Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [197]
Bright Angel Restaurant
In Bright Angel Lodge. ☎ 928/638-2631. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $6–$8; lunch $8–$11; dinner $8–$17. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30am–10pm. AMERICAN.
This restaurant serves average coffee-shop food. Basic breakfast and lunch fare such as omelets, French toast, burgers, and large salads usually passes muster. At dinner, the restaurant supplements the lunch menu with no-fuss entrees such as grilled New York strip steak, chicken Alfredo, and stuffed shells. This is a good, casual place for families, who can dine here without worrying much about the children's behavior.
Also in the Bright Angel Lodge, the new Canyon Coffee House serves coffee, espresso, and cappuccino, as well as continental breakfast items.
El Tovar Restaurant
In the El Tovar Hotel. ☎ 928/638-2631, ext. 6432. Reservations accepted for dinner only. Breakfast $3.70–$10; lunch $7–$15; dinner main courses $17–$28. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–11am, 11:30am–2pm, and 5–10pm. INTERNATIONAL.
More than 100 years after opening its doors, this restaurant remains a unique dining experience. Best of all is the stunning room—walls of Oregon pine graced with murals depicting the ritual dances of four American Indian tribes and banks of windows at the north and south ends.
At dinner, a Southwestern influence spices the largely Continental cuisine. Consider starting your meal with the black-bean-and-jack-cheese-stuffed poblano chile. Delicious main courses include salmon tostada served with organic greens and tequila vinaigrette, and New York strip accompanied by buttermilk-cornmeal onion rings. Expect large portions.
If you're on a budget or prefer the dinner menu at the Arizona Room (as many do), try the El Tovar during nondinner hours, when you can enjoy the lovely surroundings for just a dollar or two more than you'd spend at the other canyon restaurants. French onion soup is an excellent choice for lunch. At breakfast, be sure to sample the coffee—the best inside the park—and eggs Benedict with smoked salmon.
Maswik & Yavapai Cafeterias
At Maswik and Yavapai lodges, respectively. ☎ 928/638-2631. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $2–$5.25; lunch and dinner $2.25–$7. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Maswik daily 6am–9pm; Yavapai daily 6am–10pm (may vary seasonally). Closed in low season.CAFETERIA.
For the price of a burger, fries, and a soft drink at the Tusayan McDonald's, you can eat a full meal at either Maswik or Yavapai cafeterias. The food costs about the same at either cafeteria, but there are some key differences. Maswik resembles a food court, where meals come complete with side dishes. One station serves Mexican fare, another has hot sandwich plates, a third offers spaghetti and burgers, and a fourth serves barbecued chicken and steak. At Yavapai you can mix and match from a variety of stations, picking up a piece of fried chicken from one, a slice of pizza from another, a dish of mashed potatoes from another. For $3.25, you can assemble your own dinner salad at the salad bar. Compared with Maswik's food, Yavapai's fare (especially the turkey potpie) tastes less institutional. If you're hungry for a burger, however, go to Maswik, where the meat is grilled instead of fried. You can get soft serve ice-cream at either cafeteria.
INSIDE THE CANYON
Phantom Ranch
On the North Kaibab Trail, ½ mile north of the Colorado River. To order meals more than 1 day in advance, call ☎ 303/297-2757; to order meals for the next day, contact the Bright Angel Transportation Desk (☎ 928/638-2631, ext. 6015). Reservations required. Steak dinner $28; stew or vegetarian meal $19; sack lunch $10; breakfast $16. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V (for advance reservations AE, DISC, MC, V). AMERICAN.
At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, whether you get there by mule or on foot, pretty much