Ski Hill Pub Has Great Grub
Last Sunday, the day lodge at Schweitzer was slammed with a lunch crowd looking for a way to warm up from the raw, near-zero temperature on the mountain.
Finding an empty table was about as likely as coming across uncut powder on the slope in the afternoon.
Yet, just a few hundred feet away from that feeding frenzy was a calmer, much more pleasant scene at Pend Oreille Brewing Co.’s new on-mountain pub.
This gorgeous space is on the village level of the new Lazier building, across from the Green Gables Hotel.
From its perch, the view is spectacular - out onto various runs off Chair Four and the bunny hill. On a clear day, you can see the lake below and the Cabinets in the distance to the east, beyond Sandpoint.
Inside the pub’s front door, a massage therapist had a chair set up and, for a few bucks, was offering to help work out the pain in your neck.
The L-shaped room sports a big wooden bar, where you can step up and order from a bunch of brews, a pop or a latte. There are tables comfortably scattered about. Around the corner, there’s a pool table and electronic dart boards. A couple of TVs were tuned to hockey, with the volume (blessedly) off. Swing-dance tunes from Squirrel Nut Zipper were cranked on the sound system.
Pend Oreille Brewing might have the genial feel of a pub, but families are welcome, too.
There’s no table service, though. I only figured that out after sitting and waiting and finally asking the bartender. A sign hung from the ceiling pointing to the food counter, but it would be helpful if there was some other clue.
The menus sit on each table. The offerings are better-than-your-average pub grub - innovative sandwiches, freshly made soups and a couple of burritos. The nachos, piled high with spicy cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and black olives, looked mighty tempting.
The lineup showcases the restaurant’s commitment to quality. There’s a prosciutto (Italian ham) sandwich with fresh mozzarella and basil. The roast beef is paired with a white cheddar from Vermont. I tried the honey-roasted turkey and Danish havarti.
It was sandwiched in a soft wheat roll from Coeur d’Alene Bakery and was adorned with slices of sweet roasted red pepper, lettuce and mayo. It came with potato chips and a crunchy pickle spear. The whole sandwich was $5.95, $3.30 for a half, which was plenty big enough, especially with soup on the side.
The selection of soup changes all the time. Because the kitchen is small and storage space is minimal, the staff is always replenishing the soup pot. The chicken curry that was featured at lunch might be replaced at dinner by fresh tomato and basil.
I tried the vegetable barley and was impressed with the big chunks of carrots, celery and zucchini that were cooked soft, but not mushy. The light broth was seasoned with herbs and the barley made it substantial enough to make for a meal. A bowl goes for $2.85, a cup is $1.90 and it comes with bread and butter.
The bill for my soup and sandwich was under $6, which left me enough to spring for a half-pint ($2) of City Beach Blonde, Pend Oreille’s refreshing pilsner. In addition with other Pend Oreille products, there’s also a selection of other micros on tap and in bottles.
Wine by the glass prices are fair - from $3 for a Napa Ridge sauvignon blanc to $4 for a really nice pinot noir from La Crema. A chardonnay and a bistro red from Pend Oreille winery in Sandpoint are also featured.
In keeping with that local flavor, beans from Monarch Mountain Coffee in Sandpoint are used in espresso drinks.
Unfortunately, there was nary a cookie to dunk in my cuppa joe. When baked goods do show up on occasion, they’re sold out as soon as they’re set out on the counter. (Note to management: They’re popular, get more.) I might even settle for a prepackaged biscotti.
While prices aren’t exactly cheap, with most items running right around $6, they are reasonable in terms of ski hill chow. And it’s great to have an alternative to cafeteria cuisine in the busy day lodge.