Fratelli Ristorante

9236 Village Shop Drive

Sandy, UT

84094

801.495-4550

http://www.fratelliutah.com/

I know… I know. It’s taken forever to get this review out, but unfortunately, this will be the first time we give an eatery a less then satisfactory rating. Don’t get The Hounds wrongs, there were one or two high notes that Fratelli hit, but for the most part, we walked out of that joint with our tails between our legs…

What We Loved:

Sicilian Citrus Arugula Salad: By far this was the high point of the night. It was the perfect start for any meal. Tender arugula mixed with crunchy fennel and topped with a dressing to die for. This along with a bowl of soup would make the PERFECT lunch.
Yep… that’s all we loved.

What We Liked:

The Salmon: Although the Pine nut crust was a little funky to be paired with the salmon, the fish was cooked well and had an excellent freshness.

The Clams and Mussels: Cooked well in a flavorful broth, but a few of us got a little too mush of the sea in some of our bites….if you know what I mean.

The Bruschetta: Again, good but not mind blowing. If you’re a Bruschetta snob… we might look elsewhere.

The Lasagna: It was tasty. Served along with a large/bordering on giant meatball, it had a comforting flavor. A good red sauce and well cooked noodles. Not the best representation of a classic we’ve had, but better than some of the other let downs of the night.

The Deserts: well… let’s put it this way… Usually we love all deserts, but the Panna Cotta and Tiramisu felt like half assed versions of Italian classics. Both deserts should make your eyes roll back in your head while a stream of drool escapes your lips…but again….we found ourselves wanting.

The Service: We had a very friendly and sweet server, but we were sorely disappointed when we caught our server lying to us about what she had tried on the wine list and what she had not. Now don’t get your undies in a bunch, we don’t expect a server to know every wine or dish on the menu, but we DO expect that if you don’t know…you’ll find out. Don’t tell us you’ve never had something….then after we order it say… “Oh yeah… that’s one of my favorite wines…”

What We Didn’t Like:

The Risotto: It was like eating baby food, green mushy baby food.

The Gnocchi: Again mushy. It was like eating balls of instant mashed potatoes. The sauce they were served in was not bad, but when texture sucks… sauce cannot save. Yes everyone, you can use that quote later.

We all agreed that the two dishes that made it on the ‘What We Didn’t Like List” really should only be on menus if they are done right. Mush passing for Risotto and Gnocchi has no business being on a menu.

I know this review may sound a little on the harsh side, but we had such high hopes for Fratelli. We had heard such great things about it and were so disappointed with almost everything. Our thesis for the restaurant is this…. Fratelli does Italian food how those of use who have never had TRUE Italian food think it should be done. We were looking for simple clean flavors with well executed pastas. So should you go? We’re leaving that one up to you. We love the idea of celebrating our local business owners, but this is one place we probably won’t be trekking to the South Valley for in the near future.

Fratelli at a glance:

Food : Meh...

Service : Again...Meh

Price: Not bad, but when it boils down to quality, it wasn't worth it.

Bathroom: Very nice and exceptionally clean.

Coming Next : FRATELLI

Yes... it's true. We're braving the litter free street of Sandy again and taking our show on the road. We've heard alot about these digs, so lets hope they deliver.

Meditrina : Small Plates and Wine Bar

1394 S. West Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 84115

801.485.2055

www.meditrinaslc.com

Hours:

Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2p.m.

Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 10:30

It was a warm February afternoon, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and I was enjoying a beautiful brunch at our last great find The Wild Grape. I was joined by two of the greatest girls ever.. Jewel and Carrie. As we enjoyed our lovely fair, talk turned to how the hounds had found The Wild Grape and how our next stop would be Meditrina. This is how the conversation unraveled.

