Lake Crescent Lodge

Beautiful location, peace and surprisingly fine food

Sure, I’ve seen the PBS documentaries about national parks and the various lodges. They look fabulous. Economics being what they are, however, and with all the stories about how we don’t have enough money to maintain parks, how we have to pay just to drive through or park our vehicles—well, it has made me doubt the quality of the lodges. Certainly I never expect to get much more than a minimally acceptable meal (best to stick to the hot dog and ice cream is my theory).

My doubts were recently borne away on the refreshing breezes of Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park, Port Angeles. We chose to arrive by motorcycle, taking full advantage of beautiful, tree-lined roads. The lake is stunning, with trees growing right to the water’s edge. Breezes ripple the water and in the distance you see the outline of mountain after mountain. Just standing in the parking lot you can feel the tension start draining from your body.

National park venues are owned by the American people and are run by companies that bid for the right to generate revenue. These companies have to be vetted every few years to ensure they are maintaining standards. Lake Crescent Lodge (as well as Hurricane Ridge and Fairholme Store & Marina) is run by Forever Resorts. Bill and Rose Ahler are the general manager and retail manager, respectively. There are 80 staff members at the Lodge and 52 rooms. Five rooms are upstairs in the Lodge itself, 30 rooms are located in three different buildings on the property, 13 rooms are in the Singer Tavern cottages and there are four Roosevelt fireplace cottages.

When Forever Resorts won the right to run the Crescent Lodge program, Bill and Rose turned to old friend Eric Toles. The three had worked together before and knew they could make the Lodge something special. Eric explains his background—“I had worked at the Four Seasons in Manhattan as a maitre'd where I gained an appreciation for wine. The hotel eventually sent me to the New York Wine Institute to become a sommelier.” In fact, Eric has been invited by the Court of Master Sommeliers to audit the Advanced Sommelier course in San Francisco in October 2005. “I also worked for four years at the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim and two years at Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort in Death Valley.”

The three friends had their work cut out. Beds were so bad they couldn’t be given away. The dining room was considered “Denny’s on the Lake.” The Lodge was built in 1916 as Singers Tavern. Because it’s an historical landmark, no major changes could be made. So they restored it to earlier glory. A beautiful porch is at the entrance; the main room is dark and cozy with a large stone fireplace, couches, wood-carved animals and the ubiquitous elk head; and a bright glassed/screened-in porch overlooks the lawn and lake. There’s also a lounge area in the main room with a small bar, tall stools and several tables.

We stayed in one of the two-bedroom Roosevelt fireplace cottages (named because President Roosevelt stayed here once). The sense of peace you feel in the parking lot increases as you enter the cottage. The room embraces you with dark, knotty pine ceiling and walls. Snowshoe lights flank the stone fireplace. Bathrooms are updated and include hairdryers and high-end shampoos, lotions and soaps. Each cottage has chairs and a table outside to take advantage of your own personal yard. There are mini-fridges and microwaves but absolutely no TVs anywhere and no phones in the rooms.

Because it’s so quiet, you hear the lapping water, birds (red-headed woodpeckers—I swear it was Woody) and laughter from a boat on the lake. You watch the light change on the mountains, ants rush to do whatever it is they’re doing and ducks land and take off from the lake.

You almost hate to break the hypnotic lure of the lake by going to the dining room for dinner. Don’t make this mistake. The dining room was an addition to the lodge some time ago, but not long enough to be considered historical. Forever Resorts took advantage of this and put in a new stone fireplace, windows and blinds. They’ve managed to update it yet keep the quaint feel so it fits with the Lodge. Windows overlook trees and lake. Tables are bare for breakfast and sport linens for dinner. Native regional artwork adorns the walls.

Although this was a huge amount of work, the biggest change is in the kitchen. Eric insists on a friendly but high level of service. “We start out each season with training sessions for everyone so they understand the menu, wine and service level we want to offer,” says Eric.

Chef Jamison (Jamie) Brandt was hired to run the kitchen. From the presentation and flavors of the dishes you might assume he’s a graduate of culinary school. He’s actually a local who started cooking in high school and continued to hone his skills at places like the Oyster House. He was the opening chef at Jake’s Grill in Port Townsend (now a barbecue restaurant) before he moved to Seattle and worked with Ludger Szmania in Magnolia. “I thought I was great in the kitchen until I got there,” says Jamie. “I stayed close to four years and learned so much.” He eventually moved back and became the chef at Lake Crescent Lodge. Eric is thrilled with Jamie. “His dishes are all matched with sauces for the perfect balance. We make all our salad dressings here and have fresh fish delivered five times a week. Our seafood chowder is a favorite of the staff and customers. It’s addictive.”

Generally, I don’t think “high-end” in association with a national park. But the menu here includes things like elk rib rack, grilled duck breast and ahi tuna. The elk has a black currant and Madeira glaze, the duck a cherry molasses sauce and the tuna a plum wasabi sauce. Sauces do not overwhelm; they enhance the natural flavor. Matched with the right wine—oh my. Don’t pass up the starters like scallops and foie gras or crab cakes.

No discussion of food is complete without some input on dessert. They’re large enough to share and you will want some of what anyone else has, but it’s tough to give up even a bite of what you’ve chosen. Homemade éclairs topped with fresh berries, warm Marionberry cobbler with ice cream, a profiterole with blackberry-lavender and honey ice cream. If you get the sticky toffee pudding cake with Macadamia nuts and warm caramel syrup, pair it with one of the ports. It really tops off the evening nicely.

Eric is serious about wine in a most un-serious fashion. He showcases a “Desperate House Wines” list that is “fueled by our desperation to reveal a few secrets for seducing the palate!” The wine list focuses on Northwest wines, but also includes entries from California, Spain, France and Australia. In 2005, they were awarded a “Washington Wine First Award” for fine dining in Washington State by the Washington Wine Commission.

Breakfast and lunch are good here, too. Try the Roosevelt breakfast (yes, this does involve trout). Lunch options include halibut and chips, a Singer Tavern burger and a portabella mushroom and roasted red pepper sandwich.

Whether you stay at Lake Crescent Lodge for one night or a week, you’ll be more relaxed and at peace than you’ve been in years. Add fine food, a pleasant and attentive staff and the beauty of the surrounding Olympic National Park and you’ll be tossing your preconceived notions about national parks out the same window I did.

Connie Adams/Summer 2005

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