There’s more to eating out than Chili’s

It’s no secret that I have rules about eating out – mainly rules that protect my palette from repetitive mediocre food. For example, having a peer group that eats out at least five times a week (or more) there are certain default locations that have good people opening their wallets for yet another smothered burrito or chicken strips. This mindless dining is something that takes a careful hand to wean people away from. I will only cover one of my dining rules here - this is the foundation for all other rules:

Rule 1: Friends don’t let friends eat at Chili’s more than twice a month! No matter how many things you “love” on the menu, the molten chocolate cake is not the apex of dessert people, let’s be honest.

I admit that when you get a group of 5-10 people together it’s hard to find a place that everyone will like. As a responsible adult I feel it necessary to put a halt to the frequent (and predictable) suggestions of “hey, what about Chili’s/Friday’s/Café Rio/Costa Vida/another Hot & Ready Pizza?” Like a group Intervention with the roles are reversed, the voice of the minority should rage against the machine until minds of the masses are opened. For the same price or a dollar more you can be granted admittance to the world of "better" food.

Like the old lady on Sit-and-Fit, you should start off slow when starting a new regimen (if you aren't catching the reference think about the old aerobics lady on PBS that is usually seen seated with a beach ball in her hands).

For all of you that complain when the group is debating on where to go (and you usually internalize the fact that there is never a standout candidate) this is your chance to add an option that can make a difference (remember that I am talking about dinner here, not the Republican primary). Before you follow the crowd to another establishment that has “awesome chips and queso” and "can split the bill 10 ways" try throwing out one of the suggestions and avoid the "let's meet up at Chili's" syndrome.

Garden Park Café, Grand America Hotel: 555 South State Street, SLC
It’s not as expensive as you might think. The buffet is great for lunch or go for brunch over the weekend. If you want to pony up for a nice dinner go there on a Saturday night during the summer for their Jazz night – it’s work the extra coin.

Este Pizza: 2021 South Windsor (840 East), Sugarhouse
It’s New York pizza – you cannot order pineapple and Canadian bacon here (well, you can but they charge you $99.00 to open the can of pineapple). Grab a roll of paper towels and dab your slice until you can fold it without creating a drainage chute for the grease.

The Stella Grill: 1100 East 4291 South, SLC
Try the Italian Cheeseburger – it’s a great departure on whatever your favorite is at Reb Robin (I love the RR, don’t get me wrong – I went there for my birthday so a group could be appeased. Hell, throw RR out there so you can at least get the A-1 burger of the usual).

Moochies: 232 East 800 South, SLC
Great Cheesesteak – get the peppers, ditch the onions, and say yes to the Whiz.

Joe Morley’s BBQ: 100 West Center (7720 South), Midvale
Just go and eat like a glutton – don’t forget the rootbeer. Your inner child will love the messy BBQ sauce and your taste buds will praise your brain for remembering about good’ole Joe Morley’s.

Finn’s: 1624 South 1100 East, SLC
Another great cheeseburger in Salt Lake – this place looks like IKEA threw up all over the place (in a tasteful way, of course). Grab an apple on the way out the door too. WARNING: They do not split the bill here (it keeps the cheap-o's away and helps keep large groups to a minimum).

The Lone Star Taqueria: 2265 Ft. Union Blvd (7200 South), SLC
Nab yourself a beef tamale and a fish taco. It’s great after skiing or a day hiking up Big or Little Cottonwood canyon.

These are just a small handful of places for you to visit before forking over another $20 to that waiter wearing too much flair. Even if you cannot sway the heard of friends away from their habitual dining habits you can go venture out with a small few. Let the revolution begin.

Feel free to add to this initial list - I tried to keep it eclectic and close to SLC.

For help in finding worthwhile places to eat and some honest reviews try visiting: http://www.gastronomicslc.com/