Summer time is the perfect time to dine in Utah's mountains. With Snowbird's offer of a free tram pass with each entree, we highly recommend the quick trip up the canyon.
Going out to dinner in Little Cottonwood Canyon is like taking a very short vacation. And it's only 15-25 minutes away, depending upon where you live in the valley. Driving along the southeast bench, you leave the orange construction cones and dust far behind you. The city dissolves into your rear view mirror until you turn up the canyon and the deep ravine takes your breath away. If you head up an hour earlier than your reservations, you can stop at the car pool lot and search the rocks for mountain goats. If you have trouble spotting them, ask another goat watcher to point you in the right direction.
Then you continue your tour up the windy road through granite boulders. If you roll down your windows you can hear the raging creek sending the winter snowpack below. When you get to the resort you can check out efforts underway to replace the Gad 1 chair lift with a new high-speed quad. Up here, the air is crisp and cool. Even if it's uncomfortably hot in the valley, after the sun sets, you'll need a sweater at the base elevation of 8,000 feet.
So you take the elevator to the top floor of the Cliff Lodge, and you have arrived. The first words exclaimed by a couple near us in the restaurant were, "Look at that! We should have brought the camera for this picture!" They were standing there, in a daze, staring at Hidden Peak and Twin Peaks, through the huge windows. Their waiter politely waited for them to gawk, regain their senses, and be seated. It is, afterall, a spectacular setting.
The culinary experience actually matches the ambiance. This is the restaurant to hit, especially if you go out to dinner rarely, and it just has to be great. The wisest choices on this summer's menu are: Sauteed Breast of Duckling, Broiled Salmon over Mesquite Wood, Seared Loin of Ahi Tuna, and New Zealand Rack of Lamb. For light eaters, and people who like to avoid meat, the Nicoise Salad is a meal in itself, and an explosion of flavor.
There are a couple things served at the Aerie with a Nicoise flair. Another entrée is the Nicoise Striped Bass. It is sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, with 9 cloves of garlic, basil, roma tomatoes and black olives. The recipe is in the new Signature Cookbook to which Snowbird's chefs contributed. The word Nicoise simply means, from Nice, France. It is pronounced "Nee-Swahz." Nice is heavily influenced by three factors. One, it's French. Two, it once was under Italian rule and is very close to today's French-Italian border. And finally, the area provides a wealth of fresh seafood from the Mediterranean Sea and incredible herbs grown in Provence.
Which brings us onto the European flair at Aerie. We have done a little research for you and it turns out the chef is Patrick Jan, from France. He grew up in Normandie, which is in northern France, and now his family lives in southern France, so he spends a lot of time there too. He is, as most French chefs are, an absolute expert when it comes to selecting the finest herbs, the finest meats, the finest cheeses, and so on. Not only does eating here get you up into the breathtaking canyon, it's almost like a quick trip to France where the food is unforgettable. In fact, it is one of the only places in Utah where you can order goat cheese, and love it. Warm goat cheese potato cakes are on the hot appetizer list and they are parfaits.
You can also find that same great goat cheese amidst the cheeses at the Sunday Brunch. The brunch gets you a two for one discount on the summer tram ride. We over heard a couple next to us in the restaurant say it was the best brunch they have had in Utah. It is certainly extensive. Omelets are made to order and guacamole is offered on the side, this guacamole should not be passed over. You can also find the standard eggs benedict, salads, desserts, fruit and cheese assiettes, a waffle bar with mixed berries... not to mention an entire pasta bar, salmon, roast beef, and a sushi bar that you must visit. You can find vegie sushi, smoked salmon sushi, king crab sushi. It's very fresh and very good. The brunch recommendation is simple: Take tiny amounts of EVERYTHING. Then, go for a walk in the trees or take that tram ride up to 11,000 feet and check out the view.
Brunch is $18. Dinner entrées range from $16 to $29. If you only splurge once a year, this is a good place to go, because it's always great food and you just can't beat that view.
For Reservations Call 521-6040 ext. 5500
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