A Bite of Alaska: Talkeetna Roadhouse

 One of the famed eateries of Talkeetna, the Roadhouse has been on our Alaska restaurant bucket list ever since we touched down in the arctic. During our camping adventure at Montana Creek, we finally found time to make a quick drive up to the town and try it out for lunch.

This is a family-style, seat yourself establishment known for its larger than life portions.

Having had pancakes for breakfast earlier, I didn't think I had it in me to have another for lunch.  I did spot a neighboring table's single order of blueberry hotcakes spill over the sides of the already humongous plate. (Note to self: do not eat pancakes for breakfast before coming to the Roadhouse next time)

So I ordered the poutine. Fried potatoes and reindeer sausage nuggets smothered in gravy and melted cheese.  The potatoes were perfection with a crunchy, toasty crust. This was my heart attack on a plate meal for the month. It was a very large portion, and despite my hunger pains, I could only finish a little more than 1/4 the plate.

Liv ordered a half side of mac and cheese (yummy) and a perfect sized portion for her. Dylan had the reindeer burger pasty with a side of mac and cheese. He was VERY satisfied with his. Me, I'm not such a fan of reindeer meet unless it is in sausage form.

Miss Sophie insisted on the cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, straight out of the oven. This is the item the Roadhouse Bakery is famous for...and rightly so! We all had a nibble of hers and WOW! I am willing to drive the two hours to Talkeetna just to have one of these again.

This is the hubby's order. We can always count on him to ask for the same breakfast dish every time, no matter what restaurant we are in.  This is the dish called The Standard: scrambled eggs, thick sliced peppered bacon, and fried potatoes topped with a thick slice of bread.  Oh, and get this...that right there?...it's only the HALF order. 

We were definitely satisfied with the grub served here.  I liked the casual atmosphere and the family dining style. This may just be a family go-to every time we stop by Talkeetna.

A Bite of Alaska: Snow City Cafe

  The first sight of the jam-packed lobby automatically signaled *jackpot*!!! I consider other patrons' willingness to suffer late-morning hunger pains for an hour or longer just to imbibe in this institution's wares as a very promising indicator of the place's excellence. I am pleased to report that I was not mistaken (when am I ever? LOL)

Snow City Cafe, on the corner of L and 4th,  has an eclectic urban vibe to it, reminiscent of some artsy Seattle cafe. It seems the servers make an effort to keep up with the theme as well (or maybe the place just attracts "interesting" applicants). Our server, a pretty girl with a large nose ring, a bleach blonde buzz cut, and long feather earrings definitely fit in (she was a great waitress, too!). I fell in love with the place.

And then the food came...and cemented the permanence of my love affair with this cafe.  I was pleased a kid's menu was available offering traditional fare for picky predictable kiddie palates.  I, in an effort to sample new dishes, ordered the sockeye salmon cakes with two eggs over easy, sourdough toast, and a perfectly cooked crispy brick of hash browns.  The salmon cakes came in a pair of medallions, with generous lumps of pink meat, diced red onions, green bell peppers, and green onions. I am particular about how my eggs are cooked, and mine were perfect.  Ultimately a great choice.

The Mister had his usual two-egg breakfast. Ho Hum. Dylan didn't care much for his chicken sandwich. It had a sweet ranch sauce and thinly sliced apple on multi-grain bread. I thought it was divine, but it clearly was not the D's idea of a good sammich. 

But here was the jewel of our breakfast, with all five Fam Och members unanimously agreeing on the best thing of the day: REINDEER SAUSAGE.  It came in a six inch 1 inch in diameter cut link, sliced lengthwise and charred on the grill.  It was smoky like a polish sausage, with an unmistakeable...well....I guess...reindeer taste. It was heavenly!

We are anticipating many returns. However, we will be sure to call ahead to be placed on the seating list. Although, I wouldn't mind waiting another hour. It's that good.

A Bite of Alaska: RJ Pastry and Breads

  Picture a dilapidated cottage, its dull yellow paint chipping off its weathered siding. Its unlikely location next to a downtown cemetery and across the street from the Sheraton makes it stick out like a sore thumb. A glance through the windows hints at a compulsive hoarder's dream, random objects pressed against the panes...bags of styrofoam cups here, a bent spatula there...Yeah, I know, I wouldn't eat there, either. It didn't even look like an eating establishment.  It didn't look like any kind of establishment at all. In fact, the first time we turned into the parking lot of the place a week ago, we promptly drove back out.

But, the Cebuana who regularly cleans our TLF unit insisted the food was good.  Remember when I rejoiced to the heavens about a Filipino restaurant in the area? We went there the day after I posted. Have I written about it? No. Have you ever been too disappointed to report on results? Yeah, it was like that. So, with hopeful but wary heart, we approached it a second time. The interior was even scarier than the view from outside. The lady who owns the place has this gigantic mole with wiry hairs sprouting from it like a sea urchin on her face. BUT, the heavenly smell of Filipino food was all I needed to just keep walking in. 

Nilagang buto-buto, ukoy (sp?), bopis, lumpiang shanghai, kare-kare, kutsinta, pandesal. All you can eat for ten bucks.  And you can believe I ate my money's worth.

