555 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah

(801) 258-6708
Join us for breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Open every day from 6:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Media

Garden Cafe's Summer Saturdays is reviewed by City Weekly's Ted Scheffler: http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=C143FEE5-14D1-13A2-9FFF17CCE30530C2

Garden Cafe on FOX13's "Good Day Utah" from 6am-9am June 20, 2008: http://www.myfoxutah.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=AC297E7C45C7CD23B96237204EAB1261?contentId=6814934&version=5&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=11

Garden Cafe's Summer Saturdays makes Salt Lake Magazine's Hot List several weeks running: http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/index.php?cid=581343&src=gendocs&ref=6.19.08&category=E-newsletters&curlid=77


Garden Cafe's Summer Saturdays is written about in the Deseret News: Table Talk: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700233246,00.html

City Weekly Dining Review on Summer Saturdays

Went to a Garden Party: It's a stairway to heaven at Grand America's Summer Saturdays


By Ted Scheffler Posted 06/26/2008

On a recent Saturday, as the late great Rick Nelson used to sing, “I went to a garden party … everyone was there.” Well, maybe not everyone. But at the kickoff of Summer Saturdays on the Garden Café patio at Grand America, I did see a lot of smiling, happy faces. And why not? If my experience was any indication, the Garden Café’s Summer Saturdays program is going to make a lot of people happy.
Following on the great success of the Garden Café’s popular Sunday brunch—and considering also that the premier Grand America restaurant has been underperforming on Saturday nights—the G.A. brain trust is luring customers to the Garden Café with a no-holds-barred Saturday night buffet. That’s not a bad idea in Utah, where the populace seems to love the all-you-can-eat concept the way that pigs love truffles. But this ain’t Chuck-A-Rama.
A major attraction of Summer Saturdays is that although it is centered at Grand America’s Garden Café, you don’t have to eat in the Garden Café. The Garden Café has never been my favorite dining spot from a visual/décor perspective—it’s over-the-top in a way that only an Earl Holding restaurant can be—but the Summer Saturdays dinners take place out on the gorgeous Garden Café patio, with only overflow seating inside. So it’s only necessary to view that hideous carpet on the way out to the patio, thank goodness.
A crack server named Scott Wise led us on a tour of the various “stations” at Summer Saturdays: There is a salad-and-pasta station, a seafood/sushi station, Southwestern grill, a carvery and dessert station.
As with all buffets, it’s prudent to pace yourself at Summer Saturdays. No, seriously: You will overdo it. Just overdo it at a moderately respectable pace, is my advice. I started off with a plate of tabbouleh and Southwestern-spiced rotini pasta salad with Utah goat cheese along with a delicious hand-tossed Caesar salad. The creamy Caesar dressing was among the best I’ve ever tasted, and I appreciated the option of being able to add chicken, bacon, hard-cooked eggs and other accoutrements at will.
When Wise suggested a bottle of wine from the Garden Café’s “cellar” list, my initial reaction was, “We can’t afford cellar selections.” But I was wrong. A bottle of Sanford Chardonnay, for example, sold for a mere $40. Given that many restaurants mark their wines up 250 to 300 percent, that’s pretty reasonable for a wine which normally retails for $18-$20. There are other good bargains on the Garden Café wine too. The Sanford Chard paired perfectly with iced Alaskan King crab legs and jumbo shrimp from the seafood bar, with drawn butter for dipping. A very popular attraction is the sushi selection which, on this evening, was stocked with spicy tuna tartare and an assortment of sushi rolls including California rolls, tuna rolls, eel and more. A gazpacho “shooter” with smoked salmon and deviled egg on top was a nice touch and a good palate cleanser before my trip to the Southwestern station.
Drop in for Summer Saturdays, and you’ll be treated to the eccentric sounds of the Joshua Payne Trio, a jazzy lounge-type group not quite like any other. Payne, along with a bassist and drummer, does mellow, loungy versions of tunes you’ll know. And I don’t mean “Autumn Leaves” or “Stella by Starlight.” I’m talking about lounge versions of “Free Bird,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Little Wing,” and even The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize?” I got into an impromptu “name that tune” contest with an employee named Dana Seely who works the carving/grill station, and lost when he was able to name a Tool tune I failed to recognize. The Joshua Payne Trio brings an eclectic, stylish and fun verve to dining at the Garden Café on a Saturday evening. They’ll be in residence all summer long.
A corner of the Garden Café’s patio has been turned into a taqueria where you’ll find pork carnitas, beef and chicken tacos with corn tortillas all cooked up on a colossal paella pan about the size of a helicopter pad. The tacos are killer, especially with executive chef Eric Finney’s roasted tomato salsa and fresh guacamole. A bit further down the path Southwestern becomes Middle Eastern, with fresh hummus, pita and the like. Speaking of the Middle East, debonair Iranian-born food and beverage director Ali Rafaati patrols the patio constantly, supervising staff members and chatting with customers. “If the service isn’t good, then I have to buy your dinner!” I heard Ali say to one table. He won’t be buying many dinners; the service staff at Grand America—peppered with a number of folks from Serbia, Slovakia and the Ukraine—is stellar.
The $45-per-person price at Summer Saturdays includes non-alcoholic drinks. And not just sodas. There’s freshly made tea and lemonade along with all sorts of frozen fruit drinks. It’s a nice touch that Grand America doesn’t gouge by charging extra for drinks.
After a helping of tender, tasty applewood-smoked barbecued ribs, luscious grilled lamb T-bone with cherry-pepper relish and Beehive Cheddar mac-and-cheese, we ventured into the dessert emporium—where executive pastry chef Kurtis Baguley’s phenomenal desserts, by all rights, should be kept under lock and key. But they’re not. Those scrumptious treats are simply there for the asking, everything from fruit tartlets, frozen Key Lime pops and bread pudding to homemade candies, gelato, cakes, pies, ice-cream sandwiches and ginger ale-and-Bing cherry floats made on the spot. I feel the need to confess: My klepto wife snuck a few of those delicious candies into her purse to bring home for our boys. I would’ve lined my pockets with Baguley’s amazing pistachio gelato had I thought I could get it home safely.
GARDEN CAFÉ AT THE GRAND AMERICA HOTEL 555 S. Main, 258-6708 GrandAmerica.com Summer Saturdays from 6-10 p.m.

