Salt Lake Dining Awards: Hearth on 25th and Plates & Palates Win for Northern Utah

hearth2Over the past 14 years, Salt Lake Magazine’s annual dining awards have become a prestigious Academy Awards-like event for Utah restaurants and chefs. Most of the awards focus on Salt Lake City restaurants, but a few are given to designated regions in the state. Pago was named the Best Salt Lake Restaurant, and J & G Grill was named the best restaurant in Park City. For Provo/Central Utah, Black Sheep took the top honor.

Salt Lake Magazine has declared the Best Northern Utah Restaurant to be Hearth of 25th, honor on Hearth on 25th, the restaurant formerly known as Jasoh! Prime and Pub. I interviewed the owners of both restaurants for my Standard-Examiner column.

In the magazine’s Reader’s Choice competition, Plates & Palates of Bountiful was voted Best Northern Utah restaurant.

In presenting the award to Hearth, food editor Mary Malouf noted that Jasoh! had been introducing Ogden to new flavors over the years, and last year reinvented itself as Hearth on 25th.

The award comes as owners Shana and A.J. Hubbard celebrate the restaurant’s tenth year in business.

“The name change was something we had been wanting to do for a couple of years, and we felt the time was right with our ten-year anniversary,” Shana Hubbard said. “Hearth is a more descriptive name for us. We were already doing a lot of wood-fire dishes; it is the center of what we do. Our wood bill is the biggest utility bill I pay,” she said.

Along with the name change, the dining room was remodeled and the menu was simplified so that there’s not a designation between “prime” and “pub” dishes, as there was in the past. Breads and pizzas are baked in the Tuscan wood-burning oven located in the center of the restaurant. Wild game such as elk, bison, quail and venison are also wood-roasted.

Last year, chef Kyle Lore came on board. He is the former executive chef of the Harmons grocery chain. For a few years, he owned his own artisan pasta business, so house-made pasta has become a focus of the menu. One of the restaurant’s most popular items is a scallop dish with squid ink fettuccine.

plates&palates32Plates & Palates has also been in business around ten years. It’s more of a deli, where sandwiches, salads and soups are ordered at the front counter. Then customers can sit down while the meal is served to them.  The  restaurant also has a bustling take-out business.

“We really appreciate this award, because it was voted on by people who go to restaurants, not just a critic,” said Jared Christensen, one of the owners. “They validate that you’re doing something good for the community. ”

Jared’s brother Justin Christensen and Justin’s wife, Nina Christensen are also owners. Nina develops the menu and recipes, coming up with favorites such as  Lemon Tarragon Salad, made with bow-tie pasta, chicken, grapes, celery,  green onion and almonds. Another salad favorite is Tomato Basil Pasta, which is penne pasta with balsamic dressing, pine nuts, Parmesan, basil and tomato. Or you can order an Italian turkey panini, with cracked wheat bread, turkey, provolone, sun-dried tomato tapenade and fresh basil.

“Our success is offering quality food, as well as the relationship we build with our customers,” said Nina Christensen. “When people come in, we know them and what they like to order.”

2014 Dining Awards Winners

Best Restaurant: Salt Lake City
Pago
878 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-532-0777

Best Restaurant: Park City
J&G Grill
2300 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, 435-940-5760

Best Restaurant: Ogden/Northern Utah
Hearth on 25th
195 25th Street, Ste. 6, Ogden, 801-399-0088

Best Restaurant: Provo/Central Utah
Black Sheep
19 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-607-2485

Best Discovery
Del Mar al Lago
310 Bugatti Dr., SLC, 801-467-2890

Best Wine List
BTG
63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-2814

Community Service Award
Steven Rosenberg, Liberty Heights Fresh
1290 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-583-7374

Best New Restaurant/Best Mexican Restaurant
Alamexo
268 S. State Street, SLC, 801-779-4747

Best Chinese
J. Wong’s Asian Bistro
163 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-350-0888

Best Mediterranean
Layla
4751 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC, 801-272-9111

Best Italian
Fresco Italian Cafe
1513 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-1300

Best Indian
Saffron Valley East India Cafe
26 E. Street, SLC, 801-203-3325

Best Comfort Food
Silver Star Cafe
1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456

Best Breakfast
Caffe Niche
779 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-433-3380

Best Japanese
Naked Fish Japanese Bistro
67 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-595-8888

Best Lunch
Feldman’s Deli
2005 E. 2700 South, SLC, 801-906-0369

Best Bakery
Eva’s Bakery
155 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-3942

Best Neighborhood
Avenues Bistro on Third
564 E. Third Avenue, SLC, 801-831-5409

Hall of Fame

Cucina Toscana (2008)
307 W. Pierpont Ave., SLC, 801-328-3463

Mazza (2008)
1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259
912 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-521-4572

Red Iguana (2008)
736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-322-1489
866 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-214-6050

Log Haven (2009)
6451 E. Millcreek Canyon Road, SLC, 801-272-8255

Takashi (2010)
18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595

Squatters (2011)
147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739
776 N. Terminal Dr., SLC, 801-328-2329

Aristo’s (2013)
224 S. 1300 East, SLC, 801-581-0888

Hell’s Backbone Grill (2013)
20 N. Highway 12, Boulder, 435-335-7464

Salt Lake Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards

Best Restaurant: SLC
Pallet
237 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4431

Best Restaurant: PC
Silver Star Café
1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456

Best Restaurant: Provo/Central Utah
Communal
102 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-8000

Best Restaurant: Ogden/Northern Utah
Plates & Palates
390 N. 500 West, Bountiful, 801-292-2425

Best Restaurant: Moab/Southeastern Utah
Hell’s Backbone Grill
20 N. Highway 12, Boulder, 435-335-7464

Best Restaurant: St. George/Southwestern Utah (tie)
The Bear Paw
75 N. Main St., St. George, 435-634-0126

The Painted Pony
2 W. St. George Blvd, St. George, 435-634-1700

Best New Restaurant
Pallet
237 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4431

(Note to readers: Pallet won this award last year and is not a new restaurant. Second place by a close margin was Alamexo.)

Best Japanese
Takashi
18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595

Best Lunch
Silver Star Café
1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456

Best Southeast Asian
Plum Alley
111 East Braodway #190, SLC, 801-355-0543

(Note to readers: By the time you read this, Plum Alley will be closed.)

Best Coffee Shop (tie)
Coffee Garden
878 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-355-3425

The Rose Establishment
235 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-990-6270

Best Chinese
Sampan
675 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-467-3663
10450 S. State St., Sandy, 801-576-0688

Best Quick Eats
Caputo’s Market & Deli
314 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-531-8669
1516 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-6615

Best Indian
Bombay House
2731 Parleys Way, SLC, 801-581-0222
7726 Campus View Dr. #120, West Jordan, 801-282-0777
463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-6677

Best Italian
Fresco
1513 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-1300

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
Mazza
1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259
912 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-521-4572

Best Mexican
Red Iguana
736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-322-1489
866 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-214-6050

Best Breakfast
Pig & A Jelly Jar
401 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7366

Best Comfort Food
Pig & A Jelly Jar
401 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7366

Best Undiscovered
Pallet
237 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4431

Best Wine List
Bistro 222
222 S. Main St., SLC, 801-456-0347

Best Desserts (tie)
Pallet
237 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4431

Silver Star Café
1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456

 

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