Alaskan Roadfood?

I love the Roadfood book and have found fantastic restaurants with it as my guide all over the country. I have worked in the tourism industry in Alaska for 7 years, and have had a lot of time to find all the secret spots that the locals love. I know it would be a long road to get to Alaskan Roadfood, but once you are there the scenery is so beautiful and there are several great restaurants worthy of creating a whole new section of the Roadfood book. (Maybe Hawaii could be in there too, but that is really stretching the Roadfood theme I'm sure). Some of my favorite restaurants in Alaska include, The Roadhouse--Talkeetna, The Bake Shop--Girdwood, Cafe Alex--Fairbanks, Wings 'n Things--Anchorage, The Corner Cafe--Skagway, and Cups--Homer. And there are also many awesome fish shacks in Homer serving the freshest Alaskan halibut in existence. Not to mention the delicious Annual King Crab festival in Kodiak in late May. I really think Alaska could be the ultimate Roadfood (with maybe a little more than normal "road", but still awesome, awesome, food), and what better eating ambiance than "The Last Frontier", "The Great Land", Alaska. Does anyone else have any favorite Alaskan Restaurants?

Cheers to all Roadfooders,
Joel

Joel,
Welcome to Roadfood.com. Several of the members here have posted trip reports about their 'foodie' experiences in the Great White North! We have a few resident's who post here on a regular basis. I am sure they would be interested in reading your suggestions for good places to eat.

One tip for your posting. We discourage duplicate threads to save space on the overall forum. I will delete the other thread you posted that matches this one. Not a big deal, but I am sure you understand our reasoning.
Again, welcome to the site!.

Al- The Mayor

Joel,

Welcome. Speaking of Talkeetna it has now been 6 years since we were there. We had dinner at a restaurant that was located in what was essentially a house just as you entered Talkeetna. The food was great. Can't remember the name of the place. The next morning we had breakfast in Talkeetna in a very rustic roadhouse kind of place where the tables were communal. Enjoyed our short stay in that town.

Our next trip to Alaska may be via the Alaskan Highway in our campervan.

quote:

sendjoelletter Posted - 01/14/2007 : 11:29:08 And there are also many awesome fish shacks in Homer serving the freshest Alaskan halibut in existence. Not to mention the delicious Annual King Crab festival in Kodiak in late May.

sendjoelletter
First, let me welcome you to our little corner of the Internet.
........ maybe lleechef can also chime in.

I'm a fresh cooked crab lover ...see ( http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17244 ) so here is my Alaskan crab question............ is there any place in Alaska that will serve "freshly cooked King /Snow Crab" .... in other words cooked live and never frozen.

All I ever see throughout the world is frozen King/Snow crab. Yesterday at our locale Costco they were selling rock hard frozen King crab from of all places Russia. Crab legs as big and as hard as a hickory baseball bat...............

Freezing crab meat seams to destroy that delicate muscle fiber and the meat becomes salty, tuff and watery............ I cant help wonder what a freshly cooked King crab would taste like...
Do Alaskan people ever get a chance to enjoy eating "fresh" King crab? .......... I know we never do.

fpczyz,
Thanks for the welcome. I agree, fresh King crab is so much better than frozen! I have eaten King crab in Alaska probably a couple dozen times but only a few time fresh. I was surprised to discover that even up there many restaurants use frozen crab. I have never eaten snow crab in Alaska but I have eaten cooked live dungeoness crab(I bought it at the Costco in Juneau) it was delicious and only a little more work than eating King. I think King crab is definitely the best for such a nice firm texture, mild sweetness, and perfect flavor. It seems you also get a higher-- work to get the meat out/amount of meat you get out ratio-- than a lot of other seafoods. King crab has a much better flavor and texture than Lobster in my opinion...What do you think? If you visit Alaska the best place to get fresh (and less expensive) seafood is to buy it right from the fishermen although not as reliable as far as if you are only there for a limited time. It sounds like you are used to doing that where you are from. When I lived in Juneau, Ak, I saw a sign down by the harbor that said live king crab for sale. It's not hard to cook although it helps if you have a kitchen. there are lots of public beaches in Alaska that you can build bonfires on. Then all you would need is a big pot. A lot of people rent RV's up there too. Well I always thought it would be good to have live crab in a tank like expensive restaurants do, but I have yet to see one. I don't claim to know everything about crab or Alaska, but one thing I do know is that I love to eat crab just like you! I enjoyed your link, I think I would like to start a tradition like that with my family.

