Martine Cafe

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salaciousnsaltlakecity

Joined 7 years ago

A disappointing experience. I went to the restaurant with high expectations after reading all of the reviews on Citysearch. The ambiance of the restaurant is beautiful with the tables set pristinely. The menu is small but offered an interesting variety of food. We had the tapas, stuffed bell pepper with feta, which were adequate. As a main course I had duck in a cherry sauce. The duck was overdone and the waiter had to get me a steak knife just to eat it. The potatoes that came with it were also overcooked and were far from delicious. Our other order was a halibut that was in bacon based sauce...Needless to say it was less than appetizing. During the whole meal our waiter was formidable but not overly helpful in any way. To top it all off, the meals are slightly overpriced for what was served.

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oohlalala

Joined 7 years ago

Delighful night? this is the place to start. I have enjoyed eating at this place for quite a long time. It has very romantic environment and the ambience and it jives you up for a nice long night ahead full of warmth and passion ;)

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Clartikus

Joined 8 years ago

Beautiful Restaurant. The restaurant oozes charm, and can be counted on for a romantic candle-lit evening. The Tapas was the highlight of the meal, though the Beef entree was delicious as well. They seemed to be running out of menu items, but I can understand why from the descriptions we received. Be prepared to spend money, but it really is worth the sensational food.

Doesn't Recommend

1aphrodite1

Joined 7 years ago

Expensive and rude!!. This would be a nice romantic place if the staff wasn't rude and they actually cooked your food. The decorations are nice, but the service is terrible and the prices are outrageous!! Don't waste your time of your money!

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bnordberg

Joined 7 years ago

Expensive, and unpredictable. The Tapas meal is intriguing. However overcooking and uneven heating spoils the plates. The Moroccon beef tapas had juicy cubes of beef, and "needed a glass of water to get down" pieces. Next time stir mine! The empanada had a good crust, but its contents were 60% corn - way too much. The squid tapas were very rubbery and overcooked. Someone forgot to watch the bread as it was over rised with mamoth air holes and too chewey a crust - was it microwaved? The bill was $128 for 4 with only 2 deserts, coffee and 2 glasses of wine. Skip it next time.

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clare

Joined 8 years ago

I love Martine!. Martine is one of my favorite restaurants, anywhere! It is a breath of fresh air for Salt Lake City! The atmosphere is cozy, romantic and adult-friendly. The food is always good. I like to order a few tapas for variety, but I also love the entrees. Definitely a local treasure. It has gained in popularity recently, so I recommend making a reservation to insure a table. Their wine list is very affordable. The servers are very knowledgable about the wine and have made some great recommendations. For a lovely, grown-up night out, this is the place in Salt Lake.

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brandondrew

Joined 8 years ago

Business lunch. Great place for a business lunch. Not really a romantic place, a bit stuffy for that. Not a lot of booths.

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iknowmywine

Joined 8 years ago

Wow a touch of Big City/Europe in Little-Ol-SLC?. Quite Excellent! This place is a wonderful Oasis located right here in SLC. Imagine a place combining European Culture and Metropolitan Elegance at the same time. When my partner and I go there we feel like were in NYC, San Fran or Seattle. The food is always great and service is excellent. Just a tip for the of towners, if your a gay couple or even if you fall somewhere in between and your visiting SLC. This is an excellent romantic place to go where you, your partner or spouse will be treated like real human beings. Select a wine from the extensive wine list, have a few Tapas and get comfy, cozy.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

A classy, candlelit downtown brownstone serving flavorful dinners and exquisite desserts.. The Scene
An intimate, grown-up dinner destination, Martine is well-designed and comfortable. Original tiles, immense oak and beveled-glass doors, and a bar backed by an old bank vault give the restaurant character. Small dinner parties and post-event revelers make the atmosphere lively.

The Food
Though half the menu is billed as tapas, the items are actually small plates with international influences. Flavors are beautifully orchestrated in most dishes. Outstanding selections include the moist and perfectly glazed pimiento- and garlic-marinated quail, served atop creamy polenta and porcini-marsala jus. Tender seared calamari with a kiss of lime and saffron is a must. Full fixed-price dinners include generous entrees with varying preparations of lamb, duck, seafood or Martine's version of paella with chicken confit. Desserts are delicious creations: Moroccan-style bread pudding with house vanilla gelato, for example.

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fineschmecker

Joined 9 years ago

Hidden Treasure. Having fine dined in Salt Lake for years, we were very surprised to find Martines, slightly off the beaten track, but well worth the look-for.

This renovated older building exudes a subtle but charming ambiance. Check out the bank vault/wine cellar.

What really shines at Martines is the food. A fairly simple menu, the food was surprising creative without compromising taste. Semolina/chipolte (?) crusted scallops were heavenly. My duck was the best I've had all year (better than Grappas in Park City) and there was enough to share. Likewise were my companions meals sumptious. A Grilled Gingerbread with Butterscotch was a perfect ending to a delightful meal.

It's hard to find a restaurant that scores high in all areas, but Martines did just that with attentive and impeccable service. We were planning our return before we even left the restaurant. Bravo!