• Barbi Harner

Taste of the Wasatch
Utah's culinary Coachella festival is once again upon us, and this year promises one of the best lineups yet. The 2018 Taste of the Wasatch sees representatives from more than 50 of Utah's finest restaurants, distilleries, bakeries, coffee shops and other purveyors of perfect plates gathered in one place for an afternoon of dining and drinking. Attendees are not only helping 3 Squares, Inc. fight hunger in Utah, but they also get to see some of our most talented culinary minds try to outperform one another amid the majestic view of the Wasatch Mountains, courteously provided by Solitude Mountain Resort (12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, solitudemountain.com). Taste of the Wasatch takes place on Aug. 5 from noon to 4 p.m., and general admission tickets are $110, with an option to buy a reserved seat for $150. They can be purchased at tasteofthewasatch.org. Guests can also snag a room at The Inn at Solitude for $125 to play it safe in case a little too much imbibing makes the drive back down the canyon hazardous.

London Belle Opens on Main Street
Inspired by a seedy character from Utah history, a mysterious little supper club called London Belle (321 S. Main, 801-363-8888, londonbelleslc.com) has opened its doors in downtown Salt Lake. The restaurant takes its name from Dora B. Topham, or Belle London to those who knew her as one of Ogden's most famous madams during the early 1900s. Fully embracing the mystique of this fascinating woman, London Belle's website touts cryptic mentions of special reservations, candlelit caves and brothel burgers. Based on its proximity to The Rest, another downtown restaurant with a speakeasy reputation, London Belle is shaping up to be the kind of spot that whisks patrons off to a different time and place. I, for one, wouldn't mind getting a peek at its selection of tarts.

Slider and Local Beer Pairing
Aside from cultivating one of the most mouthwatering Instagram accounts, BGR Sugar House (1202 E. Wilmington Ave., 801-487-6301, bgrtheburgerjoint.com) is hosting an event pairing local beer with its expertly crafted sliders. For $25, attendees get a Wellington, Korean barbecue and an ahi tuna slider, each paired with a tasty local beer—including the Mojito Reserve by Shades of Pale Brewery, which has been notoriously hard to find since its limited release. Sides include grilled asparagus, sweet potato fries and garlic fries, and it's all included with the price of admission. The event takes place on Aug. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m., and tickets are available at bit.ly/2vabyq8.

Quote of the week: "Great food is like great sex. The more you have, the more you want." –Gael Greene

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