Salt Lake Olympic Odyssey

Obviously, the Olympics were a one-time event, but Salt Lake City really is a hidden gem. Powder snow, pretty good restaurants, and gorgeous scenery.

I was very fortunate and got to see Olympic events at 10 of the 11 venues. Parking was never a problem, and traffic was generally minimal.

My most memorable moment came at the Closing Ceremonies, watching the Olympic flame be extinguished. While the games were over, the memories will last.

My favorite venue was Curling up in Ogden. The fans were enjoying the action and were friendly. The athletes even more so. Hopefully the Olympic exposure helps more people become aware of this great game.

Quick Tips:

For a great breakfast check out Dee's. There are several in the metro area. The Rodezio Grill at Trolley Square is also fabulous. If you love meat, it is definitely the place to go. Green Street is another fun place at Trolley Square. The food is quite good and the service quite good.

A word of advice, Utah has some unique liquor laws. A membership is required at many places in order to drink. At most, if you tell the hostess that you are from out of town, staying for a couple of days, they will sponsor you. This will save you the temporary membership fee. It doesn't always work, but is worth a shot.

Best Way To Get Around:

Downtown isn't bad to get around walking, just remember that blocks are about twice as long as in many other cities. The new TRAX public transit is free in the downtown area, and quite useful. The airport is also not too far out, so getting in and out of the city is reasonable.

Lamb's Grille and Cafe is a Salt Lake City landmark. It has been at its present location since 1939, and looks much like it must have at that time. There are also many antiques from the period throughout the restaurant. It has a dining room toward the back of the restaurant, but also a counter with about 20 spaces. My friends and I ate at the counter, which I thought added to the experience. I had the hamburger, which was reasonably priced and quite good. I also had a chocolate milk shake and the house favorite dessert, rice pudding. The shake was good, but a little small. The rice pudding was served chilled (I prefer it warm), but was also tasty.

My colleagues were not as enthusiastic in their assessments of their meals, the food was good, but not spectacular. However, both agreed that the atmosphere was well worth it, with the lunch counter bringing to mind the restaurants of yesteryear.

Dee's may serve the best (and likely largest)breakfast in Salt Lake City. The service is fine and prices are very fair. The Texas Toast breakfast will fill you up for the entire day and with a drink set you back less than $10. The rest of the breakfast menu is comparable to what you would find at a Denny's or similar restaurant, however the portions are very generous and more reminiscent of a small town cafe. For a hearty breakfast, Dee's is a great way to start the day.