Food News: Long wait over with tasty results

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

By Melanie Stein

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-The first thing I noticed last Friday night when riding the Bridger Gondola at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was the ponds – not visible from the Village Road – on the golf course under construction just south of the Village. The second thing I noticed was how great it felt to be riding the Gondola once more, memories of ski season rushing back and beautiful views of the valley pouring in.

I was on my way up for a meal at Couloir, courtesy of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with a couple of friends in the newly completed Bridger Restaurants at the top of the lift.

The building also houses the Headwall Deli, Jackson Hole Sports on Mountain, a private dining room called the Cornice Room, and a Servery, which will only be open during ski season. It is easy to discern the building’s dual-purpose nature: a lunchtime spot for skiers by day and a fine dining locale by night. Exposed steel beams painted a dark shade of brown give the building a feeling of contemporary yet practical design.

Walking upstairs to Couloir, you enter into the now vacant servery area, though it’s easy to imagine it buzzing with activity in the winter months. Art by local painter Dave McNally hangs in this area as well as inside Couloir.

Inside the dining area, a panoramic view of Jackson Hole spreads out behind the broad, tall windows facing north, south and east. As the sun began to set and light reflected off of various mountain ridges, some of which we estimated to be 50 miles away, we couldn’t help but be in awe of our surroundings.

After a drink at the bar – equipped with a television playing ski and snowboard movies (it is the Village, after all) – we sat down to at an elegant table for three for a five-course meal, valued at $75. Executive Chef Wes Hamilton has devised a well-rounded, oft-exotic menu, which will rotate weekly to offer patrons fresh, seasonal options.

The menu last week included a vegetarian option for each course – except the entrée. When I asked the server about an option for us herbivores in the house, he assured me there was an option available, though its description was less than exciting, essentially a little of this and a little of that.

Between our table, we tried just about every first and second course option, enjoying most the duck three ways, pea soup with mint crème fraiche, and carrot-ginger soup with curry. The entrées pleased our palates as well as we chose between buffalo, pork tenderloin, organic chicken, striped bass and a New York strip. The third course, salad, was a little disappointing with an overly dressed and salty green salad, and a watermelon, honey, goat cheese concoction that didn’t live up to its description.

All in all, however, the experience was satisfying and delicious, enhanced by gazing out across the valley during a slow, peaceful summer sunset.

On the ride back down the mountain, the stars began to peek out and very few lights were visible in the valley. Careful boarding, however: There’s no attendant up top at night.

Couloir is open for lunch – small plates, sandwiches, large plates and a bar menu – 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. seven days a week. It is open for dinner 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and nightly during the winter. Reservations are highly recommended as Couloir only seats 60 people. Call 739-2675 or 739-2610 for group reservations.

-Photo courtesy of JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT
Couloir sits perched at the top the Bridger Gondola in the Bridger Restaurants.



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Food News: Long wait over with tasty results | Planet JH News Article: Restaurants And Dining

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