Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC - Utah's biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!

Nicoise-ish Salad

July 29, 2022 by Stuart Melling

This one’s for those look to de-carb their life a little. Ordinarily a Niçoise salad would come with potatoes, but here, I’ve subbed that for a small piece of sliced …

Boar’s Head Chorizo Chicken Sausage review

July 29, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Four chicken sausages come shrink-wrapped in this product from Boar’s Head. Once opened you can’t reseal it, so keep that in mind. The refrigerated sausages are also pre-cooked so these …

Impossible Foods Bratwurst Sausage – the best money can buy

July 18, 2022July 18, 2022 by Stuart Melling

I don’t recall an Impossible Foods product I have been disappointed with. Ever since my first taste of the Impossible Burger years ago, and the “wow” moment, I’ve enjoyed every …

Yves Veggie Pepperoni

July 18, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Quick review: Frankly I went into this one expected disappointment. After all, pepperoni, surely this of all dishes is hard to emulate?! Consider me pleasantly surprised then this meat-free replacement …

Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce

July 18, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Quick review: Ever since I snagged a bottle of this Japanese BBQ sauce, I’ve been using it on anything and everything. Think of it as a thin teriyaki-style sauce, but …

Murray’s Muffuletta Olive Salad

July 17, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Quick review: This is one of several products from Murray’s you might see at the Deli counter. This particular roughly chopped mix, takes direct inspiration from the famous New Orlean’s …

Arby’s Seasoned Curly Fries

July 17, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Stuart MellingHi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant …

Starfish Crispy Battered Halibut review

July 17, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Roughly seven pieces of battered fish come inside this cardboard packet from Starfish. Once you pop the box open you will see they come packaged in a non resealable plastic …

Lightlife Plant-Based Chicken Fillets reviewed

July 17, 2022 by Stuart Melling

Lets get the headline item out there right away – these things are absolutely huge. I can only think of Gardein’s Ultimate Chick’N Filets that come close in terms of …

Wicked 12 Little Brats review

July 17, 2022 by Stuart Melling

I believe this is my first encounter with the Wicked brand. Always on the hunt for great meat-free meal options, I had to give these a chance. As the name …