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By Root 3351 0

mountain lodge–style restaurant has a high natural wood beamed ceiling, huge stone fireplace, and large windows offering wonderful views of the surrounding forest. Standard American breakfasts are the morning fare. The lunch and dinner menus include salads and sandwiches—such as a half-pound burger or citrus-marinated salmon with caramelized onion. The dinner entrees are quite elegant. We recommend lavender chicken, with honey-roasted shallots and balsamic syrup; rib-eye steak, served with portobello-ancho sauce; or, for those who can't decide, the triple divide plate, which includes filet mignon smothered in a sauce of black beans and chiles, a chicken breast, and grilled shrimp.

OUTSIDE THE PARKS

Anne Lang's Emporium

41651 Sierra Dr. (Calif. 198), Three Rivers. ☎ 559/561-4937. Most items $2.95–$5.95. MC, V. Mon–Fri 10am–4pm; Sat–Sun 11am–4pm. DELI.

This is a great spot for a quick lunch or to pick up a picnic lunch before heading into the park. Part of a shop that also sells a wide variety of gifts, flowers, cards, coffee beans, teas, and the like, this busy full-service deli has a half dozen or so small tables in the cafe-like interior, plus a large deck out back (away from the highway) that overlooks the Kaweah River. You order at the counter, and the staff prepares your sandwich to eat there or as a box lunch. In addition to the usual cold deli sandwiches, there are a few hot items, including burgers and chicken-breast sandwiches. Also available are several luncheon salads, soup of the day, fresh baked items, ice cream, and specialty drinks, including espresso, smoothies, and Italian sodas.

Hummingbirds

35591 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Clingan's Junction (19 miles west of the Kings Canyon National Park boundary). ☎ 559/338-0160. Menu items $4.25–$15. AE, MC, V. Daily 7:30am–8:30pm. AMERICAN.

A friendly, folksy, family-run restaurant, the Hummingbird offers hearty homemade grub, from fresh cornbread and rolls to juicy burgers and steaks, seafood, pasta, and other traditional plates. Eggs, potatoes, and ham dominate the breakfast options—try the country eggs Benedict if you plan a day of hiking and need that extra fuel. The desserts make the place. Made from scratch in-house, they include cobbler, cakes, and delectable blackberry pies.

River View

42323 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers. ☎ 559/561-2211. Sandwiches and burgers $5–$7.50, dinner main courses $12–$24, pizzas from $8. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 10:30am–9pm; Fri–Sat 10:30am–10pm. Bar closes later. AMERICAN.

A favorite for bikers from near and far, the River View is a pretty good place for just about anybody to grab a good meal and watch the Kaweah River rush by. There's a popular bar inside and a great deck outside, and plenty to look at in either spot. The menu runs the gamut from hot sandwiches and juicy burgers to T-bones and salmon dinners to pizza, with a side of live music on weekends. If you're looking to have a few beers and unwind, this is just the ticket.

Vintage Press

216 N. Willis St., Visalia. ☎ 559/733-3033. Reservations recommended at dinner. Main courses $9–$14 lunch; $16–$33 dinner. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–2pm, Sun brunch 10:30am–2pm; Mon–Thurs 5:30–10pm, Fri–Sat 5:30–10:30pm, Sun 5–9pm. AMERICAN/ CONTINENTAL.

The best place to eat within miles, this is our choice for celebrating a special occasion or just giving ourselves a treat. The restaurant's three dining rooms are all elegant, in the spirit of an upscale gin mill in Gold Rush–era San Francisco. Vintage Press has a handsome old bar imported from the city by the bay, and many antiques and leaded mirrors. There is also patio dining. The menu features a dozen meat and fish selections, including steak, free-range chicken with braised leeks, and crispy veal sweetbreads with port wine–jalapeño–blue cheese sauce. For a lighter or less expensive meal, make a dinner of one of the exotic appetizers ($8.95–$12). The restaurant's wine cellar, a winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, offers over 1,000 selections.

Picnic & Camping