Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [68]
Golden Phoenix
2421 W. Main St., Rapid City. ☎ 605/348-4195. Main courses $5.25–$5.50 lunch, $6–$10 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–9:30pm. CHINESE.
A relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices, quick service, and convenient parking make this a good choice. There is a wide selection of dishes, but it's hard to beat the Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, or Hunan shrimp.
IN PIEDMONT
Elk Creek Steakhouse & Lounge
I-90 at Exit 46, Piedmont. ☎ 605/787-6349. Main courses $7.95–$32. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 5–10pm; Fri–Sat 5–11pm; Sun 4:30–10pm. STEAKS/SEAFOOD/PASTA/ CHICKEN.
Steak's the thing at Elk Creek, and the buffalo steaks are excellent. The special duchess potatoes are wonderful, and the chef's special—a rib-eye served on an English muffin, topped with broccoli, mock crab, and a hollandaise-cheese sauce—is wicked. The lounge features a live band on Saturday and Sunday nights.
IN DEADWOOD
Deadwood Social Club
Saloon No. 10, 657 Main St., 2nd floor, Deadwood. ☎ 800/952-9398. Reservations appreciated but not required. Main courses $4–$11 lunch, $9–$22 dinner. AE, MC, V. Summer Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm, Sun–Thurs 11:30am– 9pm; rest of year daily 11:30am–9pm. STEAKS/PASTA.
A warm atmosphere grows even cozier with light jazz and blues in the background and one of South Dakota's largest wine selections in the cellar. Pasta dishes, such as the popular rigatoni con pollo, are exquisite. The tenderloin and rib-eye are served with grilled vegetables and roasted New England potatoes, then topped with a special demiglace. On the lighter side, Mother's Enchiladas are a favorite.
Jakes
Atop the Midnight Star, 677 Main St., Deadwood. ☎ 800/999-6482. www.themidnight star.com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $20–$30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 5–10pm; rest of year daily 5:30–9:30pm. NEW AMERICAN.
Before dining, browse handsomely displayed costumes worn by Kevin Costner in his feature films, including The Post-man, Dances with Wolves, and Tin Cup. Kevin and partners Carla and Francis Caneva own Jakes, which features some of the most unusual food in the region. Seasonal dishes include salmon, elk, chicken, duck, lamb, and buffalo, and a different chef's featured selection is part of the menu every night. Appetizers can range from escargot to buffalo carpaccio. There is also an excellent wine list.
7
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK & GRAND STAIRCASE– ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT
by Don & Barbara Laine
WELCOME TO A MAGICAL LAND, A PLACE OF INSPIRATION AND SPECTACULAR beauty where thousands of intricately shaped hoodoos stir the imagination as they stand in silent watch.
Hoodoos, geologists tell us, are simply pinnacles of rock, often oddly shaped, left standing after millions of years of water and wind erosion have carved away softer or more protected rock. But perhaps the truth really lies in a Paiute legend. These American Indians, who lived in the area for several hundred years before being forced out by Anglo pioneers, told of a "Legend People" who lived here in the old days; for their evil ways, the powerful Coyote turned them to stone, and even today they remain frozen in time.
Whatever the cause, Bryce Canyon is unique. Its intricate and often whimsical formations are smaller and on a more human scale than the impressive rocks at Zion and Canyonlands national parks, and Bryce is far easier to explore than the huge and sometimes intimidating Grand Canyon. The park is comfortable and inviting in its beauty; we feel we know it simply by gazing over the rim.
Although the colorful hoodoos grab your attention first, before long you notice the deep amphitheaters that enfold them, with their cliffs, windows, and arches—all in shades of red, brown, orange, yellow, and white—that change and glow with the rising and setting sun. Beyond the rocks and light are the other faces of the park: three separate life zones, each with its own unique vegetation, changing with elevation; and a kingdom