You might like this link although it is from last years festival: http://www.kodiak.org/crabfest.html[url][/url]

Already reviewed in Alaska are the Seaview in Hope (by Mr. Mayor, with Janet and I helping to devour the halibut) and the Swiftwater Cafe (reviewed by us with QueenB taking the photos). We do have some good eats in Alaska........too bad it's so far away! Another fav of ours is The Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage, since 1960 (before the earthquake) they've been serving up 3/4 lb. burgers and fried chicken. Also Snow City cafe, Humpy's and Moose's Tooth.

In Talkeetna we like the Roadhouse, Nagley's and the Fair View. In Homer, Captain Patty's Fish House and Sourdough Cafe. Just past the Yukon River bridge, 200 miles from Fairbanks, is The Hot Spot Cafe, out in the middle of nowhere!

Frank, to the best of my knowledge there is no restaurant that cooks live king or snow crab unless you happen to be in Dutch Harbor when the boats come in from the Bering Sea. They're nearly all frozen onbord ship. From time to time, New Sagaya market in Anc has live kings and it is indeed a rare treat.

Hi all,
Bumping this topic up and hoping lleechef is subscribed to it!!!

I am not advertising but I am asking a favor (or suggesting??) something. A friend I grew up with is the owner of a motel/saloon on the Seward Highway, technically he is in India, AK. It's called the Brown Bear. His mom (a very good cook) just told me that he has added a kitchen. I know he is just doing very basic stuff, but I also know the place is a Roadfood-y kind of joint. Mostly a biker bar in summer, but a basic simple place.

Anyway, I would love to find someone to try it out for me and tell me how it is!!! I'd recommend it to people going there if I could try it myself but I need someone to try it for me! His mom says the food is basic and good - and I trust her tastebuds - but she's got a potential bias.

My friend is Matt Williams. His place is:
The Brown Bear Saloon
Mile 103 Seward Hwy
Indian, Alaska
907-653-7000

If you or anyone else tries it, PLEASE post & let me know how it is!!! (And feel free to tell him I sent you if you want.)
Ceci

Out of date info. I had tried back in the late 70's to order fresh(cooked) king and or snow crab by air. I talked to several brokers up in Alaska and was informed that it was illegal to ship fresh crab out of the state due to health regs. I also talked with one of my seafood salesemn who had been around for ever. The best I could get was dungeness shipped fresh cooked from the pacific NW. Even with those the difference was like night and day. So much sweeter and it also seemed firmer. Other than that we could get all the live blues we wanted from Maruland.
I do recall seeing live dungs in the tank at a meijers store about 5 years ago. I was tempeted but passed at the time and never saw it again.
britt

ceci, We pass the Brown Bear every time we head down the Seward Highway but we've never stopped because we're usually in a big hurry to get to where we're going! I was not aware they had a kitchen. At this time of the year we don't head down that way much but we'll try it one day and report back.

About the fresh crab, you either have to catch your own in the Bering Sea or buy it from a specialty store in Anchorage or probably Dutch Harbor and other villages in the Aleutians. A live king thrown into a pot of boiling salted water is better than any lobster I ever ate.

Lleechef, that would be AWESOME! If you go, please tell Matt that Ceci says "hi", he'll be really surprised!

Lisa, You are the messenger of good will on the Northern Frontier of the Roadfood Community! Your willingness to go the 'extra mile' has really made visiting Alaska again a desireable goal for us! Keep up the good work! (Are you heading South this winter??)

Thanks Al. We have traveled on every road in Alaska (including all the way to Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay) so we pretty much know where to go and where to eat. I love to steer visitors in the right direction (is there a wrong one?!). Alaska is a beautiful state with great food. But I'd rather be in Palm Springs for the winter!!!

