The hauntingly flavorful, majestic goodness is expected to be among the top 2010 food trends, according to the LA Times. The New York Times even trumpeted bacon's use in peanut brittle, "The Love Child of Salt and Sugar." I wondered what creative uses for the mahogany waves of crisp pork Anchorage's chefs would come up with?
I heard Kinley's pastry chef, Lisa Griswold, on the Woody & Wilcox morning radio show talking about maple bacon cheesecake. Sadly the dessert was a special and no longer on the menu, but it can be special ordered ($65) at least 48 hours in advance.
Kinley's also offers bacon-wrapped dates ($4). The cup of five skewers is neatly pinned, sweet and salty, crisp and tender and served in lemon garlic butter. On a second trip to Kinley's, bacon chocolate ice cream ($5) was one of the dessert specials. It was bold, unique and pleasant, with bacon delightfully embedded in milk chocolate and chocolate fudge chucks, punctuating a rich, satiny bacon ice cream
Kinley's also has plans for a bacon fusion flight with a sweet and spicy bacon beignet, candied bacon, maple bacon ice cream with candied pecans, milk chocolate covered bacon and a bacon chocolate chip cookie.
"While I find some people are put off when they hear a dessert starting with 'bacon,' if they try it they tend to agree it is a great way to end a meal -- that and bacon makes everything better," Griswold said in an e-mail.
The Spenard Roadhouse also wears its love of bacon on its sleeve. The restaurant features a dynamic bacon-of-the-month appetizer and pedals "I Love Bacon" bumper stickers ($1). December's special is jalapeno poppers stuffed with bacon, cream cheese, onions and tomatoes ($8.95). The poppers are parked on a bed of greens with avocado cream and chipotle aioli sauces ringing the plate. My friend and I liked the heat the poppers packed and the melody of flavors. However, I was a little disappointed bacon wasn't the star ingredient.
Darcy Kniefel, Roadhouse bar manager and bacon guru, agreed the dish did stray from its meaty roots.
"It's time to bring the bacon back," she said.
Next month's fare is candied bacon served with a chocolate dipping sauce. The bacon will be coated in brown sugar and a touch of cayenne pepper and then baked to crispy perfection.
The process of creating the special involves brainstorming recipes and a taste-testing phase Kniefel described as sitting around eating bacon for an afternoon.
"We do what we have to do," she said.
The Alaska Bagel Restaurant offers a fresh bacon-and-cheese-laced bagel at a bargain price (95 cents). The bagel has cheddar cheese melted into the center and bacon bits mixed throughout. The restaurant uses unbleached flour and the bagels contain no trans fat. On my bagel, the cheese nearly overpowered the bacon and I would have liked to see bigger pieces of meat, but the flavors were spot on.
A friend and I shared the roasted Alaska oysters ($11) at Suite 100. The four oysters were crusted with bacon, leeks and Parmesan. The complementary combination of flavors was well crafted and elegantly presented. The Parmesan was golden brown, the leeks were tender and the bacon was generously sprinkled atop the oysters. The appetizer packed a powerful punch of flavor while still leaving us with plenty of room for our entrees.
Leroy's bacon waffles ($7.95) are another luscious treat. The bacon is chopped and cooked inside a golden waffle. When my plate was set down, no bacon was visible. But as I cut into the waffle, large chunks of tender-crisp bacon were revealed to be evenly distributed throughout. The flavors were perfect, bacon, waffle, butter and maple syrup all in one well-rounded bite. The dish was a hit at our table, a lazy man's breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Bacon is a hard-working, glistening bounty of edible options. Chefs and bartenders are brazenly using it to create distinctive, off-the-cuff creations like bacon and egg martinis, baconnaise and bacon vodka. The smoky sizzler is no longer just confined to side-dish status -- nobody puts bacon in a corner.
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Alaska Bagel Restaurant
Location: 113 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite L
Phone: 276-3900
Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
Web site: alaskabagel.com
Kinley's Restaurant
Location: 3230 Seward Highway
Phone: 644-8953
Hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Closed Sundays.
Web site: kinleysrestaurant.com
Leroy's Family
Restaurant Location: 2420 C St.
Phone: 279-6162
Hours: Open all day, seven days a week.
Spenard Roadhouse
Location: 1049 W. Northern Lights Blvd.
Phone: 770-7623
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Web site: spenardroadhouse.com
Suite 100 Restaurant, Bar & Lounge
Location: 1000 E. Dimond Blvd.
Phone: 341-1000
Hours: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Sunday
Web site: suite100restaurant.com
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