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Park City • It's funny how something as simple as a biscuit can create great expectations.
I mean, a biscuit is made of the most mundane ingredients: flour, shortening, baking powder, buttermilk, a little salt and sugar. But a well-made biscuit is the perfect example of a whole being more than the sum of its parts, to get all philosophical about it.
So when I bit into that biscuit at Tupelo, my hope was that everything else I ate there would be its match. That didn't happen, but this relatively new restaurant on Park City's Main Street is a gifted performer on a highly competitive dining stage. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy a range of appetites, and it features dishes that illustrate owner chef Matt Harris' penchant for doing the unexpected with top-notch ingredients. I applaud the ingenuity, even when it didn't deliver the flavor result I expected.
A small plate of house-made burrata, for example, was mixed with pickled summer berries, then drizzled with basil-infused olive oil and served with olive oil toast ($13). While the idea of pickled berries was intriguing, they really didn't add much to the dish, which tasted mostly of basil.
The same was true of a whole lobster ($46) roasted in a cast-iron pot. We expected that preparation would somehow influence the flavor of the lobster, which was sweet and tender. But the only discernible difference was that the meat became a bit dry through the meal, and there was no butter for dipping, just a crown of sautéed greens and a sprinkling of fresh peas and a carrot or two. It was the most expensive entrée for one person on the menu (there's a steak for two for $64), which reportedly changes often.
If you like shellfish, I'd recommend the Maine mussels, which come in appetizer- and entrée-size portions ($16/$24). The latter is a full pound of plump morsels, flavored with a lively broth of wine, shallots and green onions, and served with a good amount of toast slathered with basil oil.
We preferred the mussels over an entrée of halibut ($34), also from Maine, but just by a fin. The halibut was plated with morel mushrooms in a succulent sauce flavored with fennel, garlic and carrots, but there wasn't enough of the sauce. And the fish was just a tad overcooked, so the dish came off drier than it should have.
Harris hails from Atlanta, so there's a fair amount of Southern influence in his cooking, such as those beautiful biscuits. He uses greens liberally and to good effect, as in an entrée of roasted pork belly ($26). I'm sure I have previously confessed my fondness for pork belly, and this version was on a par with the biscuits. A fist-size rectangle of meat, perfectly layered with melting fat, came perched on a schmear of puréed celery root, and topped with sautéed greens studded with Bing cherries. Nestled against the meat were a couple of candied turnips. A cherry-flavored sauce added a sweet tang to balance the richness of the meat. It was perfect, indeed.
A pasta dish featuring rabbit ($28) was almost its equal. I say almost because I would have liked a little more shredded meat in lieu of the porcini mushrooms that nestled among the ribbons of pappardelle. Still, it was a savory symphony thanks to the contributing flavors of fresh peas and greens, and a crown of freshly grated cheese.
If rabbit is too adventurous, the roasted chicken ($26) is good choice. Two pieces of fowl, wearing a mantle of fresh herbs, were crispy on the outside, moist within, and served with oyster mushrooms and asparagus, all of it bathed in a fragrant garlic-infused broth.
Whatever you do while dining at Tupelo, don't overlook the side dishes. The grits ($8) were outstanding, a perky color thanks to puréed greens, and richly flavored with farmer's cheese. Buttered carrots ($8), with a mix of brightly colored heirloom root vegetables, fresh peas and greens, were just as good and enough to share among our party of four.
And do consider a couple of other noteworthy small plates. The round Maine crab fritters (three for $12) were moist and bursting with crab flavor, served with a delectable sweet and sour okra, and I don't even like okra. I only wish there had been more of the hot sauce butter. And the roasted porcini mushroom toast ($14) is a shroom-lover's dream, complete with farmer's cheese and a sunnyside egg. It's really substantial enough for a small meal.
At the end of one meal, we sampled the English summer pudding ($10), a beautiful dish of berry-dappled panna cotta served with a tangy house-made lemon ice cream and a cookie. Other offerings include a chocolate tasting with ice cream, a macaron and a madeleine ($10); cheese from Salt Lake City-based Caputo's ($10); and poached apricots with housemade yogurt and lemon shortbread ($10).
Tupelo offers a small selection of craft cocktails and an extensive wine list, but some of the markups were steep. A glass of Longoria pinot noir that sells at Utah liquor stores for $25 a bottle was $18 per glass.
The three-level space, formerly occupied by Silver, is casually elegant and comfortable, accented by wood, metal and exposed brick. Tupelo plans to open for lunch later this summer, but recently began offering Sunday brunch with egg dishes, a burger, a warm buttered lobster roll and some items from the dinner menu. Don't miss the bloody Mary bar, which offers housemade tomato juices, garnishes and pickles and freshly grated horseradish.
Servers are knowledgeable, friendly and eager to talk about the restaurant and its menu. On a slow night, we got more attention than we needed, but that's wasn't a bad thing.
Tupelo shows great promise in the life-elevated atmosphere of Park City. With the passion that Harris has for playing with food, I have no doubt he'll only continue to do great things.
HHH
Tupelo
Food • HHH
Mood • HHH
Service • HHH
Noise • bb
Tupelo opened in the space formerly occupied by Silver in December with a partial makeover and food that has a decided Southern bent even while it incorporates flavors from around the world. Standouts include the mussels, roasted pork belly, "antebellum" style grits and the house-made biscuits. It recently opened for Sunday brunch, where a bloody Mary bar serves cocktails with an impressive menu of handcrafted ingredients.
Location • 508 Main St., Park City; 435-615-7700
Online • tupeloparkcity.com
Hours • Dinner daily, 5-10 p.m.; Sunday brunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Children's menu • No
Prices • $$$-$$$$
Liquor • Full service
Reservations • Recommended
Takeout • No
Wheelchair access • Yes
Outdoor dining • Yes
On-site parking • Yes
Credit cards • Yes