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!