Brandt is rather rooted in the community and has gotten quite a lot of press coverage over the years. These are all worth reading:
http://www.grcc.edu/ShowPage.cfm?PageID=5685
http://www.vegcooking.com/chef-IanBrandt.asp
http://www.localharvest.org/blog/11152/entry/chef_ian_brandt_and_cali
...and here you can watch him make his famous Mushroom Stroganoff with Papparadelle Pasta and Brown Rice. You can get this dish anytime at Sage's Cafe.
Sage's Cafe has won best vegetarian restaurant in Utah for eight years in a row! Wow. My favorite time to go to Sage's Cafe is Tuesday evening when they have all you can eat vegan pizza and salad for $12.75 a person. Not a bad price and let me tell you the recipes are so darn creative and so darn good. I recommend anyone living in/near Salt Lake City set a special date for two or for the whole family and experience this treat. My other menu favorite is their "Rabbit's Pick" sandwich. Its filled with their famous creamy carrot butter, avocado, mixed greens, onions, cucumbers, and a balsamic tahini fusion served on a seven-grain roll. YUM. Walter and I get a little sneaky and treat ourselves to a vanilla mint shake to share when we dine at Sage's. Best shake I've ever had - vegan or not. Now, as good as Sage's Cafe is, most of my family members would vote for Vertical Diner as the best of Utah. It's got that great all american diner comfort food feel...yet it offers healthier choices than the traditional. I recommend trying their reuben sandwich with their lovely vegan sausage or going for the "American Diner" - breaded "chicken", gravy, french fries, and a salad with their cilantro-lime vinaigrette. Anyway, its a really good idea to check out both restaurants. :)
I start my job tomorrow. So psyched. Ready to roll.
