The Importance of a Unique Food & Alcohol Scene in Utah
by MADELINE FERGUSON
Tamara Gibo, co-owner of Takashi and Post Office Place in downtown Salt Lake City, wants to give Utahns the enjoyment of a unique ambiance and exposure to exciting new flavors.
Both establishments are located in the heart of Salt Lake City, next door to each other on Market Street (formerly known as Post Office Place). Takashi is a very highly rated restaurant which has been included in most “Best of” listings for Sushi and Japanese food for the eighteen years it has been operating. Post Office Place is a contemporary bar and restaurant with an international fusion menu. While waiting for a table at Takashi you can enjoy drinks and appetizers from Post Office Place.
An evening split between Takashi and Post Office Place offers a complete sensory experience, from the atmospheres to the food and drink offerings; it’s like a visit to other countries. Gibo said giving the community those experiences is her favorite part of being a restaurant owner. She also explained how important it is to have the varied and unique food culture that exists in the state of Utah.
The Beginnings
Gibo moved to Utah in 1992 from Carmel, California. She met her husband, Takashi, the restaurant’s namesake, while working together at a restaurant there, and their mutual interest in fine food led them to consider establishing their own restaurant. They looked at several opportunities during the ensuing years but nothing was quite right. It seems like fate that brought them to their current location.
“We made a visit to Japan and were actually considering moving there, and then the space we are in became available at a price we couldn’t refuse. As Takashi Gibo was already established as a renowned sushi chef, naming the restaurant was a no-brainer. The rest is history,” she told.
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Because of their combined experience with Sushi and Japanese cuisine, it was the natural focus for their restaurant. Takashi continues to take the Utah restaurant space to new heights with its creative menu and top-notch, fresh food.
Post Office Place was one of Gibo’s “dream” ideas.
“It’s a culmination of research and development that we’ve done over the years. The look, the feel and the menu being more fluid than specifically Japanese. We wanted to provide clean, bold flavors that will appeal to our existing clientele as well as entice newcomers,” she described it as a passion project.
The Utah Culture: Restaurants & Bars
Gibo spoke about the specific challenges restaurateurs face in Utah with the stringent laws surrounding alcoholic beverages and bars. Alcohol and drinks are a central part of cuisines all around the world. What would a trip to Italy be without wine or a trip to Japan without sake? But the state of Utah makes this a significant barrier for new owners of bars and restaurants.
“Being able to offer unique flavors where cultures collide was really important to us,” Gibo explained. “The quest for a bar license that Utah owners go through is daunting. In Utah, bar licenses are not guaranteed, so the investment is a bit of a gamble. There is a chance a project will be built and ready to open, but at that time a license may not be available. When we opened Post Office Place we were really lucky to be able to get a license. It’s kind of frustrating that in order to even apply for a license you have to be ready to open your doors for business. Why would anyone want to open a bar in Utah with that risk, which doesn't exist in most states?”
Gibo added, “When we were building Post Office Place bar licenses were hard to come by and some businesses were purchasing them from existing owners. Not knowing what type of license we would be able to obtain, we had to complete kitchen facilities without knowing exactly what would be needed, whether we would function as a restaurant or a bar. The requirements of a restaurant license are different from those for a bar license, in that the ratio of food to alcohol served must be carefully monitored. It was a challenge and great expense to plan for that unknown factor.”
The Importance of a Unique Bar/Restaurant Scene
A city’s bar and restaurant scene is fundamental to the culture and sets the tone for the entire metropolitan area.
“The whole idea behind having a restaurant is to excite and inspire the guests,” she said. “A good culinary scene is important to attract tourism, which creates enormous amounts of revenue for the city and the state, and it is also important to attract future residents to grow our economy,” Gibo explained.
“A lot of new Utah businesses are begging for more exciting venues to attract employees,” she offered. “Restaurants play a big role in a community’s vitality.”
“My favorite part is being able to bring a new experience to our guests. It’s incredibly fun!” she gushed. ”Our Utah customers are very adventurous diners with surprisingly sophisticated palates.”
Cheers to a growing culinary community and all of our Utah restaurateurs who’ve made it their mission to bring new flavors and experiences to us.
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