Food News: Golf & Tennis's North Grille

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

By Melanie Stein

Situated in the clubhouse at Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis, the North Grille is a perfect lunch and dinner spot for someone who is headed out to or returning from a round of golf on the newly renovated golf course.

The real question is whether it will attract other visitors and residents who aren’t interested in the links. After razing and rebuilding the clubhouse to the tune of $7.5 million – in addition to spending another $9.5 million on the golf course, housing, tennis courts and other amenities –  the club sure hopes so.

The North Grille “combines creative interpretations of traditional bistro fare with a regional flavor using only the freshest, high-quality ingredients available,” according to marketing material. The fine dining restaurant is situated inside the clubhouse and includes a full bar with indoor and patio seating. The northern wall of the building is almost entirely windows, offering views of the golf course and the stunning Teton peaks punctuating the sky in the distance.

The dining room offers more of a clubhouse feel than that of a fine dining establishment, though the tables are intimate and the layout offers most patrons a view out the windows. On the patio, the seating wraps around the edge of the building. We were lucky enough to sit outside and catch the beginning of a spectacular sunset. The outdoor fire pit – a mere eight to 10 feet away – was not functioning due to electrical issues, and so, as the sun began to set and the winds picked up, we migrated inside to escape the chill.

Rumor has it that the North Grille remains incredibly short staffed, both for wait staff and in the kitchen. I believe it, as we could have used some warm bread to tide us over during the long wait for our salad and appetizer. We started with the wild greens with white truffle champagne vinaigrette, candied walnuts and chevre ($8), which was as good as it sounds. Our next plate was equally as tasty: the Florida blue and Alaskan king crab cake with mango mayonnaise and brown garlic frisee ($14) was light and bursting with flavor. Both starters were worth the wait.

Like many restaurants in Jackson Hole, the North Grille had no vegetarian options as a main course, though one could probably get by eating the above-mentioned salad along with the white truffled acorn squash with grilled asparagus, and the golden baked Maytag blue cheese parcel with red onion marmalade. No doubt the kitchen, once up to capacity, could whip up a tasty vegetarian treat as a main dish, too.

My dining companion opted for the black pepper rare seared tuna on warm lobster salsa with grilled cilantro quesadilla. What a mouthful! The lobster salsa included large chunks of lobster, and the cilantro quesadillas, almost as thin as a cracker, were an interesting twist to the dish.

I opted for one of the evening’s specials: halibut over a lobster reduction with Yukon potatoes. The creamy sauce also offered chunks of lobster, and the fish was flaky and rich.

Other entrees included Guinness BBQ Salmon Creek pork chop with white cheddar mashers (potatoes, that is) and New England seafood pot pie with sherry and chanterelles ($21), or mushroom-filled veal rolls in white truffle cream with lobster mashed potatoes and a bacon-wrapped filet on Yukon potato pancake with grilled asparagus and balsamic demi ($28).

For dessert, we sampled a rich ice cream tower, as described by our friendly server. With an Oreo cookie crumble base and a cylinder of chocolate ice cream atop the base, the tower was topped with a dollop of peanut butter and accompanied by chocolate sauce. The blackberry and peach filo dough concoction served with whipped cream and a few blueberries was our favorite, with flavorful fruits and flaky crust.

In all, the food was certainly up to snuff and a great way to wind down the busy week and kick off the weekend. The patio offered the best views, though as the summer fades in the Tetons and it cools off more and more, let’s hope the fire pit will spring back to life.

The serving staff, indeed the restaurant itself, is still finding its feet, but I suspect the North Grille will be worth the occasional drive up to 5000 North Spring Gulch Road.
The North Grille is open from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch seven days a week, and 6-10 p.m. for dinner Thursday through Saturday, with plans to serve seven nights a week in the works. Contact the North Grille at Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis at 733-3111 or visit www.jhgtc.com. Reservations are required.

Courtesy Photo

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Food News: Golf & Tennis's North Grille | Planet JH News Article: Restaurants And Dining

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