Alpine elegance meets award-winning food at Glitretind at Stein Eriksen Lodge. Nestled in Deer Valley Resort is Chef Zane Holmquist's New American restaurant renowned for its warm, elegant setting, inventive dishes, and panoramic mountain views.
With such an impressive reputation, our expectations were sky-high as we entered Glitretind on a chilly Utah evening. And we weren’t disappointed. Upon arrival, we were greeted with Norwegian décor, a luminous, alpine setting, and a buzzing dining room.
The attentive wait staff was quick to get us started, and considering the incredibly extensive wine list, we were keen to get some recommendations. We were pleasantly surprised to have a knowledgeable sommelier arrive at our table to advise us about pairing wines with what we had our eye on from the menu.
As we sipped on a crisp, savory white wine, we began to get excited about the perhaps one too many starters we had ordered. With such elevated options — from Wagyu cheek served with celeriac and chive oil to sleek twists on refreshing salads — it was quite a task just to decide. But when a piping hot bowl of creamy kabocha squash and lobster soup arrived at our table, our fear of missing out on the rest of the menu quickly disappeared.
Delicate hunks of Maine lobster and pops of pearl onion drenched in a delicate, velvety coconut milk broth tantalized our tongues, with zingy notes of finger lime adding brightness to the luxurious soup. And before we were even done relishing every last drop, it was time to dig into the seared foie gras. With churro, Mexican chocolate, huckleberry, and pink peppercorn, it was an unforgettable dance between sweet and salty.
But it was the rabbit ragu that stole the show. Cumin spaetzle, a take on the indulgent German dish that is full of bacon and cheese, arrived with salty slices of rabbit in a creamy ragu.
Thanks to the portion sizes, we weren’t dreading the main course, despite devouring three dishes already. And we were ready to indulge in some local fare. Utah lamb chops served with a classic mint jelly and charred Brussels sprouts felt somewhat out of place at first for a fine dining establishment. However, there's nothing better than simple food done well. But the showstopper was a dazzling banquet of scallops and prawns coated in uni butter, lemon verbena, and lobster sauce. Rich, succulent bites of Norwegian shellfish with bright snaps of baby beans made each bite an absolute pleasure.
With room for something sweet (and some more wine), it was time to move on to what Glitretind calls their finale: their dessert menu. The long list of treats means the theatrics are well deserved. It proved difficult to choose between the decadent Basque cheesecake and the baked Alaska with banana ice cream, but in the end, they didn’t stand a chance against the maple creme brûlée.
Velvety, flavored with pure maple syrup, and perfectly caramelized on top, the experience was an unmitigated delight. To cut through the sweetness, maple poached pears offered some lightness, while maple madeleines were soft and delicately made. A great final act from a Deer Valley institution.
