


Rinco Peru, Orem (serving fish again in about late Nov 2014)
a. steamed swai in Peruvian herbed broth. Grade B

Note that most ethnic cafes serve tilapia, and usually overcooked. This place serives a better, though less expensive fish - swai, a sweet, buttery fish that is in our opinion the best undiscovered fish for most people - and is comparatively cheap. 

Riverhorse, Park City
a. sea bass A+

Romano's Macaroni Grill, national chain
a. parmasan crusted sole, with lemon butter, capers (has heavy crust). B/B+
b. Mediterranean Branzino (cheap sea bass - NOT Chilean sea bass, which is our favorite fish! - but this is not it), with lemon chardonnay sauce B

Ruth's Diner, SLC
a. grilled salmon, overcooked, frozen C
b. salmon with red papper sauce B+
salmon sauce alone: B+/A-

Sammy's Bistro, Park city
a. mahi sandwich (best fish sandwich in state, followed by Madison's, Provo and Harvest, Thanksgiving Point)

Sea Bass, Ogden
a. best catfish in Utah: A
b. best tilapia in Utah: A-
(the cod and halibut are mediocre: C)

Se lama Peru, Provo
a. fried seafood plate. (overall: B)
(consisting of fried shrimp B+, fried oysters D+, fried tilapia fish B, calamari D, assorted sea urchins deep fried, ranging from C- to B)

Shabu, Park City
a. black cod B+/A-
b. (above served over egg foo young, alone graded: C+/B-)
c. sea bass, boiled in Asian broth. B+
d. corn bread and sauce A-

Sizzler, national chain
a. ONLY GOOD ENTREE at this restaurant:: Cedar Plank Salmon, soy glazed B+

Slate, Provo
a. cedar plank trout. C+, with skin B/B+

Slapfish, Lehi
a. clobster sandwich (too much mayo-like sauce on half of it, lowering it to B-; the other half had less sauce for B-/B)

Summerhays Halibut and Chips, SLC
2011 grades (higher than in 2012):
a. halibut fish and chips B (in 2012 dropped to a B)
b. swai A- (in 2012 stopped serving)
c. grilled halibut B-
d. grilled lemon pepper halibut, when overcooked C-, when not C+
e. grilled herb crushed halibut (crust is dull and thick) C-
f. griled halibut parmesan B
g. crab cake D
h. lemon pepper swai B+
i. sweet potato (needs seasoning) B-
j. sweet potato fries A-
k. clam chowder B+
new in 2012:
l. battered haddock C+

Talkisker, Park City
a. Trout (the corn and veges underneath it are amazing; the yougurt topping makes it a B/B+) B

Tiburon, Sandy
a. chilean sea bass B+

The Tropical, Provo
a. fish and chips, see below: B+
b. garlic sauce and swai fish B/B+?
c. coconut sauce and swai fish B+?
d. coconut sauced swai. B+ 
(see our Fish and Chips list - their battered fish is great)

Wild Mustang, Orem
a. parmesan cod. B-
b. trout with lemon butter sauce from scratch. B-
c. stuffed salmon. B-

Whole Foods Market, SLC 
a. (best place to buy salmon we've found, uncooked)


This list will be merged to the above list:
Best Seafood in Park City (not including trout)
1. Only catish: Spur Bar and Grill. (works also as fish and chips). B/B+ 
2. Only sturgeon: The Farm at the Canyons A
3. #1 tie for Best sea bass, Riverhorse. A+
4. #1 tie for Best sea bass, Bangkok Thai. A+
5. #3 best sea bass: Shabu B+ (stewed in Asian broth)
6. #1 best black cod (sable fish) (chargrilled with herbs on top), Wahson Asian Grill, A+
7. #2 best black cod (in miso sauce). Yaki Yami. A
8. #3 best black cod: Shabu B+
9. Best scallops: Bistro 412 B+/A-
10. #1 Best fish and chips: O'Shucks (east side: Main St. has no Fish and Chips). B+
11.. #2 Best fish and chips: Wasatch Brew and Pub: B/B+ (great batter)

NOT GREAT: :
Bandits, Park City
a. trout, with "lemon butter sauce" - not a cream sauce like Wild Mustang, but salsa and some tart lemon sauce on top. 
b. salmon, with mango salsa. A good bbq style rub is on the fish.

