I'm sorta bummed out this week. I hit another half-dud. I didn't mean to — it just worked out that way.
When I go out to eat, I honestly hope to enjoy my meal. I don't set out to be so brutally critical that no restaurant ever has a chance with me. What would be the point of that?
No, I want a good experience.
Anyway, I went to Brumby's by the University of Utah for dinner. I started with cream of cauliflower soup. You know me, I'm always looking for good soup.
The texture was nice, but the flavor was overpowering, as cruciferous vegetables can tend to be. It needed a more delicate approach.
My husband, Gary, had the warmed chicory salad. It had bits of bleu cheese and tasty thick bacon and was dressed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette. If you've never tried warm greens, this is a good one to start with.
For dinner, Gary chose the apple cider-glazed salmon on a bed of braised cabbage. The salmon was superb — light and fluffy, with a clean flavor. The bacon-and-caramelized apple that surrounded the salmon was a surprising complement.
Gary's plate was good. I should have had that. Instead, I chose the molasses-cured pork chop. The glaze on the chop was really nice, but the chop itself was fatty throughout. The risotto it rested on was thick and heavy, and not thoroughly cooked. The braised greens had an odd burnt flavor that I didn't care for. Overall, I was disappointed. I didn't eat much of it. Come to think of it, I didn't eat much of anything that night.
As for dessert, I can't figure out why some restaurants insist on using frozen pre-made desserts. In my opinion, if you're going to do that, you've got to be careful about the quality. You should throw them out when they've dried out and write off the loss. You have to find a way to serve them closer to how a fresh-made version would be served, instead of icebox cold.
In this case I would have been better off having a popsicle at home. I ordered an almond-filled tart. I love almond, so the idea of flaky crust and moist almond filling sounded good. What I got was dry and bland, as though qualities that may have once been there were lost.
My husband ordered a custard-filled puff pastry topped with chocolate — chocolate wax, that is. My only real complaint (besides the chocolate, and the cold temperature) was the lack of freshness — again — I think due to the frozen factor. It's not a big deal, but other restaurants charge the same money for things they make in their own kitchens. It's a gripe of mine that I personally harbor, much like my gripes about rock-hard butter (for the record, Brumby's was soft) or soggy vegetables.
It's too bad the atmosphere at Brumby's is so charming and comfortable. I wish that ensured a great meal. Same goes for the affordable menu. Creating good food is a sensibility that a restaurant's chef or manager either seems to have or not. There's no formula.
Perhaps there's less risk at Brumby's if you choose from the lunch or sandwich menu. There are tempting choices, such as a sandwich with marinated chicken breast, bleu cheese and sun-dried tomato, or another that features goat cheese, tomato and arugula on sourdough toast.
I'm tempted to go there again to try lunch and steer clear of dinner. I'd like to know what you think if you give Brumby's a try. In the meantime, I'll move on. There's always good food waiting to be discovered.
Prices for appetizers range from $4-7, entrees $8-14.
W.H. Brumby's
** 1/2 (out of five)
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Location: 224 S. 1300 East, 581-0888
Payment: checks, major credit cards
E-MAIL: stephanie@desnews.com