- Items ordered:
- Steamed Clams in a
microbrew ale
- Potlatch Salmon
(Alder planked salmon)
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee
- 1992 Covey Run
Reserve Chardonnay
-
- Critique:
- Skamania Lodge is a
scenic lodge and conference center located in the
Columbia River Gorge near Cascade Locks.
From the Oregon side of the river, the road to
Stevenson takes you across the aptly named
"Bridge of the Gods" which provides
breathtaking views both up and down the river.
-
- Accomodations give
you a choice of river view or mountain view, both
of which are beautiful depending upon your
preference. Our room was clean and quiet,
with an understated elegance appropriate to a
"lodge".
-
- Aesthetic touches
such as a facade for the standard hotel room air
conditioner help you forget that it is indeed a
hotel. On site activities include a golf
course which I was unable to evalute on this
trip.
-
- The dining room
overlooks the river, and a 8:30 reservation
provided a beautiful sunset over the ridge.
As a conference center, attire is generally quite
casual.
-
- My companion and I
started with clams steamed in a microbrew ale and
jalepenos. The clams were fresh and neither
over nor undercooked, something which for reasons
unknown to me is hard to find in most
restaurants. Unfortunately, the reduction of ale
was quite strong, perhaps because of our later
reservation, and largely masked the inherant
sweetness of the clams. It was difficult to
perceive any "zip" from the jalepenos.
-
- The Potlatch salmon
was preceded by a disappointing dinner salad,
which resembled the more mediocre of prepackaged
lettuce now found in grocery stores. I
would expect such a salad with a meal from a
chain "family restaurant". I had
previously experienced the Potlatch salmon some
three years ago, and was stunned by the
incredible flavor and texture of the fish and the
rich buttery vegetables cooked to
perfection. My experience on this trip was
decidedly less pleasing. The salmon was
overcooked, not greatly so, but enough to affect
the texture I had so looked forward to. I
was grateful for the butter-chardonnay sauce
provided. The entire meal is served on an
alder plank, which unfortunately seemed to have
lost its flavor-imparting characteristic long
ago, another disappointment. To their
credit, the vegetables and roasted potatoes were
credible, but not extraordinary.
-
- I selected a 1992
Covey Run reserve chardonnay to accompany our
meal. The wine was a good companion to the
meal, but not substantially different from a 1996
reserve that I tasted later at the Covey Run
winery, and certainly not different enough to
justify a $50 difference ($61 for the 1992 vs $11
for the 1996). I'm not sure if it is a
credit to the '96 or a mark against the
'92. These are rich, buttery,
powerful chardonnays, without the overly
fruity/floral character that many California
chards have embraced. The lodge wine list
is relatively short and expensive for the price
of the entrees. With wine enthusiasm
becoming more mainstream and less
"snobby", I would expect more
selections, especially in the $15-$25
range. Of note was drinking a $60 bottle of
wine in the puny wine glasses you can buy in most
grocery stores.
-
- Dessert was a
wonderful pumpkin creme brulee. The custard
had incredible balance of richness and sweetness,
with a strong hint of pumpkin and spice. For
once, someone accounted for the sweetness of the
carmelized sugar when preparing the
custard! The result was cool and
refreshing, and a very pleasant note on which to
finish our meal.
-
- Overall, my
expectations were not met. It would be
easier to be thrilled if things were about 30%
less expensive. For this kind of money, one
feels entitled to more refinement.
The food was good, but not *that* good. The
service was adequete but not exemplary. The
atmosphere has great potential which is not
realized.
-
- Final
Impression: With all the wonderful
offerings that Portland, Oregon has to offer,
such as the Heathman Hotel, I would rather spend
the same amount of money and leave with a much
greater sense of value. Skamania Lodge is a
beautiful place, but the experience doesn't match
the cost.
-
- Prices: Dinner
entrees $20-$30
- Appetizers: ~$5-$10
- Wine list:
Regular selections: $20-$35, Library Selections:
>$60
-
- Reservations highly
recommended, especially in peak times &
seasons
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