I'm so dreaming about going to Alaska! I don't want to go on the winter times though! That dark for six months! Maybe I will take a cruise next year, I've heard it's beautiful and now I can see they have great food there!

Alaska is definately the best in the summer. But in the winter you can ski, snowboard, watch the Iditarod and watch the Northern Lights. The dark doesn't bother us. Take a cruise and come to Alaska!!

Had the opportunity a few years ago to take a spur-of-the moment trip to Alaska. I am very glad I did. I was there for just a few days, but it was like no other place I have ever seen. I happened to be there on the summer solstice, so got the full effect of the "midnight (and beyond) sun." Had some great food (sorry, don't remember the names of the places) -- terrific salmon, both in a fancy lodge and in a not-so-fancy fishing shack, great blueberry pancakes.

lleechef, I will take a cruise the next time I go. I think it would be a great way to see Alaska.

Lisa,
Oops, I thought the Northern Lights were a summer thing... so when during the year can you see them? I'd actually love to visit and have contemplated using my ff miles, just gotta talk my mom into going with me.

Cruising is one option... We wanted to speend the Maximum time we had "In Alaska" as opposed to "at Sea". We also prefer to wander around bumping into things, rather than in group tours. So We found an airfare deal in May that put us in good weather and long days, but still beat the summer rate-hikes. By going late in May the temps were in the 60's and it was light at 11 PM. We rented a mid-sized car for the 8 days, and took the Seward Day-Tour on the Alaska railroad one of those days. It was well worth the $90 per person charge for the wonderful rail scenery and the 5 hour bay and wildlife tour by boat at Seward. (The food was included on the boat and it was outstanding).
Here is a link to our TRIP REPORT about the whole thing. It was a vacation I will never forget! Thanks especially to Lisa and Zman for the hospitality!

LINK-- http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8095

quote:

Originally posted by cecif

Lisa,
Oops, I thought the Northern Lights were a summer thing... so when during the year can you see them? I'd actually love to visit and have contemplated using my ff miles, just gotta talk my mom into going with me.

Nope. The Borealis can be best seen in the winter, especially January or Feburary when it gets very cold and clear. If you're contimplating a winter visit here, there's a great lodge in Talkeetna where you can see the Aurora every night.

I've copied all the suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming. I'm planning a six week motorcycle ride to Alaska for early next June. I'll be spending close to three weeks in Alaska exploring pretty much everything between Deadhorse and Homer. I'll be on the lookout for good coffee, baked goods, fresh fish and microbrews. I'll also be heading to Inuvik in Northwest Territories if you know of anything noteworthy.

Hey Mike, that's quite a ride! Having done the Dalton Hiway to Deadhorse I would recommend this: go as far as Oil Spill Hill (about 80 miles from Deadhorse) then turn around and go back! The rest is all boring flat tundra with absolutely nothing to see.

Homer is my favorite town in Alaska....better than Anchorage. It's like a mini-Cape Cod. Great places to eat, great coffee houses, great fish, great Katchemak Bay oysters. If you walk down the beach beware.....the tide comes in fast!

We flew to Anchorage a couple of days early and rented a car and visited our niece living in Anchorage and sister-in-law (who also flew in from Michigan). We explored Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. We then did the a land tour for a week on bus out of Anchorage with overnight stays in Talkeetna and Denali and took the train Fairbanks. We flew back to Anchorage and bussed down to Seward for a cruise the second week to Glacier Bay, Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver, BC. We took a fixed wing airplane trip up and around Mt. McKinley, shot the rapids at Denali, bussed into the park and saw a grizzly up close, helicoptered and landed on two glaciers, kayaked Ketchikan's bay and took an air boat tour in Sitka. All in all it was great. The next time we go will be in our camper van up the Alaska Highway.

I understand there is a big tourism industry in the winter coming from the Japanese. They believe a child conceived under the northern lights brings good luck and it is pretty much assured in Alaska.

quote:

Originally posted by RC51Mike

I've copied all the suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming. I'm planning a six week motorcycle ride to Alaska for early next June. I'll be spending close to three weeks in Alaska exploring pretty much everything between Deadhorse and Homer. I'll be on the lookout for good coffee, baked goods, fresh fish and microbrews. I'll also be heading to Inuvik in Northwest Territories if you know of anything noteworthy.