Melanie: "Yeah, next week we're going to Meditrina, it's a tapas bar so I'm pretty excited to see how it will be."
...Silence....
Carrie: (looking down, slight giggle under her breath an a slight blush) "Well, I DEFINITELY will no be going there."
....Again Silence....
Melanie: "It's supposed to be good..."
Carrie: "How do they even allow that in Utah?"
Melanie: (wide smile) "No not TOPLESS.... TAPAS"

Jolly laughter and blushing ensued....

WHAT WE LOVED:

The Concept: For those of us that just can't make their mind up, tapas is the way to go.

The Brucetta : Grilled bread, orange marmalade, walnuts and goat cheese. Not exactly 4 things that you would throw in the blender to make a shake, but a tasty start to any meal.

The Potatoes : I’ve heard it said that you can’t screw up potatoes, but there is definitely a difference between amazing taters and the sub par junk served at many diners and dives... the spuds at Meditrina are on the amazing side of the scale. Perfectly grilled and topped with a spicy tomato aioli, we were begging for more.

The Polenta Cakes : Who doesn't love Polenta?? If you don't I suggest you get off your keister immediately and head down to Meditrina.

Clams and Mussels in Tomato Broth : Lets be honest, we all get a little leery of seafood this far away from the ocean, but these guys did it right.

Drunken Oreos : Whoever the sadomasochist that concocted this hedonistic desert is, they deserve a freakin medal!!! We’ve never once eaten an Oreo and thought “hmmm... maybe I should soak this in red wine, put some vanilla ice cream on it, and then drizzle it with a port reduction”... but now, every time we look at an Oreo, we will long for this foodgasm called Drunken Oreos.

The Coffee : We're suckers for good coffee served in a tall cup. Good game Meditrina, good game. (insert ass smack here)

The Bathrooms : Clean and quirky. What every bathroom should be.

The Owners: 2 ambitious ladies who believe in making food and wine taste good. How could you not love them??

WHAT WE LIKED:

Pear Crème Brulee : Tasty but far from the best Crème Brulee the hounds have scarfed. We've gotten a bit bratty in the the Brulee department.

Bread Pudding : We might have even liked this more had it not been called bread pudding... there was nothing “puddingy” about it (yes we did make that word up, thank you!). Again, tasty, but just not stellar and far from what we were expecting when we thought we were getting bread pudding.

Curry Lime Prawns : Prawns were cooked well and very fresh, but the curry lime sauce had zero kick to it... even Japanese curry which is the most mild of curries we’ve had gives you a little slap on the tongue. This dish bordered on disappointing but the pure fact that the prawns stood their own ground saved it.

Tofu and Chicken Satays : Cooking is all about balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy elements and this take on the classic Satay executed with high marks... the only thing stopping it from being on the “What we loved” list was the texture of the tofu. Mushy is rarely a positive word to describe food, and especially so when that substance happens to be tofu.

Grilled Artichoke : We forgot how much fun it is to nosh on this spiny leafed little friend. The grill brings a very smart smoky essence to the rich flesh tucked inside. If it would have cooked a few minutes less, perfection would have been sitting on our plate. It was so soft, it was difficult to strip the soft yummy stuff off the leaves without getting strips of the tough part as well. The spicy tomato aioli and drawn butter were fine accoutrements to the dish.

The Wine : I want to keep this simple and to the point... which if you’ve read any of our previous reviews, you know that is next to impossible for me. The selection by the glass was definitely the standout on Meditrina’s list. There is diversity in region and varietal, plus, all of it is very affordable. Now... I would be much more forgiving in this review if “Wine Bar” was not part of the name of the restaurant. When I hear Wine Bar, I want to be impressed by the wine service and excited by the selection. I was satiated by neither of the two. I also want to see love for the grape by serving it in it’s proper vessel... a heavy, poorly made, one size fits all glass does not imbue passion for vino. Now that I’ve said my peace... would I go back? Hell yes. I will just go back with a different expectation and with a focus on the food. - Andrew Carruthers

WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE AS MUCH

The Location : I know... I know... we're border snobs. But props to them for supporting the growth of downtown Salt Lake and believing in a new neighborhood.

