Members of the Salt Lake City Bailliage and their guests trekked to the “back side” of the Wasatch Mountains on Sunday, July 21st for our annual Bastille Day Celebration. Instead of a traditional dinner, the bailliage partnered with Co-owner and Executive Chef, John Platt of Midway Mercantile to create a multi-course midday meal featuring a variety of French Rosé and Champagne wines.
While primarily self-trained, Chef John started his career in public education. He soon realized his true passion was in the kitchen and pivoted to work in the restaurant industry. Chef John, his wife Sandra, and their partner Pablo Butler relocated to Utah and opened Midway Mercantile in 2017. The trio previously ran a neighborhood restaurant together in Seattle for 17 years and dreamed of opening a restaurant in Utah. Together they have created a delicious dining destination with a menu that includes freshly made pasta, stone hearth pizzas, and a wide variety of entrees featuring ingredients sourced from local farms and purveyors.
The Midway Mercantile restaurant has quickly become a favorite of many of the members of the Salt Lake City Bailliage. He and his wife have become great friends to several of our members including our Event Chair, Vice Chargée de Missions Rebecca Love. After more than a year of dreaming about partnering together to host an event, she finally made it happen!
Chef John and his wife Sandra closed the restaurant for the afternoon and hosted our group on their private, outdoor patio. Their team expertly prepared a five-course lunch with a few surprises thrown in to highlight the wines.
The first course included a duo of Fried Oysters with a Smoked Paprika Aioli served alongside Pomegranate Marinated Strawberries and Watermelon, Butter Lettuce, and Balsamic. The Les Caves du Sieur d'Arques Crémant de Limoux Aimery 1531 Cremant Brut Rosé, Crémant de Limoux AOC complimented the dish perfectly.
A Beet Muhamarra Dip, Stone Hearth Flatbread & Toasted Pine Nuts with Herbes de Provence followed and was paired with a 2021 Commanderie de la Bargemon Rosé, Coteaux D'Aix-En-Provence AOC.
The third course was Smoked Trout Rillettes, Brioche Toasts and Rustling Aspen Farm Gem Lettuces & Dukkah Seasoned Roasted Scottish Salmon. The 2021 Le Saint Pâle Gamay Noir Rosé, Beaujolais AOC was the perfect accompaniment.
Chef John snuck in a special, small bite in between the third and fourth courses. Sadly, when members of the Salt Lake City Bailliage sat down with Chef John to develop the event’s menu, his Campfire Idaho Trout with Lemon and Caper Butter Sauce didn’t pair well with any of the wines. However, Chef John didn’t want us to miss out! He served each guest a small portion of this signature dish for everyone to enjoy. No one was complaining!
The official fourth course (the main course) was a Grilled Lamb Chop with Rosemary Dijon Sauce with Smashed Tagge Farm Baby Red Potatoes and Local Farm Ratatouille. The 2023 Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Rosé, Bandol AOC may have been the favorite wine of the afternoon by many!
The next fun bonus bite was an Amouse Bouche served right before the dessert. The dish was a tasty Duck Leg Confit featuring local Utah Honey.
And, finally, the dessert course was a Strawberry Rhubarb Ginger Crisp with Ice Cream paired with Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec, Champagne AOC.
At the close of the meal, Bailli Provincial Sheral Schowe presented Chef John with a certificate and a pewter Chaîne plate to display in the restaurant.
