Fine dining tradition continues at Two Rivers Lodge
Guilt can be a wonderful thing. For instance, if your boyfriend is about to embark on a cross-country bicycle trip, leaving you alone for several months, he may just feel guilty enough to offer to take you out for a really nice meal. And when you drape yourself across his lap and purr "Let's go to Two Rivers Lodge," well, how can he say no?
Two Rivers has always stood out in my mind as that place I let visiting relatives take me. It's not convenient to my Goldhill location, nor is it exactly in my budget, but my mouth waters every time I pass it on my way to the hot springs. Owner Tony Marisco sold the restaurant to Daniel Raimon in early 2006, and I wondered if the restaurant had changed under its new stewardship.
We were seated in the atrium, which gave us the advantage of an outside feeling but provided protection against the bugs. As we perused the menu, we sipped our glasses of water, something I don't think I did on previous visits. I'm certain I would have recalled the yellowish tinge and metallic taste to the water. After a few sips, I decided to wait for a glass of wine to quench my thirst, but Tom kept drinking. "I'm too cheap to pay for San Pellegrino," he explained. The waitress informed us that the kitchen was out of the Raclette Jura ($9), a tempting cheese fondue, so we agreed on calamari belle meuniere ($12) for an appetizer.
Being a typical American, I was expecting rings and tiny squid, but instead was delighted by a hefty calamari steak. The sauteed meat was slightly crisp on the outside, and I found it firm and barely rubbery. The meat was nearly flavorless, providing a blank canvas for the lemon, butter and capers to paint a tangy picture. Our waitress also delivered a small loaf of fresh, warm bread to the table along with oil and spices. It was a pleasant change from the typical dinner rolls and butter, but we could have used more oil.
I opted for a house salad with Dijon vinaigrette and informed Tom that he would get the cream of vegetable soup. Compared to some recent dinner salads, this one was a standout: The fresh greens were barely dressed, which let their natural flavors shin through, and the red peppers were a nice touch. Tom, however, was not as pleased with his soup. "It needs something in it," he said. "Cream soups are just no fun." On the surface it was a lovely soup, with a striking creamy gold color, but it lacked substance and flavor. I prescribed heavy does of salt and pepper, which improved the soup but still left something to be desired.
The entrees at Two Rivers Lodge run the gamut, from chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto and goat cheese served on a bed of polenta ($29) to filet mignon Marchand de Vin ($35). Careful consultation with our waitress helped us narrow the selection down to New York steak gorgonzola ($31) and ahi tuna Two Rivers ($26), served with wasabi creme fraiche and romesco sauce. I anticipated a creamy gorgonzola sauce poured over the top of my steak, and was instead surprised with a wedge of salty, smoky cheese resting on the steak. I soon saw the wisdom of being able to cut small slabs of cheese to accompany each bite. The steak itself was big and juicy, cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Even better for me was the large mound of tangy garlic potatoes on the plate. A confirmed potatoholic, I savored every bite of the roughly mashed spuds. Chunks of tender potato floated serenely amid the mashed tubers, all flavored with garlic and butter.
Never one to resist the lure of sinus-searing horseradish, Tom quickly dug into his tuna. The fish was wonderfully firm with a pleasant, fresh flavor, but the sauce was the best part. Slightly grainy, it felt silky in the mouth, then hit the nostrils with a gentle punch. Wasabi-phobes would do well to try this dish, as the kick is not extreme. Both entrees were served with a side of vegetables. Rather than typical steamed veggies, the chef had sent out mounds of a vegetable ragout. I thought this a savory though odd choice, but Tom was pleased. "Clearly a side dish can stand on its own," he noted.
Since I was still working off Tom's residual guilt, I demanded a dessert of my very own and was justly rewarded with a piece of strawberry tart. The thickly sliced berries were coated in a sweet, thick syrup and nestled in a sweet crust. For all my love of pizza crust, I usually don’t like pie crusts. To my surprise, the tart crust had a sweet, milky flavor and a nice crunch. My only qualm was the crust's density. A fork alone had difficulty penetrating it, and I had to resort to a knife to cut up the rest of the crust. Tom went the traditional route and ordered tiramisu, but Two Rivers Lodge gave the Italian treat a new twist with a hint of maple flavor. "It's like some kind of Vermont confection," Tom said as he devoured his dessert. I could taste the maple, but found the coffee flavor too strong for my palate.
While I noted some changes to the atmosphere and menu at Two Rivers Lodge, the restaurant still remains one of the finest in the area. Although entrees are pricey, each one offers an unconventional twist on a traditional dish and is carefully prepared. Past visits did not leave me disappointed, and I was happy to leave sated once again. I hope Tom takes another big trip soon, because I'm itching to try that stuffed chicken breast.
