This March, my family headed West for a long overdue exploration of our country. The trip included three different national parks, two in Utah, and one in Arizona. Nowhere we stayed would be, by any means, considered a national food capital. As we drove my mom incessantly urged, “eat some of the snacks I brought. We are in a food desert.” Each small town, and when I say small I mean anywhere from ten to three blocks where Main Street is hard to distinguish from any other stretch of highway, was equipped with at least three fast food restaurants. I had never seen more Wendy’s in my life. So this is that stereotype of America — fast food in the desert, I thought. For all that, a ten minute walk from Zion, one of Utah’s most extensive national parks and our first stop, sits the Flanigan Inn and their American bistro-style restaurant, the Spotted Dog.
Like the name might suggest, there is nothing fancy or over the top about the Spotted Dog. Hikers can walk in with their boots and jeans without shame along with tourists wanting to sport their dresses and button-downs. When you walk in there is a pitcher of fruit-infused water and Elton John and Ed Sheeren playing from hidden speakers, which reflects the restaurant's acute attention to detail in a down-to-earth and homey manner. The interior has minimal but tasteful decoration. Tables without tablecloths leave the black granite material exposed and paintings of the park by local artists hang from the otherwise plain walls. Anything more would distract from the mesmerizing view of Zion’s amber mountains that guests can gape at through the windows that line the wall of the restaurant.
We were promptly seated and introduced to an overwhelmingly hospitable and sweet server, Maureen, who continually checked in on us throughout the evening. The red rocky mountain trout filet, shrimp linguine, and pesto pasta, “are all wonderful choices,” she told us. All dishes at the Spotted Dog are made with fresh ingredients, hormone-free meats, and sustainably harvested fish. The present day chef, Robert Tita, changes the menu according to the season, so the food is always fresh and for the most part, regionally purchased. The Spotted Dog proudly displays a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence from 2022. Maureen explained that while the restaurant boasts about their wine selection, it is one of the only parts of the menu that isn't locally sourced.
The menu selections were surprisingly sophisticated compared to the modest ambiance. Unfortunately, the brie cheese with orange and cherry chutney, apples, and toasted baguette seemed to have all the ingredients for success but was slightly disappointing. The cheese was not quite gooey enough to spread onto the bread, so what should have been a warm melty bite was chilled and lacked strong flavor. Luckily, the hummus plate reflected the restaurant's commitment to farm-to-table ingredients and was very flavorful. The hummus was homemade and bursting with a zesty lemony flavor and the accompanying crudités of cucumbers, radish, and peppers were crisp and fresh. The warmly toasted pita added a delectable crunch to each bite.
Moving on to the entrées, the Rocky Mountain trout filet encrusted with pumpkin seeds was bursting with saltiness and crispness which was complimented by the sweet flavor from the added rice and pomegranate seeds. The plate was balanced and deserving of a highlight title; Maureen, as we would find again, was right. The only detractor from the dish was the squash puree which was sweeter than was needed. The shrimp pasta was absolutely delicious. Soaked in lobster velouté, a creamy white sauce thickened with lobster, and topped with fresh tomatoes, each bite was fresh, but delightfully creamy, ringing true to the restaurant's Italian roots.
No meal in the American west is complete without dessert, so we ordered the gluten-free chocolate lava cake and créme brulée. The cake, though in high concentration of chocolate, was deliciously rich even though it was lacking the lava. No warm chocolate oozed from the center, despite the promise in the name. The créme brûlée however neared perfection with a strong vanilla bean taste and pristine glassy top of crystalized sugar. We also were all given our own pots of mint tea, a generous touch.
What is American culture and typical American food? Does it even exist? I would argue that there most definitely isn’t one “culture’ or cuisine that defines the United States. Stereotypically, of course, there’s fast food and McDonalds, the work-all-day-to-live gritty mentality, and a sprinkling of greed, but this does not define most Americans, or their culinary preferences. Yet, the story behind the Spotted Dog and Flanigan Inn reflects two important aspects of American history: movement west and immigration.
Lena Dratter immigrated from Italy and established the “Zion Rest Motel” (which would later become the Flanigin Resort and Spa) with her husband, John, in the post first world war era. She opened her own kitchen that stayed close to her Italian roots while her husband worked in the mines. Even though decades have passed, and the inn and its restaurant have passed over into other hands, the inn and the restaurant remain family owned and Dratter’s spirit is still felt in the Italian-American cuisine at the Spotted Dog. The simplicity of the plates and the decor echo the couple's humble beginnings. It makes it even better that the food is lip-smacking good.