Bear Tooth Grill - Tex-Mex in Spenard

The Bear Tooth Grill is the restaurant on the other end of the Bear Tooth Theatre Pub building, but don't be fooled, it offers a completely different menu than the theatre pub.  Think of Tex-Mex meets gourmet pub grub, meets tequila bar.  This is one of the hot spots in the Spenard dining scene, and it has yet to disappoint.

I recently made it in for brunch.  I didn't even now they had a brunch, but boy do they ever.  I was looking for comfort food, and I got it...with a kick.  

I am a biscuit and gravy snob.  A good biscuit and gravy has a special biscuit and a gravy with layers of complex flavors.  The Bear Tooth Grill's biscuit is house made and fluffy.  The sausage gravy has a hint of smoked paprika and, what I suspect is, a pinch of cayenne.  The flavors are subtle, and I would recommend the dish, however, it was just an appetizer for me.

For my brunch main course, I ordered the Spenard Starter.  It is a huge meal served in an oversized bowl.  The polenta is cut in about 1.5" cubes and drenched in a lightly spices shrimp and chorizo cream sauce.  On top of it all are two over easy eggs.  It is massive, and very satisfying.  The cream sauce is light and not too rich.  The shrimp and chorizo give just the right amount of kick to the bowl, and the polenta makes it filling.  Just cutting into the eggs, and letting that yolk run over the rest of the ingredients...it just gives the meal that wholesome mouth feel.

The flavors were all spot on, although the polenta was a little tough, and some of the shrimp were a little gritty.  That said, this is a dynamite dish!  There is so much, that combined with my "appetizer", I had to get a to go box.  In case you are wondering, the Spenard Starter, when reheated at home, makes a great dinner too.

Bear Tooth Grill :

Address - 1230 West 27th Avenue


Phone - 907.276.4200


Website - beartooththeatre.net

Reservations - Walk-ins only.  It can get busy on Friday and Saturday nights.  If you show up for brunch, around 10a, you should get seated pretty quickly (if not immediately).


Overall Recommendation:  The Bear Tooth Grill fills a special niche in Anchorage.  It's menu is unique, and it is one of the nicest casual dining restaurants in town.  It is a great compliment to their theatre pub.  The Bear Tooth Grill is part of the Spenard Renaissance, check it out!

Villa Nova Restaurant - Italian cuisine with a special atmosphere

Villa Nova Restaurant is another one of those strip mall gems that Anchorage is known for.  Located on Arctic Blvd, and not too far from the Ted Stevens International Airport, Villa Nova is a very nice "date night" option.

Our Friday night meal featured a classical guitarist who played beautiful acoustic pieces throughout the evening.  We enjoyed the music and began our meal with the Escargot.  The appetizer featured six mushroom caps, each stuffed with snails, fresh garlic, Italian herbs, and olive oil.  The dish is baked and served in the same dish, and brought to the table piping hot.  I love Villa Nova's escargot, and I could have eaten this dish all night.  The oil and herb mixture made a great dipping option for the bread at the table, and the escargot stuffed mushrooms are a wonderful combination of textures and flavor.  The almost sweet flavor of the snail blend with the earthy flavors of the mushrooms and the bold, rich flavors of the oil and herbs.

I also enjoyed my house salad.  I chose the garlic dill dressing, which was new to me.  It is a creamy dressing with highlights of garlic and dill, but subtle and balanced.  The romain lettuce, carrots, legumes, and tomatoes were all fresh and bright.

For my main course I chose the Tournedos Fra Diavolo.  These two, very tender, filet mignon medallions are each served with a delicious sautéed prawn and a mushroom, crushed red pepper sauce.  The filets were so tender I could cut them with my fork.  The prawns were succulent and flavorful enough to stand up to the spicy sauce.  The sauce really brought the dish together, but without overpowering any of the components.  I still got the great flavor of the filets, prawns, and mushrooms, all the while feeling the warmth of the crushed red peppers.

My wife chose the Pate a Choux for dessert.  It is a homemade puff pastry filled with homemade chocolate mousse, all topped with a dark chocolate sauce.  I only meant to have one bite, but ended up having 3 or 4.  Ooops.  The puff pastry was flaky with a little crisp, and the mousse was light and airy.  A decadent dessert for the likes of me.  Quite good.

To my way of thinking, Villa Nova is on par with the best of Anchorage's Italian restaurants.  Definitely a good choice for a night out.

Villa Nova Restaurant:

Address - 5121 Arctic Blvd, Suite 1, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.561.1660

Website - www.villanovaalaska.com

Reservations - Highly Recommended.

Overal Recommendation -  Villa Nova is a very good option for Italian dining in Anchorage.  They are the place to go if you are on the west side of town, or coming back from a trip to the airport.

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop - So good, it brings tears of joy to your eyes

I am literally licking my lips as I write this.  The rich, bright, flavors of my whole wheat focaccia still linger on my lips and palate.  I can't believe I waited this long to make it to the Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop.  To date, it is the highlight of my culinary year.

