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Show 7 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2001 THE SUMMER UTAH CHRONICLE ALEX LEE Chronicle Feature Columnist Restaurants come and go, but one category of eatery in Salt Lake City has been a sure thing. With the exception of Fuggles (Salt Lake Brewing Company), every brewery in the valley has stayed in business since inception. Most people go to breweries for the beer, but I love dining at the restaurants connected to these breweries. The menu is usually eclectic with pizza, pasta, seafood, salads and sandwiches. The dishes are also moderately priced ($7-51- 5 per entree). These restaurants sit in old buildings which have been tastefully renovated. Bar seating is always available, so they make an efficient alternative to fast food, especially when you are alone. And where else can you get a decent meal after 10 p.m. in Salt Lake City? Although the Desert Edge Brew- ery At the Pub (formerly just The Pub) has been around for more than 20 years, it did not adapt to the microbrewery format until about four years ago. The Pub had a very simple menu of soups, salads and sandwiches. Since the conversion to Desert Edge, the menu diversified and the food improved. Not many people talk about the beer here, but they still rave about lunch menu items like French onion soup, rare roast beef sandwiches and pasta salads. Introducing the microbrewery to Salt Lake City was Squatter's Pub Brewery. Before downtown spread westward, Squatter's sat at the edge of the city center. With new condominiums, restaurants and theaters surrounding it, the microbrewery is now in the heart of the entertainment district. Squatter's has the best food among the local breweries. The selections are diverse and There are daily specials on seafood, pasta, pizza, wraps, soup and dessert. Dining in the fenced patio is a delight during the summer, and warming up next to the big fireplace with a beer is relaxing during the winter. Opened during the height of the microbrewery wave, Red Rock well-crafte- d. located Brewing Company around the corner from Squatter's. One of the best virtues of Red Rock is that it serves its entire dinner menu until midnight on weekends, making it the best eatery in town. But if you plan to order takeout, be is late-nig- ht prepared to pay a service charge. Strategically located near both Squatter's and Red Rock is Marmont Mesa Brewery and Alehouse. When both of these established local favorites are packed, which happens often during the weekends, you can walk over to Pierpont Avenue and find an empty table at Marmont Mesa. The quality of the food and beer at Marmont Mesa has been spotty. I remember having a pale ale that was unacceptably bitter. But the draw was $1 pints. Although it has been raised to $2 recently, it is still a bargain comat other pared to the usual breweries. For those in Midvale vho are looking for a microbrewery, there's Hoppers Grill & Brewing Company. It is in the Union Park area, a part of town. Restaurants, along with everything else, are crowded. e Even with its food, is a busy place during the Hoppers weekends. The salmon fettuccine alfredo is unbearably salty, and the other dishes are fair at best. Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta and The Fiddler's Elbow deserve mentioning. Neither of them make their own brew, but they do serve beer on tap from all the microbreweries in the state. The two restaurants are run jointly and share the same kitchen. Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta is a popular rendezvous for Ute fans. $3-3.- strip-mall-craz- ed below-averag- pre-gar- ne ROUND THE CLOCK: Red Rock Brewing Company offers a dinner menu until midnight on the weekends. The place is packed with red sweatshirts on game nights. The Fiddler's format and Elbow has a sports-ba- r does not allow anyone under 21 on premise. fantastic Sams raff dPil? "v, ilk iWvii' ! Quick Guide To Microbrewery Dining: Desert Edge Brewery At the Pub (273 Trolley Square) Improved since "The Pub" days. The specials are craftier and your g best bet. can be a chalSelf-seatin- lenge on weekend nights, the patio is small and parking in Trolley Square is a pain sometimes. Many people recommend the pasta salads and nachos. Hoppers Grill & Brewing Com- pany (890 E. Fort Union Blvd.) Standard menu. A few dishes are unacceptable, and it's busy on weekend nights. Unless you need to eat at a pub brewery in there are better choices. pub-brewe- ry Mid-val- e, Marmont Mesa Brewery and Alehouse (163 W. Pierpont Ave.) Small menu, but a few dishes are not bad. There's never a problem finding a table, and it has a roomy warehouse interior. The $2- attracts the college crowd. per-pint Red Rock Brewing Company (254 S. 200 W.) Most dishes are fair. Brunch is served on the weekends, during Squatter's Pub Brewery features patio dining and house beer cn tap. which Red Rock can get very busy. There's a small sidewalk patio, but tables by the French doors are best. They serve the entire dinner menu until midnight on weekends. Squatter's Pub Brewery (147 W. Broadway) Consistently good in every categomenus are ry. Brunch and available.The wait can be long on nights with downtown events and there is limited free parking. Try the bread pudding and Colorado chili. late-nig- ht aleechronicle.utah.edu With a money-savin- g Eurailpass, you can make tracks in Europe wherever and whenever the impulse moves you. variety of Railpasses are available, including: Eurail A Selectpass Youth - Travel any to any 10 days in 2 months (pick any 3 bordering countries out of 17), from $230. 5 'Must be under age 26 on first day of travel. EE ai Europe I Travel America's Leader in 2144 S. 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