Dining in restaurants was a little different on this trip to Utah. I ordinarily seek out the best of the newest and review a classic selection or two. In an attempt to remain as safe as possible, I limited my search to those with appealing outdoor dining spaces. That meant skipping some of Park City’s most interesting restaurants, but fortunately, I found three fine choices within easy distance of downtown.

High West Saloon

We most enjoyed this distillery-owned bar and restaurant, a block off Park City’s Main Street. We ended up on the terrace of the converted historic home that houses the saloon, overlooking a patio shaded by red umbrellas. Although we visited at lunchtime, I couldn’t resist trying one of the unique cocktails on the menu, all of which incorporated High West Distillery spirits. The Kid Curry cocktail combined American Prairie Bourbon, Aperol, fresh watermelon, garam masala simple syrup, lemon and sudachi (a Japanese citrus fruit), resulting in a refreshing sweet-savory drink with a bit of bitterness on the finish and a slightly tannic texture. Delicious. For an appetizer, we split some gnocchi, which came deeply browned. The preparation was unorthodox, but I enjoyed their crunchy-gooey texture nevertheless. They were served with fresh local corn, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and preserved lemon, which added a welcome pop of acidity. Even better was my main course of buttermilk-fried local quail with savory ginger fried rice, topped with a salad of shaved fennel and mixed greens dressed in a kimchi vinaigrette. The service was very friendly and professional.

High West Saloon
703 Park Avenue. Tel. (435) 649-8300