We arrived here Friday for a long weekend and well know there are only several (if that) quality dining spots around town. There are plenty of burger joints, steak and fried seafood places and fast food joints, but each time we return here we seek dining spots. I asked the guy at the Chamber of Commerce desk and we stopped by the newly renovated Lake Front Hotel (Lake Front Restaurant at 10 Fair Street in downtown) to check out their expanded and redesigned restaurant that sits at the southern end of Otesaga Lake with several tables right at the window overlooking the scenery. We made the reservation and returned a couple of hours later for dinner and were quite surprised that the specials were a big shift on the standards, although here they were not all fried, breaded or such. We ordered two tall blue glasses of BLAK & BLUE LEMONADE which was a not too alcoholic combo of Stoli Blakberri, Stoli Blueberry, Lemonade and Lime..we felt the vodka was missing! Samuel chose a wonderful appetizer of Grilled SALMON with Lemon Butter over Spinach (which he skipped) and a side order of fried. It was almost a main course side (servings are HUGE here) and worked perfectly. Will chose the Mediterranean Grilled CALAMARI Salad with capers, shallots, red peppers, garlic and fresh herbs over a (huge) bed of greens with fire roasted tomato vinaigrette. It was a tasty salad, but my Sherry Mustard Steamed MUSSELS were the winner here in a tasty broth with yummy slabs of garlic bread (which Samuel adored). The Broiled SEAFOOD PLATTER contained backed stuffed shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, broiled scallops and broiled haddock, which Will declared as superb. Every main course comes with a small salad as well as choice of potato (baked with butter and sour cream if you like, fries) or rice and a small side of tasty vegetables. It's the typical old style dining yo often find up here. My Horseradish Crusted ESCOLAR with Lemon Dijon Cream was a wonderful dish and a perfect piece of fish. We had asked our charming server Michele for a bottle of the Xplorador Sauvignon Blanc from Chile but the bar guy misunderstood her and he delivered two glasses of the BOHEMIAN HIGHWAY California Sauvignon Blanc along with the full bottle saying that the extra glasses were on the house. Who could argue with that? The California was listed on the menu as citrus and grapefruit while the Chilean as more oaky...the reality was the reverse, but they were both very nice. We were so full as they began to clear tables from one side of the room just after 9pm. It seemed a band would play at 930pm, so we made our escape without dessert but having been quite filled up on the tasty seafood.
