Advertisements hyping the Great Alaska Shootout have been touting the food at the new Alaska Airlines Center, which will get its biggest taste test Thanksgiving week at the annual basketball tournament. Anyone going to the arena expecting fine dining may be disappointed, although the food offerings are a big step up in class from what's available at Sullivan Arena.
During the Shootout, there will be several concession stands offering a variety of options. That's a good thing and invites optimism, because the choices offered by the lone snack bar operating during the recent state high school volleyball tournament were decidedly pedestrian.
The snack bar's signature item, the pulled pork combo, was a big disappointment. If you've seen me, you could probably guess I've eaten more than my share of pulled pork. This was one of the worst I've had. Served on a microwave-heated bun that was stale to the bite, the somewhat dry pork was bland and without personality. Greatness isn't expected with snack bar food, but for $12, the "combo" (it comes with a 1-ounce bag of chips) is a terrible value. Combined with a 32-ounce commemorative soda ($5), the meal came to a whopping $17 that I felt bad about paying even though I was eating on the paper's dime.
The other items -- pretzel with cheese ($5), hot dogs ($4), reindeer sausage ($6), french fries ($4), popcorn ($5 large, $4 small) -- are passable but unremarkable. The best value is likely the chili nachos ($6), which came piled with hot chili atop a heaping portion of tortilla chips.
Management promised things will be different during the Shootout, with multiple snack bars planned with different menus and even a beer garden. Hopefully fans will see an improvement.
The snack bars are what casual fans will notice most, but for anyone wanting a more upscale experience, the Varsity Grill, located in the upstairs mezzanine section, is a far better bet at the Alaska Airlines Center.
Filled with a dozen flat-screen televisions playing sports and overlooking the arena, the restaurant has a welcoming, mellow vibe. A table with a view of the floor alone is worth a visit and the service is friendly and attentive.
The grill's menu aims for haute cuisine, with appetizers like the shrimp and king crab cocktail ($16) and a gourmet cheese board with oven-fired flatbread ($13). There's a wood-fired pizza oven for 10-inch gourmet pizzas which, along with standard pepperoni, include more ambitious toppings, such as Stilton cheese and fig jam, smoked Gouda and Thai chicken.
On the waiter's recommendation, my dining companion ordered the spicy shrimp sandwich ($14), while I had the Seawolf burger ($11). While not particularly spicy, the shrimp sandwich was a definite highlight. Perhaps a bit too sloppy, it oozed with flavor and made me wish I'd ordered one of my own rather than just tasting a bite. It was "wolfed" down. Our server told us a regular customer eats one almost every day, and it was easy to see why.
I can't say the same for my burger, which was uninteresting and served alongside a decent portion of decidedly chilly fries. They weren't cold exactly, but they certainly weren't hot -- not what you'd expect from a restaurant with such lofty ambitions.
There's a small selection of local brews on tap ($6), as well as a wine list that proved unexpectedly deep. If you're looking to watch a basketball game while sipping on a $179 bottle of cab, the Varsity Grill is the place for you. There are also plenty of less adventurous choices than the '09 Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon, with house selections starting at $7 a glass.
The small dessert menu has plenty to tempt one more helping, and the salted caramel peanut butter pie ($7) is a winner. The gluten-free strawberry shortcake also looked decadent, and our server told us it's his personal favorite.
If you're planning your Thanksgiving meals around your hoops watching schedule, the food at the Alaska Airlines Center will satisfy your craving for either standard arena food or fine dining. And there's beer, which should keep even the saltiest food critics sated. Just don't expect too many slam dunks.
Alaska Airlines Center
3550 Providence Drive
Varsity Grill
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, closed Sundays.
Note: On Wednesday-Thursday of Shootout week it will only be open to ticketholders. To reserve a table, call 786-7835 (not a bad idea if you want to sit overlooking the court).
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Price: $$$-$$$$
Snack bar
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Price: $-$$$