I found it - foodies paradise in Alaska. Go figure. Cooper Landing. A stretch of only about 6 miles. Population of 369. Best food in Alaska.
Named after Joseph Cooper, a gold mining pioneer, Cooper Landing is on the Stirling Hwy - about 11 miles from the turnoff to Homer off the Seward Hwy, and sits right on the Kenai River. It has a heap of fishing lodges and fishing guiding services, and is home to my Alaskan home-away-from-home, Drifters Lodge. And it's the best eating around.
OMG, what a surprise to find such yum diversity - from great diner food through to sublime posh eating with to-die-for views! Man oh man, this place is a bloody gold mine for foodies. And all this amongst the most amazing scenery in the world - I've included a few pics taken from the Stirling Hwy in Cooper Landing to set the scene for you, readers.
Now, let's keep it simple. I'll start at the beginning of the "Magic Mile" (well it's really about 5 miles all up, but why kill a good story) and work through to the other end.
As you come into Cooper Landing, you'll see on the left a dodgy looking diner and motel - The Sunrise Diner and Inn! You can buy petrol, get a rum and Coke, have a great burger and sleep over, all in the one quaint place! I just got a burger! This mum and pop diner still has wooden laminate all over, and has a salt & pepper theme - hundreds of different types of wacky salt & pepper shakers are all over the place. I had a Buffalo Burger which was YUM - basic but YUMMMMM.....but the best thing was the blueberry pie - pic above! Home made. We all know how I feel about blueberry pie (see Napa post), and this one was fabuloso - so I'd highly recommend a stop here for the basics.
A few miles up the road, still on the left, you'll come across a very unsuspecting grey plank building. Now, I'm going to make a big call, and I know there are some people reading who may be shocked with what I'm about to say, BUT, this next place, I would say, is...the best restaurant in Alaska - well that I ate at anyway. Yep, the award for the yummiest food in Alaska goes to....Kingfisher Roadhouse (applause please).
OMGGGGG, I ate here 5 times, and each time it was so fresh, so incredibly tasty, sooooooo friendly, and has the most beautiful views as you chow down. HOLY CRAP, it was yum. From the most simple of soups such as potato and leek, and the most incredibly amazingly divine smoked tomato and basil soup, to the sexily sweet scallops on vege risotto you see above (the scallops just melted in my mouth) - and then through to King Crab Eggs Benedict, yep, amazing chunks of luscious king crab under perfectly poached eggs with a very subtly tangy hollandaise sauce...oh myyyyy. I mean it just doesn't get any better. I heard others at their table moaning over their food too, and I also picked up a whisper that they do the best burgers around...I'll have to go back and test that one out.
I recommended this place to Jeff the Fishermen (see previous post), and he and his wife invited me along...she insisted she wasn't hungry and wouldn't eat, she would just watch us...hmmm... even she downed their superb spinach salad then their risotto of the day, Mushroom Risotto, and finished it off with their Coffee and Chocolate Ice Cream Tart! Yep, the place is that bloody seductive. Sigh. Magical.
For those of you who are locals...get your butts down there, it's a HEAVENLY 2 hour drive from Anchorage, the perfect thing to do on a weekend or day off!
Now, let me draw breath.
Ok, next stop is Sackett's. This is a great value, super tasty place to eat. Cheap and simple but with a powerpack of flavour, Sackett's delivered a divine plate of spicy ribs with stir-fried veges for $15, it was really really good. The gals I ate with had Philly Cheese Steak sambos for around $6. Apparently, Mr Sackett used to be located where the Kingfisher is and only moved to this new location last year. This place is big with locals...so check it out.
The final stop on the Magic Mile is a few miles down the track, just as you get out of that slow 35 mile zone into the racey 55 mile zone! And it is FANTASTIC. Gwin's Lodge. This place has been around for 57 years (you can see inside it above, the rustic log cabin pic), and is famous for its Salmon Chowder and its pies. And what do you think I had????? Yep, Salmon Chowder and pie!!! I managed to end up trying 3 of their pies (Fruits of the Forest, Strawberry & Rhubarb, and of course Blueberry) and their famous Apple Walnut Caramel Cake. OH MYYYYYYYYYYYYY. But, back to that Salmon Chowder.
I sat up at the counter (that's where singles sit), chit chatting with the waitress, I decided to go for it. She popped it down and front of me, and all I did was inhale. Oh those aromas, sooooo beautiful. And it was a really cold day outside, so perfect soup weather. I picked up my spoon, and dove in. Sportsfans, there are no words for the flavour blast in my mouth...not just the wonderful creamy texture on my tongue, but this heady, potent smoked salmon flavour, and not that raw orange smoked salmon aussie flavour, but rather a punch in the head, full blooded red smoked salmon flavour, smoked in a real smoker. I just looked up at the waitress and said "it's smoked salmon" she just smiled and nodded. "Do you smoke it yourself?", "Nope, we have a local guy do it". And yes, they use the "Reds" (Sockeye Salmon) straight out of the Kenai. Honestly, I sat there for the next 10 minutes and just spooned this heavenly velvet into my mouth, no words, just sighs between mouthfuls. Fresh parsley, dill, corn, carrots, really good smoked bacon, potatoes...all came together with that divine smoked salmon to produce a symphony of flavour. Sigh. Magical.
And that dear friends, is Cooper Landing. I have to say it was an unexpected surprise to find the freshest and tastiest of meals in this blink-and-you-miss-it Hwy town. But what a truly divine surprise. Sigh. Magical.
I just had to add another pic of the Drifters gang (with me), so I don't forget who they are! Left to right, Marissa the Legend Float Captain, Kevin who wants to marry one of my girls, Bob (at the back) one of the owners (Frank, the other one was asleep), me, Jefferson the naughty fishing guide (and brother to fabo fishing guide, Jason) and Derek the young sweetie pie! Thanks guys for everything. Sigh. Magical.
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