The focaccia is made with whole wheat flower and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and salt.  It is this already delicious base, upon which the delectable ingredients wait...to pounce on my taste buds.  My selection had pesto, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese.  This offering is full of powerful flavors, yet somehow delicate.  The bread itself is incredibly fresh, moist, and fluffy.  The pesto, when combined with the tomato, sings.  The mushrooms give the meal an almost meaty quality.  I am in love.

So good was the focaccia, that I did not hesitate to dive into the Kalamata olive, artichoke heart, and feta croissant.  It was so light and flaky on the outside, and yet, hidden within are the slightly melted and married flavors of the olives, chokes, and feta.  Amazing!  I feel like I am in the mediterranean...the only thing I am missing is a bottle of chianti.

I also picked up a whole wheat baguette to go with my dinner.  If it is just 1/10th as good as the focaccia and croissant, I will be completely satisfied.  Before today, I had never even heard of a whole wheat baguette.

The only thing that will keep me from going back to Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop is the fact that I want to try to keep my waistline in check.  This bakery is amazing!

Fire Island Rustic Bakery:

Address - 1343 G Street, Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone - 907.569.0001

Email - fireislandbread@gmail.com

Website - www.fireislandbread.com

Reservations - NA

Overall Recommendation - This is absolutely the best bakery in Anchorage.  Fresh, rich, and wholesome. What are you doing still reading this?  Go to Fire Island Rustic Bakery...now!

CampoBello Bistro - Mediterranean in Midtown

I have said it before, but it bears repeating :  It is amazing the number of great restaurants in Anchorage that are in strip malls!  CampoBello Bistro is one of those strip mall gems, and it is in the heart of midtown Anchorage.  My wife enjoy the service, wine list, and food at this small restaurant.  We just recently made it back and were not disappointed.

We started with the Bruschetta Pomodora.  Savory grilled seasoned bread with fresh Roma marinara, basil, mozzarella, and parmesan.  Warm, savory, tangy, this appetizer sings on your palate.  This is a great way to start your meal...give it a shot.

Next we had the house caesar.  This is not a bad caesar salad, but it is no stand out, especially when compared to the rest of the meal.  I recommend going with the soup.

For my main course, I chose the Calamari Scallopini.  I have to respect the chef who can cook a fillet of calamari just right.  The calamari are so tender and mild.  They pair perfectly with the lemony caper picatta sauce.  It would be easy to overcook the calamari, or to have the picatta overpower the delicate calamari.  This presentation is just right.  Served with CampoBello's layered scalloped potatoes.  What a combination.

To cleanse our palate we chose a dessert of lemon ice cream.  Scratch made in the restaurant, this is a perfect little bite to share with someone special, and not feel over stuffed.

All in all, another nice meal in one of the best kept secrets in Anchorage.

CampoBello Bistro:

Address - 601 W. 36th, Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.563.2040

Website - www.campobellobistro.com

Reservations - Walk-ins are welcome, but I recommend calling ahead.

Overall Recommendation - This is a nice little restaurant with a tasty menu, nice wine list, and reasonable prices.  I recommend giving CampoBello's a try.

Snow City Cafe - Community Minded with a Dash of Politics

Snow City Cafe has quite a following among a certain cross section of my friends.  These friends are heavy on things like organic food, vegan recipes, locally grown ingredient, etc.  If this sounds like your kind of place, then you need to go...now!

Regardless of your socio-political leanings, Snow City is the downtown spot for breakfast, brunch, and lunch.  Hmmm, I guess I could have just said brunch.  The food is fresh and very good.  I have been twice in the last couple of weeks, once for breakfast, and once for lunch.

For breakfast I had the B.O.B. (aka The Best of Both Benedicts).  It features a blend of their traditional Eggs Benedict and their Eggs Florentine.  Two poached eggs, fresh spinach, Roma tomato slices, English muffin, and Hollandaise comprise the B.O.B.  While I found the Hollandaise to be a little watery and flabby, the rest of the B.O.B. to be perfect.  The spinach and Roma slices bring a freshness to the plate and are quite tasty.

Snow City's Cowboy Meatloaf Sandwich

For lunch I had the very hearty Cowboy Meatloaf sandwich.  Made with hormone and antibiotic free beef, this sandwich is great!  Served on marble rye with bacon, cheddar, Roma tomatos, and crispy onion straws, you just know this sandwich will be delicious, and then bam!  You get the homemade BBQ dipping sauce.  I get a nice zing in the layers of flavor in that sauce...perhaps something fruity?  I have to say, it is a very good sandwich.

The only drawback to Snow City Cafe is that they may alienate some potential clientele, with the open display of politics in the restaurant, and even at your table.  Table cards and posters abound, and there is no question which side of the aisle the owners are on.

Politics aside, this is a good restaurant with an above average menu.

Snow City Cafe:

Address - The corner of W 4th Ave and L Street in downtown Anchorage

Phone - 907.727.2489

Website - www.snowcitycafe.com

Reservations - First come, first serve.

Overall Recommendation - If you are the kind of person who would be unable to enjoy some great food because of the kind of politics espoused in Snow City, then I would not go.  If, on the other hand, you aren't bothered by such things...then don't miss it.