Sun Peaks

[Ye-Ye Girl]

Given the dearth of snow in Washington this winter, the Dude & I are headed to Sun Peaks later this week to celebrate his birthday and give him some ski time.

I've searched this forum and have found some info on Whistler, but nothing on Sun Peaks. The apparent lack of quality spots in Whistler has me a little concerned about Sun Peaks, since it's smaller, but I have to ask! Are there any tasty recommendations to try at Sun Peaks, or should we resign ourselves to the typical so-so ski resort stuff?

Thanks in advance!

[Daddy-A]

Local eGulleter *Deborah*'s parents live up there. She mentioned some dining at Sun Peaks recently ...

Try here ...

I'm sure she'll post in here soon.

A.

["T"]

Sun Peaks?

Great for Mountain Biking in the summer.

We usually BBQ after a ride.

As for winter no idea.

Oh well, back to my wine.

Cheers and much luck in the 'Loops'.

[vandan]

actually all things considered i think whistler is a pretty damned good place to find very good food ! don't know know what you're used to, or comparing to though?

[*Deborah*]

Yeah, no kidding!!!

Anyways. Sun Peaks:

There aren't that many places to eat; but there is snow

Breakfast: I don't know, really, we always eat in. There is good espresso at the espresso place next door to Roxy's Market though, Bolacco Café (the coffee is the best you'll find up there).

Lunch: We usually eat at Bottom's for lunch, since it's convenient. It has good to very good food (for what it is (pub food), and it can be uneven), large portions, and their Calamari appetizer is a legend in our house. Baggio's also has a nice lunch available, although you're not as likely to get out of there quickly as you are at Bottom's (from my experience) but on the other hand it's a much quieter, less-bustling environment, which may be more your style. The food on the hill at the top of the Sunburst Express has been good, what I've eaten of it. Their cinnamon buns (fresh out of the oven around 10-10:30 IIRC) are a popular local treat. Macker's in the Cahilty Lodge and Masa's in the Village Daylodge are also open for lunch, although I don't normally eat there, so I can't recommend particularly. They have Edamame at Masa's which are pretty good, although the menu spelled it Edememe I think it was...

Dinner: There are a reasonable number of choices (including those lunch places above), depending how long you're staying

Powderhounds is not fancy but good. Good Wiener Schnitzel and Schnitzel Chasseur, large portions, good pasta. Wine list is a bit short, but lots of by-the-glass available. Chances are you'll see my mother there, getting tipsy

The Val (used to be Val Senales): we used to eat there a lot, before they changed chefs, and before they renovated their menu prices a bit upwards. So Jamie Maw had a good meal there at the Icewine Fest last month, but I have no experience there for the past two seasons. You can proably trust Jamie's palate at least as much as mine though

Mantles at the Delta Sun Peaks, I had a very respectable meal there early in the New Year. The wine list is pretty nice, lots of BC stuff to choose from, low markups. It's a nice room, too. The attached bar is quite nice to have a drink (and watch hockey if there is any).

Servus I haven't eaten at in a few years, but I found them good if a bit pretentious. They will also take your credit card number to hold a reservation, now, which I find unnerving. If you're OK with that, and the fact that they might sit you at the bar with your paper napkin even if you have a reservation, the food is probably still pretty good! We have long memories in my family, though, and we haven't gone back in spite of the lure of the duck.

Toro in the old Heffley Steakhouse location we had a mixed experience at; my mother and I had a few Chinese dishes which didn't impress us at all, but there were people around us who had previously had, and returned for, their big bowls of stuff, which looked pretty good. So while I can't "heartily" recommend, I do intend to go back and try a bowl. My mum had also previously had some sort of Pad Thai dish which she enjoyed. The Sweet and Sour was hopelessly, inedibly, overcooked though. Very reasonably priced, as well.

I hope that helps, but if the dining available in Whistler (Araxi, Bearfoor Bistro, Umberto's, etc., etc., etc.) doesn't turn your gourmet crank, I fear you will be disappointed in Sun Peaks.

Take your sunscreen and your warm gear, and enjoy and if you need a hamburger en route, I recommend the Home Restaurant in Merritt, just past the Petro-Canada at the second Merritt exit (northbound).

Edited February 16, 2005 by *Deborah* (log)

[Ye-Ye Girl]

actually all things considered i think whistler is a pretty damned good  place to find very good food ! don't know know what you're used to, or comparing to though?

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My comment about the "apparent lack of quality spots in Whistler," was based on a some threads I found here, where I got the impression that at least some of Whistler's food options tended to be overpriced with quality that didn't live up to the bill. If that impression is wrong, I probably misinterpreted the posts, and/or didn't go deep enough into my search to find other, more complimentary posts. I myself haven't been to Whistler since 2001 (when I tore my ACL), and even then, our group generally made our own dinners, etc., so I haven't had any recent firsthand experience there. In any case, I wasn't trying to ruffle any feathers, and I'm sorry if I did.

