The New MacCool
A new MacCool’s Public House has opened in the historic Ben Lomond Suites, a boutique hotel in Ogden first constructed in 1891 as the Reed Hotel. Named for Irish warrior Finn MacCool, MacCool’s Public House serves comfort food with an Irish slant—items like house-roasted lamb, corned beef made in house, house-cured smoked salmon, ginormous potpies and much more, including, of course, cold pints of Guinness. The new MacCool’s is located in Ogden at 2510 Washington Blvd. Visit MacCools-Utah.com for more information and locations.

Hello, Goodbye
First Moxi, now Sego Lily. I’ve gotta give credit to owner Fred Moesinger for testing the upscale dining waters in Bountiful with his Sego Lily Cafe, which I liked a lot. But alas, in the land of franchise eateries, it has folded. The Mandarin notwithstanding, Bountiful seems to be a graveyard to interesting, upscale, independent eateries. To wit: Moxi Wine Bistro and even Christopher’s Steakhouse. Anyway, that means chef Dave Bible is on the move—saying goodbye to Bountiful and Sego Lily and hello to Park City and the Silver Star Cafe, where he’ll be doing his cooking now.

Smoke on the River
River’s Edge at Deer Park—a campground/resort located in Heber City—will host the first Smoke on the River Utah Barbecue Championship, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) June 10-12, 2011. National pit masters and locals alike will compete for more than $9,000 in cash prizes and a chance to contend in the 2011 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tenn. Attendees of Smoke on the River can enjoy samples of barbecue and a variety of activities, including a country-music jam with local musicians, the River’s Edge Catch & Cook competition, Jan’s fly fishing and casting seminars, beer gardens, mechanical bull riding, and a children’s park with horse-drawn wagons, face painting, trampolines and branding exhibitions. “We look forward to making this fun family event an ongoing tradition for many years to come,” said event coordinator John Kenworthy. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 435-654-4049 or visit RiversEdgeAtDeerPark.com.

Quote of the week: The sky is the daily bread of the eyes. —Ralph Waldo Emerson