Summer Saturdays

Soak up the hot blues of the Joshua Payne Trio while you indulge in Executive Chef Eric Finney’s award winning cuisine on the outdoor patio.
Dine on succulently grilled lamb, ribs and steak, or pair a crisp salad with all the fresh seafood you can eat.
Try innovative approaches to American favorites like mac n’ cheese and hushpuppies or spice up your palate at our Southwest Station.
After dinner, join us in welcoming back Executive Pastry Chef Kurtis Baguley, by sampling his fabulous desserts.
Summer Saturdays at The Garden Café begins June 14th and will continue every Saturday from 6 pm to 10 pm throughout the summer.

Reserve your seats early for prime seating location.
For reservations call: 801-258-6708.

Sunday Brunch


The Garden Cafe's sumptuous side reveals itself in the award winning Sunday Brunch. Sophisticated dining in the beautiful garden ambiance is both casual and elegant. Internationally exciting tastes accent the fresh produce-filled omelets, fine carving roasts, fresh seafood, and pastries and breads made daily in our in-house bakery.

Reserve our semi-private alcove for your very special occasions. No dining experience provides more pleasure than the joy of having Sunday brunch with family and friends.

Serving Brunch each Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Casual ambiance and attire.
Reservations always suggested (801) 258-6708

Breakfast Menu

The Grand America Breakfast Buffet
Served 7 am Until 10:30 am, Monday Thru Saturday - 7 am Until 10:00 am, Sundays
15.00
Continental Breakfast
Bakery Basket with Preserves, Juice & Hot Beverage of Your Choice
10.00
Starters
Plate of Sliced Seasonal Fresh Fruit
7.00
Half of an Indian River Grapefruit
4.00
Assorted Selection of Dry Breakfast Cereals
4.00
Grand America Bircher Muesli
5.00
Add Bananas or Berries 1.50
Banana Brule Irish Oatmeal
Made from Whole Grain Irish Oats with Mixed Berries
6.00
Traditional Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal
5.00
Low-Fat Fruit Yogurt
4.00
Smoothies
"Energy" Strawberry and Banana
Yogurt, Fresh Fruit, Apple Juice
5.00
"Antioxidant" Blueberry Blast
Berries, Orange Juice, Yogurt
5.00
"Mental Clarity" Tropical Fruit Smoothie
Papaya, Pineapple, Mango, Guava Nectar, and Yogurt
6.00
Hot Selections
Two Eggs Any Style & Cottage Potatoes
9.00
Add Choice of Breakfast Meats 11.00
Ham Steak, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Por Sausage Links or Chicken Apple Sausage
Create Your Own Three Egg Omelet With Breakfast Potatoes
Your Choice of Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, Spinach, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Cheese, Ham or Bacon
11.00
Baked Florentine Omelet
Spinach, Mozzarella, Italian Sausage, Basil, Tomato & Parmesan Cheese
11.00
Pacific Smoked Salmon
Toasted Bagel with Traditional Accompaniments
10.00
"Grand" Eggs Benedict
Utah Smoked Trout, Poached Eggs, Spicy Hollandaise
15.00
Veggie Benedict
Spinach, Tomatoes, Tofu, Fennel Hollandaise
12.00
"Traditional" Eggs Benedict
Canadian Bacon, Poached Eggs, Hollandaise
15.00
Southwest Benedict
Chorizo, Salsa, Poached Eggs, Spicy Hollandaise
15.00
Grilled New York Steak & Two Eggs
Grilled Tomato & Potatoes
18.00
Grand America Huevos Rancheros
With Grilled Chorizo Sausage
12.00
Grand America Breakfast Burrito
Eggs, Chorizo, Cheese & Fresh Salsa
11.00
Banana-Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Coconut, Whipped Cream
8.00
