SUMMIT
PARK -- You might expect a diner named No Worries to be thematically
based on the Australian outback. In the case of the small café in
Summit Park, the Aussie connection is only tangential.
Kangaroos or koalas are absent in the decor, which is
decidedly Western and canyon-comfortable (including the nicest
restaurant coffee mugs I've come across, made by Summit Park pottery
guru Bruce Larrabee). You also won't find lamb or kiwis on the menu.
But the owners do live Down Under, where they recently returned to cure
a case of homesickness.
That gave chef Dante Eggan an option to subcontract
the operation, which he did less than three months ago. And while
he still caters to the casual diner attracted by the "no
worries" promise, he himself has stepped up the commitment a notch
or two. No closing shop for the day, even if golf does sound more
appealing, he said.
"I just want people to know that, like the sign
says, we're open six ( now seven ! ) days
a week, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and even if they show up five minutes
early or five minutes late, they can get something to eat."
The consistency seems to be paying off, as Eggan
reports that in the last 10 weeks, business at the café has doubled.
He has adopted a new breakfast menu, and is revising the lunch menu to
include, among other offerings, variations for "50 ways to
customize your burger."
For now, Eggan runs a three-person operation, with
himself as cook, a dishwasher and one server. But if business
picks up much more, that won't be enough. ( Business did pick up, and
we hired more ! ) On the couple of occasions we were there,
the service was good, but our waitress was stretched pretty thin with
half or fewer of the tables occupied. With a full house -- close
to a dozen and a half tables, including the three umbrella-topped tables
outside -- service could become an issue.
One of the biggest assets of No Worries, Eggan has found, is its
"perfect" location midway between Salt Lake and Park City, at
the summit of Parleys Canyon (just east of the gas station off the
Summit Park exit of Interstate 80). He gets customers traveling
both ways, particularly with events like this weekend's annual arts
festival on Park City's Main Street.
Sundays, with breakfast served until 2 p.m. (other
days until noon), Eggan said the place is packed from open to close with
Summit Park locals who migrate off their slopes for a Hack Attack (ham,
spinach, tomatoes and lots more served over sliced, fried potatoes, then
topped with eggs and hollandaise, $7.50) or Dante's Inferno (sirloin
tips, hot Italian sausage, veggies and cheese served "frittata
style" with hollandaise, $8), two of the house favorites.
Also popular is Dave's Skillet, a small mountain of
"browns" -- the cafe's signature sliced and fried potatoes --
mixed with hot Italian sausage, lots of onions, mushrooms and garlic,
all topped off with scrambled eggs and cheese. A side of rich,
freshly made hollandaise sauce adds a few more calories and cholesterol
points, but when you order a breakfast like this, who's counting?
Ditto with Dante's biscuits and gravy ($6). The
two tall, fluffy biscuits are covered with thick and delicious country
gravy, served with mild sausage patties and eggs cooked to order.
Lighter breakfasts are available, including pancakes
and French toast, and even a couple of "healthy" offerings:
oatmeal with raisins, or fresh fruit with yogurt and granola.
Lunch at No Worries is more popular during the week,
and anything that comes with a side of the cafe's huge, homemade onion
rings has that bonus going for it. We loved the cafe's generous
cheeseburger ($7), and the halibut sandwich ($7.50) was good, although
the bun didn't seem quite up to the task, lacking in both taste and
texture.
The day's soup, what our waitress called New England
clam chowder, was aptly named, having elements of both the Boston and
Manhattan versions, as well as some of its own. It was delicious
and slightly spicy with rice, tomatoes, onions and, of course, clams.
Eggan said he also frequently makes what he calls Dante's Seafood
Chowder, which sounds similar with the addition of halibut, shrimp and
more spice.
Somewhat surprisingly, given its limited lunch hours,
the cafe offers wine by glass or bottle, as well as a good variety of
low- and high-octane beers. ( We are currently not
serving wine or beer. )
No Worries is a pleasant, relaxing stop for a
filling, reasonably priced breakfast or lunch.
