| Less than 2 hours off the
plane, nearly blinded by the sub-Arctic sunlight, and I was whisked away to Anchorage's busy, flower-lined 5th Avenue
to the Glacier Brewhouse, one of two companion restaurants - the
other being Orso Ristorante, owned by
Chris Anderson
and
Bob Acree,
and managed by
Altug Bal.
Upon entering, the intoxicating aroma of blended wood
smokes along with grilled fish and meats of all kinds meant that this was
more than just a place to have a brew - this was a place to eat!!!!
This was fine by me: after an eight hour flight preceded by only four hours of
real sleep, plus a one-hour air-nap, I was in no condition to drink.
But I WAS starving!
The Calamari appetizer was itself
a meal, and easily the best and most tender breaded
Calamari I've ever eaten. Extremely thick, and cut steak-style
rather than in rings, it had a subtle, flaky breading, finished with a
sprinkling of fresh parsley and crushed red pepper - and was served with an
absolutely delicious jalapeno aioli.
The generous plate of Brewhouse Halibut and Chips
was mild and rich, with big chunks of fish very lightly seasoned
and golden crisp with ale batter and bread crumbs.
The Wood grilled Halibut Sandwich was a little on
the mild side, though the fish itself was lightly sweet and nutty, almost
lobster-like in its mouth feel, and again in generous chunks. Served
with a homemade cheese foccacia, mixed wild greens, sliced tomato and a
sun dried tomato remoulade, it was a hearty and delicious composition.
Smoked Alaskan Salmon Fettuccine was quite
rich; the local, alder-smoked salmon was perhaps a little salty but was
nicely balanced with a subtle garlic cream sauce, grilled leeks, fresh
green peas and parmesan cheese. The pasta was a bit overcooked, and
the dish was served with a standard spoon rather than a pasta spoon, which
made the noodles difficult to properly twirl, but the combination of
flavors and textures was still unforgettable!
Among the desserts, the Flourless Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Torte was pleasantly dense and
sweet, but not overpowering. With the happy discovery of a whole raspberry
in about every third bite, fragrant with Makers Mark Whiskey, topped with
a scoop of Kona ice cream and drizzled with a fine bittersweet chocolate
sauce, it was among the finest chocolate desserts I have ever eaten.
It would
have been excellent even without all the toppings and accoutrements. |
|
The Crème Brulee had a clean vanilla taste and a
nicely crystallized top that crackled nicely - it was not the typically
dense sheet of glass common to so many inferior versions of this popular - but easily corrupted
- dessert. In fact, of the two Crème Brulee I tried
while in Anchorage, this was easily the superior.
The Peanut Butter Pie, but for the fact
that it was served on a busy looking plate that did not show it off to
best advantage, was an awesome cookie crust with a creamy peanut butter
center and chocolate ganache topped with an excellent and crispy home
made peanut brittle. Totally decadent, so use it as a fine motivator to
hike, bike, run or otherwise burn plenty of calories the next day!
A logistical error that could be easily corrected was that none of
these exquisite desserts was served with a proper long-handled dessert
spoon, making the eating process a bit messy in light of all the goopy
sauces and accessories.
Logistics though, are only a minor fault with so
much high-quality food, excellent service, custom-brewed beers and ales,
warm decor and inviting atmosphere to spare. Glacier Brewing
Company was definitely one of the highlights of my recent Alaska
visit, and I would recommend it highly!
Lunch: 11:00am -
4:00pm, Sunday - Saturday
Dinner: 4:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday - Saturday
Closed Major Holidays - call for more information
- Entrees, also including pizzas and
sandwich plates and more, range from $9.95 - $36.95
- Appetizers from $7.95 - $9.95
- Soups, Sides, Desserts and Extras Vary
- Beer, Wine, House Drinks, Coffee
Drinks Nonalcoholic selections and Specialties
- Accepts All Major Credit Cards
- Seating is open and spacing is
generous
- Acoustics warm & pleasant.
- Plenty for kids to enjoy, but no
specific Kid's Menu
- Banquet and Conference Rooms
Available
|
