Are you Ready for a Food Festival? Celebrate at Firewood

Whether you live near Main Street, Park City, Utah or you are in town to ski and celebrate, I can promise the food, service and company will be fantastic at Firewood. We chose to go there to celebrate my very first art sale at Artworks Park City. Carl, Heather and I were ready to enjoy our evening but were unprepared for the great lengths the team would go to accomodate us. I have several food challenges which were no problem at Firewood. We dined on incredible food and even tasted new things that quickly became favorites.

Chef John Murcko lovingly designed and built the restaurant literally. He handmade the wood tables and the big door at the back of the main dining room! Many repurposed materials were used and we loved the exposed brick walls of the historic building at 306 Main Street. If you can get a reservation, sit at the chef’s table called Chef’s Library and Murcko will serve you his mouthwatering menu through the window and talk to you all night.

You can see the hardwood-fueled open flame of the Infierno 154, the fourteen foot long Grillworks with four modular grilling stations, a central fire station, as well as a 48-inch rotisserie, where your food is being created through floor-to-ceiling glass windows which were salvaged from a Midwestern schoolhouse which provide an unobstructed view of the kitchen.

Murcko uses locally sourced ingredients and the menu rotates with the seasons. Over the last thirty years, Chef Murcko has opened more than 25 restaurants in Park City as well as in Sun Valley and he is thrilled to be sharing his favorite style of cooking with his family, long time friends and new friends like you at Firewood.

He carefully selects different woods like cedar, cherry or maple to enhance the flavor of the dishes. Murcko said, “Open flame cooking is a passion of mine and I have enjoyed sharing this unique dining style with my family around the holidays for many years. I know Firewood guests will love the rich flavors, nuanced variety in the entrees and the truly multi-sensory culinary experience.  It’s an honor to have a restaurant on Main Street and I love serving my family and friends in the best mountain town in the world.” He is passionate about food, family and great dining.

Do not worry if you do not eat meat as Murcko has a vegan main which was developed by the team in a Chopped-style competition. The chefs were given ingredients and the staff voted on their favorite which is a cauliflower and avocado cake with wild mushrooms, spaghetti squash, cashews and chimichurri. Before or after dinner, make sure to visit downstairs at The Nickel Bar for cocktails.

Are you wondering what did we eat? Honestly, with our server Victoria’s suggestions, we tried almost everything on the menu. First of all, we loved the Crumb bread from Logan and the Pallazzo della Torre wine that Greg recommended. Not only do they use cherry wood for the salmon and branzino, they smoke the sugar cubes for the drinks! Carl recommends you definitely try a Manhantan. I prefer Prosecco and Greg brought me one made from Moscato grapes. My new favorite is the Viatto.

To begin our festival of food, we had Beef Tartare, Baked Gnocchi with Pesto, Pork Belly and Juniper spiced Elk Loin. Heather said, “I ate two things I would not have tried and they are both really good and maybe my new favorites. The steak tartar with horseradish panna cotta and the pork belly with tarragon.” Carl’s favorite was the Elk Loin and I loved the gnocchi.

For salads we shared the Orange salad with fennel seed and champagne vinaigrette and the coal roasted beet salad with figs.

For dinner, Heather said, “The cherry wood smoked brisket is a symphony for my mouth, complex and goes together marvelously.” It comes with goat cheese smashed potatoes and was my personal favorite. I also liked the Branzino which Carl and Heather recommend with the Orange Salad. Carl chose the Lamb Chop with duck confit, pork belly and pickled onions. We were so happy with our dinner choices and to celebrate together in this wonderful space. I loved watching the chefs at work through the glass windows and we were thrilled to be invited to visit Chef Murcko.

For dessert, I loved the chocolate soufflé torte. It was so great that I knew I would have to come back again the same week and have it again which I did. Heather and Carl loved the Olive Oil Cake. When we came back later in the week for dessert only, Carl had the amazing and unique homemade gelato flavors including Pistachio, Honey chamomile and Hazelnut Orange Blossom. We also learned about Benjamin’s trip to Nepal and Victoria’s competitions in the X Games. The entire team is well traveled in places, activities and knowledge of food. 

When Heather declared, “I wish I had more room in my stomach.” Carl said, “I wish I had another stomach!” Everything was made to the highest standards of quality and taste. There are seasonal changes to the menu but whatever they have when you arrive, I am certain that the food will be outstanding, the service will be remarkable and you will have an amazing dining experience!