Setting atop Tower 3 of the Hotel Captain Cook, it is no wonder that the Crow's Nest is so popular. The hotel is right in the heart of Downtown Anchorage, and the restaurant pulls out all the stops to make your dining experience a great one.
On Halloween, my wife and I like to avoid the rush of trick-or-treaters by treating ourselves to dinner out. This year I pulled out my iPhone and activated my handy Open Table app. There it was, the Crow's Nest, calling me. On a nearly annual basis, I take my coaching staff for cocktails at the bar, but it has been quite a while since I have had a meal there, and it was about time my wife shared the experience. By using the Open Table app, I was able to request a table with a view. During the winter I prefer a view of Downtown, so I requested a table with a South/East view. In the dark of night, and during this evening's snow storm, it is always beautiful.
Upon being seated, we were treated to an amuse consisting of a butternut squash soup, and a kalamata olive dinner roll. The soup was rich and full of flavor. The two or three spoonfuls were perfect and wett the appetite. The olive roll was the perfect compliment to the soup; fresh, and with just the right amount of olives.
We chose to start with the Sweet and Spicy Sausage Stuffed Quail and the Tabby's Crabby Patties. The quail was succulent in and of itself, but it was also stuffed with sautéd grapes and wild mushrooms, and served on a bed of fresh greens that had a delightful porcini vinaigrette and saffron pear reduction. The crab cakes were a combination of King and Dungeness and were served over a citrus and horseradish vinaigrette. The crab cake was delicious, but the stuffed quail was superb.
It was tough to choose, but my wife chose the Duck Two Ways A'Lorange and I chose the Ras el Hanout Rubbed Lamb Loin. My wife loved the duck, her first ever duck as it turns out. I tried a bite, and it was very tender and moist. It was served with a croissant bread pudding over a berry gastrique and Grand Marnier jus. The gastrique is what brought the dish from the merely good to great.
Before tonight, I did not know what Ras el Hanout meant, but Wikipedia has a great explanation, and now I know that it is a Moroccan blend of spices that means "top of the shop", or the best the shop has to offer. My lamb loin was perfectly seasons, and I supplemented the flavor by ordering it with foie gras. The flavors blended just as I had hoped. The savory flavors of the Ras el Hanout and the richness of the foie gras made my taste buds dance and swoon. The lamb was served over a lemon verbena jus, and accompanied by port poached cherries, root vegetables, crispy sweet potatoes. A truly satisfying dish.
For desert, I went with the crème brûlée and a glass of Blandy's Alvada Medeira. It may have been a decadent choice, but I was already having a decadent meal, it needed the right finish. The crème brûlée was served with some fresh berries and white chocolate. It paired perfectly with the Blandy's. My wife chose the carmel apple tart. I tried it, and it too was delicious. The apples were fresh and tangy.
The Crow's Nest is a place to treat yourself. Don't be tricked into going somewhere else.
Crow's Nest:
Address - 939 W. 5th Avenue, Anchorage, 20th Floor of Tower 3
Phone - 907.276.6000 or 800.843.1950
Website - captaincook.com/dining/crows-nest
Reservations - Make them. I like using my Open Table app on my iPhone. I recommend the Southeast corner of the dining room. Dress is casual smart. Don't go looking like a rugby hooligan.
Overall Recommendation - The food is very good, and the waitstaff is courteous and professional. You will not find a finer wine cellar in all of Alaska.
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