Wild Huckleberry "Lehi Mills" Buttermilk Pancakes
Locally Ground Flour, Mountain Grown Huckleberries
9.00
Pecan Crusted French Toast
Warm Strawberry Compote, Vanilla Infused Maple Syrup
9.00
Cinnamon Bun Swirled French Toast
Caramel Maple Drizzle, Saigon Cinnamon
9.00
Malted Belgian Waffle
Filled with Berries & Whipped Cream
9.00
Toasted Bread Selections
Raisin, White, Wheat, Rye, or Sourdough
3.00
English Muffin or Croissant
3.00
Fresh Artisan Bagel
4.00
with Cream Cheese 5.00
Beverages
Orange, Apple, Grapefruit, Prune, Cranberry, Pineapple & Tomato Juices
4.00
Whole Milk, 2% Milk, Skim Milk, Non-Fat Milk & Soy Milk
3.00
Currant Juice
Small 4.00 Large 5.00
Selection of Harney & Sons Fine Teas
4.00
Freshly Brewed Regular or Decaffeinated Coffee
3.00
Cappuccino, Espresso & Cafe Lattes
4.00
Whole Milk, 2% Milk, Skim Milk, Non-Fat Milk & Soy Milk
3.00
Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream
3.00
Perrier, Pellegrino & Panna
Small 5.00 Large 7.00

Lunch Menu

Lunch Buffet
Served 11 am Until 2 pm Monday Thru Saturday
17.00

Soups & Salads

Lunch Special
Soup of the Day and House Salad
13.00

Roasted Corn and Crayfish Chowder
Served in a Bread Bowl
8.00

House Salad
Assorted Mixed Green, Pesto Croutons, Slow Roasted Tomato, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Shaved Red Onion, Crumbled Maytag Bleu Cheese, Wrapped in Cucumber, Choice of Dressing
8.00
Garden Cafe Caesar Salad
Chopped Romaine, Lemon Garlic Dressing, Slow Roasted Tomato
House Made Croutons, Grated Parmesan

8.00
Add Grilled Chicken 10.00

Ahi Tuna, Snow Crab and Avocado Tower
Micro Green Salad, Soy Vinaigrette
11.00

The Grand Cobb
Turkey, Bacon, Hard Cooked Eggs, Tomato, Avacado, Scallions, Maytag Beu Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Micro Greens, Chopped Romaine with Champagne Vinaigrette
10.00

Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Sliced Tomato, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Hand Pulled Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Balsamic, Sprinkle of Sea Salt
10.00
BLT Salad
Chopped Romaine, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Slow Roasted Sweet Tomatoes, Maytab Bleu Cheese Dressing
7.00
Pastas & Light Fare

Spicy Rigatoni
Fresh Tomato Sauce, Shaved Garlic, Kalamata Olives, Capers, Fresh Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crushed Red Chili's, Shaved Pecorino
15.00

Grand America Macaroni and Three Cheese
Utah Beehive Cheddar, Reggiano Layered with Fresh Tomatoes, Hand Pulled Mozzarella and Gratineed
14.00
Add Grilled Chicken 16.00
Grilled Chicken Alfredo
Fetuccine, Bacon, Fresh Tomato, Sweet Peas, Basil, Alfredo Sauce
16.00

Burgers & Sandwiches

The Grandest Salt Lake Burger
Certified Angus Beef, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle Spear, Battered Fries and Coleslaw
10.00
Add Cheese 11.00 Add Bacon 12.00

Cajun Bacon Cheeseburger
The Grandest Salt Lake Burger with Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Pepper Jack Cheese and Cajun Mayonnaise, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle Spear, Battered Fries and Coleslaw
12.00

The Grand Club Sandwich
Roasted Turkey Breast, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Tomato and Avacado
Mayonnaise on Sourdough, Battered Fries
9.00

The BLT
Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Beefstead Tomato, Green Leaf Lettuce, Sliced Avocado
Mayonnaise on Toasted Wheat Bread, Battered Fries
8.00

