This article is part of an occasional series, the Redwood Road Challenge.
I’ve been working on my Redwood Road Challenge project since January, and I like to think I’m getting good at finding hidden restaurants along this west-side thoroughfare.
In case you’ve missed my earlier stories about this challenge, I’ve made a goal to eat at every local restaurant on Redwood Road (in Salt Lake County) by 2025. So far, I’ve eaten at about 30, all north of West Jordan. I’ve got a long way to go, mainly because I keep finding more and more restaurants, some so hidden that their “sign” is just a single piece of paper.
Or sometimes the restaurant does have an actual sign, but it’s so crowded by other signs that you don’t know to look for it when you pass by. Or the restaurant is tucked inside a store. Or the restaurant is technically on Redwood Road but it’s set back a ways from the street.
But I’m getting better at finding these hidden gems. Most of the time any strip mall is worth investigating for food options. Other times, just doing a Google search for “Redwood Road restaurants” will turn up something in an area that I never would’ve checked.
Here are five of the best hidden restaurants I’ve found on Redwood Road so far. Their offerings range from classic American sandwiches to authentic al pastor tacos to juicy kebabs.
Don’t be afraid to poke your head into strange doors on Redwood Road. You never know what deliciousness you might find.
Do you know of a hidden restaurant on Redwood Road? Tell me about it by emailing kpeterson@sltrib.com.
Kabul Kitchen
The main sign on this building at 2407 S. Redwood Road in West Valley City is one that reads “Halal Market: Indian, Pakistani and Middle East Products.” To the right of that sign is one for Kabul Kitchen, but when I pulled up to this place in June, I didn’t see that the Afghan restaurant had a ... door?
So I went into the store and asked the man behind the counter how I could get to the restaurant. He kindly pointed me toward one of the back corners of the store, and said if I walked down the last aisle, I’d find it. I followed his directions, passing the dried fruits, cookies and nuts, and, like magic, I ended up in a small bright room that was sparsely decorated with tapestries and a few tables and chairs.
After confirming what I assumed to be Kabul Kitchen was open, I sat down at one of the tables and was handed a menu.
I went with the chicken kebab ($15.99), which the menu said was tender cubes of chicken marinated in herbs and fine spices, charbroiled on a skewer and served with salad and pellaw (basmati rice).
Now, I normally don’t like chicken breast; I find it dry and tasteless. But this chicken blew me away. It came out hot, very tender and very juicy, just bursting with flavor. I happily cleared my plate. As I left, I went back out through the store to buy some date-filled cookies and dried apricots.
(By the way, I learned that the restaurant does have its own door, on the south end of the building. You just can’t see it from the parking lot.)
Catrachos
This Honduran and Salvadorian restaurant is located just south of 3500 South in West Valley City, at 3584 S. Redwood Road.
The strip mall it’s in, by the way, is a happening place — the day I was there, plenty of people were coming and going, and there was a man selling toys out of a cart. It’s packed with small businesses. The configuration of doors and signs can be somewhat confusing, so just look for the large blue and white sign for Catrachos.
Inside, you’ll find a small market area with flan, soda, cheese, chips, health remedies and more for sale. Continue into the restaurant and you’ll see colorful paintings and murals on the walls, and a full bar.
After I sat down and was handed a menu, the server brought not only salsa and chips but also a hot bean dip, which I’d never before encountered in the ubiquitous “chips and salsa course.” Delicious!
For my lunch, I ordered the carne guisada ($16.99), a flavorful stew featuring chunks of slow-cooked beef, carrots and potatoes in a rich gravy, served with rice and salad. Foolishly, I also ordered two bean and cheese pupusas ($3.25) to go along with it, and it ended up being way too much food to eat in one sitting.
However, I threw myself into the task, gobbling stew and pupusas with fervor. Next time I visit, I’ll stop at the nearby Esperanza Bakery afterward for dessert.
That Sandwich Shop
Wow, talk about hidden! After visiting this place, I was surprised that it was even considered to be on Redwood Road. But Google says it is, so here we are.
Find That Sandwich Shop by turning west onto Learned Avenue from Redwood Road, just south of North Temple. Then turn into the parking lot for the strip mall on your immediate right, at 55 N. Redwood Road in Salt Lake City. Make another right so you’re driving along the building, and you’ll see doors with letters above them. Stop at the one with the “E” above it, and you’re there.
It really doesn’t look like much, but if you see a piece of paper in the window that says That Sandwich Shop, you’re in the right place.
According to That Sandwich Shop’s website, having a secret location and keeping a low profile is kind of their thing. Hopefully they don’t come after me for blowing their cover.
Inside is a homey space decorated with “Star Wars” memorabilia (including a Mr. Potato Head dressed like Darth Vader), with the odd Elton John item mixed in.
The menu features old-school deli sandwiches (like the B.L.T., the turkey, and the tomato and avocado) and classic hot sandwiches (like the meatball and the Philly cheesesteak). They also have a few signature sandwiches, including the Jeepers!, which is served with seven different kinds of meat. I ordered the 10-inch French dip ($11.95), and it came out with a bowl of piping hot au jus.
I found the sandwich satisfying and delicious, even though it was nothing fancy — just thinly sliced roast beef and melted mozzarella on fresh bread. But that simple sandwich was the bomb dipped into the au jus.
Habibi Grill
Blink and you’ll miss this restaurant at 3460 S. Redwood Road as you drive by. But if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll find Habibi Grill tucked into the back corner of Redwood Plaza in West Valley City.
According to Mohammad Zaib, whose dad owns the restaurant, Habibi Grill’s menu focuses on food from the city of Peshawar, Pakistan — so you’ll see foods like naan, curries, biryani and kebabs.
The interior is gorgeous, much more elaborate that what you’d expect from a restaurant in a strip mall, with shimmering flower details on the tables, and colorful vests called waskets hanging on one of the walls.
The most recent time I visited Habibi Grill, I had the vegetarian samosas ($4.99) and chicken coconut korma ($16) with rice. I loved the vegetarian samosas; crispy fried turnovers filled with a fiery mixture of potatoes, peas and seasonings. And the chicken coconut korma was beautiful as well as delicious; the orange and yellow grains of rice looked lovely with the orange-brown korma heaped on top.
And don’t even get me started on the complex flavors. There was a lot going on in this korma, which was chicken cooked with a blend of yogurt and coconut, with just a hint of spice. And they give you such huge portions, you’re bound to have leftovers for another meal later.
Tortas y Jugos El Morelense
There zero indication from Redwood Road that there’s a taco place inside West Valley City’s Rancho Plaza, perhaps better known as the Latino Mall, at 2470 S. Redwood Road.
Take my word for it. Park on the east side and go through that automatic door, and on your left as soon as you walk in, you’ll find Tortas y Jugos El Morelense. Just look for the neon sign that says “El autentico taco al pastor.”
You’ll do better if you speak Spanish, but if you don’t, you can still get by. I ordered three al pastor tacos ($3.35 each), plus one lengua (beef tongue, $3.45 each) taco, just to try it out. (I quickly discovered that lengua tacos aren’t my thing.)
My tacos came out piping hot, with chunks of pineapple on the al pastor tacos, and chopped white onions and oregano sprinkled over everything, plus wedges of lime in the middle.
It might have been the best al pastor I’ve had on Redwood Road so far, and I’ve tried a lot. The edges of the pieces of the marinated meat were slightly crispy, and it was all so juicy and flavorful. While I was eating, a man came in and started playing guitar and singing for all the guests.
Afterward, I walked across the food court and got a strawberry ice cream bar at La Bonita for dessert.
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