Dining out: Spice

Sometimes, even when I like a restaurant, I don't think much about going back and trying it again.

And sometimes, like this week, when I visited Spice in downtown Salt Lake City, my mind is filled with things I want to try next time and people I want to bring with me.

Spice is a warm little space in Arrow Press Square, just across from the Salt Palace. On the stormy weekday we went in for lunch, it was dimly lit but not uncomfortably so. On a sunny day, the whole place would be lit through the wall of windows out front.

There's a loose, funky vibe to the place, with tables that look decoupaged with cutouts from National Geographic, Euro-disco music on the speakers, original art on the walls, a few mod couches in front and even a couple of those "hand" chairs, which were a big hit with my kids.

Spice is very vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, with a majority of menu offerings falling into those categories.

We started with the boom dip and roasted pepper hummus, both of which were delicious. The boom dip, which owner/server Jody Bennett told us is the restaurant's most popular appetizer, was a step above most hot artichoke dips with sweet caramelized onion added to bitter-savory artichoke hearts, herbs and feta and cream cheeses. It was served with tons of warm pita wedges, replenished by our server on demand.

The hummus, also served with pita wedges, was a stellar rendition, with roasted peppers adding both depth and freshness to the rich, garlicky dip. I brought a substantial portion of it home to spread on sandwiches for lunch the next day.

For lunch, my husband had the Philly chicken pita, which proved that Spice does as well with meat as with vegetarian and vegan dishes. The chicken, onion and bell peppers were grilled to savory juiciness and topped with mozzarella cheese, which was nicely browned in several places. The whole mess is then wrapped in a pita spread with cream cheese. It's a great lunch for a cold day and is served with herbed room-temperature pasta salad.

The kids and I enjoyed the Marco platter, a good example of how tasty vegetarian meals can be. It featured generous helpings of brown rice with tomatoes and onions, grilled veggies, stewed beans and grilled tofu, with plenty of pita wedges.