| Shallow Shaft Strikes Culinary Gold in Alta | ||
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 07/20/2001 | |
| ALTA -- This hard-core resort is not for wimps, whether they are skiers or chefs. When Timothy Garling arrived a dozen years ago at the Shallow Shaft, the restaurant's future was not promising. But Garling, who gave up a career teaching science in Alaska to study cooking at La Varenne in Paris, didn't flinch. "What do you do when the wolf is howling at the door?," Garling asks slyly. "You eat it." It took perseverance and hard work, but Garling and his wife, Kathy, who operate the restaurant for an absentee owner, created a unique dining experience. Just getting in the door requires a hike up steep wooden stairs, but the elevation gain gets diners a hummingbird's eye view of Alta's slopes and meadows, blanketed with wildflowers or snow, depending on the season. That contrast is mirrored in Shallow Shaft, dressed up nicely with snowy tablecloths, fresh flowers, Victorian-style fringed lampshades and classic jazz. The kitchen reflects the building's age, aggravating Garling at times. But diners would never know, given the menu. Over the years, Garling adapted his classical training to regional fare, creating such dishes as buffalo tenderloin with red wine butter, a "salsa" made of wild mushrooms and shaved black truffle. While Garling's mix of French technique and Southwest flavors gained him a following, he broadened his repertoire to include foods he likes, modified to suit his tastes. His house-smoked Atlantic salmon, served with a honey-lime-chipotle glaze and fresh grapefruit ($22) is a menu staple. But along with it, Garling might offer a dish with Italian roots -- roasted quail served with polenta studded with fresh Utah corn and garnished with fried sage. Seasonal ingredients always influence his menus. On one recent weekend, Garling served a duck breast ($25) that he had dry-rubbed with chiles, salt and brown sugar then mesquite smoked. He finished the dish by pan-searing the breast and serving it sliced, topped with fresh raspberries and flanked by two sauces, one made of peaches and the other of raspberries that still had their natural tang. It came with Yukon gold potato pancakes, flavored with shiitake mushrooms and thyme, and fried golden brown, and a medley of crisp-tender vegetables. All dinners come with a nicely composed house salad and a basket of warm fresh bread that gets to the table before anything else, with an ice-cold plate of fresh butter garnished with fresh mint. It is those little touches, plus the restaurant's isolated location, that explain the sometimes steep menu prices, which range from $17 for linquine with pesto to $39 for classic steak Oscar, a succulent filet topped with fresh asparagus and crab, then bathed in buttery béarnaise sauce. The other factor: Alta lures a national clientele accustomed to paying resort food prices. At the same time, Utahns have become more willing to pay for labor-intensive restaurant dishes of expensive ingredients. New Zealand is a long way from Alta, Utah, but Garling regularly offers plump New Zealand mussels in an addictive broth flavored with saffron, fresh herbs and chopped tomatoes ($15). They were worth every cent. His ahi tuna ($28) is another worthwhile indulgence: a rare fillet, crusted with black and white sesame seeds, comes perched on a bed of spicy black beans. It is topped with an eye-catching garnish of grated daikon radish and scallions and a wasabi-flavored homemade mayonnaise that will make those same eyes water. The serving size is generous and the flavors are huge. If your budget doesn't allow for fillet Oscar, consider one of the Shallow Shaft pizzas, priced from $13 to $25 and more than enough for two people. Pair it with a house salad ($4) or a cup of soup ($3), and you have a reasonably priced meal that tastes better than anything you can get at a pizza chain. Speaking of soup, you might get something like chilled cream of avocado, studded with chunks of carrot and celery and flavored with something that might have been curry. What could be better on a warm summer evening? Shallow Shaft has an excellent wine list weighted toward high-end reds. The only thing that would make it better is a bigger selection of wines by the glass. Service on both our visits was friendly and casual, although when the place is crowded the service pace has potential to lag. Making a reservation helps management properly staff the restaurant as well as guaranteeing your table. Shallow Shaft requires an investment of time and money. But your eyes and taste buds will thank you for it. Shallow Shaft, Alta Ski Resort Little Cottonwood Canyon; (801) 742-2177 Hours: Summer, Thursday through Monday, 6 to 10 p.m.; winter, daily, 6 to 10 p.m. Prices: Entrees from $17 to $39 Liquor: Yes Reservations: Suggested Child's Menu: Yes Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: No Outdoor Dining: No Parking: Street Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
||