Anyway, thanks for the indepth info on Sun Peaks restaurants. I'm looking forward our trip, and your suggestions will really help!

[Viola da gamba]

It may be just me, but if you're driving up to Sun Peaks, the Amsterdam in Kamloops (on the main drag - very hard to miss) is somewhere we always have to go at least once when visiting friends (fortunately, they like it too). Open face dutch pancakes (sort of like savoury crepes) with a variety of toppings - there are both set toppings (smoked salmon, cream chese, onions & capers, there's also one involving bacon, mushrooms & curry sauce) and toppings a la carte - I usually get bacon, gouda & mushrooms with a side of hollandaise. The fried potato bits are also good (they're not really hash browns). If it's open (but I seem to remember they usually close from January - March), the Hothouse Bistro is also worth a visit - Mexican-inspired - get the sopapillas (puffed fried bread-like things) with the maple butter - to die for. Both are more cheap & cheerful options than gourmet - but nonetheless we consider them top of our go-to list when in the Loops. Have a great trip - the snow at Sun Peaks is almost always better than Whistler (ducks - but you know it's true ), and the skiing is good.

Edited February 16, 2005 by Viola da gamba (log)

[*Deborah*]

It may be just me, but if you're driving up to Sun Peaks, the Amsterdam in Kamloops (on the main drag - very hard to miss) is somewhere we always have to go at least once when visiting friends (fortunately, they like it too).  Open face dutch pancakes (sort of like savoury crepes) with a variety of toppings - there are both set toppings (smoked salmon, cream chese, onions & capers, there's also one involving bacon, mushrooms & curry sauce) and toppings a la carte - I usually get bacon, gouda & mushrooms with a side of hollandaise.  The fried potato bits are also good (they're not really hash browns). 

Whoa! a Dutch pancake place in Kamloops! I'll have to drag my parents there one day.

Actually, Ric's Grill, which is to the right off the Hillside exit (turn right just before the Petro-Canada and continue up the hill a little ways) is a good place for steak in Kamloops, and their crab-filled mushroom caps are pretty yummy. If you get as far as Kamloops and you're starving to death, that's a pretty good place to stop; it's a little more than an hour on from there to the hill, and longer if the Tod Mountain Road is messy with weather.

[3WholeCardamoms]

  In any case, I wasn't trying to ruffle any feathers, and I'm sorry if I did. 

Anyway, thanks for the indepth info on Sun Peaks restaurants. I'm looking forward our trip, and your suggestions will really help!

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enjoy your holiday, enjoy the food! My only suggestion (clickety)

http://www.geocities.com/spabc123/

3WC

[Viola da gamba]

Whoa! a Dutch pancake place in Kamloops! I'll have to drag my parents there one day.

You've never been? Man - gotta go. Service is a bit slow & the coffee's just okay, but those pancakes are great - and at least everything's made as you order it. The place has (I think) been run by the same family since the '70's or so, and they've got a very cool pressed tin ceiling. Never quite made it to the dessert pancakes - always too full from the mains. Damn - and I won't be in Kamloops until August ...

[Ye-Ye Girl]

enjoy your holiday, enjoy the food! My only suggestion (clickety)

http://www.geocities.com/spabc123/

3WC

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3WC -

Curious about your link. Is it a suggestion not to ski at Sun Peaks?

[3WholeCardamoms]

Curious about your link. Is it a suggestion not to ski at Sun Peaks?

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[Daddy-A]

Curious about your link.  Is it a suggestion not to ski at Sun Peaks?

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That's up to you. I just found it ironic that people were concerned with your unintentional slighting of whistlerfood on the way to Sun Peaks. And you having to back away from your words and apologize etc... Considering the issue of supporting Sun Peaks or not was invisible.

I guess, to answer your question, i was attempting to include the link/'issue' to the discussion.

3WC

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Considering this is a food forum, the issues surrounding Sun Peaks are irrelevant. While I appreciate your attempt to not discuss it in forum, posting the link qualifies as "discussing." Read about the Policy on Discussion of Politics HERE (CLICKETY).

A.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Don't know if it is too late to add a recommendation for Kamloops, but we spent a night there in June while on the Rocky Mountain Railtour. Dinner at our hotel was included but one look at the menu had us out the door looking for something else. We stumbled upon the Brownstone just down the street from Ric's in a former bank building (118 Victoria Street). The food was good - very good, service was excellent and the wine list very interesting and very reasonably priced. If you are in Kamloops for a meal I would heartily recommend the Brownstone.