There are countless ways to eat a meal, but most of the time we do it at our kitchen tables with little fanfare, varying types of manners, and no view.
That’s what makes dining 885 meters above sea level at Summit Lodge – the termination point after a long hike or a short gondola ride – an exceptional way to feast. Especially at sunset, when the ocean mirrors the calm blue of the surrounding mountains and someone else is doing the cooking and cleaning – leaving you to feed the body while the eyes feed the mind with the surrounding beauty.
The full sunset dinner table service is, if I may say politely, a far better option than the limited evening menu available through the Summit Restaurant self-serve counter. The small counter menu does the trick if you need a quick bite, and the grilled cheese with tomato jam is a nice snack for the littles (I wouldn’t advise the cheeseburger –the patty is a work in progress, or was last week) but in the cordoned-off full service area, open from 5 p.m. onwards on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, access to wait staff is complimented by options like the mixed green salad with grilled peach and crumbled blue cheese, jerk pulled pork sliders, coconut curry, or a smoked salmon penne pasta. They also offer weekly chef’s specials and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions.
This Sunday (Aug. 30) the first Winemaker’s Five Course Dinner featuring Desert Hills Estate Winery will be held overlooking Howe Sound in the lodge’s Diamond Head Room. The event is an excellent chance for both experienced oenophiles and those new to the game to have their food and drink professionally paired.
Desert Hills is an award-winning winery based in the Okanagan Valley and run by the Toor brothers, who have built their business through a dedication to the fine and ancient arts of growing excellent varietals that well express the terroir.
Guests will be served four 2012 wines with the dinner courses, followed by a Mirage from 2008 with dessert, providing a wide range of flavours – in both the solid and liquid sense. The winery’s 2013 Gewürztraminer won overall best wine in Canada and their 2009 Syrah took double Gold, Best of Class at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, so these wines are sure to please most palates.
The evening will kick off at 7 p.m. Tickets are $89 plus tax and gratuity (gondola access not included though the organizers have arranged for a special ticket price for non-pass holders).
Call 604-892-2550, extension 2565 for more info or to buy tickets.
