Checking Out Elements Restaurant in Logan
For several years, Elements Restaurant in Logan has been a favorite lunch spot when I come to visit my friend, Carol. We were roommates at Utah State University — I won’t say how many years ago! She still lives in Logan, and over the years, we’ve kept a tradition of getting together for birthday lunches. So I’ve become familiar with Elements’ Power Lunch — a generous side salad (my favorite is the Baby Spinach Salad), soup (I usually get French Onion) and a soft drink for just $7.25. Or a wood-fired pizza, salad and drink for $9.25.
ln good weather, I love sitting on the patio next to the Logan River. The ducks that waddle from table to table add a bit of quirky fun, although they seem pretty eager to try a bite from your plate if you’re not watching out.
In the winter, the restaurant’s posh interior, with a cozy fireplace, is really inviting, too.
Last year I discovered Elements’ Hummus Pita Sandwich while doing a newspaper story about great local sandwiches. In this hearty vegetarian option. Greek flatbread is stuffed with white bean hummus, roasted veggies and butter lettuce. It’s held together with toothpicks and sheer willpower; I’d suggest using a knife and fork unless you don’t mind getting a little messy.
A few weeks ago my husband, Kim, and I stopped at Elements Restaurant for dinner while traveling home from Bear Lake. This was the first time I’d had dinner there, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The shady trees and rushing river next to the patio makes it easy to forget that you’re a stone’s throw from the busy Main Street traffic. It helps drown out any loud conversations from nearby tables, too.
I think Elements’ menu is a good value, when you consider the food quality, and all the trimmings included. For instance, the entree orders come with a choice of soup or salad, and a side dish. And, it’s accompanied by a bread basket, too.
I ordered Pan-Seared Roasted Salmon ($17.50) and got the above-mentioned Baby Spinach Salad — my favorite.
Kim ordered the same salmon entree, and an Elements Chopped Salad to go with it. In many restaurants, you pay extra for a side salad, and often they are a few wimpy lettuce leaves . Not so with this salad’s robust tomato, egg, bacon, and bleu cheese, dressed with the “house” vinaigrette.
I liked how the savory flavors of the saffron garlic broth and the seasonings melded together so my salmon dish was moist and not overly “fishy” tasting. As you can see, the salmon was served pretty much solo on its plate, in a pool of the broth. I didn’t find the orzo pasta, spinach, or roasted tomato listed on the menu as part of this entree.
But I didn’t really miss it, because for my choice of side dish, I ordered onion rings that we could share. Wow! It was a whole plateful — tender mellow onion covered with a crispy coating. I thought the coating could have use a tad more salt, but that was easily remedied with a salt shaker. The dipping sauce was a spicy riff on the Utah favorite, fry sauce. I usually don’t bother with fry sauce (I’m not a mayo person), but I really liked this jazzed up version.
Kim’s salmon was served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes and the saffron garlic broth. The sweet potatoes had a nice hint of maple flavor and crunchy pecans.
As I mentioned, there was a bread basket with a variety of breads. I especially liked the thin, crispy flatbread.
Dessert? I’ll wait for another time. There are always more birthdays to celebrate with Carol, and I think that Kim was impressed enough with this place that we’ll likely again when we’re in Logan.