Press

Recent bit of mind-blowing info to share: unicorns exist. Uh huh. Saola (sow-lah) are a dainty, spiral-horned wonder of a deer-like critter native to the forests of Vietnam and Laos. They're almost extinct, very elusive, and have two horns that kinda look like a single one in profile. Called the Asian unicorn due to their extreme rarity, the formerly presumed mythological saola was verified by scientists as the distinct species pseudoryx nghetinhensis as recently as 1992. (Mother Nature's still got some cool secrets up her sleeve.) Spotting a saola is considered a harbinger of good luck...

Like so many new restaurants, Saola started as a food-to-door delivery restaurant-a great way to build a customer base with low overhead. In a reverse move, it's now a destination for mostly Vietnamese food, owned by Diem Nguyen and co-owner and chef Tuan Vu. Right now, it looks like a dicey location for a business whose number one priority is good real estate. The hills behind are just brushland. But it won't be long before those hills are filled with the high-dollar condos and apartments that are sprouting all over Salt Lake City and then Saola will have another new identity: neighborhood restaurant...

Stepping into Saola, a recently opened new Asian restaurant in Cottonwood Heights, I was immediately transported to a new world. Filled with gold accents, marble tabletops, pink neon lights and the aromas of delicious food cooking, I knew my time at Saola would be well spent...

Tucked away in Cottonwood Heights is one hidden gem in Utah that is a true treasure - SAOLA. This Asian restaurant not only features an intimate yet inviting dining room but the food served here is out of this world. From shrimp tempura to pho beef tenderloin and beverages that are the perfect complement to your meal, this is one restaurant that is worthy of any drive...

One of my favorite things about Salt Lake is its abundance of trees. In fact, the University of Utah campus, on the bench of the city's foothills, is a designated State Arboretum, with over 8,000 trees. Boasting 300 plus varieties, including almost 40 different types of conifer, the city, and the campus in particular are an incredible sight in the early days of spring as the beech, elm, oak, and Japanese flowering cherry trees begin to bloom...

Cottonwood Heights • At SAOLA New Asian, it's nearly impossible to miss the contrast between East and West, and past and present — from the brassy Vietnamese rickshaw and 1960s album cover with the image of the owner's mother to the sleek gray sectionals and neon pink lights.