Settebello, named for the most sought after card in the popular Italian card game Scopa, is a wonderful new restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. Now, although Settebello is a pizzeria, it is most definitely not “just another pizzeria”. Settebello is different. They are a certified member of Vera Pizza Napoletana, or true Neapolitan pizza. While they are the only VPN member in Utah, this is not too surprising, as there are only 16 VPN members in the United States as a whole. For more information about Vera Pizza Napoletana, see the quote from their website at the end of this post.

A true Italian Pizza, these are each handmade, are never greasy, and have that wonderful wood-fired taste. The flavors of the ingredients all come through in each bite. Bright and clean, these pizzas are fantastic! Don’t expect to find a pepperoni or meat lovers pizza here. No deep dish either. You will find only real crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fresh mozzarella, and other classic ingredients like salami, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olives, pine nuts, anchovies, or mushrooms. A more Italian pizza, you will not find anywhere. At least not in the US.

Settebello also serves cappuccino, and gelato. All in all, this is a wonderful place! The wait at dinner can be rather long, so I would recommend making a reservation. But either way, the experience is definitely worth the wait.

–Jason

A recent find (introduced to me by Joe), Phở Green Papaya has become my absolute favorite Vietnamese restaurant. The ingredients are fresh, the atmosphere is classy, and the service is impeccable. There is an incredible variety of selections on their six page menu. Although I have by no means tried them all, everything I have tried has been top notch. Their prices are reasonable too — my most recent meal, consisting of tea, an appetizer, and a large bowl of phở, came to less than $19, including a generous tip.

When you go, start with an appetizer. Though not typical Vietnamese fare, their chicken satays are fantastic — coconutty, lightly sweet, moist and tender. I like the fresh spring rolls (Gỏi cuốn), but their crispy, deep fried rolls (Chả giò) are also excellent.

If you like tea, they have a broad selection of green and black teas, as well as a couple of herbal tisanes, all served in a cast-iron tea kettle. I am a big fan of green tea, and I always order a pot when I’m there. I especially love Chinese jasmine pearl tea (Dragon Pearls), jasmine scented green tea leaves and sometimes a jasmine flower, hand rolled into small pearl-sized balls, and was delighted to find it on the menu. If you like teas, try it — you won’t be disappointed.

The first time I went, I had the Bún bò Huế — a mildly spicy soup noodle soup originating in the town of Huế, in central Vietnam. This soup, although a Vietnamese noodle soup, is very different from phở. For starters, the broth much more substantial, red, and flavored with lemongrass and shrimp paste, rather than star anise, cloves and ginger. The noodles are different too — thicker and closer to spaghetti or soba noodles. Finally, the meats served in this soup are much different than what you would typically find in a bowl of phở. Typical ingredients include marinated brisket and slices of various Vietnamese sausages and meatloaves. Phở Green Papaya does it right though. To the usual assortment, they add a pig’s knuckle (ham hock to the Southerners) some cakes of coagulated pig’s blood, and a couple of other meats. I’m not much for the blood cakes, but the rest of it is truly fantastic. This is real comfort food.

The second time I went, I had the phở. I ordered their house special version, which included rare steak (it’s put into the bowl raw, and it cooks by the time you eat it), both lean and fatty flank, brisket, beef meatballs (bò viên), tendon and tripe. This was far and away the best phở I’ve ever eaten in a restaurant. The broth was clear and clean, with a heady aroma of star anise and other spices. The meats were perfectly prepared, with the tripe being cut into thin, lacy shreds and the tendon cut into nice, thin, manageable strips. Words (at least my words) just can’t express how good this soup was.

Needless to say, I will return again and again. If you are looking for some good Vietnamese cuisine, Phở Green Papaya is the place! Even if you are a little timid, you should try this place. Order the phở tái bò viên — phở with steak and meat balls. This is an exceptional soup, with no ingredients that would be intimidating to an American palate (such as the tripe or tendon in my soup). This is my four-year-old daughter’s absolute favorite food.

–Jason