Mike,
From what I hear, you shouldn't miss the Brown Bear (details in my earlier post, above). I can't vouch for the food but as a motorcycle gathering spot it's a big deal, apparently. My mom's best friend (the owner's mom) even got taken for a ride on a Harley by a patron - her first at age 65+!

Lisa,
Thanks for the tip(s)!!

Alaskan roadfood is almost an oxymoron!

Corner Cafe serves a great breakfast at reasonable prices. Skagway also had a *fantastic* dinner restaurant whose name escapes me. They served one of the tastiest soups I've eaten: roasted red pepper and pork.

Best pizza I've ever had was in Alaska, of all places. The Hungry Beaver in Wrangell. But there's no road access from the mainland. Boat or plane only. We arrived there by kayak, and very hungry indeed since most days of our 29-day trip we cooked dehydrated stuff. Almost as good as the pizza was the sly implication behind the name Hungry Beaver. Behind the bar was a a raunchy t-shirt that confirmed my suspicions. I bet that place used to offer "girls" as well as grub and lodging.

MissJohnnycakes.......Alaska is full of places with crazy "off the wall" names like The Hungry Beaver. There's one right here in Anchorage called The Bush Company. It's a strip joint. Despite the reputation of being "The Last Frontier" it really is quite civilized. And yes, we have really good food......especially the seafood with halibut, oysters, shrimp and fish galore. Being a chef I'm really picky about my food and in 7 years I've never been disappointed with anything in Alaska. Well there was that ONE time with the caribou.......

Ironically, the single best ice cream flavor I've ever had was at Hot Licks Ice Cream in Fairbanks. the flavor was called Prudhoe Bay...it was a chocolate, with what tasted like molasses. Yummy. Very short season for ice cream up there.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

We wanted to speend the Maximum time we had "In Alaska" as opposed to "at Sea". We also prefer to wander around bumping into things, rather than in group tours. So We found an airfare deal in May that put us in good weather and long days, but still beat the summer rate-hikes. By going late in May the temps were in the 60's and it was light at 11 PM.

We went in late May also, I highly recommend that time of the year because it's pre-tourist season and not crowded anywhere. It's also a good time to go to Denali, all the animals are at lower levels feeding off the spring grasses and are easy to see from the Park bus. We saw many many grizzilies, moose, herds of caribou, fox, you name it all within yards of the bus. In mid summer all the animals go to the high meadows and back country where people aren't allowed except on foot. I know many people who have gone in mid to late summer and never saw any animals in Denali. We took the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks with a two day lay over in Denali. We had friends and use of their car in Fairbanks. We ate a lot of crab and salmon! I can't remember names of places we ate except the Chena Pumphouse outside of Fairbanks.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

ceci, We pass the Brown Bear every time we head down the Seward Highway but we've never stopped because we're usually in a big hurry to get to where we're going! I was not aware they had a kitchen. At this time of the year we don't head down that way much but we'll try it one day and report back.

Hi Lisa,
I have a little more info on the kitchen at the Brown Bear. It turned out they had an experienced higher-end chef living nearby who got burned out on her last job (16 hr days or something??) and so she helped Matt set up the kitchen and she works it part time. So, apparently the food's got some credentials. I'm guessing there's a chance you'll know the chef too. And it sounds like they do three meals a day. (I know for sure they have biscuits & gravy at breakfast because Matt's mom had to learn to make them, taught by said chef... whose name I can try to get for you.)

Hope you get a chance to drop in some day!
Ceci

p.s. Saw your post in "RF as match service?" and gotta say I did not think you were single...?! (You say "we" a fair amount, incl here... I'm confused...)

I'll check out the Brown Bear when I get back.

Well, I'm not married but have been with SO for 7 years....but Bushie knows I would love to have a date with him!

LOL!

I know it sounds strange but we actually have very good Roadfood in Alaska. We have some great places for burgers, ribs and my favorite...batter fried halibut and chips. The steaks were excellent at Club Paris when we ate there with Mr. and Mrs. Mayor.