Bird and Barley, Park City
a. crab cake po boy sandwich: C- (tomato saves it).
b . crab cake alone: D

Note that of the three main  chains in Utah the "fresh" fish at Red Lobster is okay, but not in the same league as the above offerings. Nothing struck our fancy at Joe's Crabshack or McGrath's Fish House (a regional western U.S. chain), which used to have the best fried oysters till they changed their recipe several years ago. 

If  you want to call a fourth chain a "seafood place" - Skippers - we slide that far into last place of the chains, but it is fast food.

Several restaurants in Park City and Midway offer trout and sea bass that look promising, especially if cooked with a sauce, as a number of those places have trained executive chefs who know what they're doing.



BEST CATFISH IN UTAH

- revised 16 Dec 2015

9 worth trying:

1. Sea Bass, Ogden. Comes battered like fish and chips. A

2. Bucket O' Crawfish. West Valley at about 1850 west 3500 south. Get the catffish and see if they'll let you have the garlic sauce that they normally serve with their crawfish. (The crawfish is decent, the catfish is very good.) A- with garlic sauce

3. Cracker Barrel in Springville off I-15 and other locations (plus nationwide). My best friend from high school, fellow southern buddy Hugh O. whom I went to school with in Alabama, loves the place. B.

4. OUT OF BUSINESS: Boudreaux's Bistro, Payson. Get it "smothered" with their amazing sauce over the catfish and rice. While there, check out their crawfish Etouffee. Their burger is great as well. (See our Best Burgers in Utah.) Not crazy about the other offerings we tried - about 9 total on the menu, including the fried gator.

5. Spur Bar and Grill, Park City. Fried. B

6. Mama's Southern Plantation, Sandy. Go to Fort Union Blvd and 1300 East and turn south, go a half mile or so to Warl-mart, turn left into their parking lot and look for a strip mall place in their parking lot. Why would I bother with directions? They've moved several times over the years and on the web it took me an hour and several attempts to find the latest location and current phone number. This was the best of the Southern Plantation places when it was on about 90th South State in SLC, run by the original Mama K from Indiana, but she had the soul food recipes down pat. Her daughter has continued the legacy. Order the catfish and whiting, and the most amazing yams and peach cobbler I've ever had! (The slaw, beans, hopping john, and cornbread are good too; I've had everything on their menu, but these listed are by far the best.)


7. Famous Dave's, Sandy (national chain): (their marmalade fish sauce: A-, and their cream sauce: B+) fish alone: B

8. Texas Roadhouse (national chain): B

9. Chubby's, Pleasant Grove: THURSDAYS ONLY. The FRESH fish itself is an A, and so is the homemade shrimp sauce served with it - the best we ever had!). They fly it in fresh on Thursdays - THE ONLY DAY THEY SERVE IT  - but we don't love the batter.  In 2011 we had it and the batter was good - in 2013 we didn't care for it - tried it two different weeks. But the fish is great.

Historical Note:
BLAST IT - THIS PLACE IS GONE NOW. IT WAS NUMERO UNO: Soul and Bones, Ogden. Best fried catfish I ever had outside the country diners which specialized in catfish in Alabama - and that's saying a lot for a southern kid who used to hit those places out in the country - places that knew how to make it right! Bar none, this was the best in Utah. They flew it in fresh from Louisiana, so it was "sorta fresh," but the way they prepared it was primo. 