It was all good.  The kare-kare (peanut stew with oxtail and tripe) was okay.  My mommas is excellent, so any other version pales in comparison. But everything else I had seconds of.  I even had a packet of kutsinta (round orange rice cakes and my favorite) and grated coconut to take home. 

So, if you can get past the surroundings, genuine Filipino food is yours to be had here at RJ Pastry & Bread. If not, then you can enjoy your halo-halo at Angelina's Filipino Cuisine instead.

A Bite of Alaska: Glacier Brewhouse

  Eating out can seriously put a dent in the wallet, but the Mister and I could NOT resist when each kiddo made their way into school on Monday. (Yep, Liv the munchkin attended her first day of preschool here.) We giggled like two kids playing hooky from school as we headed towards downtown Anchorage. We wanted to save the Glacier Brewhouse for a time when we could both enjoy it.  (no little monsters demanding potty breaks NOW even when the food was just placed on the table...and since our fish allergy girl was absent, there were no menu restrictions!)

There is a humongous fireplace smack dab in the middle of the room, and I take it tables adjacent to it are in high demand. We were placed in a booth overlooking the street. No worries...we were there for the food!

Asking for recommendations, our waitress insisted their seafood chowder was the "can't miss" item.  We both ordered a cup...I could have just upgraded to a bowl of it and been blissfully happy.  Chunks of salmon and halibut and roasted corn kernels swam in the creamy thick soup.  Yum! Of course, we both chose fish dishes: he the bbq salmon and I, the panko crusted halibut.  Loved them both!

Obviously, the brewhouse brews their own beer. We opted for the non-alcoholic drinks this time, although we both promised to return to try out their wide selection.  The root beer was a little weak in the sarsaparilla, I preferred Moose's Tooth's much better. But the Mister who is not blessed with an adventurous palate as mine was pleased with it. 

Another winner!

A Bite of Alaska: Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria

When the Mister checked us in to temporary lodging, the well-intentioned man behind the desk slipped a list of local restaurants over to him, pointed to a "Sicily's Pizza," and gave the trust-me-I've-been-here-awhile look, " You'll be calling this often."

Now, either that guy has a stomach of steel and deadened taste buds or he was just a simple @ssh0le playing cruel pranks on newcomers...but that place was downright sh!tty. Again, Google came to the rescue. (Oh, my beloved search engine, how do I love thee?)

 Moose's Tooth, on 33rd and Seward, is the type of pizzeria we were looking for.  All sizes, even the small pizzas can be ordered half and half (yay, for my girls' teeny tiny stomachs).  The menu is loaded with tons of choices, it was so hard to settle on one.  We finally came to this consensus:  Half Greek Gyro(deconstructed gyro--lamb/tzaziki sauce/feta)/Half Chipotle Steak and Half Popeye(spinach/red bell peppers/feta/mozzarella/mushrooms)/Half Blackened Rockfish (yes, folks, Sophie loves anything seafood).  All were deeelish. 

Dylan, our bottomless pit of a son, of course was the only one who had room for dessert, and he opted for the Glacier Bear Cheesecake.  It is a frozen honey cheesecake, topped with cinnamon, with a praline graham cracker crust.  Wow!

All beers, including the root sort, are drafted in-house, and can even be taken home in jugs.  As we were currently burdened blessed with the company of little ones, the Mister and I only guzzled sampled the root beer. Loved it!

We plan on many returns for both family and big kid dates. Count on coming here if any of you decide to visit!

A Bite of Alaska: The Cake Studio

When we asked a fellow to guide us to some good eats in the area, he clearly didn't realize our, let's say, developed taste in food when he pointed us to Longhorn Steakhouse (of all places).  Fam Och isn't interested in restaurant chains serving up the same tired menu.  Local mom and pop hole-in-the-walls, or trendy little boutique eateries...anything really that strays from the norm...that's what we want!

So, of course, I turn to a more reliable source...Google! Go figure, and here I thought conversing with those who have lived here longer would help. Thanks to my beloved search engine, Discovery Fave #1 was found.  The Cake Studio (click here to visit) sits on 4th Ave, a block away from the Visitor's Center in downtown Anchorage.  Boy, oh, boy, the delectable treasures that beckoned to us!

There are two display cases, the first full of chocolate confections, with the bottom shelf presenting blocks of specialty chocolate stacked atop each other.  If you can tear yourself away from the siren song of handmade candies and fudge, the second display case holds pastries and mini-cakes, all beautifully prepared.  The one that caught my eye:  Bacon Cheesecake.  Yep, folks, bacon!

Gosh, and how do you describe it? The Mister and D both wrinkled their noses at it, but at least they tried. I, on the other hand, thought it was glorious! The soft dark chocolate crust, the creamy smooth cheesecake, and the generous bits of bacon all melded together in a sweet, salty, creamy harmony followed by a smoky aftertaste. Nom nom nom. 

In addition to their bites of heaven, they offer quality cooking chocolate, tea tins, genuine muscovado sugar, and even those long taper birthday candles! Check this place out if you're a local, or plan on me taking you there when you come to visit!