Dining Guide 2018 

Page 3 of 8

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• Sally Hummings
• Even Stevens

Crave-worthy Catering
These six mobile caterers are guaranteed to spice up your next drab office meeting.

By Amanda Rock

Being a secretary is not a bad gig; I get weekends off and the first pick of office supplies. I'm also tasked with ordering catering for meetings, which—as an also intrepid food writer—is a welcome assignment. The result? On my watch, there are no humdrum boxed lunches or depressing buffets. The following caterers have earned a permanent place in my Rolodex by providing excellent customer service and serving delicious, fresh fare at a reasonable price. Go ahead and give 'em a go next time you're looking to spice up an office gathering.

Urban Pioneer Foods
When you spot your favorite caterer at the farmers market shopping for ingredients, you know she's legit. Over the past few years, ordering from Urban Pioneer has elevated my status at the office as someone who really knows good food. Sure, I take the credit but it's really Brooke Woffinden, owner and chef of Urban Pioneer, who is brilliant. (But also, I am brilliant by  association for ordering from her.) Instead of perusing a menu, I simply email Woffinden, tell her how much I can spend and who I'm feeding, and she sends back wonderful menus to choose from—all made with seasonal and local ingredients. Her attention to detail and commitment to buying local makes Urban Pioneer unique. Looking for the royal treatment at home? She also offers take-and-bake meals from her retail spot two days a week. Sign up for her email list to see what's cooking. 389 W. 1700 South, 801-598-7702, urbanpioneerfoods.com

Zao Asian Café
If you're looking to bring something fresh to the conference room table, look no further than Zao. You can choose between rice bowls or tacos, then select two protein options (chicken, steak, meatballs or Thai-spiced tofu). Each buffet comes also comes with flavorful additions like pickled carrots and daikon, wok-seared veggies, ginger-doused scallions, toasted peanuts, crunchy onions and cilantro. Rest assured that everyone will construct a good, healthy meal to their liking. Each ingredient is neatly labeled for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. The best part? This meal can hang out in the heating pans for three hours, so you don't have to stress out about a meeting running late and food getting cold. There's a $100 minimum and it costs $10 per person with a reasonable delivery fee. Multiple locations, zaoasiancafe.com

Even Stevens Sandwiches
Everyone likes sandwiches and everyone likes being nice. Ordering from Even Stevens takes care of both and is always a hit, whether your guests are vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free eaters. Or even if they like a good, old-fashioned meaty sandwich like the Do Gouda, made with shaved New York steak and smoked Gouda. With each sandwich purchased, one is donated to a local nonprofit. They provide you with a card, proclaiming the number of sandwiches donated with each order, so you can feel good while you're eating good food. Besides stellar sandwiches, Even Stevens offers cravable salads and sides—like fresh vegetable platters, cheesy mac and cheese and delicious cookies. Good stuff all around. Multiple locations, evenstevens.com

Red Iguana
When you can order catering from one of Salt Lake City's most popular restaurants, why wouldn't you? Red Iguana offers a vast menu of possibilities, but I've found the Numero Uno Chicken Fajitas, served with refried beans, Spanish rice, chips, housemade salsa and topped with pico de gallo and fresh guacamole is an inexpensive way to feed a diverse crowd. Those who avoid meat and/or dairy simply leave it off the plate, assembling a tasty and filling meal around the rice and beans, both made without animal products. Gluten-free folks, meanwhile, can opt for warm corn tortillas instead of their floury counterpart. This is easily one of the most requested meals from my co-workers. The price point is $12.60 per person and delivery is offered on orders of $150 or more with an 18 percent service fee. Portions are generous and there are plenty of leftovers to take home. 801-300-4214, rediguana.com

Treats and Trends
Instead of buying groceries and stressing out about assembling meat and cheese platters in the break room, I just call on Treats and Trends to cater meeting snacks. They're highly creative and come up with delicious options to keep people engaged in the meeting. I've mostly ordered gorgeous cheese platters, with fruit, crackers and nice array of cheeses. T&T also caters full meals for all sorts of events. Judging by the quality of the snacks I've ordered and the presentation, Treats and Trends can work magic on a budget. 801-410-3682, treatsandtrendscatering.com

Kneaders Bakery & Café
Skip the pastries and crappy bagels from Costco, unless you hate your co-workers. My morning meeting go-to is the continental breakfast from Kneaders Bakery & Café. For $124.99, you will wake up 25 people and make them happy with delectable pastries (I always snag a chocolate croissant for myself), a beautiful fresh fruit platter and freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Kneaders is also a solid choice for lunch with options ranging from sandwiches made with freshly made bread, soups and crisp salads. You can even order online. Multiple locations, kneaders.com