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!

SeaPak Tempura Shrimp

July 29, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Japanese tempura *anything* might be one of my favorite dishes on the planet. The shatteringly explosive crunch and crisp, the not too greasy and rich batter. It’s a truly iconic …

MorningStar Farms Incogmeato Burger

July 6, 2021July 22, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Fans of the MorningStar Farms brand will have undoubtedly watched the huge revamp of the brand over the past couple years. In an effort to move with the times the …

Sam’s Choice Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

If I had to name one of my favorite guilty pleasures, it would probably be sausages. I think I’ve only ever met one I didn’t like (weisswurst) which is a …

Loaded veggie tots

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Loaded ‘anything’ is good by me. It’s basically an excuse to pig out on whatever you have to hand. Here I had some Kroger Tater Bites in the freezer and …

Chicken kebob with chips, salsa, guac

September 23, 2020July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Nothing says Summer like some freshly grilled kebobs right? These particular skewers come by way of Whole Foods, marinated in tequila and lime. They also use plenty of dark meat, …

Thai red curry with rice noodles

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Unlike many Thai curries, this one skips the coconut milk. This makes for a more fiery and less creamy finish. A lot less calories too ;). The curry is simple …

Black cod with miso and honey with Asian salad and rice

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

If you google up black cod (AKA sablefish) you’ll undoubtedly come across the miso preparation made famous by the NOBU chain of restaurants. That particular recipe calls for several days …

Asian salad with Gardein seven grain tenders

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Gardein’s Seven Grain Tenders are the star of the show here. Cooked up in the air fryer they make for a perfect topping for any salad. Here we’re using a …

Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie

July 10, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Surely everyone has a love of pot pies. I can’t say I’ve ever met someone who’s told me otherwise anyway. This product from Blake’s offers a seemingly more healthy option …

NUGGS plant based chicken nuggets review

September 6, 2020July 8, 2020 by Stuart Melling

Disclosure: NUGGS provided me with free product samples for the purpose of this review, but my thoughts are my own. As the plant based burger wars escalate on an almost …