The Days of 47 Rodeo Dutch Oven Cook-off attracted both restaurant chefs and amatuers to the Gateway's Olympic Legacy Fountain Saturday afternoon. Grand prize winners were the Scott Watters of Sky Box Sports Grill in the professional category, and Todd Carter from the International Dutch Oven Society in the amateur category. First place went to McGrath's Fish House; second place, Murray Fire Department, and third place, Z'Tejas.
Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation takes place at Solitude Mountain Resort Sunday, Aug. 10, from noon to 4 p.m. The fourth annual fund-raiser benefits Utahns Against Hunger and the Utah Food Bank. More than 30 restaurants will participate in the dining event, offering samples of their cuisine. Advance tickets are $60 per person or $500 for a package of 10 tickets, available at www.tasteofnation-utah.org, Liberty Heights Fresh, Park City Seafood, Snider's Brothers Meats and Sur La Table. (328-2561)
Ben's Cookies of Oxford, England, opened this month at the University Mall in Orem, with a second store slated for the Gateway. These are the company's first stores in America, and they're jointly owned and operated by Joel Clark of Salt Lake City and by Ben's Cookies UK. Clark said he heard about the cookie chain while earning a master's degree at Oxford last year. The chain is known for its "milk chocolate chunk" and "triple chocolate" cookies, which use chunks of imported Belgian chocolate.
Panini, a new restaurant and private club, is opening its doors Friday, Aug. 1, on the second floor of the Wells Fargo Building, 200 South and Main Street. It fills the space formerly occupied by the Il Sansovino restaurant and will be open for both lunch and dinner. Panini is owned and operated by Brandon Howard, a certified chef with the American Culinary Foundation and former executive chef of The Point at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. According to Howard, the restaurant will serve "continental cuisine with an Italian flair."
Tuscany is offering a new menu, under the direction of executive chef Franck Peissel and chef de cuisine Robert Gallegos. Peissel, who is also executive chef of L'Avenue, has given the cuisine a French twist. "I would describe our food as more 'Italian-esque' than strict Italian," said manager Al Viny. "Now we are taking Italian dishes and letting Franck interpret them." Menu items include Eggplant Lasagna di Pescatore (eggplant layered with salmon), red and yellow beet ravioli with garlic chevre, potato gnocchi with sauteed bacon, sauteed calamari with roasted pine nuts, currants and capers, roasted Alaskan halibut served on braised artichokes and pancetta, grilled pork tenderloin and braised beef cheeks with sage.
Arby's is offering a new Five-Star Club Sandwich for a limited time, featuring ham, turkey, cheddar cheese, lettuce, Swiss cheese, pepper bacon and tomatoes on thick-sliced, oat-topped white bread.
Dairy Queen offers all triplets free treats on Aug. 3 to promote its new Triple Chocolate Utopia treat. To receive a free Triple Chocolate Utopia (vanilla soft-serve ice cream, topped with fudge, chocolate chunks and brownie pieces) triplets must come in together to their local Dairy Queen. www.dairyqueen.com
Submit restaurant announcements to Valerie Phillips, Food Editor, Deseret Morning News, 30 E. 100 South, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110; by fax to 801-237-2550; or by e-mail to vphillips@desnews.com.