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!

Recipe: Cilantro Tomatillo Ranch dressing

September 21, 2019April 5, 2019 by Stuart Melling

Cilantro Tomatillo Ranch dressing ingredients

This fun dressing for Spring and Summer goes by several names online; in essence it’s a riff on the sauce you’ll find at the likes of Cafe Rio and Cost …

Review: Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Crinkle French Fries

January 12, 2020April 5, 2019 by Stuart Melling

I still vaguely remember my first introduction to frozen French fries way back when as a child. The promise then, as now, was the same: enjoy fabulously crisp fries, without …

Review: Banquet Sausage And Gravy Deep Dish pot pie

April 5, 2019 by Stuart Melling

It’s with no small amount of shame that I added this to my shopping basket. I had hoped to sneak this one past the gaze of my wife, but no, …

Review: Sukhi’s Chickpea Samosas

April 22, 2020April 5, 2019 by Stuart Melling

When I see a new Sukhi’s product I’ve not tried before – I immediately grab it. This is one of those ultra-rare brands, where the name is a virtual guarantee …

Review: Golden Platter Gluten Free Chicken Tenders

March 27, 2019March 24, 2019 by Stuart Melling

When my wife saw me unpacking these chicken tenders from a recent grocery delivery order, she looked at me with a mix of pity and resignation. Why she probably thought, …

Review: Crown Prince Skinless And Boneless Sardines In Olive Oil

February 23, 2020March 24, 2019 by Stuart Melling

Canned fish traditionally isn’t the most well loved product. In modern times though the product is seeing something of a foodie renaissance across the world. Go check out your local …

Review: Wilde Brand BBQ Chicken Chips

March 24, 2019 by Stuart Melling

When I first spied these advertised in a Whole Foods mailer, I have to be honest, I thought a whole brave new world was unfurling before me. Aimed at those …

Recipe: Quick And Basic Pulled Pork

September 21, 2019March 17, 2019 by Stuart Melling

Most pulled pork recipes I see require more tools and more time than I ever have to hand. Maybe the recipe calls for a fancy smoker, maybe a slow cooker …

Review: MorningStar Farms Grillers Original 2019

July 22, 2020March 3, 2019 by Stuart Melling

This is a follow up review for the popular MorningStar Farms Grillers Original burger that we first reviewed here. Why the second go around? Well, sometime during 2018, MorningStar took …

Recipe: Vegetarian Larb

October 11, 2019March 1, 2019 by Stuart Melling

This recipe is my own simplified spin on the classic Thai/Laotian meat salad. I’ve cooked this for years and years, especially so when I ate a lot more meat. First …