~Tuesday, September 27, 2022~
Day 835
Day 99 of Alaska Trip
It was a pretty chill day at the campground. With an easy going morning usually comes a big breakfast. So, while I whipped up a few good omelets, Jeff drove into Pemberton to get water and propane. I also enjoyed a nice long conversation with my mom. She and I are counting the days, looking forward to finally seeing each other again in mid-October!
The other great part of our day was getting to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary that was actually on September 14th. At the time, we weren’t around anything stellar in the way of dining opportunities and knew Whistler would have a dynamite restaurant scene. In the end it was well worth the wait!!
We chose RimRock Cafe near Whistler Village as our celebratory spot, selecting to dine earlier than our usual. But first, a jump start cocktail at the Aura Restaurant located in the Nita Lake Lodge.
They have a lovely outdoor patio area overlooking Nita Lake where we enjoyed refreshing mojitos while enjoying a little light entertainment at the expense of a few struggling paddle boarders that just couldn’t seem to get back on their devices.
When we arrived for our 6:00 reservation at RimRock, we were greeted warmly and given flexibility in our seating. Originally, we requested outdoor seating but once we saw how cozy and intimate the inside was, we opted for that instead. It’s interesting that the word “cafe” is in the naming of their restaurant but is far from what we would consider a “cafe” style place. It looks like a fine dining establishment. If you ever plan on visiting this world class ski resort town, September is a great time to visit. You aren’t able to take advantage of the amazing winter sports, but there is a plethora of Summer/Fall activities as well. And the crowds are less which makes getting into hotels and restaurants that much easier….including this restaurant. Consistently rated as one of Canada’s top restaurants, we were instantly intrigued.
We immediately hit it off with our waiter Jason. He was funny, attentive and very knowledgeable about the food he was serving, so much so, I wondered if he was a chef himself. No. But he appreciates, like us, all the fine details that go into creating amazing dishes. And he affirmed what I knew all along. Coming in the off-season is ideal so that you can take your time and not feel rushed. In fact, we had our table the entire evening as did many other patrons. No rotating tables tonight. And it appeared to be a full restaurant this evening, as well. Anyway, Jason is one of several employees who have put years of service (17) into RimRock’s 35 years of existence. They have a local following as well, who rely on the restaurant’s consistency, as RimRock serves their tried and true making very little changes to the menu. Chef/owner Rolf Gunther is the creative force of the kitchen, ensuring every dish that comes out is not only a masterpiece but a thrill for the tastebuds as well (oh, oh….I’m starting to sound like a food critic).
As the food came out, Jason went into great detail of what went into each dish. But it didn’t stop there. He would even suggest HOW to eat it. Never have I heard a waiter/waitress use the word “zamboni” to describe a way of getting every last bit of delectable sauce off a plate, offering up more french bread to be able to do that. But here’s what took the cake (not in a literal sense). As we were wrapping up our 2 appetizers, Jason asked us when we would like our main dishes to come out. He said, “I can put in for them now in which they’ll be ready in 15 minutes, or we can hold off. You set the pace.” Wow!! This guy really knows how to instantly jump his tip to 25% or greater. Of course we agreed to the latter just to extend “the show”. When I raved about the mushroom salad, within 5 minutes I was unexpectedly handed a personal recipe for it. Never would I have expected that, but it led to my next question…..”Do you offer cooking classes?”
The whole evening was such a wonderful experience, from the warm, attentive staff, to every “zamboni” worthy drop on the plate. I just had to share the amazing dishes that came to our table…….
Beverages…..Jeff a martini and a sparkling pear cider/passion fruit puree/mint concoction called the Perfect Pear for me. Not too sweet, but refreshing and well-balanced.
Appetizer No. 1: Chevre plate of Goat Cheese wrapped in a filo pastry with pistachio, seasonal greens and a plum jam/balsamic reduction.
Appetizer No. 2: Mushroom Salad with delicate greens, sesame vinaigrette, and shoestring fried potatoes
Main Course: For me……Halibut With Mushroom Risotto and a side of pureed sweet potato (the magic of the sweet potato has been renewed).
Jeff had the Three Way Seafood Platter with Ahi, Halibut and Salmon on a bed of mashed potato
and pureed sweet potato with root vegetables. To pair with our main course….a bottle of Syrah from Okanagan Falls.
Dessert: Bread Pudding in
caramel sauce with vanilla ice cream. A-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!!
And like most of our fine dining experiences, we closed the place down.
One of our conversations over dinner was how much longer we wanted to stay in the Whistler area. There’s just too much to see and since we hadn’t really gotten the full flavor of the town yet, it made sense to extend our stay, especially with the weather improving in the coming days. And just like our dining, our lodging may be the same in the end, with us being the last ones to leave. The campground’s final day of operation is Friday, so we shall see.