Best Fish Sauces:
See best seafood in Utah: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2014/06/best-seafood-in-utah.html

1. cream sauce for sturgeon at Farm at the Canyons, Park City: A
1. tie: 2 sauces with trout at Bistro 412, Park City. A
2. Marmalade sauce for catfish: Famous Dave's: A-
3. Cream sauce for catfish: Famous Dave's: B+
4. sauce for cod at Wild Mustang, Orem.
5. sauce for salmon - ditto
6. sauce for trout - ditto
While we're on fish sauces:
7.Tartar sauce: #1 Red Lobster, #2 Chubby's
8. Shrimp sauce: #1 Chubby's homemade, #2 Red Lobster


Best Shrimp Po-Boy Sandwiches
1. Chubby's, Pleasant Grove
2. Madison's, Provo (a virtual tie - we need to compare them side by side)



Fish and Chips
(These are the Top 9. The full list is repeated at "Best Fish and Chips in Utah)

THE TOP 4

1 (tie). Cafe 300 in Provo at 300 South and 279 East. SERVED FRIDAYS ONLY. Grade: B+ (a grade lower than L.A.'s best F&C places. (See our reviews for Best Fish and Chips in Los Angeles. To get the best fish and chips anywhere, you have to get it freshly caught PLUS they have to have a great batter. (Besides being tied for numero uno in F & C, Cafe 300 does have one of the best clam chowders in the state, in our opinion. See our Ratings for "Best Clam Chowders in Utah.") Grade: B+
Notes about them: Opened December 2012. They experimented with the batter recipe for two weeks, and it paid off. The thick cod pieces are not overcooked like most places are, and the delectibly battered fish melts in your mouth. Their plan was to serve it only for Lent, but bingo - it was a hit and they're featuring it every Friday. (P.S. Their french toast and omelletes are tied for our favorites as well.) They're open Tuesday - Sunday 7 A.M till 3 P.M. But Friday is fish day, starting 5:30 PM. 

1 (tie). Madison Gastropub, Provo, Chef Mike calls it Cajun Fish and Chips and uses fabulous mild spices and an abolutely perfect batter with decent cod. B+

1. (tie) Archibalds, South Jordan. Cod B+ (their halibut is rated only a C, farther down the list)

1. (tie) The Tropical, Provo. Using swai, and introduced 13 Dec 2014 to their menu, this will be a featured and likely best-selling item. Like only 2 other places in Utah (A Little Tasate of Britain and State Street Grill, below), they serve huge fillets like in the UK, but you have to ask for it that way, and it's less expensive than other places. Very, very good batter as well. B+

Note: Not a regular item. Franck's Restaurant, Holladay, uses trout and it rates high - a B+, in fact is in Top 5 in state, but is only served on special occasions - we've only seen it once - in winter 2014. 

THE NEXT-BEST 5:


5. A Little Taste of Britain. Layton, on Main Street. Grade: B+ This was a best-kept secret until KSL TV did a feature on them in July 2012, then they had lines out the doors for  weeks. Battered fish pieces are big, like England's. Cod is frozen, unfortunately, as nearly all places in Utah are except for a handful where noted below, but it's not chewy like most places that use frozen cod, and they don't overcook it like most do. We weren't crazy about the chips. The onion rings are OK. (On our last trip on 13 June 20 they had fixed an earlier concern we had - the tell-tall scent of fish being refrigerated too long at several visits the previous year, but on this trip the fish was excellent.) Very good batter as well. B/B+

6. Wasatch Brew Pub (kid-friendly), Park City. (The one at the airport may use the same recipe. Squatters downtown SLC has same ownership but different recipe, not as good. This place has the best beer batter in the state, using their own, producing great flavor and crunch. But cod pieces are frozen with a slight chewy texture (most places have a very chewy texture that serve it from frozen state (except Pago and State Street Grill, which are fresh, and Cafe 300, which cooks it to taste like fresh). However, the cod pieces at Wasatch are too thin for our liking. Still, it's worth getting. B/B+

