Day 26 Ends @ Alpenglow

Well, yes, we are still at Denali’s Riley Creek Campground, but for all intents and purposes our day ended at a restaurant tonight.

With snow in the forecast for tonight ... and overcast in the forecast for tomorrow, we moved up our planned dinner at the Alpenglow from tomorrow to tonight.

The restaurant is at the Grande Denali Lodge ... reached by the steep, curvy road that has all the funny road signs I posted a few days ago. The property opened for the season today, so we were amongst the very first to frequent it this year.

There’s no doubt that dining at Alpenglow is a pricey splurge. But the spectacular views, the delicious food, the welcoming staff who were exceptionally happy to see guests again after such a dismal 2020 due to COVID-19, the friendly service ... well it all added up to a very special dining experience.

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For those interested in such things ... here’s what we ordered and enjoyed tonight.

After reviewing the menu, we decided to order a selection of small plates to taste a variety of dishes. It was a good move on our part. We ordered the Shaved Brussels Sprouts … key lime vinaigrette dressing, smoked bacon, toasted almonds, and red grapes; Alaska Ale Battered Halibut (can never resist this dish) … lemon, tartar sauce … served with Cajun fries; Alaska Crab Cakes … Grove Farmstead micro greens, balsamic vinaigrette, grape tomato, lemon, chipotle remoulade; Buffalo Sliders … chipotle aioli, Grove Farmstead micro greens, hickory bacon-Vidalia onion jam, Tillamook extra sharp white cheddar. All very, very tasty.

We washed it all down with our choices of beverages — Mui … Kings Ridge Pinot Noir from Oregon; Me … Glacier Raspberry Wheat Bear … from the Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage … low bitterness; refreshing and smooth.

Dessert? Only ice cream was available since they are doing a soft opening and not all of their supplies have been delivered. We ordered a scoop each of vanilla and chocolate to share … both good, but the chocolate was better.Leia mais