Oh, Pallet. Your Edison bulbs, the charm of your 100 year old industrial bones, warm lights aglow everywhere... you're just, you're just kind of dreamy, you know?
From Pallet's website: "The space and vibe evolve as the day passes, making it ideal for an array of dining experiences. Once the mood picks up; we light loads of candles, dim the lights, and turn up the music to create a vibe that really suits the space." They're not wrong and they're not exaggerating.
The food is modern and innovative, local-centric and seasonal, making stunning use of even the less-than-beloved members of the vegetable world. I mean, transforming a gnarly-as-sin celery root and a handful of steel cut oats into something extraordinary? That's love. That's skill. And that's still on my mind more than a week after trying it.
Pallet's cocktail for Libretti and Libations is the Gem of the Nile - ransom dry gin // aperol // lillet blanc // lavender bitters, from Bijan Ghiai, inspired by the classic Jewel of the Nile [gin, yellow chartreuse, green chartreuse.] If you've only ever had Aperol in a spritz or think of gin as floral-heavy [or worse] you've got to give this a try. Ransom Old Tom Gin has traditional dry gin notes of juniper, lemon, coriander, orange, anise, and orris with the addition of less traditional elements like hops and marionberry. The cocktail has such a nice balance or sweet, bitter, and botanical... and it's one of only... 5(!!) that Chelsea and I shared there, so grab a glass of water [and if we're being real - maybe an aspirin] and let's talk more!
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| Pallet's L& L cocktail :: TheGem of the Nile |
Left: Presidential Pardon :: laird's bonded apple brandy // cognac // lemon juice // simple syrup // amontillado sherry // angostura bitters. Right: Lady in Red :: london dry gin // campari // st. germain // lemon juice // orange blossom water // peychauds // pernod absinthe rinse
Charred Celery Root with butter-toasted steal cut oats and golden raisin puree. You know James Franco in Freaks and Geeks... or James Franco in anything? These unsuspecting roots are the James Franco of the vegetable world. Smoky, crisp-tender, subtly sweet. Weird analogy, maybe, but thank you Chef Buzz Willey, thank you.
Pallet regularly rotates their selection of charcuterie, cheeses, and purveyors and offers options to choose a charcuterie board, cheese board, full board, or individual selections of what's available. The ricotta nestled in by those bread slices was phenomenal.
Vieux Carre :: rye // cognac // sweet vermouth // benedictine // peychauds // angostura
Pastry Chef, Courtney McDowell's Pear Geniose with sunchoke ice cream, sunchoke chips, Valrhona white chocolate mousse and cocoa nibs. After fangirling over McDowell's posts online expectations were high and this was such a treat. The sunchokes chips have a coconutty familiarity and contrast with the lush mousse, velvety ice cream, and delicate cake so nicely.
Vieux Carre and a yet-to-be-named, black lava salt-coated little number.
Ancho Reyes - it's spicy, sexy, delicious and I can't wait to see what cocktails it will find it's way into in the hopefully very near future.
Pallet
237 S 400 W // Salt Lake City
(801)935-4431
Monday-Saturday 5pm-close
and do check out their Instagram and website - gorgeous stuff.
This post is part of a series featuring cocktails from Utah Opera and Salt Lake Magazine's Libretti and Libations. Try an Aida-inspired cocktail and post a photo to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #UtahOperaSips by Wednesday March 16 to be entered to win a pair of tickets to Utah Opera's production of Aida!
See previous posts about this round of Libretti and Libations below:
Finca
Under Current
Libretti and Libations: Aida
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