The owners refused to sell one without the other, however, and as fate would have it, the restaurant side of things has become Joel's passion.
"I literally have fallen in love with this business. I'm having a ball with it."
Of course, success helps fuel those flames, and the LaSalles are enjoying a healthy 35 percent increase in business at Oasis.
A big boost in that hike came in the recent months, after some remodeling, including sprucing up the large, inviting courtyard with fountains and baskets of flowers everywhere, as well as a major revision of the dinner menu to infuse more variety - including several non-vegetarian items. Oasis' loyal vegan and vegetarian customers haven't been forfeited; instead, the menu has been expanded so that friends and family of devoted patrons can join them in their dining pleasure.
For those of us who also put a high priority on food that's visually appealing, Oasis gets high marks as well.
The spinach salad ($9.75) is an artful combination of flavors, arriving as a "nest" of whole radicchio leaves cradling baby spinach and spring greens tossed with a luscious cranberry vinaigrette. Dried cranberries, candied pine nuts and Gorgonzola maximize texture and taste.
Chef Jared Young got a hard-core lesson on plate presentation when he worked at San Francisco's renowned Aqua several years ago, while attending the California Culinary Academy.
"If it wasn't perfect, you got screamed at, first of all, and then had to redo it," he recalled.
An important component of each of Young's artful dishes at Oasis is his canvas of different-shaped plates. The pad Thai ($14.50), cooked with chicken or shrimp in addition to tofu, is served on a square white plate with pink-tinged rice noodles and little mounds of chives, diced egg yolks, chopped peanuts, bean sprouts and a dusting of paprika on the edges.
An oval plate is the frame for blackened shrimp on mesclun greens served at lunch ($10.25), with a generous amount of the spicy crustaceans and an garnish of cornbread crumbs and crumbled Gorgonzola. The brown butter and orange sauce, delicious with its pepper and paprika spicing, complemented the greens and shrimp, but the sweetness of the cornbread topping was a competing distraction.
That same sauce and a square of cornbread join seared ahi tuna for dinner ($16.25), where the combination of flavors wasn't nearly as distracting, and the side of spiced pecans was a treat.
For his "oceans martini" appetizer ($8.95), Young starts with a stemmed martini glass and layers it with thin strips of cucumbers marinated in a ginger-sesame vinaigrette, shrimp, crab, slices of fresh mango and avocado. Besides being attractive, Young doesn't skimp on the seafood, making the cost reasonable.
Service on both visits was less than perfect, with slight annoyances like the server asking who ordered what as food was brought to the table, and another server arriving with our dinner entrees before the table had been cleared of appetizer plates. Everyone at the table scrambled to stack and move the used plates so the server could set our entrees down.
Dinner ended on a sweet note, with a couple of desserts that take advantage of Utah's fall harvest. The mix of apples in the apple pie ($6) was cooked in an individual crust that was sturdy enough to hold its own, but a bit tough. It was served with cinnamon whipped cream and cherry sauce that added sweetness as well as a bit of color.
A saffron poached pear ($6) was filled with a light pink peppercorn cream that oozed from the pear's center when cut. The pink peppercorns, which are actually pricey dried berries from roses cultivated in Madagascar, gave the sauce a bit of floral spice. The desserts were garnished with a hazelnut brittle and dark chocolate-covered pistachios, respectively, a touch of the nuttiness that Young adds to many of Oasis' sweet and savory dishes.
As long as the weather stays comfortable, most diners at Oasis will continue to be drawn to the serene courtyard. Even with a slight chill, tables close to the tiled outdoor fireplace will no doubt be the hot seats during breakfast and dinner hours. The indoor dining remains inviting, with a spacious dining room that's made more intimate by night with linen-topped tables and subtle light cast by paper lanterns.
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Nancy Hobbs is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Hobbs welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at nhobbs@xmission.com.
Oasis Cafe
* In a nutshell: The emphasis is on healthy food, including several vegan and vegetarian selections. Count on delicious, quality ingredients - including meat - that's visually enticing as well.
* Where: 151 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City; 801-322-0404
* Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
* Prices: Breakfast and lunch, $7-12; dinner, $10-22
* Liquor: Full bar
* Reservations: Accepted
* Children's menu: Breakfast offers a choice of a pancake, waffle or French toast for $4.35; all other portions are downsized.
* Takeout: Yes
* Wheelchair accessible: Yes; enter through lower north entrance.
* Outdoor dining: Yes
* On-site parking: Street side and rear parking lot
* Credit cards: All major
