Fine Dining in the Valley: Reviews

I know a few stars of this story, who don't regret leaving Anchorage and its car-jammed streets, Costco shoppers and skyrocketing real estate prices. They are gleeful about their access to outdoor play lands such as Hatcher Pass, knowledge of tucked-away trails and freedom from restrictive Anchorage laws. They insist that getting away from the congested urban experience that is Alaska's largest city is worth the daily commute.

But I bet there might be a few regrets, including what this column is devoted to: food.

Restaurants in Mat-Su never have lived up to the flourishing restaurant scene in Anchorage, which offers a multitude of fine dining options, ethnic eateries and great greasy spoons. Mat-Su's restaurants are often considered, even by its residents, middling and unimpressive.

Wasilla and Palmer have their share of steakhouses and greasy spoons but also offer Japanese and Thai restaurants, a brewhouse and Evangelo's (entrenched as the place for fine dining) on the Parks Highway alone. Palmer also has the wonderful Vagabond Blues, a cafe that serves some of the best soup around.

But I wondered if the signs of exploding growth in the Valley had led to more exciting changes in the food scene and took a day to explore a couple of places in the hub of Wasilla.

At least one can rival Anchorage restaurants in atmosphere and outshines most in setting: Settlers Bay Lodge.

Local builder Chuck Spinelli recently bought the lodge, which was renovated by its former owners, said John Ewing, operations manager. The restaurant started serving food in July and is trying to target a spectrum of diners, from people looking for fine dining to families that need a kid-friendly menu.

The lodge offers an exquisite dining room. Glass windows interrupt the wood-hued walls to offer sweeping views of the Chugach range. A mirror tumbles down the wall behind the bar, reflecting colorful bottles of liquor. A free-standing, open fireplace warms the center of the dining room, and strings of lights keep the interior festive. The lodge buzzes with the energy of the open kitchen, which allows diners to see their food as it is prepared.

But it is still Alaska, where the well-dressed host doesn't blink at the sight of fleece and a man wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt might saunter in and enjoy a glass of red wine with his meal.

The lodge's menu includes luxurious and interesting ingredients, such as gorgonzola on blackened halibut and the green apple stuffing that came with the pork loin. There also was an abundance of common Alaska fare, with halibut dominating the seafood selection and a smoked salmon penne pasta choice. Three of the daily specials were some sort of steak, along with a puzzling breaded catfish option. A friend and I saw lots of diners eating king crab.

We started on the light side. Mushroom caps ($7.50) -- stuffed with gorgonzola, cream cheese and walnuts and topped with what appeared to be almond slices -- were pleasantly creamy. The caps were accompanied by a lovely, light sherry and butter sauce. The nuts added wonderful crunch to the mushrooms, and assertive gorgonzola complemented the mild, forest-like essence of mushrooms.

A mixed baby greens salad ($6.50) was overdressed, however, with a buttermilk herb dressing in a salad that already had rich blue cheese crumbles. Tart apples cut the creaminess, but I would choose either dressing or crumbles if given a choice.

For the garlic shrimp entree ($19.50), a chef propped up broiled tiger prawns resting in the shell, which circled a mound of white rice and crowned a bed of seared spinach. A butter sauce was spread generously over the shrimp, which were meaty and tender. But the butter, enhanced by pungent garlic, wasn't enough of a foil for the shrimp and spinach. Another sauce was needed to draw out the shrimp's flavor and add nuance. The menu also said the dish came with saffron rice, which would have added a much-needed fragrant element that the plain white rice that we received didn't.

The sauce for the pork loin ($18.50), a gravy highly seasoned with rosemary, was an improvement. It added heft to the tender pork, which was cooked to a pink medium that kept its insides juicy. But the pork came with an unfortunate side of green apple stuffing. The stuffing, with visible bits of green apple skin, was bitter on top of being mushy, and my friend and I wondered if anybody in the kitchen tasted it before it was served. A side of squash and zucchini were crisp and understated.

We ended the meal with chocolate velvet mousse ($5.50), a slice of dense, compressed mousse with a chocolate crumb crust and a satisfying, deep chocolate flavor.

Settlers Bay is sophisticated enough and serves high-enough-quality meat that the waiter asks how you want pork prepared. Bread comes warm and is served with a lively olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar and herbs. The ingredients were fresh.

But the environment also creates expectations of superb food, and the kitchen underachieves. Settlers Bay doesn't scrimp on the basics, so I can only hope the kitchen becomes more creative and comes up with choices that rise to the level of its surroundings.

