But Doesn’t This Look Good!

Review here.

Posted in Beef, Restaurants | 1 Comment »

The Ranch Club

Here is a dining review that is available in the current issue, Fall 2007, of Three Rivers Lifestyle magazine. I just happen to be the editor of the magazine and I hope you enjoy the story as I truly enjoyed the dining experience at The Ranch Club in Missoula.

The Ranch Club

I am dreamily reflecting on the meal I savored at one of Missoula’s finest restaurants and I have decided the experience can’t be dissected into separate pieces. I prefer to recall the evening my wife, Beth, and I spent at The Ranch Club as one large picture painted on an oversized canvas in my mind where I can wander around, through, inside and out, so that I am certain not to forget any little details.

There is so much that goes into creating a fine dining experience: a perfectly created meal, of course; a sensational view from your table; warm and friendly hosts; the clink and chatter of other delighted guests; tantalizing deserts; and did I mention the view? It may be an understatement when I say The Ranch Club offers everything on this list in just the right way. It is certainly an understatement to say we had a great dinner. The truth is, we found ourselves completely enraptured with the entire package The Ranch Club offered us and found ourselves excited to return again.

Let me begin, then, with the chef visiting our table between the main course and our dessert. I like the idea that the person in charge of preparing our meals is willing to confidently walk to our table and ask how our dinner has been. It says to me that ‘we stand proudly by the food we serve and want to be sure that you are as satisfied enjoying it as we are preparing it for you’. When I commented on the pleasant contrast of the cold haricot verts salad and the hot corn and risotto, he quickly offered that he was not only trying to balance the flavors, but also wanted to include the freshness of summer corn with the crisp clean flavor of the beans. I like to know that there is some thinking going on behind the dishes being served, and the fact that these complemented each other so well, also shows me that the idea was well conceived.
When we arrived at The Ranch Club for our seven o’clock dinner reservation, I noticed friends of ours seated among family and friends already enjoying themselves. It struck me how recognizing people we know sets a tone for our own experience, adding a little warmth and the confidence that we will soon be enjoying our meal as our friends already were. I think seeing friends also brings the positive feelings of being part of a community that makes us feel a little more welcome.

Not that we needed to feel any more welcome than we were. The painting I see in my mind today has many smiling faces, all of whom are moving together to complete the image beginning with our host, Tyler, who was clearly expecting us, knew who we were, and remembered a little about our daughter who is working at another golf course; to Anna, our server, who started us with water and wine; to the chef visiting our table; to seeing friends and chatting with them for a moment; and finally to being greeted by Colleen and John Powers, who are the owners of The Ranch Club. Along with our personalized reservation cards and menus, we felt as though we were being happily embraced by a large extended family. Does this type of inviting and friendly atmosphere help the food taste better? I certainly believe it does.

My minds eye now drifts across the image of dessert. Saying that, “dessert is not a priority to me,” would be an understatement. I would just as soon have another salad as indulge in something sweet and mushy. Tonight, though, I’m enjoying myself and I select a pretty safe item – a scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream from Big Dipper. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Missoula, Big Dipper is a local icon which serves homemade ice cream in an exciting array of flavors. Reminiscing about hot summer days enjoying ice cream at the picnic tables outside of Big Dipper, adds another splash of color to the canvas I have created of this evening.
Beth, on the other hand, is all about chocolate and when Anna suggests a raspberry chocolate mousse with a pair of dark and light chocolate slices, there really was no question what she would choose. The smile on her face after a bite of each, showed me that they definitely got the chocolate right. What might be a bit of a surprise, though, is that after several more statements of just how good her dessert was, I tried some myself. She was absolutely correct. It was wonderful, especially the dark piece drizzled with raspberry for a hint of sweetness. It was worth two or three more bites of the dark bitter richness, and again, I’m not a big dessert fan.

With delight I’m moving across the canvas to our salads. We both easily decided on the mixed greens with tarragon vinaigrette. It may sound simple, but a light crumble of blue cheese mixed with large dried cherries and crunchy pepitas, made this salad burst with flavor. The salad was a very nice start to our meal and the flavors helped get us ready for the main course.
I will add here a quick note about serving alcoholic beverages. The Ranch Club currently does not have a liquor license. The owners, Colleen and John Powers, have a buy/sell agreement in place to purchase their own license, but it has not yet been finalized. Guests are invited to bring a bottle of their favorite wine or brews with them to accompany their meal.

