City Spark Restaurant Lounge
City
Spark Restaurant Lounge
Reviewer’s Rating: ***** 5/5
Spark Restaurant Lounge: 86 North University Avenue; Provo, Utah 84601; 801.701.6780
Everything about Spark Restaurant Lounge is delightfully unique and equally delicious. Spark quickly rose to the top of Utah’s restaurant elite after opening in late 2008, and is easily one of the best in Utah. The modern décor has been done perfectly to accomplish an inviting urban style. Everything is black. Black tables. Black chairs. Black walls. Black accent furniture. Even the ceiling is black. The distinctive light fixtures and oil candles on the tables provide ample contrast to the blackness. The floor plan is open with lots of spacing between tables to accommodate mingling. Couches and coffee tables provide an alternative to table seating and are perfect for drinks and appetizers. Feel free to ascend the stairs to the balcony loft for a great view of the restaurant—a nice option made possible by the very tall ceilings. In short, Spark is very trendy simply because it is trendy, not because it is trying too hard. Spark Restaurant Lounge is moderately expensive at around $30-$39 per person (drink, appetizer, entree, dessert, tax, & tip). However, a 3 course daily lunch special is available for $10.
Spark introduces an interesting concept to the lounge scene—no alcohol. The extended drink menu includes mojitos, martinis, and bellinis among other mixed favorites, all sans alcohol. Instead, exciting varieties of berries, citrus, and other fruits complement the beverages. Come in and try one while enjoying the live music frequently staged in the dining room. You can even buy red Pinot Noir grape juice by the glass or bottle. For the more adventurous try the Red Brain Wash or Cricket Soda. For a non-alcoholic establishment Spark has demonstrated enormous creativity on its drink menu. Coke products are available for the less adventurous. We tried the Kiwi Martini ($3.50), which was naturally fruity, refreshing, and not too sweet as many fruit beverages can be.
The service is very good. Perhaps it seemed more so in our case as we were the only party in the restaurant. Has the word not gotten out yet? On a Friday night at one of the best restaurants we have been to, not a sole was there to share the experience with us. Bring your friends and give Spark a try. Once you do, you will have a new favorite restaurant. I am betting the service is great even when busier. We received the right amount of attention and were well-attended to. The only area I felt was missing was an explanation of whether anything comes with the entrée—I feel like I shouldn’t have to ask. It was difficult to tell whether soup or salad was an option, and if so, was it a la carte or included with the price of the entrée. Barring that minor personal preference, our experience with the service was great.
Executive Chef Lauro Romero has created a phenomenal bill of fare. This is one of the few restaurants where I can honestly say I would like to try everything on the menu. The unique theme continues from the drinks to the appetizers to the entrees to the desserts. The true genius of Chef Romero lies in the way he skillfully creates innovative dishes that exquisitely explode with layers of flavor in your mouth. Less skilled chefs might have some creative dishes, but they come across as a novelty instead of fine dining. Even the complimentary bread has a unique twist to it. The softened butter is served in a dish over a bed of coarsely ground salt. The bread was of excellent quality—although I recommend not getting too much salt on your butter.
For the main course we tried the Basil Crusted Wild Alaskan Halibut ($22). This is the best halibut we have ever tasted. The basil is plentiful and mild—having its normally strong flavor tempered by carefully marinating it in olive oil. The effect is wonderful. The dish is served with an excellent interpretation of gnocchi that is soft, flavorful, and melts in your mouth. Also recommended is the Tandoori-Crusted Blue Nose Sea Bass ($22) which is packed with subtle spiciness. The bass is served on a coconut rice cake with pineapple salsa. For dessert, don’t pass on the Fried Chocolate Pudding ($8). The dish comes out in simple elegance with three small pudding balls made from rich dark chocolate, flash fried and ready to erupt in your mouth. Together with the orange ice cream, a beautiful orange truffle effect is created. The portion size is perfect for sharing. As a thank you, Chef Romero sent us away with a wonderful palate cleanser—a Black Currant Sorbet with candied lemon zest. This was just the right note to leave on to instill a perception of greatness and uniqueness that will last. The candied lemon zest was remarkable and memorable, as was the entire experience. Spark is a top notch restaurant delivering excellence through every part of the experience.
0 Comments