Alaska News

Summer bites

It's overcast. Drizzling. 49 degrees (unless you're at Hatcher Pass, where it may be snowing).

Local meteorologists may have thrown in the towel, but Anchorage chefs and bartenders are determined to give us great tastes of summer.

You don't need us to tell you that the fresh shines through at Anchorage restaurants now, in an annual frenzy of king salmon, halibut, rockfish, fiddlehead ferns, just-gathered morels and rhubarb mead.

We've trolled the local dining scene for some great tastes of the season.

Have it all

Fresh Alaska seafood is the headliner everywhere right now, and Sacks Cafe is no exception.

A current special, the curry pot, means you don't have to choose between halibut, salmon, scallops and king crab: They're all buoyed in a savory red curry-lime broth. Fresh basil, Asian veggies, mushrooms and jasmine rice also pile into this meld-in-your-mouth concoction ($30).

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Also on offer now: a duck-breast entree salad with organic Valley greens plus pears, asparagus, grape tomatoes, cambozola, candied pecans and a bright cider Dijon vinaigrette ($23), and a happy hour with appetizers and wine specials from 5 to 6 p.m.

Really love your peaches

It's not a new item at Southside Bistro, but every summer it's a taste sensation. We're talking the peach and raspberry cobbler, a cup of sweet fruit, brown sugar and pecan crust, vanilla ice cream and a colorful skirt of pureed fruit that makes the whole package as pretty as an Alaska sunset (if you could see one).

This summer, Jens Nannestad's kitchen began serving brunch on Saturday, but the best deal under this roof may emerge between lunch and dinner daily -- a dead zone at many eateries -- when the short but satisfying bistro menu includes a killer burger, wood-fired nachos, fresh oysters with tomato-arugula salsa and several pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven.

Hefeweizen sunrise

Chipper Jones, the surprising Rays, the OMG-what-now Mariners -- baseball is the game of summer, and it's hard to beat The Peanut Farm for catching a game on TV. A ton of screens mean you can probably see any game you want.

Make sure of that by camping out with some pals in one of the booths with its own TV monitor. A bud in our group was nursing a big schooner of Pyramid Hefeweizen ($5 for a pint, $8 for a 25-ounce pounder) front-loaded with a splash of orange juice, and the result was as smooth as an Ichiro leap at fly ball on the center-field fence. (The M's lose anyway, but this sparkling citrus brew makes the pain a pleasure.)

On the wild side

The musk-ox burgers, which generated some buzz this spring, are now off the menu, but Indian Valley Meats is still grinding out tasty game for Chair Five in Girdwood.

After a day savoring the outdoors, step inside for a burger made with elk or a combination of caribou and bison (both are $11). Several TVs and a pool table provide a sports-bar ambience, and views of mountain flowers are framed by every window.

Eat and drink with a view

The Crow's Nest at the Hotel Captain Cook and the deck of the Snow Goose get lots of press for the vistas they offer. Less ballyhooed but lots of fun is the Fancy Moose Lounge at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel, with a killer view of Lake Hood, especially at sunset, that has become an end-of-day treat for hikers and bikers in the area.

There's a pleasing selection of beer and wine. You can have a fancier sit-down at the Flying Machine restaurant, which also has a lake-and-mountains view.

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

Sacks Cafe

Location: 328 G St.

Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30-10:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30-9 p.m. Sunday

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Phone: 274-4022

Web: www.sackscafe.com

Southside Bistro

Location: 1320 Huffman Park Drive

Summer hours: 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.; 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

Phone: 348-0088

Web: www.southside bistro.com

The Peanut Farm

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Location: 5227 Old Seward Highway

Hours: 6 a.m. -2:30 a.m. daily

Phone: 563-3283

Web: www.peanutfarm barandgrill.com

Chair Five

Location: 5 Linblad Ave., Girdwood

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, bar closes at 2 a.m.

Phone: 783-2500

Web: www.chairfive.com

Millennium Alaskan Hotel

Location: 4800 Spenard Road

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily

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Phone: 243-2300

Web: www.millennium hotels.com/millennium anchorage/index.html Where's your sunny spot?

By Mike Peters

Daily News correspondent

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