Spectacular Views and Savory Flavours

Thanksgiving weekend I had the pleasure of attending a friend’s wedding held at Rose Valley Lodge. I had heard many wonderful things about this venue prior to making the drive out: how delicious the food was, how incredible the views and scenery and how welcoming the owners Markus Hoffman and his wife Debbie were to visitors. Knowing these things, I was looking forward to experiencing it for myself.

The Drive is as Beautiful as the Destination

A Bed and Breakfast, but also a fabulous venue for dinner, Rose Valley Lodge is located southwest of Thunder Bay, 30 minutes past Thunder Bay International Airport on 440 secluded acres of meadows, forest and ancient mountains.  Head south on Hwy 61 and make a right turn on Hwy 608, a winding, narrow highway blazing with yellows, oranges and reds as the leaves seem to paint murals down the sides of the road.  This is a perfect sampling of the autumn perfection that abounds in Northwest Ontario.

Pull into the parking area and you can immediately see why people love this place so much. A beautiful country home where dinner will be served is the first sight, but take a quick look around and you will see a handful of log cabins nestled into the lush forest, even a tree house and it all seems separated from the hustle and bustle of the “real world” by a tree-coated mountain.

Dinner is served!

Once you’ve gotten used to the sights, you can start thinking about food. You can smell what you think is possibly only the most delicious aroma your nose has ever had the pleasure of inhaling just standing outside. Once you open the door and walk inside, it’s all over for you and your self-control. That’s how it was for me anyway. Never fear though, my watering mouth and growling stomach were quickly taken care of by a tray of delightful appetizers that the kitchen had prepared.

Then it was what I had been waiting all day for… the wedding dinner. The first of five dinner courses was the best Butternut Squash soup I have ever eaten. So smooth, so creamy and so perfectly “Fall”. Course two was a great cabbage salad and then came course three… spinach ravioli that literally (not figuratively, not emphatically, but actually literally) melted in your mouth. At this point in the meal I truly believe that I will never taste anything this good again as long as I live, and then comes the entrée: the Mediterranean Style Chicken Breast. A chicken breast stuffed with lime, capers and sage topped with a slightly tangy lime cream sauce served with rice, carrots and kohlrabi. If you don’t know what kohlrabi is and you’re a fan of root vegetables, you’ve been missing out.

Dinner is by reservation only and the menu is set in advance, with the main entrée always being selected by the first person to make a reservation for that evening.  While the cool-factor of being the first and getting the privilege of choosing the menu is high, the real privilege is getting to eat whatever is served out here.

Rose Valley Lodge is open regularly Thursdays through Sundays with dinner seating at 7pm. For parties of 6 or more, reservations can be made for any day of the week. There are guest cabins on the property and cabin rates include breakfast. Rose Valley Lodge also offers Getaway Packages which include a 5-course meal, cabin rental and breakfast the next morning.

If you’re a hard core foodie or just love to eat delicious food, Rose Valley Lodge is a must-try. Whether it’s a wedding, a romantic getaway in a Jacuzzi cabin, or just dinner, Rose Valley Lodge offers an unforgettable experience for everyone.

Check out their website: http://www.rosevalleylodge.com/

And their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rose.Valley.Lodge

Oh, and for anyone that would like to try to make a few of the Rose Valley specialties themselves... they share a few receipes on their website. Click here to get in on the secret. 

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