Glen Eagles is an oasis for relaxed fine dining

When you’re in with the “in” crowd, you are probably a regular at Glen Eagles Restaurant. Nevada politicians and well-heeled locals from Washoe Valley, Reno, and Lake Tahoe are frequent customers. But, I assure you, the place is far from stuffy. A roadhouse facade belies the attractive, cozy interior. Step inside to a warm welcome from the friendly, professional staff. Glen Eagles is indeed a hidden gem of relaxed fine dining that every Carson City visitor should discover.

Three intimate dining rooms, one with a fireplace and book shelves, are appointed with brick walls and plenty of windows facing gardens. Tables are set far enough apart to assure comfort and private conversations. Good-size plush booths in the front room are especially cozy. In the bar/lounge guests enjoy live acoustic guitar music and a small dance floor.

Once you’re seated, the culinary treats begin to flow. Soups are made fresh daily and sauces made to order. House-made sourdough bread is light and soft with a thin crisp crust and served warm.

Dungeness crab cakes, served with tasty red pepper rémoulade on the side, are excellent. Two cakes with lots of fresh, shredded crab meat are mildly spicy and moist with a crispy crust. The generous portion is enough to share for two as an appetizer.

The crab cakes are also served at lunch as an open-face sandwich, along with beer-battered fish and chips, as Friday specials. Other lunch offerings include soups, salads and sandwiches, pastas, and a few Mexican specialties like steak or fish tacos, carnitas, and chile relleno.

At dinner, we enjoyed our crab cakes and salads with Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc from a short list of wines by the glass. The complete wine list offers a good selection of interesting bottles and a range of prices from $40 to more than $200. We chose a 2006 David Bruce Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, an excellent food wine and modestly priced at $50.

My dining companion ordered veal picatta from the well-designed menu of grilled meats, fish, seafood, and select pastas dishes. The veal was fork-tender and the lemon caper sauce a lovely reduction, tart and lemony without the sting sometimes found with veal picatta.

Wild Alaskan halibut was a special and specially prepared with a light, toasted almond crust, roasted red pepper and cilantro lemon butter sauce. The fish filet was thick, tender and moist, the sauce just enough to impart subtle flavor without overpowering the fish. This dish was so delicious I’d like to see it on the regular menu. Sides of fresh steamed asparagus and creamy garlic mashed potatoes were both very good.

No matter how good the meal, you must save room for dessert at Glen Eagles. All desserts are made in-house, and I’ve been told that some customers come regularly just for dessert!

Glen Eagles serves its own premium ice cream called Bordeaux, made exclusively for the restaurant by Tahoe Creamery. And then there’s the Original Blums Cake. A mound of light chiffon cake covered with whipped French cream and topped with toffee caramel crunch resembles a large snow ball. This heavenly decadence is enough to share for two, even four. Serious dessert lovers may insist on having their own.

For customers who want to serve this cake at home, the restaurant will package an entire chiffon bunt cake (large enough to feed 15) with the fresh cream and crunchy topping, and instructions for putting it all together; cost is $60.

Glen Eagles is family owned and operated. Executive Chef John Ammerman has directed the kitchen from the day that owner Al Fiegehen purchased the building in 1998. General Manager Vicki Shell designed the interior and manages the very competent staff. Incidentally, Chef John was the world salsa champ in 2006 – not for dancing but for his original recipe, Eagle Squat Salsa. The recipe is published on http://www.chilicookoff.com/Winner/WS_2006.asp

Glen Eagles Restaurant is located at 3700 North Carson Street, just north College Parkway. Dinner is served seven nights a week from 5 to 9 p.m. The bar/lounge is open until 11 p.m., later on weekends. Lunch is served Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The website, www.gleneaglesrestaurant.com, is still under development. For reservations, call 775-884-4414.