7. Dalton's, Payson. B/B+

8. Joe's Crab Shack, Sandy and nationwide. As of November 2014, very nice batter, slightly chewy, typically frozen cod. B/B+

9. O'Shucks, Salt Lake City location only. nice tempura batter with a cayenne kick, but fish is too thin. Depending on who makes it, sometimes it's thicker but still thin, and sometimes with a great quality fish. You have to ask for "tempura fish" - not "fish and chips." The Park City west location had a great one, same batter but bigger fish pieces, but they changed to a beer batter in fall  2014 that we find mediocre and is further down this list. B/B+. 


For the full list of Fish and Chips places in Utah we've graded - most in the state - see our site: http://tastetestersclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-fish-and-chips-in-utah.html


Individual restaurants emphasizing Seafood:

McGrath's Fish House, Sandy, regional chain
a. halibut davini: linguini C+, fish B
b. marlin D
c. garlic trout A-
d. grilled catfish B-
e. wood fired salmon, topped with garlid basil butter C-
f. ribeye C+
g. baby back ribs C-
h. fried oysters (best in state); recipe changed, made worse, about 2010, but they could custom-make it the old way, with Japanese panco crumbs, etc, to make it an A
i. lemon caper sole (fish only C-) total B+
j. red snapper B-
k. southern fried catrish C
l. alderplank salmon B+
m. reg. wood fired salmon B+
n. citrus honey salmon B
o. teriyaki candy glaze salmon C
p. BBQ salmon D+




Friday, May 16, 2014

Best Pork Chops in Utah / Best Pork in Utah / Best veal in Utah

Best Pork Chops / Best Pork Dinners in Utah

Also please visit our site on "Best BBQ in Utah" for details of good places and what to get there.

Revised: 26 June 2018

Note: The first 8 below are all As and A minuses!

1. Copper Onion, downtown SLC - best pork chop we've had (we had their amazing winter version - they change with the seasons - with great creamy polenta, pearl onions, red peppers, etc - fantastic, tender chop

2. Copper Common (former location of Plum Alley, with same owner - they kept this dish)- pork belly in steamed bun

3. Jupiter Bowl bowling alley cafe, Park City. pork belly

3a. Carraba's pork tenderloin with fig sauce (B+) and gorgonzola sauce combined A

3b. The Garden, SLC, baby pork chop A-

4. Romano Macaroni Grill, national chain - pork chop A-

5. Carraba's Grill, national chain - pork chop A-

6. Romano's Macaroni Grill, national chain - pork shank with veges A-

7. Outback. 
a. maple mustard glazed pork chop (no mustard or maple flavor but very good seasoning) 
B+ 

Note other pork dishes at Outback:
b. pork porterhouse:
  1. tenderloin part B/B+
  2. NY strip part B-
Note: pork tenderloin (discontinued) roasted all day, whereas the 2 above are cooked to order. Overdone and tough. Tender if pink. sold few, so discontinued. Not tested.

8-10. n/a 

11. CJ Bakery and Grill, SLC - pork chop - nice char-grilled flavor B+

12. Seigfried's Deli, downtown SLC, roast pork leg (traditional German method; the tender portions especially, usually next to the bone, are very, very good). Order in advance and get it fresh. B/B+

13. Communal, Provo - pork chop. B

14. Chick's Cafe, Heber city - pork chop - plain as day but decent cut of pork, better than all those that didn't make the list. It has no seasoning. B

15. Harvest, Lehi - pork chop (texture/toughness average; Italian sauce) C+



Great places with not so great pork dishes:
a. Pago, pork tenderloin C+/B-

Best Veal in Utah (obviously unrelated to pork, as it is young beef, but we are adding it to this site:)
2017:
Left Fork Grill, Midvale
veal marsala B-
marsala alone: B
veal alone B+
veal with lemon butter B+/A-
veal (and no marsala) with mash B/B+