Purchasing malls haven’t traditionally been referred to as facilities of culinary excellence. Amid a sea of Sbarro, Orange Julius and Auntie Anne’s, your common chain-heavy meals courtroom isn’t a spot for fascinating native delicacies. The Gateway, although, is bucking expectations. The mall-turned-entertainment-complex now has a rising roster of distinctive eating places and bars in an unlikely eating hub.
These new (or new-ish) eateries are a part of The Gateway’s bigger revitalization. The Gateway opened in 2001, when the Winter Olympics have been on the horizon and brick-and-mortar purchasing malls nonetheless dominated retail. In its tumultuous second decade, although, The Gateway’s fortunes shifted. The $1.5 billion Metropolis Creek Middle opened in 2012, snatching a lot of its big-name shops, on-line purchasing sapped income from malls nationwide and the Rio Grande space was saddled with excessive crime and a nasty status. By the tip of the 2010s, there have been tumbleweeds blowing by means of the once-bustling corridors.
Now in 2022, The Gateway nonetheless isn’t going to beat Metropolis Creek on the conventional mall sport, reminiscent of it’s, however do we actually want extra malls? The Gateway has needed to, as enterprise varieties say, pivot and get inventive with its ample downtown area. From internet hosting the Nice Salt Lake Fringe Pageant to common occasions by means of the pandemic like flea markets, artwork strolls and yoga and beer, The Gateway is banking on experiences, tradition, meals and enjoyable. Keep in mind when Kanye stopped by for an impromptu Sunday Service again in 2019? Was {that a} dream?
The Gateway 2.0 desires you to hang around with a beer, throw a celebration or deal with the household to a novel dinner (typically in the identical restaurant). This social, best-experienced-in-person mannequin could also be sophisticated as new variants are seemingly at all times across the nook, threatening our good time. However if you’re venturing out once more, The Gateway is price a revisit.
FLANKER
This new idea, within the location of the short-lived Punch Bowl Social, payments itself as a kitchen and “sporting membership.” What does that imply precisely? In Flanker’s case, it implies that the large area—17,500 sq. toes—has the elbow room to be somewhat bit sports activities bar, somewhat bit nightclub (they threw a New Yr’s Eve social gathering with Lil’ Jon) and somewhat bit leisure venue, with a parlor and bowling alley, personal karaoke rooms and a golf simulator. Their meals choices lie someplace between elevated pub meals and informal steak home. For starters, there are Greek-inspired taverna tots with tzatziki and a Mediterranean twist on pico de gallo, grill-your-own hen wings and, if you happen to’ve received a seafood candy tooth, funnel cake lobster fritters. The brisket tacos with griddled cheese tortillas are yummy. For dessert, there’s golden-fried cherry pie—a turnover, mainly—or a birthday cake milkshake topped with (deep breath) a cupcake, cookie, marshmallow, whipped cream AND sweet. It appears as outrageous because it sounds.
HALLPASS
This food hall (not courtroom) is a primary for Utah and comes from proprietor Reed Slobusky and chef Marc Marrone. Marrone developed the menus for a number of small fast-casual eating places below the identical roof, leaving room to experiment with new concepts. SkinnyFats divides the menu evenly between “completely happy” and “wholesome” (although the buffalo cauliflower I attempted didn’t style like significantly “sad” well being meals.) At Graffiti Bao, an Asian road meals impressed menu options kung pao hen bao buns and Vietnamese spring rolls and is influenced by Marrone’s time cooking in Singapore and Vietnam. CodSpeed and Colossal Lobster promote fish and chips and lobster rolls. The draft room Beer Zombies has native craft brew on faucet. And, as a result of fried hen is inescapable nowadays, Blaze of Thunder gives one foremost dish—Nashville scorching hen. (A supervisor promised me spice that went past “Utah scorching.”) Marrone has a formidable command of quite a lot of cuisines—the entire menus are united by crowd-pleasing, reasonably priced, accessible meals filled with taste. And, thank God, it’s open previous 10 p.m. on weekends.
ITALIAN GRAFFITI
Moreover HallPass, Marrone is growing one other new eatery for The Gateway, a sit-down restaurant impressed by his Italian-American background. Marrone will probably be updating regional favorites from his childhood, together with handcrafted pasta, purple wine-braised lamb and salmon crudo over polenta. Marrone hopes to open Italian Graffiti someday this 12 months.
SEABIRD
Good for a quiet nightcap, this cozy (learn: tiny) bar on the Gateway’s higher stage is a downtown hangout that feels worlds faraway from the crowds on close by Important Avenue. The menu is straightforward—just a few snacks, a small number of craft cocktails (the old style trades mezcal for the normal whiskey) and do-it-yourself mixers to take house with you. Maybe better of all is Seabird’s huge vinyl assortment, as a result of all the things tastes higher with a aspect of Fleetwood Mac.
Hungry for Extra at The Gateway?
Strive shabu shabu, a Japanese scorching pot dish that actually interprets to “swish swish,” at Mr. Shabu. For dessert, there’s mochi donuts (glazed sweets created from rice flour and tapioca) at Momi or ice cream rolled in a “taco waffle” at Sweet Rolled Tacos. In the event you’re craving one thing extra upscale, The Gateway additionally has Utah’s solely Fleming’s location.
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