Crumbs in my 'Stache: With lifestyle patrons in, foodie embarks on JH mini-tour
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
By Ben Cannon
Jackson Hole, Wyo.-It’s not every week a lowly small town reporter and self-anointed foodie has the opportunity to eat night after night at some of Jackson Hole’s more established restaurants. And though some of the valley’s top chefs rush frantically to prepare off-menu entrees upon hearing the Mustachioed One is in the dining room, I am also just a guy who likes being taken out to dinner by my folks when they come to visit.
So recently I hosted they who hath begat me - George and Peggy - for a full seven nights. I joined them nightly for food, spirits and good company.
Indescribably warm and kind people though my parents may be, a lot of good food and plenty of stiff drink just helps the whole ‘visiting’ enterprise run much more smoothly.
On the first night, with a few guests in tow freeloading yet parent-friendly buddies of mine– we hit up Rendezvous Bistro, which I consider to be a consistent and user-friendly restaurant.
Everyone enjoyed his or her entree. We put down some cocktails and, while the prices are reasonable, we managed to go over-budget (not helped by my friend, “Stan Detri,” who added to the tab shots of expensive Patron tequila, which he sent to some gals he knew at the bar). My dad, never much of a drinker, ordered a second gin martini - a rare move for him - mainly, I think, to have a chance to chat with our blonde waitress.
We snacked around town the next night, sampling shellfish appetizers on the deck at Koshu. The prawn with candied walnuts over rice was a hit, as were the blackberry balsamic and cream sauces drizzled under the soft-shell crab.
Later in the week I thought we should try out Stone Table. Tucked away in a shopping center, it is a restaurant I often forget about – but won’t anymore. The restaurant was mostly empty save for a table or two, and that nearly gave us reason to turn around. We were all glad we didn’t because Stone Table served the best meal we had all week.
Owner Julie Zell was in the kitchen, absolutely slaying course after course of Peruvian tapas dishes. The stuffed eggplant, scallops and shrimp were all-around gorgeous dishes. The real coup of multiple tapas plates, though, was the flank steak served in a light Gorgonzola sauce with freshly picked local morels and blackberries.
We skipped Stone Table’s Peruvian desserts and headed to Blu Kitchen, one of the more exciting valley restaurants at the moment. The already-popular chocolate chip cookie, baked in a cast iron skillet and served á la mode, was rich and gooey as always. But that was child’s play next to the house-made mascarpone in rolled chocolate cups. If you don’t happen to make it to Blu for dinner, stop by one of these warm evenings for dessert and a digestiv. Salute!
COURTESY PHOTOThis is the nice couple the food columnist had multiple dinners with. The pair has a gift for blending in wherever they may go.PERMALINK:
Crumbs in my 'Stache: With lifestyle patrons in, foodie embarks on JH mini-tour | Planet JH News Article: Restaurants And Dining
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