I have always had a sense of unease upon entering the Snowbird complex of buildings in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Amid the landscape of natural beauty sits a mini-Manhattan skyline, out of touch with its surroundings. There's little comfort that there is grass growing on the roof of some of the concrete monoliths.
But time has a way of tempering one's prejudices over the years, assisted by pleasant summer afternoons listening to the Utah Symphony and tram rides to moun-tain tops that rise far above man-made edifices.A recent weekend dinner at the Aerie high atop the Cliff Lodge further diminished my reluctance to accept the aesthetic mismatch of nature and hotel.
The view from the 10th floor of the Cliff Lodge is splendid; as was the service. Somehow we didn't mind the Star Trek sense of transport up the sparkling elevators and through the dimly lit halls that lead to the spacious dining area. Our waitress and other help blended detachment with well-informed comments about the new summer menu of Aerie chef Chris Sheehan. We were especially impressed with the pride expressed by the service, even as we made our reservations. Over the years, the Aerie has not always been consistent, let alone a restaurant that matched its lofty setting in quality.
But our recent dinner for two was an exception to past experience and reputation.
The menu features an eclectic array of continental and international preparations that are both inventive as well as traditional. We sampled two of the four appetizers and found them attractive in presentation and pleasing to the palate. The smoked breast of duck ($6.95) was appropriately understated with an applewood aroma and accompanied with a sweet and spicy peach chutney. Chicken and goat cheese raviolis ($6.95) were perched atop a light red tomato cream sauce, embellished with roasted pepper slices and a shower of freshly chopped basil.
Other choices include bowtie pasta with noisettes of lamb ($7.95), tossed with olive oil, grated parmesan, and sherry wine vinegar; and Southwestern crab cakes ($6.95), seasoned with coriander and roasted chilies served with creamy cilantro corn sauce.
The salad that accompanied the entrees was a delicious and not overly bitter array of greens including endive, chard, radicchio and curly lettuces, dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Other salad choices include wilted spinach, Caesar and summer fruit, priced from $3.95 to $7.95.
Based on the deft touches of the preceding courses, selecting entrees was difficult. But our waitress was confident about the Utah lamb chops ($23.95) and one of the seafood specials, grilled ahi tuna ($19.50) adorned with fresh blackberry, papaya, green onion and cilantro relish.
The rack of lamb was generous, perfectly pink, tender and seasoned with a slightly sweet honey mustard rosemary glaze. The ahi was also expertly prepared. Each dish came with a buttery spaghetti squash, half-grilled roma tomato topped with parmesan, and a wild rice blend with wheat buds.
Other entrees include tenderloin diable, stuffed breast of chicken with herbed cream cheese and sun-dried tomato, poached filet of Norwegian salmon, seafood linguini with fresh basil and white wine sauce, and a vegetarian platter of grilled vegetables. Prices range from $19.95 to $10.95.
There is also a fixed-price menu for $31.95 that includes choices of appetizer and entrees. The recent menu featured lobster roulade with spinach and mushrooms in phyllo with lemon dill buerre blanc, cappelini with morel mushrooms and asparagus, pork tenderloin with apple demi-glaze, and filet of sole veronique with white wine and grape sauce.
Our dessert selections were comparably pleasing. The macadamian nut brittle mud pie ($4.95) sauced with warm chocolate was enough for two; the chocolate fresh strawberry tart with chocolate chips ($3.95) was also very good.
Purists who prefer their canyon dining in more rustic settings still might struggle with the Aerie's rarified setting; but gourmands with a determined sense of purpose and adventure will certainly find the cuisine worth the trek.
Rating: * * * * 1/2
Aerie, 10th floor, Cliff Lodge, Snowbird. 521-6040, ext. 5500. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. Reservations recommended. Accepts major credit cards and check with guarantee card.