My eyes and taste buds are now competing for my attention as they wrestle between the view from our table and the delights of our meal. They are working with and against one another for my attention, neither one winning nor losing, but drawing me back and forth between them. Beth and I have commented repeatedly during our dinner how serene the Missoula Valley looks from out here. We can see the golfers finishing their rounds. Rituals of strokes, raising and lowering flags, handshakes and backslaps play out before us as the evening lengthens. The airplanes flying into Missoula drift across the valley and our view, but unlike at our home where the roar of their engines fills the air, here it is silent. The cars on Mullan Road, which delivers you to The Ranch Club, are also far enough removed that we can neither see nor hear them. It is perfectly relaxing as the only sound is that of other excited diners enjoying one another’s friendship and their meals.

So at last we arrive at our main dish. The menu is nicely structured with several choices of salad, a nice sampling of smaller portion items and then a series of full dinner selections that reflect both the season and our western Montana location. As is often the case when I dine out, I first peruse the menu for seafood items. I enjoy seafood dishes and I like to be surprised by new or interesting flavors. I did hesitate at the New York strip steak, but only briefly. When my crusted sea bass selection was delivered, I was not disappointed. I mentioned earlier the risotto with fresh corn and how it nicely contrasted with the crisp cool green beans and I did find delight in the hot and cold of these accompaniments to the bass. The bass, however, was great with its herb and lemon crust and a light pesto sauce that was just the flavor needed to mingle with the tender white flesh of the bass. I was truly enjoying myself and my dinner selection. Beth had also selected a seafood dish and was delighted as her garlic scampi arrived artfully arranged around a spicy tomato and avocado relish. The shrimp were complemented with a lemon basil dressing and the flavors were eliciting the same response from her as my meal was from me. The chef was able, with these two dishes, to more than satisfy our expectations. The Ranch Club delivered an outstanding dining experience to us and the only real problem I found was that part way through the dinner I was already glancing at the menu (which,incidentally, I had asked to keep), looking at what I might want to try on our next visit.
The Ranch Club restaurant is open to the public Thursday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. To make a reservation or for more information, call The Ranch Club at 406.532.1000. You can also visit their website at www.ranchclub.com.

Posted in Restaurants | No Comments »

The Grub Club

Missoula resident Rick Larson and his wife have started a website called The Grub Club. The site provides free space for restaurants to post their menus. So far the only Montana town listed is Missoula but they also have listing for a few other cities. The genesis of the enterprise is an effort to help eventually make money through selling advertising to help cover the expenses associated with raising a child with critical special needs. Three Rivers Lifestyle Magazine (for whom I have written) did a feature on the family and the enterprise in their most recent issue.

But regardless of the motivation behind the business it’s a great idea. If you know any restaurateurs please pass along the site. It would be nice to be able to see menus for restaurants all over the state. N’est pas?

Posted in Restaurants | No Comments »

Montana Roadhouse

I saw The Secret Life of… – Roadhouses on the Food Network last night where they featured The Jersey Lilly in Ingomar, MT.

Has anyone eaten there.  It looks like good old fashion goodness to me.

Posted in Outback Joints, Restaurants | 1 Comment »

Restaurant Review

Ed Kemmick has a lead on a place in Redlodge.

Posted in Outback Joints, Restaurants | No Comments »

Editor’s Pick – Best Chinese Food In Missoula

If you’re looking for the best Chinese food in Missoula the place is The Hong Kong Chef.

Try the fried tofu with vegetables.

That’s just my opinion. You’re welcome to argue.

Posted in Chinese, Restaurants | 9 Comments »

Reader’s Responses

Reader Mr. T responded to my grilled fruit post with a great idea:

Your suggestion for cantaloupe with feta reminded me about another fantastic Greek-like combo. Marinate chunks of cantaloupe in equal parts Ouzo and sugar. It’s a great appetizer on warm summer evenings.

Sounds simple and delicious to me.

[Update] City Lights reader, Lorene makes a restaurant recommendation:

Drive to the tiny community of Dell, near the Monida Pass on I-90, and you will find the “Calf-A,” a former little red school house complete with a bell tower. The menu is posted in chalk on the original blackboard, and you will be seated at a long communal table with complete strangers. The fare is hearty down-home American favorites, and the conversation with your tablemates can be very interesting.

Sounds good. If anyone makes it there before me I hope you send in a review.

Posted in Appetizers, Fruit, Outback Joints, Restaurants | 2 Comments »