Fun to venture up to the Capitol/Hill Marmalade district to try the very buzzy Koyote. We pulled up just before it opened for dinner and there were already multiple parties waiting for the doors to open. Once inside, we admired the wood paneling, cozy booths, bright pops of color, and sprinkles of western decor. When the weather warms up, there is a spacious patio for alfresco dining.
What we ordered:
- Whipped Tofu – Who knew I just needed whipped tofu in my life – with house-made chili crisps and plant-based mapo chili (that made me actually question if I ordered meat) plus scallion pancakes to dip and wipe the bowl clean. I’ll be thinking of this dish for a long time.
- Hot Sake – This is a popular vending machine sake in Japan that I hadn’t tried before. Sometimes hot sake on a cold Utah night just hits the spot.
- American Shoyu Ramen – Classic clear chicken and pork stock with straight egg noodles, smoked brisket, a soft-boiled egg, and bamboo shoots.
- Vegetarian Tatanmen Ramen – I wasn’t aware that Koyote offered so many plant-based vegetarian options and hot dang, plant-based meats have come a long way! This sesame broth was so rich and spicy and creamy I definitely thought there was meat involved in its process. Instead of ground pork it was topped with plant-based mapo chili. Paired with the wavy Sapporo style noodles (vegan!), I was one happy customer. Perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg, green onions, scallions, and baby bok choy rounded out the dish. I did feel the entire plate was a bit overly salted but that is my only note.
There is a lot of attention paid to diverse offerings – gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian are all clearly labeled and easy to customize. And a $7 kid ramen is a nice nod to the family-friendliness this city is known for.
Service is – quirky. Friendly host seated us, then instructed us to scan the QR code and order from the Toast-operated online menu. Not my favorite type of restaurant interaction, but efficient. Drinks and food were brought out in a nicely-paced manner and they did check on us a couple of times, but there wasn’t a lot more face-to-face time than that. I can understand that for a lunch stop, but as Koyote bills itself as a more upscale date-night destination, I’d appreciate a more service-oriented approach.
All that said, I’ve got no complaints about more authentic Japanese establishments popping up in SLC. I will tell everyone about the whipped tofu and can’t wait to return to try their other fares.