While Settlers Bay is a revamp of a familiar place, the Trophy Room Bar and Grill is new. It's in the Grand View Inn and Suites at Mile 40 on the Parks Highway. The Trophy Room is decorated, as its name suggests, with plenty of animal heads dotting the walls.

Even with the abundance of sheep and antelope staring down at you, and a cozy bar tucked inside the restaurant, the dining room feels slightly sterile and hotel-like. The menu feels the same, with standard fare including burgers and chicken sandwiches, although it also teases you with a buffalo burger and an appetizer of blackened prime rib strips.

An appetizer platter ($17) gives you a sampling of the Trophy Room. The buffalo wings were the best of the bunch, which included mozzarella sticks, halibut chunks and mushrooms. The wings were a little overcooked, but the buffalo sauce was sharply tangy with a nice kick. The halibut had flaky, fresh fish inside a light, crisp coating, and the cheese sticks, while bready, were as good as fried cheese can be. The mushrooms were mysterious but bland in a butter sauce, with little to no flavor and strange, blackened chunks in the butter.

But good halibut chunks did not result in a good halibut sandwich ($10.50). The generous fillet of grilled halibut smelled unusually fishy and pungent -- an absolute no-no for fish served at a restaurant, even if it is midwinter. The halibut came on a warm toasted bun but was not seasoned strongly, and a sweet tartar sauce could not cover up the briny smell.

A burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms ($8.50) fared better. The burger was charred, sealing in juices for the most part, and came with a generous pile of mushrooms and Swiss, along the standard leafy lettuce, ripe tomato and some pickles.

Even with a couple of pitfalls, my non-comprehensive trip to the Valley left me with a glimmer of hope. Growth has yet to affect the restaurants in a good way, a belief buttressed by comments from Valley-residing colleagues. Major restaurant chains such as Applebee's and Chili's have not made the move up there, and there hasn't been a rush to open new restaurants.

But the groundwork has been laid by restaurants like Settlers Bay for a spurt of delicious eateries in the Valley. On the wish list for the future? More daring fine dining, more cafes such as Vagabond Blues, and ethnic choices -- a good Vietnamese place could make a splash -- that rival the best in Anchorage.

The potential is there for stellar restaurants to emerge in the next five to 10 years, as long as Valley residents put their collective feet down and insist on it.

SETTLERS BAY LODGE is at Mile 8 Knik Road, Wasilla. Hours: 5- 10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 1 a.m.- 5 p.m. (lunch) and dinner 5- 10 p.m. (dinner) Saturday, and 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Call 1-907-357-5678.

TROPHY ROOM BAR AND GRILL is at 2900 E. Parks Highway. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Call 1-907-537-7666.

Try these spots for a tasty Mat-Su meal

So what else is there to tantalize your tastebuds in the Valley? For those unfamiliar with the territory, here's an informal list of restaurants worth investigating.

Evangelo's is the granddaddy of restaurants in the Valley. The Italian restaurant lords over the Parks Highway at Mile 40 and is the place people head toward for a nice meal or just to have some pizza. Call 1-907-376-1212.

But Cadillac Cafe at Mile 49 Parks Highway is touted as one of the best eats around, dishing up casual yet tasty fare.

For a taste of Thai, visit Mekong Thai Cuisine at 473 W. Parks Highway, Wasilla, serving the usual Thai choices, including pad thai, curries and fresh rolls. Another ethnic option nearby is Tokyo Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar at 735 W. Parks Highway, where locals satisfy cravings for raw fish, noodles and teriyaki.

Great Bear Brewing Co. at 238 N. Boundary St., Wasilla, is a cozy option for burgers and brew, and Valley Bistro at 300 E. Herning Ave. is another choice for a nice meal out.

For some of the best views in town, head to Mat-Su Resort at 1850 E. Bogard Road or Lake Lucille Inn at 1300 W. Lake Lucille Drive.

In Palmer, you can get a taste of hippie chic and some awfully good soup at Vagabond Blues at 642 S. Alaska St., where soup (try the Hungarian mushroom), salads and huge chunks of bread are available along with great musical acts. Call 1-907-745-2233.

The Valley Hotel at 606 S. Alaska St., is the hotspot for breakfast in Palmer. And others in Palmer recommend the Inn Cafe at 325 E. Elmwood Ave.

To eat out of the way, head to Fishhook Bar at Mile 6.5 on the Palmer-Fishhook Road for "killer" burgers, according to one colleague.