MEDITRINA AT A GLANCE
Price: Not Cheap, but worth a good night out and a fun experience with friends.
Food: Very satisfyng enough hign points we will be back.
Service: Friendly and comfortable
Bathrooms: Thumbs Up

So should you go?? Absolutley. Go, buy, support and ENJOY!

COMING NEXT : Meditrina

Did somebody say tapas? I hope so.

The Wild Grape : New West Bistro

481 E South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84101Phone: (801)746-5565
Hours
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm

Brunch: Sat-Sun 9am-3pm

Dinner: Mon-Sun 5pm-10pm

Late: Mon-Sat 9:30pm-Midnight

It wasn't too long ago, that while driving down ye ole South Temple, a single tear escaped from my eye as I realized that the Avenues Bakery was no more. Luckily, the space was scooped up and The Wild Grape was born. As you can imagine, in my eyes, they had some pretty big shoes to fill but happily we were not let down.

What We Loved:

The Location: Downtown is not dead yet. (Although the huge amounts of construction and unsightly cranes are trying to kill it)

The Concept: The Wild Grape is a fully organic, local supporting establishment. (chowhounds step up on soap box) People of Salt Lake City! Lend me your ears! We have GOT to support local businesses. The only way to have more amazing eats and treats is to buy local and live local. I know we all love a good romp at the Olive Garden now and again, but come on. Live dangerously and try something new on the local front.

The Staff: Thanks Jason. Our dedicated and fun server. Look for him behind the bar, or at your table, but just look for him. He knows his stuff in a totally non-smarty pants kind of way. (meaning he won't make you feel dumb while he's pumping you full of fun food and wine facts.) The entire staff at this joint will make you feel at home. We got welcomes and hellos from a hostess, our server, the sous chef and the owner. You can tell they are really trying to do service right.

The Mouth Amuser: It just doesn’t sound as sexy in English does it. A quick way to the heart of a foodie is to serve a killer Amuse Bouche (wikipedia if your not familiar). Duck prosciutto and apple perched on a bit of profiterol (fancy for fried dough... who doesn’t love fried dough!) with a little cherry reduction to balance it all out. One bite to get you excited for what's to come... and trust us, one bite is all you could handle.

The Food: Ok... down to the nitty gritty. The food is delicious. You can taste the freshness and care that is put into each dish. We tried to sample a variety of things so here is a mild rundown

#1 Venison: Seared to the perfect balance of tenderness without looking like a crime scene and paired with a killer Cabernet reduction sauce that complimented the dish without taking over. The butternut squash gnocchi, dare I say it, almost (and that’s a big almost) out shined sweet little Bambi.

#2 The Risotto : We are of the belief, that if you put risotto on your menu, it better be pretty good. Luckily, The Wild Grape does not disappoint.

#3 The Scallops : What... I'm sorry I couldn't hear you over my taste buds singing with joy. Scallops in Utah is kind of like saying icicles in Phoenix, but they figured out how to get them here and how to get them cooked PERFECTLY! Throw in some roasted fingerling potatoes and you got yourself a meal.

The Desserts : Chocolate and Hazelnut Dome of Goodness and Pineapple Meringue Tart of Happy Taste Buds. We renamed them appropriately to really give you an idea of how stellar they were. Mmmmhmm.

