I don’t care what folks say about Salt Lake City. I like this town. Case in point. Bambara Restaurant.

Food. The main entrees were a surprising and ultimately symphonic composition!

Ambience. Blithely chic.

Service. Excellent. Well versed on the menu, and despite an absent sommelier, the waitstaff made competent suggestions re wine pairings.

Dress. Blithely chic.

Price. Price corresponds to quality of cuisine. A bit expensive, but justifiably so.

Favorite Dishes.

Bleu Cheese House Cut Potato Chips - hand sliced potatoes, fresh poignant bleu cheese and a bit of cabernet. Casual decadence!

Pan Seared Scallops, Parsnip Purée, Caviar Beurre Blanc, Port Wine Syrup, Shaved Fennel Slaw - the scallops were seasoned and seared perfectly. For the first time in my life, food actually melted in my mouth. But as good as the scallops were, I couldn't focus on 'em. Parsnip Purée (potato based) ingeniously infused with caviar? Brilliant. And a textural delight!

Grilled Filet Mignon, Maytag Blue Cheese & Applewood Smoked Bacon Au Gratin Potatoes, Roasted Shallot-Cabernet Wine Sauce. Lovely and perfectly cooked to order (medium rare).

Dessert Sampler - at this point I was dying. I’m full after the chips. But the food's so damn good, I can’t stop. And besides, the dessert sampler is a bargain! $15 (the price of one dessert is $8) for 6 desserts. And all but the creme brulée were regular sized offerings. I’m not a huge brulée fan, but I liked the creative infusion of coconut and strawberries (sacrilege to some). Bamabara's flourless chocolate cake drizzled with raspberries is among the best I've had and I greatly enjoyed the sorbets.

The reason I work out seven times per week is to relish Bambara grade dining experiences.

Tags: United States, Utah, Salt Lake City