This past Sunday, January 28th, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort was brimming with locals taking advantage of their Community Day. While we were among those locals, and we did take advantage of the discounted lift tickets (which the proceeds of went to the Golden Family Centre), we didn’t go to ski. We were among the very few that were going to the top for lunch. While there was a lunch deal happening at the peak, a burger and beer combo, we had something else in mind.
We were a group of three this time around – my mom, my grandma and myself making our way up to the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, hoping for some half-decent weather. The restaurant space, looking picturesque with the mountain views just barely peeking through the rainy day weather, had only a few people at its tables. We had arrived prior to the regular lunchtime, which seemed to work in our favour when we were seated at a coveted corner spot with a great view out the south side of the restaurant.
After ordering our warm beverages, we set out to decide what we would have for lunch. Grandma opted for the Butternut Squash Salad, while my mom chose the Grilled Chicken Focaccia sandwich and I went with the Haloumi Burger, which we paired with the Truffle Fries, a must when dining up at the Eagle’s Eye. We obviously came at a good time, because our lunch arrived shortly after we had ordered. By this point, the restaurant was starting to fill up with groups coming in for their lunch break.
Since we are a sharing family, we all taste-tested each other’s meals. The Roasted Squash Salad, which was made up of mixed greens, pickled vegetables, candied walnuts, goat cheese and topped with a maple dijon vinaigrette, was visually pleasing and featured well-balanced flavours. My husband and I always say that “pretty food tastes good”, and this salad was just that!
The halloumi burger, which consisted of red bell pepper tapenade, baby spinach, tomato, aioli and pickled red onion, was very tasty. I have been pleasantly surprised by halloumi lately, I really enjoy the “squeaky-ness” of it, giving the sandwich an interesting texture and its mild flavour that pairs well with the other ingredients.
Lastly, we had the chicken sandwich, which included basil pesto, parmesan, baby spinach, tomato and a balsamic reduction. A classic pairing of ingredients, coming together to make a delicious sandwich.
When dining at the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, one must consider following tradition and adding truffle fries to your order. They have turned into a classic favourite when dining at this mountain-top restaurant, and I never say no to a potato, especially a fancy one!
We somehow left room in our stomachs for dessert, and since we don’t dine here often, we ordered two of their selections – the lemon meringue pie and the brownie. I would like to give extra “brownie points” to their presentation skills for the desserts. It isn’t a hard sell for me to enjoy sweets, but these plates were works of art! The lemon meringue, which is one of my favourites, had a skillfully torched dollop of meringue atop the mini lemon meringue pie. It was paired with mini mascarpone cream peaks, pears and a crumble of some sort. The brownie was tasty as well, I enjoyed the KHMR horse that was printed on the white chocolate that topped the brownie. I was more focused on the lemon meringue though, so I only had a bite or two of the brownie.
Whether you’re looking for a spot to celebrate a special occasion or something different to do, consider heading up to the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant. It is a unique experience to be able to dine at the top of a mountain (even if it’s just for an order of truffle fries)! They do have dinner events throughout out the season, the next one being on Valentine’s Day. Limited seating is available for their events, so make sure to pre-register if you see a dinner you’re interested in attending!
