Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [224]
IN JACKSON
The Blue Lion
160 N. Millward St. ☎ 307/733-3912. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15–$33. AE, DC, MC, V. Summer daily 6–10pm; shorter hours rest of year. CONTINENTAL.
In the fast-moving, high-rent world of Jackson dining, the Blue Lion stays in the forefront by staying the same. Owned and operated by Ned Brown since 1978, the restaurant is across from a park in a two-story blue clapboard building that looks like a comfy family home. On the inside, it's soft light in intimate rooms and unhurried meals of elegant food. The menu features rack of lamb and the usual (in Jackson) wild-game specialties, such as grilled elk loin in peppercorn sauce. Fresh fish is flown in for dishes such as nori-crusted ahi.
Burke's Chop House
72 S. Glenwood St. ☎ 307/733-8575. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16–$36. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6–10pm. STEAKS/ GAME/SEAFOOD.
Formerly the chef at the steakhouse under the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Michael Burke struck out on his own and opened this ambitious eatery in downtown Jackson in February 2004. The sleek dining room—punctuated by plenty of dark wood, a few antique car parts, and scenic photographs—and the sweeping bar provide an understated setting for the unpretentious but excellent fare. The menu includes smoked baby-back pork ribs with homemade bourbon barbecue sauce, cornmeal-crusted trout, and a nice selection of steaks and chops. The buffalo tenderloin and filets are particularly satisfying.
The Cadillac Grille
55 N. Cache St. ☎ 307/733-3279. Reservations recommended. Lunch $5–$18; dinner $16–$29. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am–3pm and 5:30–10pm. Closed Nov to mid-Dec. CALIFORNIA ECLECTIC.
Neon and a hip menu give this restaurant a trendy air that attracts see-and-be-seen visitors more than locals. The chefs work hard on presentation, but they also know how to cook a wide-ranging variety of dishes, from fire-roasted elk tenderloin to pancetta-crusted Alaskan halibut. The wine list is equally long and varied. The upscale dining room is one of three options at this address; you can also eat at the posh bar or in the '50s-themed confines of Billy's Giant Hamburgers, where a great burger runs about $6. For the best of both worlds, order a burger at the bar.
Jedediah's House of Sourdough
135 E. Broadway. ☎ 307/733-5671. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $5–$9; lunch $5–$8. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–2pm. AMERICAN.
You feel as if you've walked into the kitchen of some sodbuster's log cabin home when you enter Jedediah's, and with good reason—the structure dates from 1910. Bring a big appetite for breakfast, and a little patience—you may have to wait for a table, but then you may have time to study the interesting old photos on the wall as you wait for your food. But it's worth it, especially for the rich flavor of the sourjacks (a stack of sourdough pancakes), served with blueberries. Lunches include soups, salads, and burgers and sandwiches—on sourdough, of course. The sourdough starter here is also historic: It dates to the 1870s.
Koshu Wine Bar
In the Jackson Hole Wine Company, 200 W. Broadway. ☎ 307/733-5283. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $15–$30. AE. Daily 6–10:30pm. Bar open later. ECLECTIC.
Housed in the back half of the Jackson Hole Wine Company, this small, sleek dining room serves ingenious, addictive, Asian-inspired creations. The Far East is just a starting point, with dishes that meld dozens of influences into treats such as ahi tartare and pork ribs; the menu changes on a near-daily basis. Thanks to its location in a wine store, patrons can choose from 800 varieties of wine at retail price (plus a nominal corking fee).
Nani's Genuine Pasta House
242 N. Glenwood St. ☎ 307/733-3888. Reservations recommended. Main courses $13