Spanish treat

Turnagain House chef cashes in on his native homeland fare

By Riza Parsons
Daily News correspondent

Published: July 24th, 2009 01:53 AM
Last Modified: July 24th, 2009 02:45 AM

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BOB HALLINEN / Anchorage Daily News

A new intimate seating area, on the right, has been added to Pepe Cebrian's Turnagain House restaurant along the Seward Highway across from Turnagain Arm.

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Dining at the Turnagain House is like visiting a friend at his cabin who also happens to be an adventurous cook. We drove out on a gorgeous July day that promised spectacular views from the restaurant's inlet-facing windows. The half-hour drive to Indian Valley is a pleasant prelude to a leisurely meal.

The restaurant itself is rife with organic materials; exposed wood-beam ceilings and wood floors, with silver urns, gold-edged mirrors and pewter goblets scattered around for decoration. It's a fitting tribute to the larger-than-life nature that surrounds it. White linens and pink carnations complete the feeling of polished comfort.

Turnagain House has been open for 20 years, but changed hands in March when Pepe Cebrian assumed ownership. He re-opened in April with David Sorenson, the same chef who has been there for 19 years. Cebrian also owns two other restaurants in Valdez and previously owned establishments in Homer and Connecticut. He hails from Madrid, Spain, a city with a talent for the gastronomical arts and conviviality.

Cebrian added his Spanish influences to the menu, introducing paella for two ($30 per person) and chicken Marsala ($24). Paella is a Spanish favorite, served family style in a paella pan with saffron rice, seafood or meat, and vegetables. Many of the steak and seafood dishes the Turnagain House is famous for, like the rib eye ($36) and crab cakes ($14), remain on the menu.

While rustic and cozy, the prices are strictly fine dining. I heard a woman next to me exclaim over the cost of French onion soup ($12).

We ordered the steamer clams (one pound for $15) instead. Anything swimming in butter always seems to wins out.

First the server brought out a complimentary tapas plate, a unique touch I appreciated. It had a selection of hummus, marinated olives and mushrooms, artichoke hearts and a small wedge of a classic Spanish tortilla. The herb-flecked vinaigrettes were flavorful and the hummus was my favorite; a creamy, savory spread redolent of garlic.

Our clams arrived in a large oval ramekin with wedges of lemon and a basket of warm, house-made bread. The bread was a little too dense for me and I watched my dining companion break up his rolls and soak them in the clam sauce before eating them. In this fashion, we ate most of the rolls and all of the sauce. The sweet-tasting clams were enhanced by the buttery, winey, garlicky concoction.

I ordered the bacon and blue cheese-stuffed filet off the specials menu for my entrée ($36) and enjoyed a post-butter glow while I waited taking in the view. Soft clouds threaded through the mountaintops and leafy trees bordered a serene landscape of endless water. This is definitely a place to linger over glasses of wine and good conversation.

My filet came out wearing a pungent green peppercorn sauce with a tangle of carrots and cabbage on the side. A steaming baked potato with sour cream rounded out my meal. The steak was nicely charred and an initial cut revealed a ruby interior from which flowed bacon and melted blue cheese. This trio of perfection -- meat, bacon, cheese -- could have stood on its own, and the peppercorns almost overpowered the dish. I scraped off the sauce and enjoyed luscious bites of tender, bacon-flavored goodness in between bites of baked potato.

My dining companion, alas, did not fare so well as I. His roasted duck ($29) was overcooked and stringy under its lacquered glaze of orange sauce. It certainly looked beautiful, and the bed of rice it was served on was delectable, but its flesh was disappointingly dry. We chalked it up to staffing changes and normal transitional hiccups.

The server came by to clear our plates and offer us dessert. Selections and prices vary, and on this night it was a hard choice between apple crisp, bread pudding and chocolate cake among others. We chose chocolate decadence ($8) with raspberry sauce. It was pure chocolate intensity, a jolt of sugar to propel us on our way home.

Turnagain House has always catered to a varied clientele of both locals and tourists, whether they're celebrating a night out or looking to break up a long drive. Now they can add lovers of Spanish cuisine to that list too. Make the trip for the dazzling location, attentive service and Pepe's unique touches.

Be sure to leave a record of your experience behind; diners' comment cards are tacked to the door frames in the foyer of the restaurant.

• Got a restaurant tip, a new menu, a favorite dish or a chef change? Send an e-mail to play@adn.com.

Turnagain House

*** $$$$

Location: Bird / Indian, Mile 103 Seward Highway

Hours: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. daily

Phone: 653-7500-X

Options: Dine in and takeout.

Want to rave or pan? Write your own review of this restaurant or any other recently reviewed place at play.adn.com/dining.

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