The Garden Cafe Open Faced Tuna Melt
Utah Beehive Cheddar, Albacore Tuna, Slow Roasted Tomato
Texas Toast, Mixed Greens
10.00
Reuben Sandwich
Corned Beef, Fresh Sauerkraut, Russian Dressing, Jarlsberg Cheese on Marble Rye, Battered Fries
9.00
The Garden Cafe Grilled Chicken Wrap
Rolled in an Herb Tortilla with Mushrooms, Artichoke Hearts, Bell Peppers, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, and Mozarella, Served with Mixed Greens
10.00
Fish and Chips
Lightly Battered Fresh Halibut, Tartar Sauce, Battered Fries and Mixed Greens
14.00
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla
Pepper Jack, Cheddar and Mozzarella, Spinach Tortilla, Fresh Salsa, Sour Cream
9.00

Dinner Menu

Starters
Crispy Fried Calamari
Green Olive Relish, Marinara, Lemon, Aioli
7.00
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
Four Jumbo Shrimp, Cocktail Sauce, Lemon Wedge
9.00
Seared Miniature Crab Cakes
Sweet Corn Butter Sauce, Remoulade, Micro Green Salad
9.00
Stone Baked Flatbread
Scallion Feta Hummus, Kalamata Olive Tapenade
8.00
Soups & Salads
Soup of the Day
Garden Cafe Daily Creation
7.00
Roasted Corn and Crayfish Chowder
Served in a Bread Bowl
8.00
Garden Cafe Caesar Salad
Chopped Romaine, Lemon Garlic Dressing, Slow Roasted Tomato, House Made Croutons, Grated Parmesan
8.00
Add Grilled Chicken 10.00
Baby Spinach Salad
Fresh Baby Spinach, Crisp Bacon, Shaved Red Onion, Maytag Bleu Cheese, House Made Croutons, Creamy Balsamic Dressing
9.00
The Grand Cobb
Turkey, Bacon, Hard Cooked Eggs, Tomato, Avacado, Scallions, Maytag Beu Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Micro Greens, Chopped Romaine with Champagne Vinaigrette
10.00
Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Sliced Tomato, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Hand Pulled Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Balsamic, Sprinkle of Sea Salt
10.00
House Salad
Assorted Mixed Greens, Pesto Croutons, Slow Roasted Tomato, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Shaved Red Onion, Crumbled Maytag Bleu Cheese Wrapped in Cucumber, Choice of Dressing
8.00
House Chop Salad
Salami, Pepperoni, Crisp Pancetta, Olives, Sweet Peppers, Shaved Red Onion, Gogonzola Cheese, Red Wine Herb Vinaigrette
9.00
Pastas & Light Fare
Spicy Rigatoni
Fresh Tomato Sauce, Shaved Garlic, Kalamata Olives, Capers, Fresh Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crushed Red Chili's, Shaved Pecorino
15.00
Grand America Macaroni and Three Cheese
Utah Beehive Cheddar, Reggiano Layered with Fresh Tomatoes, Hand Pulled Mozzarella and Gratineed
15.00
Add Grilled Chicken 17.00 Add Lobster 20.00
Grilled Chicken Alfredo
Fetuccine, Bacon, Fresh Tomato, Sweet Peas, Basil, Alfredo Sauce
16.00
Entrees
Utah Honey and Maple Glazed Cedar Plank Salmon
Seasonal Vegetables and Smoked Tomato Butter, Beehive Cheddar, Smoked Bacon and Scallion Potato Cake
23.00
Fennel Crusted Halibut Filet
Seasonal Vegetables and Lemon Caper Sauce, Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
25.00
Pesto and Garlic Marinated Half Roasted Chicken
Oven Roasted Artichokes and Tomatoes, Natural Pan Sauce, Rosemary and Garlic Fingerling Potatoes
20.00
Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Pork
Bone in Prime Rib of Pork, Stone Ground Mustard Sauce, Sun Dried Cranberry Relish, Seasonal Vegetables, Whipped Potatoes
25.00
18 oz. "Cowboy" Rib Eye
Crispy Onion Ring, Creamed Horseradish and Natural Jus, Scallion and Sour Cream Whipped Potatoes
36.00
Grilled Filet Mignon
Seasoned Baby Vegetables, port Wine Sauce, Herb Compound Butter, Scallion and Sour Cream Whipped Potatoes
32.00
Burgers & Such
The Grand Salt Lake Burger
Certified Angus Beef, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle Spear, Battered Fries and Coleslaw
10.00
Cajun Bacon Cheeseburger
The Grandest Salt Lake Burger with Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Pepper Jack Cheese and Cajun Mayonnaise, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle Spear, Battered Fries and Coleslaw
12.00
The Western
Certified Angus Beef, Crispy Onion Ring, Smoked Cheddar and Sweet and Smoky BBQ Sauce, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle Spear, Battered Fries and Coleslaw
12.00
Fish and Chips
Lightly Battered Fresh Halibut, Tartar Sauce, Battered Fries and Mixed Greens
14.00