Lunch Above the Clouds

The Village at Silver star Mountain Resort

 

Vernon is often described as being in the "sunny" Okanagan Valley.  This is only a partial truth.  In summer the valley is bathed in daily sun for weeks at a time and both spring and fall get their share of sunshine.  But the winter, particularly December and January, it is an entirely different picture.  The percentage of possible sunshine hours per day is about 1/4 of what it is at the height of summer.  Combining that statistic with a the fact that Vernon is located just above the 50th latitude, makes for a dark and dull couple of months. 

But that is in the valley.  And that is where I am today, looking out my south facing window.  Instead of seeing Terrace Mountain, is see gray, gray cloud, gray hills; even the snow looks gray today.  However not that far away, only up about 1230 metres (about 4030 feet), is brilliant, bright sun light.  I know this because of the web cams at Silver Star Mountain Resort (and because my husband just sent a text to tell me what a great day it is up on the mountain). 

Why some, many Vernonites, stay down here day after gray day is beyond me.  It is a myth that you have to be a skier or boarder to enjoy Silver Star Mountain Resort.  You don't have to do any winter sports to make the 30 minutes drive from town worthwhile.  Just come for lunch and enjoy the sunshine!

There is a dozen places for lunch, from full service restaurants, to bistros and cafés.  There are great choices for good food at good prices. We haven't tried all the places this year but I intend to do so before the season's end.  Here are my impressions so far:

 

 

Town Hall We stop here most days for coffee after skiing.  Its your typical noisy, busy ski hill cafeteria with a selection of burgers, fries and such at one end and a more dignified coffee bar serving crafted coffees with some tasty looking paninis  and  pastries at the other end. They make an okay flat white and sell the authentic Aussie meat pies (that are yummy) for the very good price of  $5.95.  Your season's pass saves you 10% on all purchases.

 

Bulldog Grande Café  Incorporates some Dutch/Indonesian flair along with usual burger/sandwich fare. We tried the hearty Dutch Pea soup.  Unfortunately the Bitterballen, a Dutch favourite of thickened beef ragout breaded and fried and served with homemade Dutch mustard was sold out.  I plan to try it next time.  On a cold day its nice to sit near one of the rock-faced fire-places.

Out of Bounds Bistro  This popular little café is now twice its original size but was still packed when we visited.  They make a good flat white and the biggest paninis I've ever seen.  We split one with brie, chicken and avocado.  My only regret was I that I was too full for dessert.  The coffee, soups and lunch items are great but the really really good stuff is the desserts.  They are to die for, pies with flakey pastry, heaped full of fruit or cream fillings and piled high with whipped cream

Bugaboos Bakery Café  Probably the best known café on the hill and open from 7:30 am  to 5 pm daily, Bugaboos is well known for its cinnamon buns, apple strudel and croissants.  All its 50 chairs  seem occupied when you come in the door but surprisingly the wait is never long.  Lunch is always good and the coffee is Italian.  Après ski you can have beer, wine, specialty coffees or hot chocolates.

1609 Restaurant and Lounge Newly opened this season 1609 is, quite literally, a few steps above the other establishments.  There are two ways to enter, but neither seems instinctive.  One is from the west side of the Vance Creek Hotel and the other is the Vance Creek Hotel entrance from Main Street and then up the stairs. Fortunately they leave a sign out to direct you up to the restaurant. The ambiance is different here, with sun pouring in the large windows, and a view down to the village. There is a distinctive Aussie influence, pumpkin in the salad and the best flat white on the mountain, no surprise the joint is owned by three Aussies from Brisbane.  Wine by the glass starts at$5.50 and there is a huge selection of crafted beers.  The name, 1609 is the altitude of The Village

View of village from 1609 Restaurant and Lounge

The Saloon  With the wooden floors and swinging doors, the pool tables and dart boards, you know you are in The Saloon, although a family friendly one, with lots of activities to while away an afternoon if you've had too much skiing .It is also a good spot for lunch.  The cheese and broccoli soup was thick and had a cheddar bite to it.  We enjoyed a good burger and a juicy turkey wrap with cranberries, purple onion, tomato and a zippy aioli sauce.  To sweeten the meal, we got 10% off with our Season passes.


We have more than a couple months to check out the rest of the eateries, not an unpleasant way to spend winter up at the Star.