Review published in The Ester Republic.
Two Rivers has always stood out in my mind as that place I let visiting relatives take me. It's not convenient to my Goldhill location, nor is it exactly in my budget, but my mouth waters every time I pass it on my way to the hot springs. Owner Tony Marisco sold the restaurant to Daniel Raimon in early 2006, and I wondered if the restaurant had changed under its new stewardship.
We were seated in the atrium, which gave us the advantage of an outside feeling but provided protection against the bugs. As we perused the menu, we sipped our glasses of water, something I don't think I did on previous visits. I'm certain I would have recalled the yellowish tinge and metallic taste to the water. After a few sips, I decided to wait for a glass of wine to quench my thirst, but Tom kept drinking. "I'm too cheap to pay for San Pellegrino," he explained. The waitress informed us that the kitchen was out of the Raclette Jura ($9), a tempting cheese fondue, so we agreed on calamari belle meuniere ($12) for an appetizer.
Being a typical American, I was expecting rings and tiny squid, but instead was delighted by a hefty calamari steak. The sauteed meat was slightly crisp on the outside, and I found it firm and barely rubbery. The meat was nearly flavorless, providing a blank canvas for the lemon, butter and capers to paint a tangy picture. Our waitress also delivered a small loaf of fresh, warm bread to the table along with oil and spices. It was a pleasant change from the typical dinner rolls and butter, but we could have used more oil.
I opted for a house salad with Dijon vinaigrette and informed Tom that he would get the cream of vegetable soup. Compared to some recent dinner salads, this one was a standout: The fresh greens were barely dressed, which let their natural flavors shin through, and the red peppers were a nice touch. Tom, however, was not as pleased with his soup. "It needs something in it," he said. "Cream soups are just no fun." On the surface it was a lovely soup, with a striking creamy gold color, but it lacked substance and flavor. I prescribed heavy does of salt and pepper, which improved the soup but still left something to be desired.
The entrees at Two Rivers Lodge run the gamut, from chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto and goat cheese served on a bed of polenta ($29) to filet mignon Marchand de Vin ($35). Careful consultation with our waitress helped us narrow the selection down to New York steak gorgonzola ($31) and ahi tuna Two Rivers ($26), served with wasabi creme fraiche and romesco sauce. I anticipated a creamy gorgonzola sauce poured over the top of my steak, and was instead surprised with a wedge of salty, smoky cheese resting on the steak. I soon saw the wisdom of being able to cut small slabs of cheese to accompany each bite. The steak itself was big and juicy, cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Even better for me was the large mound of tangy garlic potatoes on the plate. A confirmed potatoholic, I savored every bite of the roughly mashed spuds. Chunks of tender potato floated serenely amid the mashed tubers, all flavored with garlic and butter.
Never one to resist the lure of sinus-searing horseradish, Tom quickly dug into his tuna. The fish was wonderfully firm with a pleasant, fresh flavor, but the sauce was the best part. Slightly grainy, it felt silky in the mouth, then hit the nostrils with a gentle punch. Wasabi-phobes would do well to try this dish, as the kick is not extreme. Both entrees were served with a side of vegetables. Rather than typical steamed veggies, the chef had sent out mounds of a vegetable ragout. I thought this a savory though odd choice, but Tom was pleased. "Clearly a side dish can stand on its own," he noted.
Since I was still working off Tom's residual guilt, I demanded a dessert of my very own and was justly rewarded with a piece of strawberry tart. The thickly sliced berries were coated in a sweet, thick syrup and nestled in a sweet crust. For all my love of pizza crust, I usually don’t like pie crusts. To my surprise, the tart crust had a sweet, milky flavor and a nice crunch. My only qualm was the crust's density. A fork alone had difficulty penetrating it, and I had to resort to a knife to cut up the rest of the crust. Tom went the traditional route and ordered tiramisu, but Two Rivers Lodge gave the Italian treat a new twist with a hint of maple flavor. "It's like some kind of Vermont confection," Tom said as he devoured his dessert. I could taste the maple, but found the coffee flavor too strong for my palate.
While I noted some changes to the atmosphere and menu at Two Rivers Lodge, the restaurant still remains one of the finest in the area. Although entrees are pricey, each one offers an unconventional twist on a traditional dish and is carefully prepared. Past visits did not leave me disappointed, and I was happy to leave sated once again. I hope Tom takes another big trip soon, because I'm itching to try that stuffed chicken breast.
Review published in The Ester Republic.
| Permalink | 