The Adult Beverage Selection : I went in with high expectations on this front. When you name a restaurant The Wild Grape, you better have some damn good fermented ones on your menu. And they did! The wine list was created with a great clientele in mind... a clientele that loves wine but doesn’t have a degree in Oenology. There is a price point for almost anyone regardless if your looking for by the glass or by the gallon. High praise on the wide variety to be found by the glass and the fact that the server seemed to have an understanding of the entire menu... not just a few favorites. Stemware was par... a nice Cabernet glass with a cut rim. Only downside, everything was served in that glass. Our first bottle was a fairly delicate and sweet white which can turn rather sugary when served in such a caverness piece of crystal.The first bottle was the Zenato Pinot Grigio... as Pinot Grigio goes, it’s good enough. It wouldn’t honestly have been my first choice, but the ladies loved it. The server gets a high five for giving us multiple choices followed by tastes of the different choices... unfortunately for me, I got over ruled (I wanted the Matua Sauvignon Blanc). For the second bottle, we gave our server the ultimate challenge... Surprise us! Even the most experienced Sommeliers would sweat this challenge and yet our humble server accepted with aplomb... impressive! Especially since we had scallops, risotto, and venison coming and we wanted red for our main course (ouch). What did our talented attendant choose? Seghesio Sangiovese... top-notch pairing. It missed the target with only the scallops. The venison with it’s sweet cabernet reduction brightened right up with a taste of the ripe cherry from the Sangiovese and there was a enough of a nuttiness in the glass to support the richness of the risotto. Another high five goes out for not choosing the highest price wine on the menu just because the door was open to bump up the total on the ticket.My only grievance with the Wild Grape’s list is that it was a bit California heavy, but I think that it might be part of their support of buying “local” so I will go with the flow... hehe, with the flow! that one was unintended.(as Andrew Says.)

What We Only Liked:

Butternut Squash Soup w/ Brandy and Cinnamon Crème Fraiche: Just as decadent as it sounds and maybe a bit to a fault. The first couple slurps are pure heaven, but the sweetness just gets to be too much. Either lay back on the sugars or add a touch of something to ground the dish. Even just a bit of crostini to nibble on as you drink it down would help. Try it for sure... just split it between your table so each person only gets a few gulps.

Crab Cakes :Good, not great. They were a bit on the dry side for the minimal quantity of sauce drizzled onto the plate. Good flavors, just needed some moisture.

Pan Seared Calamari: Cooking tentacles is a tough job for many chefs (yes, the pun was intended). Not this time. The light snap followed by pure softness was the ideal texture for these little guys... that alone kept us going back for more. The turn off was a slight “oceanesque” flavor that lingered after you swallowed. Initially we were thinking they must have been tossed with a light fish stock, but when we asked the chef, no fish stock was used. Lets just say that it was the only dish that wasn’t completely obliterated within moments of reaching our table.

Atmosphere/Décor: Lets make this clear and concise, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the atmosphere and décor. BUT... it just could have been more inspiring. Very cozy with a nice balance of upscale and casual elements and it does work very well with the organic focus from the food. It wouldn’t take much, but it needs some type of crowning element that says “the food and service here are going to blow your mind”.

What We Didn't Like As Much

Bathrooms: It feels like you are stepping into a completely different restaurant! We’re pretty sure the décor is leftover from the last restaurant and it just doesn’t flow. Yep, it’s nit picky, but that’s how we roll. They are clean and tidy though... whew!

THE WILD GRAPE AT A GLANCE:

Food: Most Impressive. Try a variety on the menu they do a lot of things well

Service: Excellent.

Price: Average for a "nicer" eatery. Splurge on Wine. You won't be let down

Bathrooms: Clean, but just don't quite fit.

(Who Dined? Andrew, Michelle and Melanie)

We're Back! Coming Next : The Wild Grape.

That's right... you heard it here first. We're officially making a Chowhounds comeback. Kind of like Rocky, but with out all the punches to the face. So look out SLC, we're houndin you once again. We're REALLY excited about our next adventure at the Wild Grape. Stay tuned in and up and let the ride begin!!

Coming Next: Tin Angel Cafe...The Sequal

Alright folks, I know you were all waiting to see what we thought of Pizzeria 712, but we had to put that on hold for the tip being because...we are losing a member. Our cofounder and most amazing partner in crime is taking it to the road an moving on North.

In honor of this, we thought we would take it back to where it all began and visit our friends at the Tin Angel Cafe.