Custer State Park:
One of our first excellent meals was at Custer State Park in South Dakota at the Sylvan Lake Lodge and Dining Room. My meal began with a fresh and crunchy Cobb Salad. For my main course, I ordered the Buffalo Short Rib. When the plate arrived, I was greeted by a 2-inch thick piece of short rib, which consisted of four bones. The Buffalo was served on a bed of asiago mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. The short rib was slow roasted in a zesty Korean BBQ sauce.
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| The BBQ Bison Short Ribs |
Chico Hot Springs:
Our next destination was Chico Hot Springs Resort in Montana. After a long day of hiking and a quick swim in the natural hot spring pool, our whole family felt like we needed a good meal. We knew that the dining room at Chico would provide us with an exceptional one. For dinner, I had two appetizers, the Big Sky Crab Cake, and the BBQ Bison Short Rib Ravioli. The Crab Cake was served with Crispy Cellophane Noodles, a Lobster Cream Sauce, and was finished with a chilled Cucumber Pepper Relish. The Short Rib Ravioli was filled with slowly braised Bison Short Rib, wrapped in a homemade pasta which was made from locally sourced Montana Flour and Paradise Valley Eggs. It was finished with a sweet corn cream sauce and chili oil. After an amazing meal of fresh and tasty food, we couldn't resist their dessert selection. My brother and I decided to share the Mud Pie and the Orange Flambe.
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| The Big Sky Crab Cake |
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| The Short Rib Ravioli |
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| Mud Pie |
Desoto Grill:
Towards the end of our trip, we stayed in Kalispell Montana. It was a small town but provided us with three amazing dinners. Our last dinner before we started making our way home was at The Desoto Grill. The restaurant is in an old car mechanic shop. We sat outside where we could smell the meat being smoked and grilled. This brought our hunger to a whole new level. Sitting outside also provided us with the opportunity to listen to a local Irish band. It was a perfect evening - sitting outside, smelling the fresh aromas of meat being smoked and listening to beautiful music. My brother and I split the Brisket Cheesesteak Sandwich and the Supercharged BLT for dinner. The BLT was aptly named as it was comprised of pork belly that had been smoked all day and finished with a spicy maple glaze. We concluded this meal with a fresh Banana Pudding with vanilla wafers, topped with whipped cream.
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| The Brisket Cheesesteak Sandwich |
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| Banana Pudding |
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| Pork Belly BLT |
